Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-09
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 5.0)
I think its a negative development at some extent. People are moving in cities for more facilities and for changing their lifestyle. But due to saturation the city's life is becoming difficult. Environmental effects are increasing due to increase in population. Traffic is increasing day by day which increase pollution.
On the other side rural life is peaceful but there are less facilities as compare to cities.
I my experience i moved in a city from last year for better facilities like, education and medical. But i fed up quickly due to high traffic jam and pollution. City's life is expensive as compare to rural. In the rural areas commodities are cheaper.
Education and medical facilities are the main edge of urban life. When we have any medical emergency we can reach at hospital within minutes as compare to rural areas we can not reach easily due to less availability of ambulances. Government mostly focuses on urban areas as compare to rural their will be broken roads and lower facilities of transportation.
That's why people prefer to live in urban areas. But if we notice the products are organic in rural areas. People are health and has long life span as compare to urban people. They have healthy air for breath as compare to urban. In urban areas there is lot of air pollution due to high traffic as well as factories and mills.
In conclusion, in my experience rural life is better for health and on the other side urban life is better for facilities.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the movement from rural to urban areas and identifying it as a negative development. However, the development of ideas is limited and often repetitive. While you mention both the benefits (facilities) and drawbacks (pollution, traffic, cost), the arguments lack depth and specific examples. The essay reads more like a list of observations rather than a well-structured argument. To improve, you should focus on developing each point with more detailed explanation and logical progression, ensuring that your position is clearly maintained throughout the entire piece.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas effectively; sentences often feel disconnected. For instance, the transition between discussing urban life and rural life is abrupt. The use of referencing is sometimes unclear, and the paragraphing is inconsistent, with some paragraphs being very short or lacking a clear topic sentence. To reach a higher band, you need to use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'on the other hand') to guide the reader through your arguments more smoothly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, which limits your ability to express complex ideas. You frequently use simple words like 'facilities', 'good', and 'bad'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'I fed up quickly' (should be 'I got fed up') and 'people is health' (should be 'people are healthy'). While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of variety and precision in your word choice prevents you from achieving a higher score. Try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to urbanization and rural development.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('people is health'), incorrect preposition usage ('moving in cities'), and missing articles ('in urban areas there is lot of air pollution'). Sentence structures are mostly simple, with very few attempts at complex sentences. When complex structures are attempted, they often contain errors. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of articles and prepositions. Proofreading for these common errors will significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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