The best way to provide enough homes in large cities is to build tall apartment blocks. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
This response is estimated at Band 7.0. Can you write a better one?
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Sample Response
Nowadays, housing is a serious problem in many densely populatedintensifed cities. Some people contend that constructing tall apartment blocks is a panacea to tackle the problem of urban housing shortagescongestion. I partly agree with this idea, but I disagree with the only solution.
Admittedly, high-rise developmentstall constructions can bring considerable benefits. Specifically, land in metropolises is limited and expensive and employees are too many to be covered by reasonably priced houses. A thirty-floors tower builtbuiled by companies or local governmentsgovernment could provide more homes for more families than a low-rise buildinglow building on the same land. This is particularly evident in cities such as Hong Kong and Singapore, where most people live in high-rise flats, and the government have solved a large part of their housing problemshas solved a large part of its housing problem in this way. Therefore, building upwards is clearly an effective method.
However, itIt is an overstatement to regard the construction of high-rise buildings as the only solution. Firstly, driven byFirst of all, driven by high local land prices, as well as the costs of elevator installation and maintenance, alongside residentialmaintenance and community security services, developers have to raise the selling prices of high-rise residential properties. Consequently, such housing becomes unaffordable for buyers and renters, who willrenters, who will turn to other accommodation options. This fails to tackle the social issue of housing shortage effectivelyin a real sense. SecondlySecond, governments should prioritise balanced development across cities and allocate resources rationally among them. This enables job seekers to enjoy diverse options and prevents population inflow from concentrating in one city.
In conclusion, although tall apartment blocks are undoubtedly necessary in land-scarce cities, they are far fromit is far from the best solution. As discussed, high land and management costs often make such housing unaffordable for many low-to-middle-income residents. A moremany renters. A more effective strategy lies in balanced regional development and rational resource allocation.
Why this response received Band 7.0
The essay presents a clear, well-supported position that directly addresses the prompt's focus on urban housing solutions. Ideas flow logically between paragraphs, backed by effective real-world examples and persuasive reasoning. To raise the writing to a higher standard, the candidate should refine grammatical precision and avoid minor lexical slips, such as informal or misformed word choices.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response clearly articulates a balanced position on whether tall apartment blocks are the best solution and supports its main points effectively.
Ensure all opposing or alternative arguments are fully linked back to the concept of 'the best way' throughout the body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion
Paragraphing is logical, with a natural flow of ideas and clear topic sentences introducing each point.
Vary cohesive markers slightly more to avoid relying on standard sequence transitions like 'First of all' and 'Second'.
Lexical Resource
A wide range of topic-specific vocabulary is used flexibly and appropriately to discuss urban issues.
Check word forms carefully to eliminate minor spelling and word choice errors such as 'intensifed'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A good variety of complex sentence structures is used with strong overall grammatical control.
Proofread for irregular past participle forms and minor capitalization errors within sentences.