Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-20
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)
In recent years, the people of rural area are moving to cities, therefore the population in the countryside is dropping. some people believe that it is a positive development, while others argue that it is a negative development. from my perspective it is a negative development because it can have harmful effect in rural communities and create problems in the cities.
The primary problem that can occur is with rural communities. As the rural communities people move to cities, there will be high chance of shortage of worker's in rural communities. For instance, if the farmers from rural areas move to cities there will be shortage in agricultural field, and ultimately it will give the negative impact on country's GDP. Because of this reason rural people should not move to cities as it can lead to negative development of country and can have shortage of workers.
The secondary significant reason is the harmful effect on the cities. If the people from countryside move to cities it will lead to overpopulation in cities which can create area more crowded and prone to health related problems. For example, the areas with overpopulation can have major chances of getting in contact with people and it can lead to spread of communicable diseases by the inhalation of microorganisms from the air surrounded by crowded areas . Therefore it has the negative effect in the development if people of rural areas move to cities as it can lead to serious health related problems.
In conclusion, the migration towards the cities by rural people can lead to negative development in rural communities as it can cause shortage of workers in rural communities and harmful effect of overpopulation in cities which can lead to health related problems.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position that rural-to-urban migration is a negative development. The ideas are relevant, focusing on agricultural labor shortages and urban overpopulation. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat repetitive and lacks depth. For instance, the argument regarding GDP is mentioned but not fully explored. The conclusion simply restates the points made in the body paragraphs without adding any synthesis or final thought. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more nuanced arguments and ensure that each point is fully extended with specific, logical consequences rather than repeating the same concerns about 'shortage of workers' or 'negative development'.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the argument. There is a logical progression from the introduction to the two body paragraphs and the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'The primary problem' and 'The secondary significant reason' are used to signal structure, but the transitions between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother. Additionally, some referencing is slightly awkward, such as 'the rural communities people', which hinders the flow. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on basic terms like 'negative development', 'harmful effect', and 'problems' repeatedly throughout the text. While these words are used correctly, they do not demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary. There are also some minor collocation errors, such as 'inhalation of microorganisms from the air surrounded by crowded areas', which sounds unnatural. To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to migration, urbanization, and economics, and avoid repeating the same phrases in every paragraph.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that, while they do not impede communication, are noticeable. Common issues include article misuse ('the people of rural area'), subject-verb agreement ('the rural communities people move'), and punctuation errors. Some sentences are also slightly clunky, such as 'it will give the negative impact on country's GDP'. While you attempt complex structures, they are often prone to errors. Focusing on basic grammatical accuracy—specifically articles, pluralization, and prepositions—will help you achieve a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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