Band 5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay: Advantages and Disadvantages of Owning vs Renting Home - Coherence Issues
Sample Answer with Feedback

πŸ“… Published Apr 2026⏱️ 40 minutes recommendedπŸ“ 266 words Β· Band 5
This essay presents a Band 5 response to the question of owning versus renting a home. Key feedback highlights coherence issues, including underdeveloped ideas and weak transitions, which affect clarity. Discover how to enhance your IELTS writing by addressing these common pitfalls.

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.

 



5Band

Overall Band Score

266 words Β· Advantages/ Disadvantages Β· AI Evaluated

5.5
Task Response
4.5
Grammar
5
Vocabulary
5
Coherence

Score Breakdown

IELTS Writing Band Scores (1–9)

Overall Band Score
5
Task Response
5.5
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
4.5
Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
5
Coherence & Cohesion
5

Summary: The essay addresses the task by discussing advantages and disadvantages of owning versus renting a home, meeting the minimum word count of 266 words. However, the response is limited by underdeveloped ideas, frequent lexical and grammatical errors, and weak cohesion, which reduce clarity and impact.

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Student Answer
Real submission β€’ 266 words β€’ Annotated
266 wordsβ€’Band 5β€’WritingPart2
● Spelling● Grammar● Vocabulary

House ownership as compared to renting a house is a difficult decision among people and involves a lot of attention. there are various factors contributing to individuals life while making such decisions that can positively and negatively impact them. let us discuss some major advantages and disadvantages of house ownership as compared to renting it.

Owning a house has become someones biggest dream. while considering some good aspects, anybody who has their own residence is free from any burden of money ones they paid earlier . they can do any sort of activities such as bonefire, barbeque parties, and any kind of fun gatherings which are mostly not allowed in rental appartments.They can perform annual home decors without asking any permit. Parking facilities are available in owned homes as well as large spaces available for guests. People who own their houses are more passionate about their home as comaped to rentals by cleaning it aur taking good care of it.

While comparing to the rental homes, there are few disadnantages such as they required alot of time and money prior to taking the ownership . Property dealing involves more paper work which is quite hectic . while in rental homes ones can have a choice of easily replacing it without any comprehensive paper work. People are not bound to do any replacement of damaged items while own home requires annual or even monthly maintainance.

In conclusion, owning a house has some valubable advantages as well as disadvantages depending on someone personal circumstances. The choice is a real game changer by having both positive and negative aspects.

AI Feedback Report Details

Spelling Β· Grammar Β· Vocabulary Β· Criteria Analysis

Spelling Mistakes

9 errors
Misspelled WordCorrected Word
bonefirebonfire
appartmentsapartments
comapedcompared
auror
disadnantagesdisadvantages
alota lot
maintainancemaintenance
valubablevaluable
someonessomeone's

Grammatical Mistakes

14 errors
MistakeCorrectionExplanation
there are various factors contributing to individuals lifethere are various factors contributing to an individual's lifePossessive form needed for 'individual' and noun agreement
free from any burden of money ones they paid earlierfree from any financial burden once they have paid for itIncorrect use of 'ones' for 'once', and awkward phrasing
they can perform annual home decorsthey can undertake annual home decorations'Perform' is not collocated with 'decor'; 'decorations' is more appropriate
without asking any permitwithout requesting any permit'Asking' should be followed by 'for' when requesting something
as comaped to rentalsas compared to rentingMisspelling and incorrect comparison; should compare ownership to renting
While comparing to the rental homesWhen comparing to rental homes'While' is less formal for comparison; 'When' or 'In comparison to' is better
such as they required alot of time and moneysuch as requiring a lot of time and moneyIncorrect clause structure; should use gerund to match the list
prior to taking the ownershipprior to taking ownershipUnnecessary article 'the' before 'ownership'
Property dealing involves more paper workThe property dealing process involves more paperwork'Property dealing' is vague; 'paper work' should be 'paperwork'
while in rental homes ones can have a choicewhereas in rental homes, one can easily replace it'while' for contrast should be 'whereas'; 'ones' should be 'one'; and phrase is awkward
without any comprehensive paper workwithout any comprehensive paperwork'paper work' should be 'paperwork'
People are not bound to do any replacement of damaged itemsPeople are not obligated to replace damaged items'bound to' is informal; 'obligated to' is more formal, and 'replacement' should be 'replace' for verb consistency
while own home requireswhereas owning a home requires'while' should be 'whereas' for contrast, and 'own home' is incomplete; should be 'owning a home'
depending on someone personal circumstancesdepending on someone's personal circumstancesPossessive form needed for 'someone'

