Many old buildings protected by law are part of a nation’s history. Some people think they should be knocked down and replaced by news ones.How important is it to maintain old buildings?Should history stand in the way of progress?
Sample Response
The issue of whether old buildings should be demolished and replaced has long been a controversial issue. While some believe that it is important due to their historical value, others believe they should not stand in the way of development, which is representedresembled by the building of new infrastructureinfrastructures. In order to support one view over the other, it is crucial to answer two questions, which this essay will discuss: they are how important it is to maintain old buildingsthe extent of importance for maintaining old buildings and whether one should value history over progress. Firstly, I believe that it is very important to maintain old buildings because they have historical and cultural significance and economic value. Old buildingsThe old buildings may have an important function in history and some are even the a source of national pridenations’ pride. For instance, the Great Wall of China signifies the history of slaves’ perseverance, building the great wall of defence despite severe weather conditions, under the tyrannical rule of the Emperor and it also shows the concerns over safety during that historical period. MoreoverNot only so, the Great Wall of China is a place that many tourists visitthe place that every tourist will visit when they come to Beijing; thus, it can be said that the Great Wall has economic value because those tourists subsequently spend money thereas those tourists will subsequently spend money there. Furthermore, the Great Wall of China instils a sense of pride in the hearts of Chinese people, as it representsresembles their long historylong-lasting history. Hence, maintenance of old buildings isare of utmost importance. However, opponents may argue differently: Although new buildings may not have historical and cultural significance, they do have important purposestheir purpose, in both economic and developmental termsboth economically and developmentally. By replacing old buildings, there will be more space for housing, which is especially important due to the current problem of overcrowding. In doing so, it can guarantee basic living standards. There will also be more space for buildings used for educational purposes, as education is important for the nation's growthnations’ growth. Another argumentarguments that opponents put forth is that history should not deter progress. They believe that a nation shouldn’t live in the past; instead, they should actively look to the futureseek out the future. Whilst I believe this argument is sound, it is important to note that history doesn’t necessarily hinder progress, and can even preventbut would even prevent mistakes from happening again. An example isAn example will be the Nazi camps; they serve as a reminder to the nation about the dangers of discrimination and injustice. To conclude, based on the two questions, I strongly believe that old buildings should not be replaced, not only due to their significance to the nation, but also due to the fact thatthat that it doesn’t hinder progress.
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response addresses both questions with a clear position and supports the value of preservation through relevant cultural, economic, and historical examples. Its main limitation is that several ideas are expressed through repetitive or awkward wording, while the single-block presentation weakens the visible structure. Prioritise clearer paragraphing and more precise sentence-level expression so the developed argument is easier to follow and more convincing.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
A clear position is maintained, both questions are answered, and the main ideas receive relevant explanation and examples.
Develop the claim that preservation and progress can coexist more directly rather than relying mainly on one historical reminder.
Coherence and Cohesion
The argument progresses logically through preservation benefits, opposing considerations, and a conclusion, but the response is presented as one dense block.
Separate the introduction, main ideas, counterargument, and conclusion into purposeful paragraphs while reducing mechanical transitions.
Lexical Resource
There is a good range of topic vocabulary, although inaccurate collocations and word choices recur.
Replace imprecise combinations with natural expressions, especially when describing what buildings represent and how development occurs.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex structures are attempted throughout and meaning remains clear, but agreement, article, and sentence-control errors recur.
Proofread each complex sentence for subject-verb agreement, possessives, duplicated words, and consistent clause structure.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Many old buildings protected by law are part of a nation’s history. Some people think they should be knocked down and replaced by news ones.How important is it to maintain old buildings?Should history stand in the way of progress?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.