Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-27
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)
Opinions are divided on the impact of accommodation. In this context, a certain section of society thinks that new houses should not be constructed in suburban areas and it should only used for farming. This essay will examine both perspectives before concluding that it can be used for constructing new houses as well.
On the one hand, there is a widespread belief that countryside should only be preserved for farmland and nature. This is primarily because there is a limited space available for farming and a minimal development in surrounding can destroy the growth of crops in farmland. For instance, a recent article showed that due to extreme development in housing near Ahmedabad countryside has affected the wheat crop in the nearby farmland.
On the other hand, a strong case can be made for the development of new houses in the rural areas. The main rationale behind this argument is the increasing price of the houses in urban areas due to increasing citizens. Hence, constructing new houses in the countryside can fix the problem. To illustrate, in Kitchener, the price of houses were shot up by 40% in 2021 as the population keep increasing; however, the government rapidly built new houses in nearby areas and the prices again drop down to it's original price.
In conclusion, while there are valid arguments that development in the countryside can affect the local habitat, constructing new houses can drop down the prices in the cities and it can be affordable every citizens to purchase them.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
The student addresses all parts of the task by discussing both perspectives regarding whether new homes should be built in the countryside and clearly states their own opinion. The position is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are extended with relevant examples, such as the mention of wheat crops near Ahmedabad and housing prices in Kitchener, Ontario. However, the development in the conclusion is slightly repetitive regarding housing prices and affordability. Overall, the prompt is fully addressed and ideas are sufficiently supported, earning a solid Band 6.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The essay is structured logically with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs presenting opposing views, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the text. Paragraphing is used sufficiently. However, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as 'it should only used' and pronoun ambiguity in the final sentence ('it can be affordable every citizens'). Nevertheless, the overall progression is clear, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting less common items such as 'suburban areas', 'widespread belief', and 'rural areas'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation inaccuracies, including 'accommodation' used to mean housing development, 'minimal development in surrounding can destroy', and 'prices were shot up' instead of 'shot up' or 'increased sharply'. Spelling and word-form errors like 'drop down to it's original price' (its) and 'affordable every citizens' (affordable for every citizen) prevent the lexical score from reaching a higher band, placing it firmly at Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing conditional or relative structures like 'This is primarily because there is a limited space available...'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors in the text, such as agreement and voice issues ('it should only used', 'surrounding can destroy', 'prices were shot up', 'population keep increasing', and 'affordable every citizens'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur regularly and limit the accuracy of complex structures, resulting in a Band 5.5.
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.