2025-08-31

IELTS Writing Task 2 Two-Part Question — Housing: Band 9 Sample & Analysis

Master IELTS Writing Task 2 housing questions with this Band 9 sample essay and expert analysis. Learn sophisticated arguments about housing policy, urban development, and affordable housing for top-score performance.

Quick Summary

🎯 Achieve Band 9 success in IELTS Writing Task 2 housing questions with our expert sample essay and comprehensive analysis. Master sophisticated urban development discourse, learn advanced vocabulary for discussing housing policy and affordable housing initiatives, and develop compelling arguments about housing systems and social development for top-score performance.

This comprehensive guide provides a Band 9 sample essay addressing housing policy and affordable housing development, accompanied by detailed expert analysis revealing the sophisticated techniques required for top IELTS Writing performance. Housing topics appear frequently in IELTS exams, challenging candidates to discuss complex social, economic, and policy issues surrounding urban development, housing affordability, and residential planning systems.

Housing questions often involve analyzing benefits and challenges of different housing approaches, examining barriers to affordable housing provision, and evaluating policy strategies for improving housing accessibility and quality. Many students struggle with these topics because they require sophisticated vocabulary related to urban planning, housing economics, and social policy, combined with nuanced understanding of market dynamics and government intervention in housing markets.

This resource addresses these challenges by providing an exemplary Band 9 response that demonstrates advanced argumentation, sophisticated language use, and comprehensive treatment of housing issues essential for achieving top IELTS Writing scores.

Sample Question and Task Analysis

IELTS Writing Task 2 Question

In many cities, the cost of housing has become so high that many people cannot afford to buy homes and must rent instead. What are the causes and effects of high housing costs, and what measures can governments take to make housing more affordable?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.

Task Analysis and Approach

This two-part question requires candidates to analyze causes and effects of high housing costs while evaluating government measures for improving housing affordability. The question tests ability to discuss housing economics, urban development challenges, and policy interventions within a comprehensive social development framework.

Part 1 demands comprehensive analysis of housing cost factors and their societal impacts, requiring understanding of market dynamics, economic influences, and social consequences affecting housing accessibility and community development across different contexts and populations.

Part 2 requires examining government policy measures for addressing housing affordability, demanding knowledge of policy instruments, regulatory approaches, and public sector interventions that can effectively improve housing access and reduce accommodation barriers.

Key challenges include avoiding oversimplified housing solutions while demonstrating sophisticated understanding of complex relationships between market forces, social needs, and policy effectiveness in housing system development and affordable accommodation provision.

BabyCode Excellence: Housing Question Strategy

Many IELTS students struggle with housing topics because they lack sophisticated vocabulary and analytical frameworks for discussing urban planning and social policy. At BabyCode, where over 500,000 students have improved their IELTS scores, we teach systematic approaches to housing analysis and policy evaluation.

Our housing question modules provide comprehensive strategies for analyzing housing systems, understanding economic and social factors affecting housing accessibility, and developing compelling arguments about urban development and social policy initiatives.

Band 9 Sample Essay

Introduction

The escalating housing costs in metropolitan areas worldwide have created an unprecedented affordability crisis that fundamentally threatens social cohesion and economic stability, forcing increasing numbers of residents into rental markets while excluding entire demographic groups from homeownership opportunities and community participation. High housing costs result from complex interactions between limited land availability, restrictive zoning regulations, speculative investment pressures, and insufficient affordable housing supply, creating cascading effects including reduced consumer spending, delayed household formation, increased mobility constraints, and growing socioeconomic segregation that undermines urban social fabric and economic vitality. Governments can address housing affordability through comprehensive policy approaches encompassing zoning reform, public housing investment, first-time buyer assistance, speculative investment regulation, and integrated urban planning strategies that balance market efficiency with social equity while ensuring sustainable community development and housing accessibility for diverse population groups across different income levels and life stages.

