Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-29

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 5.0)

Purchasing a house rather than renting one is very important for people in some countries. I think this is a positive situation.

My thought is especially because, by this one may be able to build a big asset for the future. Renting a house may seem easier sometimes because it does not require to have a great deal of money at a time. Additionally, one may be able to manage shelter for one month or a year. But if we think in the long run, he g not benefitted. Rather if he bought a house after saving or by getting a loan, he does not have to pay rent.

Another reason is that a house owner can also rent out the house in case of switching places. Sometimes people have to switch places for study purposes or work purposes. They simply can think renting a house is an easier option. But then again, owning a house means he can rent out his place and make money from that. This money he could use to rent house in his work place. This idea I got from my uncle, as he did that.

Lastly, the price of a house increases over time. My aunt used to own a house which she bought for fifty thousand dollars. But due to family crisis, she had to sell it off. Surprisingly, she sold the house for triple the price she bought.

Oveall, owning a house looks like a win-win situation for me.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by explaining why homeownership is valued (building assets, rental income, property appreciation) and clearly stating the writer's position that this is a positive situation. Ideas are supported with personal examples, such as the experiences of an uncle and an aunt. However, the development tends to rely heavily on anecdotal evidence rather than broader sociological or economic arguments. Additionally, there is a penalty regarding length: the response contains 247 words, falling slightly short of the mandatory 250-word minimum requirement. This minor under-length impacts task fulfillment and prevents the score from reaching a higher band. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, but with limited depth and a length penalty.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response is organized into distinct paragraphs, attempting to cover separate points such as financial investment, rental flexibility, and property appreciation. However, the logical progression is sometimes hindered by informal transitions and abrupt shifts, such as 'My thought is especially because' and 'This idea I got from my uncle'. Cohesive devices are occasionally mechanical or repetitive, and referencing is sometimes imprecise, as seen with ambiguous pronoun use ('he g not benefitted'). Paragraphing is present, but the internal flow of ideas lacks the sophistication and clarity required for a higher band. While the overall arrangement allows the reader to follow the main points, the lack of smooth, varied cohesive links places this text firmly in the band 6 category.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey basic ideas about buying houses, renting, and saving money. However, the range is quite limited and repetitive, with frequent reliance on basic terms like 'house', 'money', 'place', and 'price'. There are also lexical and collocational inaccuracies, such as 'manage shelter' and 'sell it off', alongside typographical errors ('Oveall' and 'he g not benefitted'). The writer attempts some less common vocabulary items like 'appreciation' (implied) or 'investment' (though not explicitly used), but mostly relies on simple, everyday words. The lexical resource is minimally adequate to communicate the message, but it lacks the flexibility and precision needed for a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing conditional structures and relative clauses (e.g., 'Rather if he bought a house after saving or by getting a loan, he does not have to pay rent'). However, control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'it does not require to have', 'he g not benefitted', and 'rent house in his work place'. Punctuation and article usage are also occasionally faulty. While these errors do not completely impede overall communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the grammar score from reaching band 6.0, as error-free sentences are not in the majority.

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

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