Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-30
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 5.5)
It has been observed that, in a few countries, owning a home rather than renting one is very significant for individuals. I presume that the benefits of this precautionary action would surpass its drawbacks to a major extent. My position is elaborated further with reasons and relevant examples.
Examining the brighter side, the foremost one is that you also become a landowner because the land on which the house is built is also yours. Because of that, you can do anything on your land and do what you want. Moreover, if you own a home, then you can also add additional facilities like a garden, swimming pool and terrace, and you can also customise them according to your requirements. So, this is the biggest advantage to a homeowner.
Furthermore, among the mentioned benefits, people build an asset instead of continuously paying rent, and that also increases the value of the house. Families have a permanent place to live and do not worry about landlords ending a tenancy. People can also pass the property to their children, so their children's future is safe and secure.
On the contrary, I would not overlook the downsides. To begin with, people want to become homeowners, but they do not because they do not have enough money. If they start paying the EMI for a house, they are concerned about the monthly interest and all the charges or payable amounts. House maintenance costs and repair costs are higher, so this type of expense is difficult for people to manage, and they do not buy a home.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the task by explaining why homeownership is valued and stating a clear position that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. However, the development of ideas remains somewhat superficial. For instance, the discussion on freedom to modify property lacks depth. While the writer touches on asset building and financial concerns in the final paragraphs, the exploration of whether this situation is positive or negative is limited. The conclusion is also missing, which prevents the ideas from being fully realised. This corresponds to Band 6 descriptors, as relevant ideas are presented but remain somewhat under-developed.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure ideas logically. Paragraphing is utilised to separate the introduction, advantages, and disadvantages. Cohesive devices such as 'Examining the brighter side', 'Moreover', and 'On the contrary' are used to guide the reader through the text, although some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, such as using 'such a precautionary action' and 'such an expense', though pronoun use occasionally causes slight ambiguity. Overall, the progression of ideas is sufficient to satisfy the requirements for Band 6.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms like 'precautionary action', 'customise', 'landowner', and 'tenancy'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, but some word choices and collocations feel slightly unnatural or repetitive, such as 'building an asset instead of continuously paying rent'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and errors do not impede communication. This fits the Band 6 descriptor profile, demonstrating sufficient vocabulary to communicate the central arguments clearly despite occasional imprecise usage.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing conditional structures such as 'if you own a home, then you can also add...' and 'If they start paying the EMI...'. There are some grammatical errors and awkward phrasings present, such as 'people want to become homeowners, but they do not because they do not have enough money', which slightly impacts fluency. However, punctuation is generally sound, and the errors do not impede overall communication. The command of grammar aligns well with the Band 6 criteria.
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