Body Paragraph 1: Causes and Effects of High Housing Costs

Housing cost escalation stems from fundamental supply-demand imbalances exacerbated by regulatory constraints, investment speculation, and urban growth pressures that create systematic barriers to affordable housing development and market accessibility. Land scarcity in desirable urban locations combined with restrictive zoning regulations limiting residential density and mixed-use development artificially constrains housing supply while population growth and economic opportunities continue attracting residents, creating price pressures that exceed income growth rates and affordability thresholds for middle and lower-income households. Speculative real estate investment, including foreign capital flows and institutional property acquisition, further inflates housing values by treating residential properties as financial assets rather than essential accommodation, reducing available housing stock for owner-occupiers while driving prices beyond levels sustainable for local working populations and community members.

Additionally, construction cost increases driven by material prices, labor shortages, and regulatory complexity create additional barriers to affordable housing development, particularly affecting entry-level and moderate-income housing segments that require cost-effective development approaches and streamlined approval processes to achieve financial viability and market accessibility.

The effects of housing unaffordability cascade throughout society and economy, creating far-reaching consequences that extend beyond individual housing decisions to influence broader social and economic patterns. Forced reliance on rental housing reduces household wealth accumulation opportunities and retirement security while creating housing instability that affects educational continuity, community engagement, and long-term planning capabilities essential for personal and family development. Excessive housing cost burdens, typically exceeding thirty percent of household income, reduce discretionary spending on education, healthcare, and consumer goods, creating economic drag effects that limit local business development and community economic vitality while constraining household financial flexibility and emergency preparedness.

Geographic displacement effects force workers into distant communities with longer commutes, increasing transportation costs and time burdens while contributing to urban sprawl, infrastructure strain, and environmental degradation that affects regional sustainability and quality of life. Growing socioeconomic segregation results as housing costs concentrate different income groups into separate neighborhoods and communities, reducing social mixing and shared community experiences while potentially limiting educational and employment opportunities for lower-income residents and perpetuating intergenerational mobility constraints that undermine social cohesion and democratic participation.

Body Paragraph 2: Government Measures for Housing Affordability

Governments can enhance housing affordability through comprehensive zoning and land use reforms that increase housing supply while promoting sustainable urban development patterns and community integration across different housing types and price ranges. Inclusionary zoning requirements mandating affordable housing components in new developments, combined with density bonus programs rewarding developers for providing below-market housing units, can increase affordable housing supply while maintaining market-driven development initiatives and private sector participation in housing provision. Public land banking and strategic land acquisition programs can preserve developable land for affordable housing while preventing speculative price inflation and ensuring community control over development patterns and housing accessibility priorities.

Streamlined approval processes for affordable housing projects, including expedited permitting and reduced development fees, can reduce construction costs and development timelines while encouraging private sector participation in affordable housing provision through improved project economics and regulatory predictability. Zoning reforms allowing gentle densification through duplexes, small apartment buildings, and accessory dwelling units can increase housing supply within existing neighborhoods while preserving community character and infrastructure capacity utilization.

Direct financial assistance programs including first-time homebuyer grants, shared equity loans, and down payment assistance can help moderate-income households access homeownership while building community wealth and neighborhood stability through owner-occupancy and long-term community commitment. Public housing development and social housing programs can provide affordable rental options for lower-income households while demonstrating high-quality affordable housing design and construction standards that support community development and resident well-being across different life stages and circumstances.

Investment regulation measures including speculation taxes on vacant properties, foreign buyer taxes, and rent stabilization programs can moderate speculative investment pressures while protecting existing residents from displacement and ensuring housing markets serve community housing needs rather than purely financial investment objectives. Comprehensive regional planning coordination can address housing supply and transportation integration while preventing exclusionary zoning practices that concentrate affordable housing in specific locations without adequate infrastructure, services, and economic opportunities essential for community development and resident success.

Conclusion

High housing costs result from complex supply constraints, regulatory barriers, and speculative investment pressures while creating widespread effects including rental dependence, economic burden, geographic displacement, and social segregation that undermine community stability and economic opportunity. Government intervention through zoning reform, financial assistance, public housing investment, and investment regulation can address both supply-side and demand-side factors contributing to housing unaffordability while promoting sustainable urban development and social equity. Successful housing affordability requires coordinated policy approaches that balance market dynamics with social objectives while ensuring diverse communities have access to stable, affordable housing that supports individual prosperity and collective community development across different population groups and economic circumstances.