Vocabulary Improvements

8 suggestions
Original Word/PhraseImproved Word/PhraseExplanation
barbeque partiesbarbecue parties'Barbeque' is a common variant, but 'barbecue' is standard in formal writing
home decorshome decorations'Decors' is not standard; use 'decorations' or 'decor'
paper workpaperworkShould be one word for formal writing
hectictime-consuming'Hectic' is informal; suggest more formal alternative
game changersignificant decision'Game changer' is slang; use more academic language
real game changertruly significant decision'Real' is informal; 'truly' or 'very' is better
alota lotInformal spelling; use 'a lot' or more formal phrases like 'a great deal of'
onesonceVague; in context, 'once' is the correct word for time reference

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Detailed Criteria Feedback

AI-powered analysis for each scoring criterion

Task Response5.5
Evaluation
The essay partially fulfills the task by presenting some advantages and disadvantages of home ownership versus renting. However, the ideas are not fully extended or supported with specific examples, and the arguments remain somewhat superficial.
Examples
For example, the advantage 'free from any burden of money ones they paid earlier' is unclear and lacks elaboration. The disadvantage about 'paper work' is mentioned but not explained in depth.
How to Improve
To improve, develop each point with clear explanations and relevant examples. For instance, explain how ownership builds equity or how renting offers flexibility, and provide concrete scenarios to illustrate these points.
Coherence & Cohesion5
Evaluation
The essay has a basic structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. However, cohesion is weakened by poor sentence linking, repetitive phrasing, and grammatical errors that disrupt the flow.
Examples
Paragraphs are present but transitions between ideas are minimal. Sentences like 'People who own their houses are more passionate about their home as comaped to rentals by cleaning it aur taking good care of it' are awkward and hinder readability.
How to Improve
Use a range of cohesive devices (e.g., 'furthermore', 'on the other hand') to connect ideas. Ensure each paragraph has a clear central topic and that sentences logically follow from one another. Proofread to improve clarity.
Lexical Resource5
Evaluation
Vocabulary is limited and often inaccurate, with frequent spelling errors and inappropriate word choices. There is an attempt to use some topic-related terms, but errors reduce effectiveness.
Examples
Misspellings such as 'bonefire' (bonfire), 'appartments' (apartments), 'disadnantages' (disadvantages), 'valubable' (valuable), and 'maintainance' (maintenance). Informal phrases like 'let us discuss' are used.
How to Improve
Expand vocabulary by learning and practicing topic-specific words (e.g., 'mortgage', 'tenancy', 'maintenance'). Use a dictionary or spell-check to avoid errors. Aim for more precise and formal language appropriate for academic writing.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy4.5
Evaluation
Grammatical range is limited, and accuracy is poor, with frequent errors in sentence structure, verb forms, articles, prepositions, and word order. These errors often obscure meaning.
Examples
Incorrect phrases: 'there are various factors contributing to individuals life' (should be 'individuals' lives'), 'ones they paid earlier' (unclear), 'they required alot of time' (should be 'requires a lot of time'), 'aur taking good care' (should be 'and taking good care').
How to Improve
Focus on mastering basic grammar rules, such as subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, and article usage. Practice writing complex sentences with clauses and check for errors through revision. Consider using grammar exercises or tools to improve accuracy.
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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