Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-05

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)

As housing is very important for some major cities to accommodate growing population, the only available option is to construct them in the countryside. But many people believe countryside should be protected form new homes being built. I firmly believe that constructing new neighborhoods in outskirts not only solves accommodation but also helps the economy grow in the countryside.

On one hand, cities are already having a housing problem where there are shortage of new homes and increasing rents. People are unable to find new homes for their families to live as the city's population is on a constant rise. To solve this crisis, governments have no other option but to establish new projects in the countryside. This also helps the people living in far off areas increase their economy, open new businesses, create new jobs, increase tourism and bring in new investments for future growth. For example, areas like Innisfil and Newmarket have seen a rapid growth in their economies after housing projects were introduced as a part of Greater Toronto Area.

On the other hand, many people believe that rural areas should be protected from new constructions as it may destroy their environment's ecological system. As their livelihood comes from farming, removing those can stop their income.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you clearly state your position in the introduction, the arguments remain underdeveloped. The second paragraph touches on economic benefits, and the third paragraph briefly mentions environmental concerns, but these points lack the depth and supporting evidence required for a higher band. Because the essay is under-length, the ideas are not fully extended, and the conclusion is entirely missing, which prevents a comprehensive response to the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction and separate paragraphs for opposing views. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'On one hand' and 'On the other hand' to signal transitions. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat abrupt due to the lack of a concluding paragraph. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure feels incomplete, which limits the flow of the argument. To improve, ensure you include a summary or conclusion to tie your points together effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'accommodate,' 'crisis,' and 'ecological system.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'increase their economy' (should be 'boost their local economy') and 'removing those' (which is vague). The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, but it lacks the precision and variety needed for a higher band. Expanding your range to include more topic-specific collocations would enhance your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'there are shortage' (should be 'there is a shortage') and 'protected form' (should be 'protected from'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the sentence structure is sometimes repetitive. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and preposition usage will help improve your accuracy.

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

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