Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2: Advantages and Disadvantages of Owning vs. Renting Feedback
Sample Answer with Feedback

πŸ“… Published Mar 2026⏱️ 40 minutes recommendedπŸ“ 397 words Β· Band 5.5
This essay scored a Band 5.5 and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of owning a home compared to renting. Key writing issues include frequent grammatical errors and lack of depth in development, affecting overall clarity and coherence.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Question

Advantages/ Disadvantages Β· House Ownership Β· 40 min


The choice between owning and renting a home involves a careful consideration of various factors that can positively and negatively affect one's life. What are the advantages and disadvantages of owning a house compared to renting one?

Write at least 250 words.

 



5.5Band

Overall Band Score

397 words Β· Advantages/ Disadvantages Β· AI Evaluated

6
Task Response
5
Grammar
5.5
Vocabulary
5.5
Coherence

Score Breakdown

IELTS Writing Band Scores (1–9)

Overall Band Score
5.5
Task Response
6
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
5
Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
5.5
Coherence & Cohesion
5.5

Summary: The essay meets the minimum word count (397 words) and addresses the topic by discussing advantages and disadvantages of owning versus renting a home. However, the response lacks depth in development, with some underdeveloped points. Lexical and grammatical errors are frequent, and cohesion could be improved, leading to an overall band score of 5.5.

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Student Answer
Real submission β€’ 397 words β€’ Annotated
397 wordsβ€’Band 5.5β€’WritingPart2
● Spelling● Grammar● Vocabulary

The house can be the confirmation of one's success in a life. Various factors should be considered before choosing to own a home or to rent it. In this essay I will provide merits and demerits of owning a house rather than to rent one.

On the one hand, owning a house provides an added advantage of reduced the cost of living, due to the fact that people have to only pay once rather than paying monthly. Moreover, we do not have to pay any maintainance or rent taxes to a middleman.On top of that, we can modify or customize our house as per our likings, which is next to impossible in a rented house. For instance, if there is a small boy in a family, who wants his room to look like some super hero house, the customizations can be easily implemented.

On the other hand, a distinct disadvantage of owning a house over renting one is that it cannot be relocated. In simple words, renting a house can be easier than owning the house considering the fact that people living in the rented house will not stay in the same place for lifetime, as they can choose next house as per thier prerequistes if they are unsatisfied with the house.However, the same cannot be done with a house which has been buyed, as it takes long time to sell and aquire a new house. Second major disadvantage is that, owning a house usually cost a lot of money as compared to renting a one.This is due to the fact that, the ownership of the particular house is been transferred permanently to an indivisual. This process is expensive as it contains various requirements that has to be met before successfully owning a house. In contrast, Renting a house is much more simpler than owning a house, as it contains all the procedures that are not lengthy as well as expensive. A quintessential example can be of a student, who is currently persuing masters in a college. Instead of buying a new home, which can become a liablity after completion of his degree, he rents a house that has basic ammenities to live and is pocket friendly.

To sum it up, there are merits and demerits linked with owning a house compared to renting one. Thus, owning a house should be considered as per the personal prefrences.

AI Feedback Report Details

Spelling Β· Grammar Β· Vocabulary Β· Criteria Analysis

Spelling Mistakes

10 errors
Misspelled WordCorrected Word
maintainancemaintenance
thiertheir
prerequistesprerequisites
buyedbought
aquireacquire
indivisualindividual
liablityliability
ammenitiesamenities
persuingpursuing
prefrencespreferences

Grammatical Mistakes

9 errors
MistakeCorrectionExplanation
reduced the cost of livingreducing the cost of livingIncorrect verb form; gerund required after 'of' for nominal function
owning a house usually costowning a house usually costsSubject-verb agreement: 'owning' is singular, so requires 'costs'
requirements that has to be metrequirements that have to be metSubject-verb agreement: 'requirements' is plural, so requires 'have'
is been transferredis transferredIncorrect verb tense; use present passive 'is transferred' instead of 'is been transferred'
much more simplermuch simplerRedundant comparison; 'simpler' is already comparative, so 'much simpler' is correct
for lifetimefor a lifetimeMissing article before 'lifetime'
choose next housechoose the next houseMissing article before 'next house'
a oneoneIncorrect article use; 'one' does not require an article here
RentingrentingIncorrect capitalization; should be lowercase in mid-sentence

