Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-07-30

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many countries around the world, rural people are moving to cities, so the population in the countryside is decreasing.

Do you think this is a positive or a negative development?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 8.0)

In recent years, a growing number of individuals have been migrating from rural areas to urban centers, leading to a noticeable decline in countryside populations. I completely agree that this trend is detrimental to global society, as it creates unsustainable pressure on city infrastructure and threatens agricultural production.

The rapid influx of people into urban centers significantly escalates environmental pollution by different means. As the population grows, the count of private vehicles will rises dramatically, leading to heavy traffic congestion toxic exhaust emissions. Furthermore, to accommodate new residents, industrial activities must expand which severely pollute air and water. . For instance, the rate of pollution in Lahore has increased exponentially in recent years due to the large-scale migration of people into the city, proving that rapid urbanization compromises city ecosystems.

In addition to environmental issues, the mass exodus of individuals from the countryside leads to severe labor shortages in the agricultural sector. As younger generations relocate to cities, farming communities lose vital workers, leaving vast arable fields uncultivated. For instance, recent studies in agricultural nations like Pakistan show that rapid urban migration has significantly reduced domestic wheat yields due to a lack of farming labor. Consequently, this directly threatens national food security.

In conclusion, the mass migration of people from rural areas to cities presents several global challenges. This demographic shift not only intensifies urban environmental pollution but also destabilizes agricultural output and food security. Therefore, governments must implement effective policies to balance regional development and encourage sustainable growth in both cities and countryside communities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses the prompt by taking a clear position that rural-to-urban migration is a negative development. The ideas are well-developed, with two distinct body paragraphs focusing on environmental impact and agricultural labor shortages. Each point is supported by relevant examples, such as the mention of Lahore and the agricultural situation in Pakistan. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main arguments. The response meets all requirements of the task, providing a balanced and logical argument that directly answers the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition to', 'For instance', and 'Consequently' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. The flow of the argument is natural, and the reader can easily follow the writer's line of reasoning from the introduction to the final recommendation.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The vocabulary is generally precise and appropriate for an academic essay. Phrases like 'unsustainable pressure', 'mass exodus', 'arable fields', and 'demographic shift' demonstrate a good range of vocabulary. There are occasional minor issues, such as 'count of private vehicles' which could be more naturally phrased as 'number of private vehicles'. However, these do not impede communication. The writer shows an ability to use topic-specific terminology effectively, which contributes to the overall clarity and professional tone of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While there are some grammatical slips, such as 'the count of private vehicles will rises' (should be 'will rise') and a missing preposition in 'congestion toxic exhaust' (should be 'congestion and toxic exhaust'), the majority of sentences are error-free. The control of complex structures is generally good, and punctuation is used correctly. The errors are infrequent and do not cause any difficulty for the reader, allowing the message to be conveyed clearly and effectively.

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