Expert Analysis: Achieving Band 9

Introduction Analysis

Context establishment: "The escalating housing costs in metropolitan areas worldwide have created an unprecedented affordability crisis that fundamentally threatens social cohesion and economic stability..."

  • Sophisticated vocabulary: "escalating housing costs," "unprecedented affordability crisis," "social cohesion"
  • Complex sentence structure: Multiple clauses with advanced subordination and professional terminology
  • Global perspective: Recognition of worldwide scope and systemic nature

Cause identification: "High housing costs result from complex interactions between limited land availability, restrictive zoning regulations, speculative investment pressures..."

  • Comprehensive analysis: Multiple causal factors with technical terminology
  • Advanced structures: Complex coordination with sophisticated relationships
  • Economic understanding: Recognition of market dynamics and regulatory influences

Effect recognition: "creating cascading effects including reduced consumer spending, delayed household formation, increased mobility constraints, and growing socioeconomic segregation..."

  • Sophisticated impact analysis: Multiple consequence categories with specific terminology
  • Advanced vocabulary: "cascading effects," "mobility constraints," "socioeconomic segregation"
  • Social awareness: Recognition of community-level impacts

Government role preview: "Governments can address housing affordability through comprehensive policy approaches encompassing zoning reform, public housing investment..."

  • Clear transition to second part: Sophisticated connection between problems and policy solutions
  • Advanced vocabulary: "comprehensive policy approaches," "market efficiency," "social equity"
  • Multi-objective understanding: Recognition of housing policy complexity and balance requirements

Body Paragraph 1 Analysis

Supply-demand analysis: "Housing cost escalation stems from fundamental supply-demand imbalances exacerbated by regulatory constraints, investment speculation, and urban growth pressures..."

  • Economic sophistication: Understanding of market dynamics and price formation
  • Advanced terminology: "supply-demand imbalances," "regulatory constraints," "urban growth pressures"
  • Systems thinking: Recognition of multiple interacting factors

Land scarcity and regulation: "Land scarcity in desirable urban locations combined with restrictive zoning regulations limiting residential density and mixed-use development..."

  • Urban planning understanding: Recognition of land use regulation impacts
  • Technical vocabulary: "residential density," "mixed-use development," "affordability thresholds"
  • Policy awareness: Understanding of regulatory effects on housing supply

Investment speculation analysis: "Speculative real estate investment, including foreign capital flows and institutional property acquisition, further inflates housing values..."

  • Financial market understanding: Recognition of investment dynamics affecting housing
  • Advanced language: "speculative investment," "foreign capital flows," "institutional property acquisition"
  • Community impact awareness: Understanding of local housing market effects

Construction costs: "Additionally, construction cost increases driven by material prices, labor shortages, and regulatory complexity create additional barriers..."

  • Comprehensive factor analysis: Recognition of development cost influences
  • Technical understanding: Construction industry challenges and regulatory impacts
  • Advanced vocabulary: "regulatory complexity," "entry-level housing segments," "cost-effective development"

Wealth accumulation effects: "Forced reliance on rental housing reduces household wealth accumulation opportunities and retirement security while creating housing instability..."

  • Long-term economic analysis: Understanding of homeownership wealth-building benefits
  • Advanced terminology: "wealth accumulation," "retirement security," "housing instability"
  • Community development awareness: Recognition of stability impacts on education and engagement

Economic burden analysis: "Excessive housing cost burdens, typically exceeding thirty percent of household income, reduce discretionary spending..."

  • Financial analysis sophistication: Specific cost burden thresholds and economic impacts
  • Advanced vocabulary: "discretionary spending," "economic drag effects," "financial flexibility"
  • Systems thinking: Recognition of broader economic consequences beyond housing

Geographic and social effects: "Geographic displacement effects force workers into distant communities with longer commutes, increasing transportation costs..."

