Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-22

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 6.5)

In the modern era, housing is the most pressing problem affecting urban cities. Cities need more houses, although space is limited. The available space is in rural areas. Some people argue that it is extremely important to protect the countryside and not build homes there. I am more in favor of not building new homes in rural areas and keeping them as they are. I will discuss both views and give my opinion at last.

The reason behind not constructing new houses in the countryside is the ecosystem. The construction of new homes may cut down the forests in rural areas. which cause several life-threatening problems, such as increased pollution and disturbed wildlife. As a result, wildlife may move into urban areas in search of food and shelter. For instance, in cities like Toronto, people can see the activities of coyotes near by that area. Sometimes people can be bitten by them too.

Furthermore, cities experience too many citizens every year to explore new opportunities. Thus, major cities face a housing crisis. At the same time, city governments cannot provide homes because of limited space in urban areas. So they might plan to build new residences in nearby countryside in order to fulfill the rising demand.

In my opinion, I can assert that city governments should construct vertical multi-story apartments that can offer ample homes in limited space. As a consequence, we can protect the countryside and also fulfill the housing demand. This solution can meet the demand for new homes while protecting the countryside.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing the tension between housing needs and countryside preservation. You clearly state your position in the introduction and maintain it throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the environmental argument is supported with a relevant example regarding wildlife, the second body paragraph regarding the housing crisis is less developed and lacks a clear connection to the prompt's core conflict. To reach a higher band, ensure that every paragraph directly supports your central argument with more depth and specific, logical reasoning rather than just stating the problem.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'As a result', and 'In my opinion' to guide the reader. However, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is slightly abrupt, and some cohesive links feel a bit mechanical. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect ideas within sentences more fluidly. Overall, the structure is easy to follow and serves the purpose of the argument well.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'pressing problem', 'ecosystem', and 'vertical multi-story apartments'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'too many citizens' (which is slightly unnatural; 'a large influx of people' would be better) and 'near by that area' (which should be 'nearby'). While you attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary, the range is somewhat limited. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items to express your ideas with greater sophistication and nuance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as the sentence fragment 'which cause several life-threatening problems' and the awkward phrasing 'give my opinion at last' (should be 'at the end'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in sentence construction. You have control over basic grammar, but to achieve a higher band, you need to demonstrate more consistent control over complex structures and reduce the frequency of minor errors that occur throughout the text.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.