Cambridge IELTS 15 · Academic · Test 1 · Two-part direct question
Cambridge IELTS 15 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Sample Answer
The question, a plan, a Band 7.5 sample answer written by IELTS 9, why it scores that band on the 4 criteria, and the mistake most candidates make on this prompt.
Cambridge IELTS 15 Test 1 · Writing Task 2
In some countries, owning a home rather than renting one is very important for people. Why might this be the case? Do you think this is a positive or negative situation?
Write at least 250 words. You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Try it yourself first
You learn more by writing your own answer before reading ours. Write it in 40 minutes and get a band for each criterion in about a minute.
Write and score my answer →Essay plan
- Introduction: ownership is prized, but the effect is harmful
- Reasons: investment, weak tenant rights, cultural expectations
- Negative effects: financial strain, reduced mobility, inflated prices
- Balanced concession and conclusion
Band 7.5 sample answer (318 words)
Written by IELTS 9 to the Band 7.5 descriptors, not the book's own answer and not scored by an examiner. Use it for structure and language, then write your own.
In many societies, particularly those with a strong agricultural heritage or an unreliable rental market, buying a home is regarded as the ultimate mark of success. This attitude is understandable, but I believe it does more harm than good.
Several factors explain the preoccupation with ownership. Firstly, property is widely seen as the safest long-term investment, since house prices in many cities have climbed steadily for decades, and a mortgage, unlike rent, gradually builds equity. Secondly, tenants in some countries enjoy weak legal protection, so they may face eviction or sudden rent rises at short notice. A home of one's own therefore offers a security that renting cannot guarantee. Cultural expectations also play a part: a young adult who owns property is often considered mature and respectable, and in some communities marriage may even depend on it.
Nevertheless, I regard this emphasis as largely negative. To begin with, young people may stretch their finances to breaking point in order to enter the property market, spending most of their income on repayments and postponing other goals such as travel, further study or starting a business. Moreover, owners are less mobile. Someone who is tied to a mortgage in one town may turn down a better job elsewhere, which can hold back both individual careers and the wider economy. A society in which everyone feels obliged to buy also tends to inflate prices, leaving low earners with no realistic way forward.
That said, ownership is not without merit when it is approached prudently. Buying a modest home after saving a sizeable deposit can provide stability for a family and a financial cushion in retirement. The difficulty arises only when owning becomes a social obligation rather than a considered choice.
In conclusion, people value ownership because it promises wealth, safety and status, but a culture that pressures everyone to buy is unhealthy. A well-regulated rental sector would serve most societies better.
Why this answer scores Band 7.5
- Task Response: Both questions are answered, with reasons for the preference in paragraph two and a clear negative stance in paragraph three, softened by a fair concession.
- Coherence and Cohesion: Each paragraph has a clear controlling idea, and linkers such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover' and 'That said' move the argument forward without sounding mechanical.
- Lexical Resource: Collocations like 'builds equity', 'stretch their finances to breaking point' and 'financial cushion' show precise, natural vocabulary.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: The essay mixes relative clauses, participial phrases and a colon-introduced explanation, with accurate punctuation and tense control.
Useful vocabulary
Common mistake on this question
Write your own answer and get it scored
IELTS 9's AI examiner scores your essay on Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy, with corrections and an improved version. Your first 2 essay evaluations are free.
Score my essay →More from Cambridge IELTS 15
Test 2 · Opinion essay
In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Test 3 · Discuss both views
Some people say that advertising is extremely successful at persuading us to buy things. Other people think that advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Test 4 · Advantages and disadvantages
In some cultures, children are often told that they can achieve anything if they try hard enough. What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message?