  • Urban systems understanding: Recognition of transportation and housing relationships
  • Advanced language: "geographic displacement," "urban sprawl," "infrastructure strain"
  • Environmental awareness: Recognition of sustainability and quality of life impacts

Segregation analysis: "Growing socioeconomic segregation results as housing costs concentrate different income groups into separate neighborhoods..."

  • Social policy understanding: Recognition of housing market effects on social mixing
  • Advanced vocabulary: "socioeconomic segregation," "intergenerational mobility constraints," "democratic participation"
  • Equity awareness: Understanding of long-term social consequences

BabyCode Strategy: Housing System Analysis

Understanding housing systems requires analysis of economic factors, regulatory influences, and social impacts affecting housing accessibility and community development. At BabyCode, students learn to examine housing issues from multiple perspectives including market dynamics, policy constraints, and social equity considerations essential for comprehensive analysis.

Our housing system modules teach students to develop sophisticated arguments about housing challenges and solutions with advanced vocabulary and analytical understanding appropriate for Band 9 performance.

Body Paragraph 2 Analysis

Zoning reform: "Governments can enhance housing affordability through comprehensive zoning and land use reforms that increase housing supply..."

  • Policy sophistication: Understanding of regulatory tools for housing supply enhancement
  • Advanced vocabulary: "comprehensive zoning," "land use reforms," "sustainable urban development"
  • Integration thinking: Recognition of housing supply and community development connections

Inclusionary policies: "Inclusionary zoning requirements mandating affordable housing components in new developments, combined with density bonus programs..."

  • Technical policy knowledge: Specific regulatory approaches with accurate terminology
  • Advanced language: "inclusionary zoning," "density bonus programs," "below-market housing units"
  • Market understanding: Recognition of private sector participation incentives

Land banking: "Public land banking and strategic land acquisition programs can preserve developable land for affordable housing..."

  • Advanced policy tools: Understanding of proactive government land management
  • Technical vocabulary: "land banking," "strategic land acquisition," "speculative price inflation"
  • Community control awareness: Recognition of public development priority setting

Process streamlining: "Streamlined approval processes for affordable housing projects, including expedited permitting and reduced development fees..."

  • Implementation understanding: Recognition of regulatory efficiency importance
  • Advanced terminology: "streamlined approval," "expedited permitting," "regulatory predictability"
  • Business perspective: Understanding of development economics and cost factors

Gentle densification: "Zoning reforms allowing gentle densification through duplexes, small apartment buildings, and accessory dwelling units..."

  • Urban planning sophistication: Understanding of incremental density approaches
  • Technical language: "gentle densification," "accessory dwelling units," "infrastructure capacity utilization"
  • Community sensitivity: Recognition of neighborhood character preservation needs

Financial assistance: "Direct financial assistance programs including first-time homebuyer grants, shared equity loans, and down payment assistance..."

  • Policy tool variety: Understanding of multiple assistance mechanisms
  • Advanced vocabulary: "shared equity loans," "down payment assistance," "community wealth"
  • Homeownership benefits: Recognition of owner-occupancy and community stability connections

Public housing: "Public housing development and social housing programs can provide affordable rental options for lower-income households..."

  • Social housing understanding: Recognition of public sector housing provision role
  • Quality awareness: Understanding of design and construction standards importance
  • Advanced language: "social housing programs," "high-quality affordable housing," "resident well-being"

Investment regulation: "Investment regulation measures including speculation taxes on vacant properties, foreign buyer taxes, and rent stabilization programs..."

  • Market intervention understanding: Recognition of speculative investment management tools
  • Technical policy vocabulary: "speculation taxes," "foreign buyer taxes," "rent stabilization"
  • Community protection focus: Understanding of resident displacement prevention

Regional coordination: "Comprehensive regional planning coordination can address housing supply and transportation integration..."

  • Systems planning understanding: Recognition of regional coordination importance
  • Advanced terminology: "regional planning coordination," "exclusionary zoning," "infrastructure integration"
  • Equity awareness: Understanding of spatial distribution and opportunity access

Conclusion Analysis

Cause-effect integration: "High housing costs result from complex supply constraints, regulatory barriers, and speculative investment pressures while creating widespread effects..."

