Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-19
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 5.5)
From my columns of opinion , I think that the people's who are moving to cities and are leaving countryside areas leads to both negative and positive development. The people who lived in countryside areas were depend on agriculture. They provide natural vegetables and fruits for the people who are living in cities. By eating that food people are able to live a healthy life . Moreover if the people's will move towards cities by leaving their areas. This would result in downfall of agricultural industries and prices of vegetables and fruits may spike. Because less farmers would left behind who would work in fields. So this would be a negative development for agricultural lands. However people who are moving to cities will lead an positive development also. Because when a person moves to cities from rural areas then the expenditure of a person also remains stable . So a person would work hard to survive in cities. They would study hard to get selected in an white collar job. So they would live a better quality life . People moving to cities would have better medical, educational , transportation facilities. Their students would be able to get better education as compared to rural areas . This would improve their quality of life. A person who earns well and had good wealth . He /she will be able to contribute to the country's GDP. So that's a positive point for the development of the country itself . That's all from my comparison person moving to cities had both positive and negative effects.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument, discussing the negative impact on agriculture and the positive impact on individual quality of life. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the link between moving to cities and 'stable expenditure' is unclear and lacks logical support. The position is stated in the introduction but remains somewhat inconsistent throughout the essay. To improve, you should provide more specific, well-supported examples rather than general statements. The conclusion is a simple summary rather than a synthesis of your arguments, which limits the depth of the response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organized into a single block of text, which significantly hinders coherence. Paragraphing is essential in IELTS writing to separate distinct ideas. While there are some cohesive devices used, such as 'Moreover', 'However', and 'So', they are often used mechanically or incorrectly at the start of sentences. The flow of ideas is somewhat disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the progression of your argument. To achieve a higher score, you must use clear paragraph breaks and a wider variety of linking words to connect your ideas more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'good', 'better', and 'people'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'columns of opinion' (which is unnatural) and 'downfall of agricultural industries' (where 'decline' would be more appropriate). You attempt some topic-specific vocabulary like 'agricultural industries' and 'GDP', but these are not consistently used. Focus on learning collocations and more academic synonyms to express your ideas with greater sophistication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. There are persistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'people's who are moving', 'farmers would left behind'), article usage, and sentence structure. Many sentences are fragmented or run-on, such as 'Because less farmers would left behind who would work in fields.' While you attempt some complex structures, they are often inaccurate. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring subjects and verbs agree, and using punctuation correctly to separate independent clauses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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