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)

It is true that in many parts of the world, villagers are moving to cities, so the population in the countryside is decreasing. I think it is a negative development because of the reduction of professional workers in the countryside and environmental challenges in cities.

One major disadvantage of this trend is the reduction of professional workers in the villages. Professionals are getting less opportunities and financial facilities in the rural sides. For example, garment workers in the villages get less money for clothing other's clothes, which makes them demotivated. Skillful workers, therefore, are reducing in the villages, which causes the economic conditions of the villages.

Another negative consequence is the environmental pollution of cities. For instance, people in Bangladesh are overcrowding the Dhaka city, and because of bad infrastructure of the city people are not getting enough dustbins to throw their unnecessary materials, which pollutes the air of the city. People are using more car in the city, and it reduces the air quality by producing more carbon. Consequently, environmental pollution will hamper the future generation, and they will suffer from various diseases.

In conclusion, although moving from the countryside to cities may provide better opportunities for many people, I believe that the overall impact is negative. It reduces the amount of skillful workers in the countryside, and it decreases the quality of air, which is also harmful for the health of city people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position that the trend is negative. However, the essay falls short of the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of the arguments provided. While the two main points—the loss of skilled labor in rural areas and environmental issues in cities—are relevant, they are somewhat under-developed. For instance, the explanation of why garment workers are demotivated is vague, and the link between the lack of dustbins and air pollution is not fully articulated. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your examples and ensure that your arguments are more thoroughly explored to meet the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. There is a logical progression of ideas, and cohesive devices such as 'One major disadvantage,' 'For instance,' and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally slightly awkward, such as in the sentence 'which causes the economic conditions of the villages,' where the intended meaning is unclear. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on some repetitive or imprecise phrasing, such as 'clothing other's clothes' and 'financial facilities.' There are also some minor collocation issues, such as 'overcrowding the Dhaka city' (should be 'overcrowding Dhaka'). To improve, focus on using more sophisticated academic vocabulary and collocations that are natural in an IELTS context. Expanding your range of synonyms for common words like 'negative' or 'problems' would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'Professionals are getting less opportunities' (should be 'fewer'), 'people are using more car' (should be 'more cars'), and 'which causes the economic conditions' (which is incomplete). These errors do not impede communication, but they do indicate a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of pluralization and article usage. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while maintaining accuracy will help improve your score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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