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 skilled workers in the countryside and environmental challenges in cities.

The number of workers are reducing 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 sewing other's clothes, which makes them demotivated. While laborers do become financially stable the cities, their migration create an imbalance of skilled workers in the village population. Well-known workers, therefore, causes the economic conditions of the villages.

Furthermore, the environmental pollution is increasing more in cities. For instance, people in Bangladesh are overcrowding in Dhaka, and because of bad infrastructure of the city they are not getting enough dustbins to throw their unnecessary materials. People are using more car in the city, and it produces more carbon. Not only does it decrease the quality of air, but it also hampers the health of humans. 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 skilled 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 essay addresses the prompt by taking a clear position, but it is penalised for failing to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words. While the ideas regarding economic imbalance and environmental pollution are relevant, the development is somewhat superficial. For example, the argument about 'garment workers' is a bit narrow and lacks a clear link to the broader economic impact on rural areas. The conclusion is present, but the overall development of ideas is limited by the brevity of the response. To improve, you should expand on your supporting points with more detailed explanations or additional examples to ensure the response is fully developed and meets the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'For instance', and 'Consequently' to link sentences. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'Well-known workers, therefore, causes the economic conditions of the villages,' which is confusing and lacks a clear logical connection to the previous point. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next will help enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'environmental pollution', 'infrastructure', and 'demotivated'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and awkward collocations, such as 'financial facilities in the rural sides' (should be 'rural areas') and 'unnecessary materials' (should be 'waste' or 'refuse'). Additionally, the phrase 'Well-known workers' does not fit the context of the argument. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that your word choices are natural and contextually appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'The number of workers are reducing' should be 'is reducing' (subject-verb agreement). Other errors include 'migration create' (should be 'creates') and 'people are using more car' (should be 'more cars'). While these errors do not completely prevent understanding, they are frequent enough to affect the flow. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, pluralisation, and the correct use of articles.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.