Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-24

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)

Many people think owning a home is more important than renting one in various countries. There are many factors that play a part forming this mindset. I think it is a positive mindset.

The greatest advantage of having your own home is the ability to customize as you wish. If you rent a house there will always be some restriction to the amount of customizing you can do. For example, some landlords don't allow painting the walls, doing renovation etc. It is also possible for landlords to attach some rules that people are forced to follow. There is also a concern about safety in a rented house because other people such as the landlord or previous residents might have access to the house. This can possibly be an alarming issue for safety and privacy.

On the other hand, owning the house gives you full authority over it. You can customize as you wish and set your own rules in the house. Also, buying a house might seem very costly at first but in the long run it is more cost efficient than renting one because it is a one-time payment. Because renting a home is cheaper at first but the rent keeps piling up every month and at some point becomes more than that of the house itself. In a situation where you don't have to move and are ready to settle, buying a house is a better financial decision for most people.

In conclusion, having your own home is better for customization , privacy and safety. Also, depending on the situation it is a good financial move.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear: you consider the preference for home ownership positive, and you discuss relevant reasons such as customisation, privacy, safety and long-term cost. This addresses both the reasons behind the preference and your evaluation of it. The explanation of restrictions imposed by landlords is supported with examples, while the financial argument is also relevant. However, the response focuses mainly on why owning is advantageous rather than fully explaining why this preference is especially important in some countries. The claim that buying is a “one-time payment” is also too broad, since ownership can involve ongoing costs, and the comparison would be stronger with a more qualified explanation. Develop the country-specific reasons and support the financial point more precisely to make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure, moving from an introduction to reasons and examples, then to a conclusion. Paragraphing helps distinguish the discussion, and signposts such as “For example,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” make the direction easy to follow. The progression is generally logical, but the second body paragraph begins “On the other hand” even though it continues the case for ownership rather than presenting a contrasting view. The repeated reference to customisation also makes the development feel somewhat circular. In addition, the sentence beginning “Because renting a home is cheaper at first” is a fragment, which interrupts the flow. Use transitions that reflect the actual relationship between ideas and connect the financial explanation more smoothly.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss the topic, including “customize,” “restriction,” “privacy,” “authority,” and “financial decision.” These choices communicate the main ideas clearly, and some topic-specific language helps the response stay focused. However, several expressions are imprecise or repetitive: “the amount of customizing,” “attach some rules,” and “the rent keeps piling up” are less natural in this context. “Cost efficient” is also not the most idiomatic way to describe the financial comparison. Repeated use of “house” and “customize” limits flexibility. Aim for more precise collocations and vary key terms—for example, refer to “property” or “home ownership” where appropriate. This would make the argument sound more controlled and formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including conditional structures such as “If you rent a house…” and “In a situation where you don't have to move…”. Most sentences are understandable, and errors rarely obscure your meaning. Some grammatical and punctuation issues remain, however. “There are many factors that play a part forming this mindset” needs a preposition before “forming,” while “some restriction” would be more accurate as a plural or with an article. The sentence beginning “Because renting a home is cheaper at first” is incomplete as a standalone sentence. There are also spacing and punctuation slips, such as the space before the comma in “customization ,”. Review sentence boundaries and article/plural choices, while continuing to use varied sentence structures.

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