Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-21

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)

At present times, many people are migrating from rural areas to urban areas in search of different things and to improve their life. It result into decrease in population in rural areas. It is positive change as people can have better facilities as compare to rural area.

There are many problems which people have to face everyday in their life such as electricity, water, transportation. To overcome such problems people are now moving from villages to cities. As in cities there is no problem of water or electricity. For example, In villages people usually have to walk for long distance to get water and in such areas electricity are also not available 24/7 which make people life hard. While in urban areas there is a better transportation services available throughout the cities for people.

As technology and business is expanding there is also increasing in employment opportunity. In search of jobs many people are migrating to city to get a job as in rural areas it become difficult for people. In cities there is also better education system are available as compare to villages so people travel to give their children better education. It also become to call from villages as there is no network available in many areas while in cities no such problems are there . Such aspects make rural population decreasing

People will travel where they get better life and services and to earn more money. Such reason the people staying in rural areas is declining more and more over the years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by identifying the migration as a positive development. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive. While you mention facilities, employment, and education, these points are not fully extended with sophisticated analysis. The essay tends to list reasons rather than exploring the broader implications of rural-to-urban migration. To improve, ensure each paragraph provides a more nuanced discussion of the 'why' and 'how' behind these changes, rather than simply stating that cities have better services. The position is clear, but the supporting arguments lack depth.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite mechanical and sometimes inaccurate. For instance, phrases like 'At present times' and 'Such aspects' are used to link ideas, but they do not always flow naturally. There is a lack of variety in transition signals, and some sentences feel disconnected from the previous ones. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in contrast') to create a smoother progression between your arguments.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You frequently use simple terms like 'better', 'problems', and 'things'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'it result into' (should be 'results in') and 'make people life hard' (should be 'makes people's lives difficult'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to urbanisation and socio-economic factors. Avoid repeating the same words in close proximity and focus on using more varied synonyms to express your ideas with greater precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'electricity are also not available', 'better education system are available') and missing articles. Additionally, some sentence constructions are non-standard, such as 'It also become to call from villages'. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic tense consistency and pluralisation to improve your accuracy.

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