Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-10

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many places, new homes are needed, but the only space available for building them is in the countryside. Some people believe it is more important to protect the countryside and not build new homes there.

What is your opinion about this?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Nowadays, the demand for residential properties is increasing significantly due to rapid population growth. Although some people believe that countryside areas should be protected , I believe that a balance approach is necessary to meet housing demands while preserving the natural environment.

To begin with, it is easy to understand why new houses are important for the people. In the city side area population is increasing rapidly and people need accommodation at affordable prices which is only possible when they build new houses. At this time cities are overcrowded but when they build new houses in nearby rural areas they can reduce pressure on cities. Rural communities can get better facilities such as hospitals, schools, parks or playgrounds and so on. New housing projects attract businesses and people can get employment opportunities.

On the contrary to this, this is underlying some factor which are in the favor to save countryside area. When they build new houses in rural area then they can destroy forest and wildlife habitats and animals may lose their natural living areas. It can also increase polloution level in several ways such as noise and air pollution during construction activities and more vehicles can increase carbon emissions. In rural area land is mostly used for farming when new buildings are built up over their then food production may be affected at large extent.

In the conclusion, although providing sufficient housing is essential, protecting the countryside area should remain a priority. Government should adopt sustainable development strategies to balance both needs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you support a balance between meeting housing needs and protecting the countryside, and the conclusion reinforces this view. You address both sides with relevant points, including pressure on cities, access to facilities and jobs, and risks to wildlife, air quality and food production. This covers the task, but some ideas are more fully explained than others. For example, the claim that rural housing is the only way to provide affordable accommodation is asserted rather than supported, and the benefits of new facilities could be linked more directly to your position. Develop one or two points with a specific example and explain how they support your proposed balance.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs presenting benefits and drawbacks, and a conclusion. The progression from housing needs to environmental costs is easy to follow, and signposts such as “To begin with,” “On the contrary,” and “In the conclusion” help guide the reader. This meets the lower-band expectations securely and shows some stronger control through purposeful paragraphing and a clear line of argument. However, several transitions feel mechanical, and the reference “this is underlying some factor” is unclear, interrupting the flow. Use more precise links between claims and their explanations, and make references explicit—for instance, state directly that “there are also reasons to protect rural areas.”

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “residential properties,” “wildlife habitats,” “carbon emissions,” and “sustainable development strategies.” These choices help communicate the main ideas, and you attempt some less common expressions. However, inaccurate word choice, collocation and spelling sometimes make the writing less natural: “city side area,” “underlying some factor,” and “polloution” are examples. Some phrases are also vague, such as “at large extent.” These errors do not prevent understanding, but greater precision and more reliable spelling would strengthen the response. Build a bank of natural collocations for housing and environmental issues, and check word forms and spelling during revision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a concession in the introduction (“Although some people believe…”) and a conditional structure about building in rural areas. The main meaning is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “a balance approach” needs an article and adjective form, while “when they build new houses… they can reduce pressure” has an unclear subject and would be clearer with a specific noun such as “developers.” There are also problems with agreement and sentence construction in “this is underlying some factor which are in the favor.” Work on articles, subject–verb agreement, and forming clear clauses; then proofread punctuation and spacing, including the space before the comma in “protected ,”.

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

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