Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-07

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 many countries, the growing population and an increasing demand of new homes has created a shortage of homes. In some areas, the only space available for new residential development is in the countryside. Although building homes in rural area may help solve the housing problem, I believe that protecting the countryside should be given greater priority, and alternatives should be considered whenever possible.

There are several reasons why rural areas should be protected. First of all, the countryside provide natural habitat for wildlife, and helps maintain environmental balance. Large-scale construction can destroy forests, agricultural land and natural habitat, while also increasing population and traffic. In addition, farmland is essential for food production, converting too much of agricultural land into residential areas could create serious problems in the future. For example, if a large amount of farmland around a growing city are converted into a housing, the area may have to become increasingly dependent on a transported goods from distant regions.

However, it is also important to realize the important of affordable and suitable houses especially where the population is increasing rapidly. The shortage of homes can lead to extremely high rents and property prices. Therefore, completely prohibiting construction outside urban areas could have serious social and economic impact. One possible solution is to make most use of existing land by building apartments, renovating unused properties and converting abandoned industrial areas into a residential neighbourhoods . This would allow more people to live in cities without destroying landscapes.

In conclusion, the need of new homes is a serious issue, i believe protecting the countryside area is important in the long-run. Government should first maximize the use of existing urban land.

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 have presented a balanced argument, acknowledging the need for housing while advocating for the protection of the countryside. Your ideas are well-developed, particularly the suggestion to utilize existing urban land as an alternative to rural development. To reach a higher band, you could further extend your examples; for instance, you mention 'environmental balance' but could briefly specify a concrete example of how local biodiversity is impacted by suburban sprawl. Overall, the response is focused and directly answers the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'In addition', and 'However' to guide the reader. While the progression is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the flow. For example, the link between the second and third paragraphs is functional but could be more seamless. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and referencing is generally clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'residential development', 'natural habitat', and 'economic impact' are used accurately. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'the important of affordable... houses' (should be 'importance') and 'a transported goods' (should be 'transported goods' or 'goods transported'). While you attempt some less common vocabulary, there is room to incorporate more idiomatic or academic collocations to elevate the register further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. However, there are several grammatical slips that occur throughout the text. For example, 'the countryside provide' (subject-verb agreement: should be 'provides'), 'farmland... are converted' (should be 'is converted'), and 'the need of new homes' (should be 'the need for'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article errors, such as 'a residential neighbourhoods'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will improve your accuracy.

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