In many places, new homes are needed, but the only place 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 while others believe we should build houses wherever possible. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
In many regions, the demand for housing is rising rapidly, and rural areas are increasingly being considered for development. This has led to a debate between those who wish to protect the countryside and those who argue for building homes wherever space is available.
One argument for not building in the countryside is the need to preserve natural habitats becauseas rural areas are often home to endangered wildlife species. For instance, some parts of the English countryside, such as the Norfolk Broads, support rare birds and plant species that could be lost if urbanisation spreads. Another argument is the need to protect their cultural and heritage valuethe cultural and heritage value. Areas like the Cotswolds in England or Provence in France are known for their historic charm. Expanding housing developmentdevelopments could damage the characteridentity and visual appeal of these regions.
Despite this, there remain strong arguments for building homes wherever necessary. The housing shortage has reached a crisis pointThe lack of housing is at crisis point in many places, and homes in capital cities are unaffordable for many peoplehousing in capital cities is just too expensive for many. So expanding into rural areaszones is really the only option. It could also lead to economic opportunities infor rural areas by bringingif development can bring jobs, infrastructure, and investment. For example, new housing in Cambridgeshire villages in the UK has led to better transport links and more local shops and schools.
Overall, governments need a balanced approach, whereby they designate specific zones for development while protecting areas of high ecological or cultural importance. Homes can also be built using sustainable materials with minimal environmental impact can reduce harm, such as to“Passivhaus” standards. Through such careful planning, new housing can be built while still protecting natural environments.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response discusses both positions directly, maintains a clear balanced opinion, and supports its reasoning with relevant ecological, cultural, and economic examples. Its main limitation is a malformed sentence in the conclusion, which briefly weakens otherwise strong control; the highest-priority improvement is to proofread complex sentences so that each has one complete, accurately connected grammatical structure.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are fully addressed through relevant, well-developed reasons and a clear balanced position.
Deepen the proposed compromise by explaining how governments could decide which rural areas are suitable for development.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through clearly focused paragraphs, with cohesive devices used naturally and effectively.
Make the final recommendation flow even more smoothly by separating the planning and sustainable-building measures into distinct sentences.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise vocabulary conveys ecological, cultural, housing, and economic ideas with strong flexibility.
Refine a few expressions around sustainable construction so the final recommendation is as precise as the earlier discussion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A broad range of complex structures is handled accurately, apart from a conspicuous sentence-construction error near the end.
Rewrite the sentence beginning with 'Homes can also be built' to remove the competing verb phrases and clarify the Passivhaus example.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
IELTS Writing Task 2
In many places, new homes are needed, but the only place 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 while others believe we should build houses wherever possible. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.