AC-T2-225 Academic · Task 2 · intermediate · 40 min · 250+ words Advantages and Disadvantages Housing

Co-Living Homes for Young Professionals

The question

In many large cities, developers now build co-living buildings in which young professionals rent a private bedroom and share kitchens, lounges and laundry facilities with other residents. What are the advantages and disadvantages? Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.

Instructions

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. • Cover both the advantages and the disadvantages with relevant detail. • Say whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and why. • Use clear topic sentences so the reader can follow your structure. • Finish with your own conclusion, supported by a concrete example.

How to approach this advantages and disadvantages question

An advantages and disadvantages essay weighs both sides. Some questions also ask whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages: then you must pick a side.

Introduce the trend and say what you will cover.
One paragraph on the advantages, with an example.
One paragraph on the disadvantages, with an example.
If asked "do the advantages outweigh...?", give your answer in the conclusion and the introduction.

How to plan this answer

Structure

Introduction: paraphrase co-living homes, where residents rent a private bedroom and share communal facilities, and state whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Body 1: advantages, such as lower monthly costs, built-in social contact and flexible short-term leases, with a specific example.
Body 2: disadvantages, such as limited privacy, shared-kitchen disputes and an unsuitability for families, with a concrete case.
Body 3: weigh the two sides by considering who benefits most, such as young people at the start of their careers compared with those planning a long-term home.
Conclusion: give a clear answer and explain whether the judgement depends on the resident's age or career stage.

Idea bank

Shared costs: splitting rent, bills and high-speed internet can reduce monthly outgoings in expensive cities, provided the total price is not higher than a flat.
Built-in community: shared lounges and organised events can help newcomers to a city form friendships quickly.
Flexibility: short or rolling agreements suit people relocating for work, who may not want to commit to a long lease.
Privacy: a private bedroom may be small, with thin walls, so noise from neighbours and limited personal space are common complaints.
Shared-kitchen disputes: cleaning rotas and shared food can cause friction, which is a serious problem for people who value order.
Price check: some co-living rooms cost as much as a studio flat once fees are included, so the savings the buildings promise may not always be real.

Useful vocabulary

co-living: Co-living suits young professionals who value company over space.
communal areas: Residents share communal areas such as lounges and laundry rooms.
to split the cost of bills: Residents can split the cost of bills and reduce their monthly outgoings.
a reasonable trade-off: Many residents see shared kitchens as a reasonable trade-off for lower rent.
to lack privacy: Thin walls mean that residents often lack privacy.
a stepping stone: For newcomers to a city, co-living can be a stepping stone to renting alone.
a cleaning rota: A cleaning rota helps keep shared kitchens tidy.
to alleviate loneliness: Shared spaces can alleviate loneliness among people who have just moved.
to be pricier than: Some schemes are pricier than sharing a flat in the same area.
a long-term commitment: A standard tenancy is a better choice for someone seeking a long-term commitment to a home.

Common mistakes

Describing co-living without saying who it suits, which is needed for a judgement on whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Presenting advantages and disadvantages as two separate lists with no evaluation.
Assuming co-living is always cheaper, without checking the total cost against a shared flat.
Confusing co-living with student halls or hostels, which have different rules and purposes.
Using a personal anecdote as the only evidence, instead of reasoning about the general pattern.

Examiner tip: Decide whether the balance depends on the resident, such as age or career stage, and use that dependence as the basis for your judgement in the conclusion.

Model answers by band score

Written for this question to show what changes from one band to the next. Try the task yourself first, then compare.

Band 6 answer

In many big cities, developers now build co-living buildings where young professionals have their own bedroom and share the kitchen, lounge and laundry with other people. This essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages, and I think the advantages are bigger. The first advantage is that co-living is cheaper than renting a flat alone. In cities like London or New York the rents are very high, so a young person who has just started working can not pay for a whole apartment. In a co-living building, the costs for the bills and the furniture is shared, so they can save money. Another advantage is that the residents can make new friends. For example, my cousin moved to a new city for his job and he did not know anybody, but he met many people in his building and he felt less lonely. On the other hand, there are some disadvantages. The first one is the lack of privacy. Because the kitchen and the lounge are shared, it can be noisy and some people do not clean after they use it. This can make conflicts between the residents. The second disadvantage is that the people can not invite their friends or family easily, and they have not enough space for their own things. Some people also think that this kind of living is not good when you are older, because they want a family. Overall, I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for young professionals because they save money and make friends. However, the developers should make sure that every resident has enough private space.

Why this is band 6

Both sides are covered and a clear judgement is given that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, with a short personal example (the cousin who moved cities).
Development is limited: points such as conflicts and lack of space are asserted rather than explained, and the closing sentence adds an unprepared suggestion.
Vocabulary is basic and repetitive ('people', 'residents', 'shared') with errors such as 'the costs ... is shared' and 'they have not enough space', which do not stop understanding.
Band 7 would explain consequences, use topic sentences that frame each paragraph and show a wider range of accurate structures.

