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)
In recent year, the trend is increasing that to moving cities from villages. Which causes the population in villages are decrease. In my opinion this is negative development, although they provide some benefits to peoples.
One major advantage is getting a better employment opportunity. Cities have a big company, hospitals, university, and other facilities. As a result people have a great chances to create high income and salaries. For example people move to cities and find a jobs and working in companies and industries. In addition cities have many technological centre which help to increase national GDP. In the cities many type of chemical labs, manufacturing sectors are there it produce to many types of machinery. chemicals and object. Then export to other country so other country currency will invested and value of export country will high.
On the other hand, large disadvantage of this trend. First the large amount of people tranffer to urban area so this area over crowded, polluted and traffic related issues increasing. In addition the agriculture field affect to migration of young people to megacities. The production of food is reduces and demand for food is increasing it is big problem for migration.
In conclusion, moving to cities is very beneficial for study, earning, and development. Also it help to improve national growth and values. But i belive that overall effect is negative because it can create serious problem in cities like traffic, and pollution. In addition it can create a less intrest to youth in agriculture.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the migration from rural to urban areas and taking a clear position. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention employment and national GDP, the explanation is repetitive and lacks depth. For instance, the point about 'chemical labs' and 'machinery' is slightly tangential to the core issue of rural-to-urban migration. The conclusion is clear, but the arguments could be better supported with more specific examples or logical links. To improve, ensure each paragraph focuses on a single, well-developed idea that directly supports your stance, rather than listing multiple points briefly.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'In addition' and 'On the other hand' are used, but the internal flow within paragraphs is sometimes disjointed. For example, the transition between discussing employment and national GDP is abrupt. Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'it is big problem for migration.' Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one will help improve the flow and coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is quite repetitive and lacks precision. You frequently use basic terms like 'big,' 'many,' and 'things' (implied by 'object'). There are also several collocation errors, such as 'the trend is increasing that to moving cities' and 'other country currency will invested.' To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more sophisticated vocabulary and ensure that words are used in their correct context. Focus on learning collocations—words that naturally go together—rather than just individual synonyms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a high frequency of grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are frequent issues with subject-verb agreement ('the population in villages are decrease'), article usage ('the large amount of people'), and sentence structure ('Which causes the population in villages are decrease'). While you attempt some complex sentences, they are often grammatically incorrect. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence structures before attempting more complex ones. Pay close attention to verb tenses and pluralization, as these are consistent areas of error throughout your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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