Vocabulary Improvements

13 suggestions
Original Word/PhraseImproved Word/PhraseExplanation
merits and demeritsadvantages and disadvantagesMore academic and standard terms for formal writing
added advantageadvantageRedundant; 'advantage' is sufficient
as per our likingsaccording to our preferencesInformal phrasing; 'according to our preferences' is more formal
next to impossiblenearly impossibleInformal idiom; use more formal alternative
super hero housesuperhero-themed roomVague and informal; specify for clarity and formality
middlemanlandlordInformal term; use specific term for clarity
cost a lot of moneyrequires a significant investmentInformal phrasing; use more formal language
quintessential exampletypical example'Quintessential' may be too strong or misused; 'typical' is more appropriate
persuing masterspursuing a master's degreeInformal and incomplete; specify the degree for formality
liablityfinancial burdenSpelling corrected, but 'financial burden' is more precise in context
pocket friendlyaffordableInformal colloquialism; use standard term
To sum it upIn conclusionInformal transition; use more academic phrasing
as per the personal prefrencesaccording to personal preferencesInformal phrasing and spelling error; use formal language

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Detailed Criteria Feedback

AI-powered analysis for each scoring criterion

Task Response6
Evaluation
The essay covers the required advantages and disadvantages, such as cost, customization, relocation, and expense, but some ideas are not fully developed or explained in detail.
Examples
For example, the advantage of reduced cost is mentioned but not elaborated with specific financial comparisons. The disadvantage of relocation is discussed but lacks depth on practical implications.
How to Improve
Expand each point with more detailed explanations and specific examples. Ensure both advantages and disadvantages are equally developed and directly linked to the prompt.
Coherence & Cohesion5.5
Evaluation
The essay has a basic structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion, but paragraph organization and linking ideas within paragraphs are weak. Some transitions are awkward or missing.
Examples
The first body paragraph lists advantages without smooth connectors. The second body paragraph jumps between points on relocation and cost without clear segmentation. Punctuation errors, like missing spaces after periods, disrupt flow.
How to Improve
Use cohesive devices (e.g., 'furthermore', 'in contrast') to connect ideas. Ensure each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and supporting details. Proofread for punctuation and paragraph breaks.
Lexical Resource5.5
Evaluation
Vocabulary is adequate for the topic but includes several spelling errors and informal expressions, limiting precision and range.
Examples
Misspellings: 'maintainance' (maintenance), 'buyed' (bought), 'aquire' (acquire), 'indivisual' (individual), 'persuing' (pursuing), 'liablity' (liability), 'ammenities' (amenities). Informal term: 'pocket friendly' (affordable).
How to Improve
Use more accurate and formal vocabulary related to housing (e.g., 'mortgage', 'tenancy', 'upfront costs'). Proofread carefully and consult a dictionary for correct spelling.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy5
Evaluation
Grammatical errors are frequent, affecting clarity and communication. Sentence structures are mostly simple, with attempts at complexity that often contain mistakes.
Examples
Incorrect verb forms: 'reduced the cost' (should be 'reducing the cost'), 'owning a house usually cost' (costs), 'which has been buyed' (bought). Article errors: 'a one' (a house). Punctuation: missing spaces after periods. Redundant comparison: 'much more simpler' (much simpler).
How to Improve
Review verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and article usage. Practice forming complex sentences with subordinate clauses. Proofread for grammatical accuracy and sentence structure.
πŸ’‘
Tip: Review the Band 9 model answer to see how a high-scoring essay structures arguments, uses advanced vocabulary, and maintains coherence throughout.

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