Band 7 answer

In many large cities, developers are building co-living blocks in which young professionals rent a private bedroom but share communal facilities. In my view, the benefits of this arrangement outweigh its drawbacks, although it is not suitable for everyone. The most significant advantage is affordability. Rents in cities such as London and New York are so high that many young workers cannot afford a flat of their own, whereas in a co-living building the costs of bills, furniture and maintenance are divided among residents. A second advantage is social. Newcomers to a city often feel isolated, and living alongside others in the same life stage offers instant companionship and a network of contacts. A colleague of mine, for instance, moved to Manchester for a new job and made most of her friends through her building's shared events. However, there are disadvantages. The main one is the lack of privacy: shared kitchens and lounges can become noisy and untidy, and disagreements about cleaning are common. Residents also have less space for their possessions and may feel uncomfortable inviting guests. In addition, such buildings tend to attract people of similar age, which limits contact with other groups in society. Despite these problems, I believe the advantages are more important for the target group. Young professionals typically spend long hours at work and need affordable housing close to their jobs more than they need spacious accommodation. Furthermore, a private bedroom ensures that residents can still retreat when they wish. In conclusion, co-living offers cost savings and companionship at the price of some privacy, and for most young adults in expensive cities this is a reasonable trade-off.

Why this is band 7

Clear structure with separate paragraphs for advantages, disadvantages and the weighing, each opened by a topic sentence ('The most significant advantage ...', 'However, there are disadvantages').
Ideas are relevant and developed, with an everyday example (a colleague in Manchester) and a reasoned judgement about the target group.
Good vocabulary and range of structures ('affordability', 'companionship', 'trade-off') with only a few slips.
Band 8 would offer more precise and original support, for example referring to specific costs, and use more natural, less formulaic cohesion.

Band 8 answer

In many large cities, developers now build co-living blocks where young professionals rent a private bedroom and share kitchens, lounges and laundries. Although this model has drawbacks, I believe that its advantages are greater for the people it is designed for. The most compelling advantage is affordability. In cities such as London and New York, rents absorb so much of a graduate salary that renting alone is out of reach for many, whereas co-living divides the costs of bills, furniture and maintenance among residents. A second benefit is social. Newcomers to a city often struggle to build a network of friends, and communal spaces and organised events provide an immediate community. A colleague of mine who moved to Manchester made most of her friends through her building's weekly dinners. The disadvantages, however, should not be overlooked. Privacy is limited: shared kitchens can become noisy and untidy, and disputes over cleaning are common. Residents also have little room for their belongings and may feel awkward about having guests. Moreover, these buildings usually house people of a similar age and background, which narrows the social horizons of residents. Weighing these factors, I consider the benefits more significant. Young professionals often work long hours and value affordability and location above spacious accommodation, and a private bedroom offers a place to retreat when sociability becomes tiresome. Most people also do not remain in such housing permanently, so the drawbacks are temporary. In short, co-living trades some privacy for lower costs and companionship, a bargain that makes sense for most young adults in expensive cities, as my colleague's experience in Manchester shows.

Why this is band 8

The essay is well organised around clear topic sentences and gives a reasoned judgement that is linked to the specific group (young professionals) in the question.
Ideas are developed with explanation and cause and effect ('rents absorb so much of a graduate salary that ...') and the concrete example is returned to in the conclusion, as the task asks.
Vocabulary is precise and flexible ('out of reach', 'social horizons', 'a bargain') and errors are rare.
Band 9 would sharpen the weighing with evidence beyond one anecdote and make every transition feel wholly natural, which is not yet always the case.

Band 9 answer

In many large cities, developers now build co-living blocks in which young professionals rent a private bedroom and share kitchens, lounges and laundries. Although the model has real drawbacks, I believe its advantages outweigh them for the people it is designed to serve. The most compelling advantage is affordability. In cities such as London and New York, rents absorb so much of a graduate salary that living alone is out of reach for many, whereas co-living divides the costs of bills, furniture and maintenance among residents. A second benefit is social. Newcomers to a city often struggle to build a circle of friends, and communal spaces and organised events provide an immediate community. A colleague of mine who relocated to Manchester made nearly all her friends through her building's weekly dinners, something she doubts she could have done from a studio flat. The disadvantages should not be dismissed. Privacy is inevitably compromised: shared kitchens can become noisy and untidy, and disputes over cleaning are almost a rite of passage. Residents also have little room for their belongings and may be reluctant to host guests. Moreover, buildings that house people of a similar age and background can narrow, rather than broaden, a resident's social horizons. Weighing the two, however, the benefits prevail. Young professionals typically work long hours and value location and cost above space, and a private bedroom still offers a refuge when company becomes tiresome. Crucially, most residents treat such housing as a stage, not a destination, so its drawbacks are temporary while its savings, which can fund a deposit on a home, are lasting. In short, co-living trades a measure of privacy for lower costs and companionship, a bargain that makes sense for most young adults in expensive cities, as my colleague's experience in Manchester suggests.

Why this is band 9

The essay answers both parts of the question directly and the judgement is persuasive because it is tied to how long residents stay and what they save.
Ideas are fully developed with insight (savings that can fund a deposit, co-living as a stage rather than a destination) and the closing example returns to the one in the body.
Language is sophisticated and entirely natural ('almost a rite of passage', 'a refuge when company becomes tiresome') with no errors.
Topic sentences guide the reader through each paragraph, and cohesion is achieved through the argument itself.

Band levels are our estimate against the public IELTS criteria; they are not official scores.

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