Cambridge IELTS 15 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Home Ownership
Cambridge IELTS 15 · Test 1 · Academic Writing Task 2Two-part questionSociety
The question states that in some countries people consider owning a home, rather than renting one, to be very important. Candidates must answer two questions: why this might be the case, and whether they think this is a positive or negative situation.
The question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. 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.
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How to read the question
- This is a two-part question, so both parts must be answered fully: the reasons why home ownership matters so much, and your judgement of whether this is positive or negative.
- The first question asks why, so it needs reasons, such as financial security, investment, stability, cultural expectations and the weakness of the rental market, not a description of what owning a home is like.
- The second question asks for your view of the situation, meaning the strong preference for ownership, not whether owning is better than renting for an individual. Consider its effects on individuals and on society.
- Give a clear answer to the second question: positive, negative, or mainly one with some reservations. A mixed view is acceptable only if it ends with a clear overall judgement.
- In some countries limits the scope: you can refer to cultural differences, for example contrasting countries where renting is normal for life with those where ownership is a major life goal.
- Avoid turning the essay into an advantages and disadvantages list of renting, or a discussion of house prices alone.
Suggested position
The desire to own a home stems mainly from the financial security and sense of stability that ownership provides, as well as strong cultural expectations, and I believe this is largely a positive situation, provided it does not push people into unaffordable debt.
Paragraph plan
- 1
Introduction
Paraphrase the idea that in certain countries buying a home is considered far preferable to renting, then outline your answer: it is driven by financial security, stability and cultural expectations, and it is mainly positive with some risks.
- 2
Body paragraph 1: why ownership is so important
Explain two or three reasons: a home is seen as a safe long-term investment and a source of security in old age; ownership gives stability and control, free from landlords and rent rises; in many cultures owning property is a sign of adulthood, success and readiness to marry.
- 3
Body paragraph 2: positive or negative
Argue that it is mainly positive: owners build wealth, have secure housing in retirement and tend to invest in their neighbourhoods. Then acknowledge the drawbacks: heavy mortgages, pressure on young people and reduced mobility for work, especially when house prices are high.
- 4
Conclusion
Summarise the reasons and restate that the situation is largely positive, as long as people are not pressured into buying homes they cannot afford.
Ideas and arguments
- A home is often a family's largest asset, and mortgage repayments gradually build wealth that rent payments never do.
- Owners are protected from rising rents and from being asked to leave by a landlord, which gives families stability, for example children can stay at the same school.
- In many cultures, owning property is linked to adulthood, social status and marriage prospects, and parents often help their children to buy.
- Where tenants have weak legal protection or rental housing is poor quality, buying may be the only way to secure a decent home.
- Owning a home provides security in retirement, when people's incomes fall and rent would be a heavy burden.
- Owners tend to stay longer in one area and invest in their homes and communities.
- On the negative side, the pressure to buy can trap young people in large mortgages and leave them vulnerable if interest rates rise or they lose their jobs.
- A strong ownership culture can push up house prices and reduce labour mobility, because owners find it harder to move to where jobs are.
Band 8+ model answer
295 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.
In many countries, buying a home is regarded as far preferable to renting one, and for some people it is a central goal in life. In my view, this attitude stems mainly from the desire for financial security and stability, reinforced by cultural expectations, and on balance it is a positive situation, provided that it does not push people into unaffordable debt.
The most obvious reason for this preference is financial. A house or flat is usually a family's largest asset, and while rent simply disappears each month, mortgage repayments gradually build up wealth that can be passed on to children or relied on in old age. A further reason is the security of tenure that ownership brings: owners cannot be asked to leave by a landlord or face sudden rent increases, so they can put down roots and keep their children in the same school. Finally, in many cultures owning property is a sign of adulthood and success, and young people may even be expected to buy a home before they marry.
I believe this situation is largely beneficial. People who own their homes are better protected in retirement, when their incomes fall, and they tend to take care of their properties and invest in their local communities. Admittedly, this pressure can have serious drawbacks. Where house prices are high, young couples may be saddled with huge loans that leave them vulnerable if interest rates rise, and owners are often less willing to move to another city for a better job.
In conclusion, the importance attached to home ownership reflects understandable needs for security, stability and social recognition. As long as governments keep housing affordable and people are not forced into buying homes they cannot afford, I consider this a positive feature of society.
Why this answer scores highly
- Task Response
- Both questions are answered fully: the first body paragraph develops three reasons with explanation, and the second gives a clear, mainly positive judgement while recognising the risks, consistent with the introduction and conclusion.
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Each body paragraph matches one part of the question, ideas are sequenced with a further reason, finally and admittedly, and referencing such as this pressure keeps the argument connected.
- Lexical Resource
- Precise, natural collocations such as security of tenure, build up wealth, put down roots and saddled with debt show a wide vocabulary on the topic of housing.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- The essay uses a range of complex structures, including conditional sentences, relative clauses, concessive clauses and passive forms, accurately throughout.
Useful vocabulary
- home ownership
- the situation of owning the house or flat you live in
- property ladder
- the idea of buying a first home and then moving to more expensive ones over time
- tenant
- a person who pays rent to live in a property
- landlord
- a person or company that owns a property and rents it to others
- mortgage
- a long-term loan used to buy a property
- long-term investment
- something bought with the expectation that its value will grow over many years
- financial security
- having enough money and assets to feel safe about the future
- security of tenure
- the right to stay in a home without being forced to leave
- a status symbol
- something that shows a person's wealth or social position
- put down roots
- settle permanently in a place
- saddled with debt
- burdened with a large amount of money owed
- labour mobility
- how easily workers can move to places where jobs are available
- housing affordability
- how easy it is for people to pay for housing with their income
Common mistakes
- Answering only one of the two questions, usually explaining the reasons in detail but giving no clear view on whether the situation is positive or negative.
- Writing about the advantages and disadvantages of renting in general instead of explaining why ownership is so important in some countries.
- Giving a vague answer such as it has both positive and negative sides without deciding which outweighs the other.
- Listing many reasons in one sentence each instead of developing two or three with explanation and examples.
- Repeating own a home and rent throughout instead of paraphrasing with home ownership, property, tenants and buying a house.
- Making unsupported claims with invented statistics, such as 90% of people in Asia own their home.
Frequently asked questions
- Which Cambridge book is this question from?
- This question about why owning a home rather than renting is so important in some countries is Writing Task 2 of Test 1 in Cambridge IELTS 15 Academic, published in 2020.
- Do I have to answer both questions?
- Yes. This is a two-part question, so you must explain why home ownership matters and give a clear opinion on whether this is positive or negative. Answering only one part limits Task Response.
- Can I say it is both positive and negative?
- You can discuss both sides, but you should reach a clear overall judgement, for example mainly positive with some risks, and state it in the introduction and conclusion.
- How many words should I write for this Task 2?
- Write at least 250 words; about 270-310 words is usually enough to answer both questions fully in 40 minutes.
Free and timed, with a live word count, just like the computer-delivered test. Then get an instant AI band score.
The exam simulator runs on a computer. Open this page on a laptop or desktop to practise.