Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-11

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)

Owning a home is a dream for many people and in many developed countries, this dream is an important task for many people. Renting is also considered an alternative so you do not have to spend much. In my opinion, giving priority to owning a home is a positive for long term because everyone want a roof of their head that they can call their own.

There are many positives to this as compared to the negatives. The biggest one is that, you can have a place that is developed according to what you want and according to what you need. Many people live in rented houses just because they do not have any other choice. Furthermore, investing in a home early can have a significant impact to the land because land prices go up every year. Another positive is that, if a person has a family of their own, they can safely live in place that is also owned by them.

But this long term goal comes with many negatives as well. The first negative that is seen by everyone is that it costs a fortune to build a home that you would like. This can cause financial burdens but mortgages are also given for home owners that cannot afford everything. Nevertheless, renting is considered a far better option because of low bills and maintenance as well. This however, doesn't cover the fact that most home owners raise rent every year and it ends up costing more per year. Another negative is associated with today's generation. Nobody wants to buy a home because they either don't have the money or they don't see it as a goal. This philosophy is rather opinion based and not applicable to every person.

In conclusion, buying a home is a far better choice then renting one because you live a more peaceful place and in most cases building and owning a home costs less then renting one.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both parts of the question: you suggest that ownership offers a personally tailored home, security for a family, and a possible investment, then give a clear preference for buying over renting. However, the reasons why home ownership is especially important in some countries are not explained directly; the response focuses more on general advantages and disadvantages. Some points also need fuller development. For example, the claim that buying “costs less then renting” in most cases is not supported or reconciled with the earlier point that a home “costs a fortune.” The discussion of younger generations is also only briefly connected to the question. Explain the cultural or financial reasons behind the preference and support key claims with clearer reasoning.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph on advantages, one on disadvantages, and a conclusion. Linking expressions such as “Furthermore,” “Nevertheless,” and “In conclusion” help signal the direction of the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes uneven, and some connections are unclear. The point about rising rents appears after a sentence presenting renting as a better option, but its relevance to that claim is not made explicit. Similarly, the discussion of “today’s generation” feels detached from the preceding comparison. Some transitions are mechanical, and repeated references to “positive” and “negative” could be replaced with clearer links between specific ideas. Organise each paragraph around a central point and explain how each example supports it.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “mortgages,” “financial burdens,” “maintenance,” and “land prices.” There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “significant impact” and “associated with.” However, the range is limited by repeated general words such as “positive,” “negative,” “home,” and “people,” and some collocations or word choices are inaccurate or imprecise. For instance, “impact to the land” does not clearly express the intended idea, while “a far better option” is asserted without precise qualification. “A roof of their head” is also an incorrect expression. Aim for more exact housing and financial vocabulary, and check that phrases sound natural in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “because,” “that,” and “if,” and the overall meaning is generally understandable. However, errors in agreement, articles, comparisons, and sentence construction remain noticeable. Examples include “everyone want” instead of “everyone wants,” “live in place” instead of “live in a place,” and “costs less then renting,” where the comparative form should be “than.” The opening sentence “Renting is also considered an alternative so you do not have to spend much” shifts into direct address and is awkwardly connected. Commas are also sometimes placed unnecessarily after introductory phrases, as in “The biggest one is that, you can…” Review subject–verb agreement, articles, comparative structures, and punctuation while retaining your attempts at complex sentences.

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