Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-16

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 7.0)

In this modern era, the burgeoning population is the leading cause of many worldwide problems. Many demographic changes are happening requiring construction of houses in rural areas to provide housing for individuals. Some masses assert that it can destroy the countryside areas, however I believe that the construction in rural areas and protecting the green spaces can go hand-in-hand with a balanced approach.

On one hand, the number of homeless people in urban areas is increasing day by day. They are being deprived of basic amenities like gas, water and electricity resulting in poor living standards. Adding on, without proper housing and management, a number of infectious diseases are spreading rapidly causing healthcare problems. In such scenarios, it becomes an onus for regime to provide homes for their civilians whether it includes constructing in rural areas.

On the other hand, the countryside areas provide habitat for animal and other wildlife species. It also maintains the ecosystem not only by reducing the levels of pollution but also by increasing the levels of oxygen in the environment. The construction of houses in these areas will ruin the natural ponds, lakes and forests. Consequently, animals will lose their home and use of agricultural land for housing will result in scarcity of food resources as well.

In my standpoint, it is necessary to expand construction to rural areas to satisfy the needs of growing population, however it should not necessarily mean the destruction of green spaces. The government can use environment friendly housing material for building houses in these regions and can limit the space that should be used for new housing. For example, in countries like Europe, the regime has adopted green belt approach for managing the housing crisis, allowing natural spaces thrive along with the expansion of residential areas.

In conclusion, although the expansion of housing spaces in the countryside area in unavoidable in this day and age, it can be done by adopting sustainable approach preventing destruction of rural areas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the task and maintains a clear position throughout. You successfully acknowledge both sides of the argument—the need for housing and the importance of environmental protection—before proposing a balanced solution. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the discussion on the benefits of the 'green belt' approach. To reach a higher band, ensure that the link between the 'regime' (a word more commonly associated with political systems than local government) and the specific housing policies is more clearly articulated. Overall, the response is well-structured and directly answers the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices such as 'On one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion' effectively to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, such as 'Adding on,' which is not standard academic phrasing. Additionally, the referencing could be smoother; for instance, the transition between the environmental impact and the proposed solution in the fourth paragraph is clear, but the flow could be improved by using more varied linking words to connect the sentences within the paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision, using terms like 'burgeoning population,' 'demographic changes,' and 'sustainable approach.' However, there are some instances of slightly unnatural word choices, such as using 'regime' to refer to a government providing housing, and 'masses' to refer to people. These choices slightly impact the naturalness of the tone. To improve, focus on using collocations that are more typical in formal writing, such as 'authorities' or 'the government' instead of 'regime,' and 'many people' or 'some argue' instead of 'some masses.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'it becomes an onus for regime' (missing an article) and 'allowing natural spaces thrive' (should be 'to thrive'). Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear, and the errors do not impede communication. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more varied complex structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice constructions, and pay closer attention to article usage (the/a/an) and verb patterns.

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

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