Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-06
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 many countries overseas, rural people are shifting into urban areas, so the population in the countryside is Declining. in my view this is largely a positive devlopment because it offers diverse way of living.
On the one hand, There are several reasons why rural resilient are moving to big cities. First and foremost, Financial instability people who cannot afford life essential goods they often shifted to the citities deliberately. Although rural areas provide quite silence atmosphere, but some financial crisis led them into big cities for earning sufficient money they they feel joyful and provides adequate food and education to their family. For instance, cities provide several benifits to all people. such as, better education, well maintained atmosphere and better job opportunities. Therefore most of the rural civilians tend to shift into devloped cities for their overall devlopment. and somewhat rural people wants to explore the cities culture and lifestyle how they live how they communicate each other because these activities improve overall lifestyle.
On the other hand, Although living in a big city can quit challenging for new rural individuals but for a while. after a period anyone can adjust and improve their lifestyle. However, Cities can enhance the way of living, morality and consistancy. it Also provides a well structured government system. INSTANCE, police headquarters, broad network of hospitals so anyone can get access them quickly without any interrupting.
In conclusion, it is evident that cities atmospher improves life style and offer various work opportunities, self enhancement and overall family devlopment. therefore, rural colonies are increasingly moving into big cities.
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 taking a clear position that rural-to-urban migration is a positive development. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. While you mention benefits like education and job opportunities, the arguments are repetitive and lack depth. For instance, the point about 'financial instability' is mentioned but not fully explored in terms of the broader societal impact. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific, well-supported examples rather than listing general benefits. The conclusion is a bit brief and simply restates the introduction without adding a final thought or synthesis of the arguments presented.
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. For example, 'INSTANCE' is used incorrectly as a transition, and the phrase 'Although rural areas provide quite silence atmosphere, but some financial crisis led them' contains redundant conjunctions. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'how they live how they communicate each other', which lacks proper linking words to connect it to the previous thought. Improving the variety and accuracy of your transition signals will help the flow of your ideas significantly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are frequent errors in word choice and collocation that occasionally impede clarity. For example, you use 'rural resilient' instead of 'rural residents' and 'quite silence atmosphere' instead of 'a quiet atmosphere'. There are also several spelling errors, such as 'devlopment', 'benifits', and 'consistancy'. While you attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'urban areas' and 'financial instability', the lack of precision and the recurring spelling mistakes limit your score. Focusing on learning the correct forms of words and their appropriate context will improve your lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures, and there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'rural people wants'), incorrect preposition usage, and missing articles. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with many sentences starting with lowercase letters or lacking necessary commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the text from reaching a higher band. You should focus on mastering basic sentence patterns and proofreading for common errors like verb endings and article usage before attempting more complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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