Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-10

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 6.5)

It is undeniable that, nowadays, the population in the countryside of numerous countries is declining as more and more rural people are moving to cities. This is a negative development as it causes an imbalance between urban and rural areas, leading to several severe social issues. This essay will outline not only both perspectives but also my opinion which is in favor of later point of view in the forthcoming fragments with a relevant and logical conclusion.

To commence with, firstly, the depopulation of the countryside can significantly hinder the economy of both rural areas and adjacent cities. Agriculture and local industries in the countryside may collapse due to a shortage of workforce. To elaborate, rural areas may no longer provide sufficient food, industrial products, and other necessary supplies to cities. The disruption of the urban-rural economic supply chain would negatively impact the dynamism of cities. This trend causes substantial population problems for both rural and urban areas. Secondly, in the countryside, population aging becomes a crucial concern, as young people are more inclined to move compared to elders. In cities, a population boom can lead to unemployment, inadequate facilities and resources for example, medical care and accommodation are to be increased and crime rates, pollution, and even health issues like pandemics.

Furthermore,a repetitive negative pattern may emerge due to this phenomenon. As the rural economy declines due to population loss, more residents will have no choice but to move to the city, make the matter more worst and the situation becomes intensify. If urban specialists and local governments do not address this issue seriously, an inevitable crisis will eventually arise. Moreover, this progress is largely driven by the concentration of educated individuals who collaborate to innovate and improve various aspects of life. As cities evolve and develop further, they tend to attract even more people seeking lucrative opportunities, creating a positive feedback loop that acceleration urbanization.

In conclusion, while urbanization brings certain benefits, the negative impacts of rural depopulation on both rural and urban areas are significant. Policymakers need to implement strategies that support balanced development and ensure sustainable growth for both the regions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt clearly, maintaining a consistent position that rural-to-urban migration is a negative development. The ideas are relevant and logically extended, particularly the discussion on economic supply chains and the aging population in rural areas. However, the introduction contains a slight confusion by stating the essay will outline 'both perspectives' when the prompt asks for your opinion on whether it is a positive or negative development. While you provide a clear stance, the development of the 'positive' side of urbanization is somewhat brief compared to the negative arguments. To reach a higher band, ensure the introduction accurately reflects the essay's focus and provide more balanced development of the counter-arguments before refuting them.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate distinct arguments. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the phrase 'in the forthcoming fragments' in the introduction, which is not standard academic phrasing. The flow between sentences is generally smooth, though the connection between the final paragraph and the preceding analysis could be strengthened to ensure a more cohesive conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision, using terms like 'depopulation', 'dynamism', 'lucrative opportunities', and 'sustainable growth'. There are some instances of awkward phrasing or minor errors, such as 'make the matter more worst' (should be 'make the matter worse') and 'acceleration urbanization' (should be 'accelerating urbanization'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful attention to word forms and collocations. Expanding your range of less common lexical items and ensuring their accurate usage would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You show control over complex sentences, such as 'As the rural economy declines due to population loss, more residents will have no choice but to move to the city'. However, there are several grammatical slips, including 'the situation becomes intensify' (should be 'the situation intensifies') and 'this progress is largely driven' (where 'process' was likely intended). Punctuation is generally accurate, but there is a missing space after the comma in 'Furthermore,a'. Increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences and refining your control over verb forms will improve your score.

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