Some people think that newly built houses should follow the style of old houses in the local areas. Others think that people should have the freedom to build houses of their own style. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
While some people believe that new houses should be constructed in the same style as the more traditional houses in the locality, others contend that everyone should be free to choose their own style for a house. I agree with the view that new buildings should be built with traditional style to preserve their culture.
On the one hand, there are some who argue that it is essential to welcome change and allow individuals to have the right to live in a house with a modern style, if they so wish, irrespective of the locality. They also tend to dismiss traditional ideas on the grounds of building costs. Traditional construction materials, like natural stones from local quarries, are difficult to obtain and very expensive even if they are available, whereas new houses are built using more affordable materials. The maintenance costs of houses constructed in the old way also tend to be higher compared with their modern counterparts. Wood, for example, is nowadays commonly replaced by aluminium or plastic materials in house construction.
On the other hand, there are strong arguments that new houses should adopt the existing architectural style of a local area. In terms of the tangible cultural heritage of a small town or village, traditional houses possess character, and they give a strong sense of identity to the locality. Buildings that have historical significance provide a link to our roots, while a modem estate designed by property developers is certain to be incompatible with historical connections. From an architectural perspective, modem houses alongside traditional dwellings are an eyesore. They fail to blend in with the housing which has grown organically, perhaps during centuries.
In conclusion, though it may be more costly, the traditional architecture of localities should be respected by modem housing developments.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Add article and preposition Original: built with traditional style Suggested revision: built in a traditional style Why it matters: Style is a singular countable noun here and conventionally follows in.
- 2. Clarify the reference Original: their Suggested revision: local Why it matters: Their has no clear plural antecedent, while local identifies the intended culture.
- 3. Remove redundancy Original: allow individuals to have the right Suggested revision: respect individuals' right Why it matters: Allow and have the right overlap in meaning, so the revision is more concise.
- 4. Use mass noun Original: stones Suggested revision: stone Why it matters: Stone is normally uncountable when it refers to a construction material.
- 5. Use comparative preposition Original: higher compared with Suggested revision: higher than Why it matters: A direct comparative adjective takes than in this structure.
- 6. Correct the spelling Original: modem Suggested revision: modern Why it matters: Modem is a spelling error for modern in this architectural context.
- 7. Clarify the relationship Original: incompatible with historical connections Suggested revision: incompatible with the area's historical character Why it matters: Historical character is the natural term for the local quality the development would conflict with.
- 8. Correct the spelling Original: modem Suggested revision: modern Why it matters: Modern is the intended adjective describing the houses.
- 9. Use duration preposition Original: during Suggested revision: over Why it matters: Over is the appropriate preposition for development across a long period.
- 10. Correct the spelling Original: modem Suggested revision: modern Why it matters: Modern is the intended adjective describing the developments.
- 11. Link cost to freedom Suggested revision: Add a clearer transition connecting freedom of design to the subsequent discussion of construction and maintenance costs. Why it matters: The paragraph shifts from individual choice to affordability without clearly stating how the two points support the same view.
Suggested Rewrites
- built with traditional style built in a traditional style
- their local
- allow individuals to have the right respect individuals' right
- stones stone
- higher compared with higher than
- modem modern
Why this response received Band 8.0
The essay presents a clear preference while explaining both perspectives in a balanced, logically sequenced argument, and its vocabulary and sentence structures show strong flexibility. The main limitation is occasional imprecision in phrasing and word form, such as awkward combinations around architectural compatibility, which slightly reduces naturalness. The highest-priority improvement is a careful final edit for idiomatic collocations, article use, and isolated spelling errors.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are fully addressed through relevant, well-developed reasons, and the writer’s preference remains clear throughout.
Strengthen the conclusion by briefly synthesizing why cultural continuity outweighs the acknowledged financial cost.
Coherence and Cohesion
The essay is logically organized, and ideas progress clearly within and between paragraphs through well-controlled cohesion.
Make the link from historical significance to visual compatibility slightly more explicit within the second body paragraph.
Lexical Resource
A wide vocabulary conveys architectural and cultural ideas precisely overall, though a few awkward collocations and spelling slips reduce naturalness.
Edit phrases such as incompatible with historical connections and during centuries into more idiomatic combinations, and correct modem to modern.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences are varied and generally accurate, with only occasional article and preposition errors that do not impede communication.
Check article use in phrases such as with a traditional style and refine isolated preposition choices during final proofreading.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people think that newly built houses should follow the style of old houses in the local areas. Others think that people should have the freedom to build houses of their own style. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.