Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-13

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)

In recent years, people have been buying more houses rather than renting houses in some countries. I think this is a positive situation. This essay further explains the reasons why people now own more houses than rent, before reaching a conclusion.

On the one hand, it has benefits for both people and governments. The first and most important reason for buying a home is that people do not have any restrictions in their houses, unlike rentals, there are many types of restrictions, such as using less water, electricity, and parking vehicles in designated parking spaces. For instance, people have to park their cars in public parking, which is many miles away from the rental house, which is time-wasting. Secondly, the problem of small areas in rental houses. For example, renting a 1BHK for 3000 dollars a month is very expensive for that space.

On the other hand, the government take taxes on all expenses people incur. As a result, the GDP of the country also increase with the increase in the number of houses owned. Secondly, people decorate their houses according to their choices without any restriction. For example, people decorate their houses with LED lights on Diwali or with rangoli on Holi. Furthermore, people have many more benefits of owning their own houses, like they do not having to leave that house when shifting, they live permanently in those houses.

In conclusion, after looking at all the reasons for this trend aforementioned, one can conclude that it is a very positive situation for the country and for people who own the house.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you consider home ownership positive, and you give reasons related to personal freedom, space, decorating, and permanence. These are relevant to why owning a home matters. However, the task’s two parts are not equally developed. The reasons for its importance are addressed through restrictions and the example of a small rental, but the claim that ownership benefits governments through taxes and GDP is unclear and not convincingly explained. The essay also shifts between benefits to individuals and benefits to the country without showing how they connect. Develop the strongest reasons with clearer explanation and examples, and make the positive-versus-negative judgement explicit throughout rather than relying mainly on the introduction and conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion, so its overall arrangement is easy to recognise. Sequencing phrases such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “Furthermore” help signal additional points. However, the paragraphing does not consistently group ideas by purpose: the first body paragraph discusses personal restrictions and rental space, while the next moves from government revenue back to personal decoration and permanence. “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” suggest a contrast, but both paragraphs mainly present advantages, making the relationship between them unclear. Some links are also mechanical or imprecise, including “the reasons for this trend aforementioned.” Group related points together and use transitions that accurately show whether you are adding, contrasting, or explaining.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “renting,” “restrictions,” “designated parking spaces,” “GDP,” and “permanently.” The examples involving Diwali and Holi also make the discussion specific. However, several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, particularly repeated forms of “houses” and “people,” and phrases such as “small areas in rental houses” and “the GDP … increase with the increase in the number of houses owned” do not express the intended ideas naturally. “Time-wasting” is also an awkward choice in this context. Broaden your range with precise terms such as “property,” “tenants,” and “living space,” and check collocations so that your vocabulary sounds natural as well as relevant.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which is many miles away” and a subordinate clause beginning “when shifting.” Most of the message remains understandable, but some errors in agreement, verb forms, and sentence construction reduce accuracy. For example, “the government take taxes” should use a singular verb, while “the GDP … increase” also needs agreement with its subject. “They do not having to leave” has an incorrect verb form, and “unlike rentals, there are many types of restrictions” joins ideas awkwardly. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and verb patterns, and revise long sentences to ensure each clause is grammatically connected. More consistently accurate complex sentences would strengthen control.

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.