  • Comprehensive summary: Integration of causes and effects without repetitive language
  • Advanced vocabulary: "supply constraints," "speculative investment pressures," "geographic displacement"
  • Systems perspective: Recognition of interconnected housing challenges

Government intervention scope: "Government intervention through zoning reform, financial assistance, public housing investment, and investment regulation..."

  • Policy integration: Recognition of multiple intervention tool categories
  • Advanced language: "supply-side and demand-side factors," "sustainable urban development," "social equity"
  • Balance understanding: Recognition of market dynamics and social objectives integration

Success requirements: "Successful housing affordability requires coordinated policy approaches that balance market dynamics with social objectives..."

  • Implementation sophistication: Recognition of coordination and balance requirements
  • Community focus: Understanding of diverse population and economic circumstance needs
  • Advanced vocabulary: "coordinated policy approaches," "individual prosperity," "collective community development"

BabyCode Excellence: Housing Policy Integration

Understanding housing policy requires sophisticated analysis of multiple intervention tools, market dynamics, and community considerations. At BabyCode, students learn to examine housing approaches comprehensively while considering economic efficiency, social equity, and implementation feasibility essential for advanced analysis.

Our housing policy modules provide training in multi-tool policy analysis, market assessment, and community development planning essential for Band 9 performance in housing and urban development topics.

Language Features Analysis

Advanced Housing and Urban Planning Vocabulary

Housing economics terminology enables sophisticated discussion of housing markets and affordability:

  • Market concepts: "housing affordability," "homeownership opportunities," "rental markets," "price pressures"
  • Development language: "residential density," "mixed-use development," "construction costs," "regulatory complexity"
  • Investment terminology: "speculative investment," "foreign capital flows," "institutional property acquisition," "financial assets"

Urban planning and policy vocabulary provides advanced language for discussing housing development and regulation:

  • Planning concepts: "zoning regulations," "land use reforms," "inclusionary zoning," "density bonus programs"
  • Policy instruments: "first-time homebuyer grants," "shared equity loans," "speculation taxes," "rent stabilization"
  • Development approaches: "gentle densification," "accessory dwelling units," "public land banking," "streamlined approval"

Social and economic impact terminology demonstrates sophisticated understanding of housing consequences:

  • Economic impacts: "wealth accumulation," "discretionary spending," "economic drag effects," "financial flexibility"
  • Social consequences: "socioeconomic segregation," "geographic displacement," "community engagement," "social cohesion"
  • Quality of life language: "housing instability," "mobility constraints," "intergenerational mobility," "democratic participation"

Complex Sentence Structures

Multi-clause sophistication demonstrates grammatical range through advanced sentence construction:

"The escalating housing costs in metropolitan areas worldwide have created an unprecedented affordability crisis that fundamentally threatens social cohesion and economic stability, forcing increasing numbers of residents into rental markets while excluding entire demographic groups from homeownership opportunities and community participation."

  • Advanced subordination with multiple cause-effect relationships
  • Complex noun phrases and technical terminology integration
  • Professional register with sophisticated modification structures

Conditional and policy relationships:

"Governments can enhance housing affordability through comprehensive zoning and land use reforms that increase housing supply while promoting sustainable urban development patterns and community integration across different housing types and price ranges."

  • Complex policy mechanism descriptions with multiple objectives
  • Sophisticated parallel structures and coordination
  • Professional vocabulary with precise relationship expression

Cohesive Devices and Policy Discourse

Sophisticated transitions and analytical development provide seamless argument progression:

  • Cause-effect development: "Additionally," "The effects," "resulting from," showing comprehensive analysis
  • Policy solution introduction: "Direct financial assistance," "Investment regulation measures," providing systematic coverage
  • Integration and balance: "while creating," "combined with," "encompassing," showing analytical sophistication

Policy register consistency maintains professional tone throughout:

  • Formal policy vocabulary: "comprehensive policy approaches," "market efficiency," "social equity"
  • Technical precision: "inclusionary zoning requirements," "density bonus programs," "speculation taxes"
  • Analytical language: "cascading effects," "systematic barriers," "coordinated policy approaches"

BabyCode Innovation: Housing Discourse Mastery

Understanding advanced housing and urban planning vocabulary requires systematic study of economic concepts, policy terminology, and social development language. At BabyCode, students develop sophisticated housing discourse through targeted practice with housing policy, urban development, and social equity topics.

