Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-03

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)

in many regions, there is a serious shortage of housing, while open countryside is often the only available land left for construction. While some people argue that we must protect rural areas at all costs, I believe that building new homes in the countryside is necessary, provided it is done carefully and in a limited way.

Arguments Against Building in the Countryside (Protecting Nature)

Loss of Green Spaces: Building houses destroys natural habitats for animals and plants, which can harm local wildlife.

Environmental Damage: Covering green land with concrete increases the risk of flooding and reduces the areas that absorb carbon dioxide.

Loss of Beauty and Heritage: The countryside offers peaceful scenery and historic landscapes that people enjoy for relaxation. Once it is built on, it is gone forever.

Lack of Infrastructure: Rural areas usually lack good public transport, hospitals, and schools, meaning new residents would have to rely heavily on cars, increasing traffic and pollution.

Arguments For Building in the Countryside (Need for Housing)

Housing Crisis: Population growth means more homes are urgently needed. Without new construction, house prices and rents will become too high for ordinary people and young families.

Better Quality of Life: Homes in the countryside often provide more space, better air quality, and a quieter environment compared to overcrowded cities.

Economic Growth: Building new houses creates jobs for construction workers and boosts local businesses in those areas.

My Opinion / Conclusion

In my opinion, protecting the countryside is important, but solving the housing crisis must be a higher priority because people need a safe place to live. However, the government should find a balance. Instead of destroying vast areas of nature, they should focus on building on brownfield sites (abandoned city land) first. If rural building is unavoidable, it should be strictly controlled, eco-friendly, and include plenty of green parks.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all parts of the task and maintained a clear position throughout. However, the structure of your response is problematic. By using bullet points and headings, you have presented your essay as a set of notes rather than a cohesive piece of discursive writing. In the IELTS exam, you must write in full paragraphs with continuous prose. While your ideas are relevant and well-supported, the format significantly detracts from the academic tone required for Task 2. To improve, you should integrate these points into well-structured paragraphs with clear topic sentences and linking phrases.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The logical progression of your ideas is clear, and you have a good grasp of how to group related arguments. However, the use of bullet points and headings is not appropriate for an essay. Cohesion is largely absent because you have not used transition signals to connect your arguments; instead, you rely on a list format. To achieve a higher band, you must use cohesive devices such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'on the other hand' to link your sentences and paragraphs, ensuring the text flows naturally as a single, unified argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, using terms like 'shortage', 'construction', 'habitats', and 'brownfield sites' effectively. The language is generally precise and appropriate for the topic. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and idiomatic expressions, such as 'urban sprawl' or 'environmental degradation', to show greater flexibility and precision in your writing. Overall, your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

Your grammar is generally accurate, and you use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures correctly. For example, your opening sentence uses a complex structure effectively: 'While some people argue that..., I believe that...'. There are very few grammatical errors, and your punctuation is consistent. To improve, you could aim to include a wider variety of complex structures, such as conditional sentences (e.g., 'If the government were to prioritize brownfield sites, the pressure on rural areas would decrease') to demonstrate a higher level of grammatical control.

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