Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-28

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In some countries owning a home rather than renting one is very important for people. Why might this be the case? Do you think this is a positive or negative situation?

Student answer (Band 6.5)

In some countries, owning a home is considered more important than renting one. This essay will discuss the reasons for this preference and explain why I believe it is a positive development overall.

One major reason why people prefer to own a home is financial security. When people purchase a property, they can consider it a long-term investment, as the value of the property may increase over time. In contrast, renters have to pay rent every month without gaining ownership of the property. Another reason is that homeowners have greater freedom to make changes to their houses. For example, they can renovate their kitchen, paint the walls or make other improvements without needing permission from a landlord.

I believe that this preference is generally positive. Owning a home can provide people with a sense of stability because they do not have to worry about being asked to leave by a landlord or facing significant increases in rent. In addition, a house can provide financial support in the future, particularly after retirement, when people may have a lower income. However, buying a home can also create financial pressure because people may need to take out a large mortgage and make repayments for many years. Therefore, people should consider their financial situation carefully before purchasing a property.

In conclusion, people may prefer home ownership because it provides financial security, stability and greater freedom. Although purchasing a house can involve considerable financial pressure, I believe that owning a home is generally a positive situation when people can afford it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the prompt by explaining the reasons why homeownership is valued—such as financial security, investment potential, and greater personal freedom—and clearly stating a position on whether this is a positive or negative situation. Your position is maintained throughout the essay. The ideas are well-developed, with relevant supporting examples like renovating a kitchen or painting walls to illustrate freedom. You also balance the discussion by briefly acknowledging the financial pressure of mortgages, which adds depth to the argument. Overall, the task is fully covered, demonstrating a clear understanding of the requirements for an academic essay.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: introduction, reasons for homeownership, evaluation of whether it is positive, and conclusion. You use appropriate cohesive devices to link ideas, such as 'In contrast', 'Another reason', and 'In addition'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively to separate distinct arguments. Although some transitions are straightforward, they maintain clear relationships between sentences and paragraphs without disrupting the flow of the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is generally appropriate and sufficient for the task. You demonstrate the ability to use less common lexical items related to housing and finance, such as 'financial security', 'long-term investment', 'renovate', and 'mortgage'. Word choices are mostly accurate, and spelling is correct throughout the response. While the range of vocabulary allows for clear communication, the essay lacks a few more sophisticated or nuanced idiomatic expressions and advanced collocational phrases that would elevate the writing to a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional or participial elements like 'when people may have a lower income' and 'after retirement, when people may have'. There are frequent error-free sentences, and your control of grammar and punctuation is generally sound. Minor errors do occur, but they are infrequent and do not impede communication at all. The sentence variety successfully supports the flow and clarity of your arguments.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.