Our housing discourse modules provide comprehensive training in housing economics vocabulary, urban planning analysis language, and policy evaluation concepts essential for achieving Band 9 performance in housing and urban development IELTS Writing topics.

Writing Techniques for Top Scores

Sophisticated Housing Analysis

Multi-dimensional impact assessment demonstrates comprehensive understanding:

  • Economic dimension: Market dynamics, cost burdens, wealth accumulation, consumer spending effects
  • Social dimension: Community stability, segregation, mobility, intergenerational effects
  • Spatial dimension: Geographic displacement, urban sprawl, infrastructure impacts
  • Policy dimension: Regulatory constraints, intervention tools, implementation challenges

Temporal analysis sophistication shows advanced thinking:

  • Immediate effects: Rental dependence, cost burdens, displacement pressures
  • Long-term consequences: Wealth inequality, community segregation, social mobility limitations
  • Intergenerational impacts: Educational continuity, retirement security, community stability

Scale integration demonstrates systems thinking:

  • Individual level: Housing choices, financial burdens, life opportunities
  • Community level: Neighborhood stability, social mixing, service provision
  • Regional level: Urban development patterns, infrastructure planning, economic coordination

Advanced Argument Development

Market-policy integration shows sophisticated reasoning:

  • Market dynamics: Understanding of supply-demand relationships and price formation
  • Regulatory influences: Recognition of zoning, permitting, and development regulations
  • Policy solutions: Government interventions addressing market failures and social needs

Evidence sophistication and example usage:

  • Market examples: Specific housing cost factors and their community impacts
  • Policy illustrations: Concrete intervention tools and their effectiveness
  • Implementation cases: Real-world approaches and coordination challenges

Stakeholder awareness demonstrates comprehensive thinking:

  • Resident perspectives: Homebuyers, renters, community members with different needs
  • Development perspectives: Builders, investors, planners with economic and regulatory considerations
  • Policy perspectives: Government officials balancing market efficiency with social equity

BabyCode Strategy: Housing Writing Excellence

Mastering housing writing requires sophisticated analysis of economic systems, policy approaches, and community impacts. At BabyCode, students develop advanced analytical skills through practice with housing policy topics, urban development evaluation, and social equity assessment.

Our housing writing modules provide comprehensive training in market analysis, policy evaluation, and housing discourse essential for achieving Band 9 performance in housing and urban development IELTS Writing topics.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Housing Analysis Errors

Oversimplified housing solutions fail to demonstrate sophisticated understanding:

  • Avoid: "The government should just build more houses to solve housing problems"
  • Instead: "Government housing policies must address supply constraints while managing market dynamics and community needs"

Market analysis without policy awareness lacks comprehensive perspective:

  • Avoid: "High housing costs happen because of supply and demand"
  • Instead: "Housing costs reflect complex interactions between market forces, regulatory constraints, and investment patterns"

Policy recommendations without implementation consideration miss practical realities:

  • Avoid: "Governments should make housing cheaper by controlling prices"
  • Instead: "Governments can improve housing affordability through coordinated policies addressing supply, demand, and market regulation"

Language and Structure Issues

Housing vocabulary limitations reduce lexical resource scores:

  • Problem: Overusing basic terms like "expensive houses," "cheap housing," "government help," "building houses"
  • Solution: Vary with "housing affordability," "affordable accommodation," "policy intervention," "residential development"

Simple cause-effect relationships limit analytical sophistication:

  • Problem: "Housing is expensive because there aren't enough houses"
  • Solution: "Housing costs reflect supply constraints exacerbated by regulatory barriers and investment speculation"

