Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-25

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 5.5)

In this modern era, as the population is booming, people need to look for residential space for their families. However, to build houses or apartments, there is only space available in rural areas. It is in debate. A group of individuals believe that, agricultural area should be remain as it is. while others argue, to get better living standard there. Although both perspectives have their own merits. I believe in latter opinion.

The foremost reason to justify my stand is that building new residences in remote areas would be beneficial for the local people, as the living standard become with facilities new job opportunities will rise for the people who reside nearby. For example, if more people live in better houses, they will need helpers such as maids, plumbers, and so on.

Another reason to support my stand is that, increasing in literacy. As more and more people move to the rural areas, they will help their children to provide knowledge through schooling or tuition. Therefore, The trend which is coming through old generations to move from countryside to cities in purpose of better education will change totally. For example, village children are more likely to learn there and will contribute something better for rural areas in futur.

To conclude, and offer my position. I strongly believe that, new homes should be installed in rural areas as they bring better job opportunities and rural development for the areas. In addition people may not have to stay away for their famililies.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of building in the countryside. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention job opportunities and education, the arguments lack depth and specific, well-explained examples. For instance, the link between building houses and 'literacy' is not clearly established, and the example provided is vague. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your reasoning with more logical connections and concrete evidence. The response is just at the minimum length, which restricts the ability to fully explore the complexities of the issue, such as the environmental impact or the balance between development and conservation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices like 'The foremost reason,' 'Another reason,' and 'To conclude.' However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as the sentence fragment 'It is in debate.' Additionally, some transitions between sentences are abrupt, and the logical flow within paragraphs could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas feels a bit repetitive, particularly in the conclusion, which restates points without adding new insight.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'residential space,' 'agricultural area,' and 'rural development.' However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and awkward collocations, such as 'installed in rural areas' (instead of 'constructed' or 'developed') and 'coming through old generations.' There are also some spelling errors, such as 'famililies' and 'futur.' To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that your word choices fit the context of the argument naturally rather than relying on basic or slightly misused terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, they often contain grammatical errors, such as 'as the living standard become with facilities new job opportunities will rise.' There are frequent issues with punctuation, particularly the misuse of commas (e.g., 'To conclude, and offer my position. I strongly believe that, new homes...'). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. You should focus on proofreading for basic sentence construction and punctuation rules.

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

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