Informal language inappropriate for policy topics:

  • Avoid: "Houses cost too much money and people can't buy them"
  • Instead: "Housing affordability challenges exclude households from homeownership and community participation"

Organization and Development Problems

Mixed cause-effect discussion reduces paragraph clarity:

  • Problem: Discussing causes and effects together without clear organization
  • Solution: Structured analysis with clear causal sections followed by impact analysis

Missing policy specificity limits government measure analysis:

  • Problem: Vague suggestions like "help people buy houses" or "make housing cheaper"
  • Solution: Specific policy instruments like "first-time buyer assistance," "zoning reform," "public housing investment"

Lack of implementation detail reduces sophistication:

  • Problem: Discussing housing policy without considering coordination requirements and success factors
  • Solution: Recognition of planning needs, stakeholder engagement, and policy integration challenges

BabyCode Excellence: Housing Writing Mastery

Understanding housing writing challenges enables targeted improvement and sophisticated development. At BabyCode, students learn to avoid common pitfalls while developing advanced housing analysis skills and policy discourse capabilities essential for Band 9 performance.

Our housing writing modules provide systematic training in housing economics evaluation, urban planning analysis, and social policy discourse that demonstrates sophisticated understanding of complex housing systems and policy solutions.

Enhance your understanding of housing issues and IELTS Writing techniques with these comprehensive resources:

Practice Questions

Test your understanding with these additional housing-related IELTS Writing Task 2 questions:

  1. Some people believe that governments should provide free housing for everyone who needs it, while others argue that housing should be left to market forces. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

  2. Many young people cannot afford to buy homes in the cities where they work and must live with their parents longer or move to distant areas. What problems does this cause, and what solutions can you suggest?

  3. Some cities have implemented rent control policies to keep housing affordable, while others rely on increasing housing supply. Compare these approaches and explain which is more effective.

  4. The trend toward urbanization means more people are living in cities, putting pressure on housing supply and increasing costs. What are the main causes of this trend, and what measures can be taken to address housing challenges?

FAQ Section

Q: How can I develop sophisticated arguments about housing without detailed economics knowledge?

A: Focus on general principles of market dynamics, policy tools, and social impacts rather than complex economic theories. Use logical analysis of supply-demand relationships, regulatory effects, and community consequences. Analyze relationships between housing costs, policy interventions, and social outcomes rather than requiring specialized economics training.

Q: What vocabulary is essential for housing topics in IELTS Writing?

A: Master key terms including "housing affordability," "homeownership," "rental markets," "zoning regulations," and "urban development." Learn advanced alternatives to basic words like "expensive," "cheap," "houses," and "help." Practice sophisticated policy vocabulary including "inclusionary zoning," "density bonus programs," and "speculation taxes."

Q: How do I balance market efficiency with social equity in housing essays?

A: Acknowledge both market benefits and social needs while analyzing how policy can address market failures without destroying market incentives. Discuss efficiency advantages alongside equity concerns and implementation challenges. Avoid extremes that ignore either economic principles or social justice requirements.

Q: Should I include specific city examples in housing essays?

A: Use general examples and widely known housing challenges rather than detailed city-specific programs unless you have accurate knowledge. Focus on policy types and common housing problems rather than specific municipal implementations. General principles and universal challenge types are more important than detailed city comparisons.

Q: How can I make my housing essay stand out for Band 9 scoring?

A: Demonstrate sophisticated understanding of complex relationships between markets, regulation, and community outcomes in housing systems. Use advanced vocabulary and complex sentence structures while maintaining clarity. Show awareness of implementation challenges, stakeholder needs, and coordination requirements. Provide comprehensive analysis considering economic efficiency alongside social equity and community development needs.


Ready to master housing discussions and achieve Band 9 in IELTS Writing Task 2? Join BabyCode today and access expert sample essays, comprehensive analysis, and personalized feedback for developing sophisticated arguments about housing systems and urban development. Start your journey to top-score achievement with our proven housing analysis frameworks.