Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-11

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 6.0)

In many countries, people are moving from villages to cities, so the population of rural areas is going down. There are many reasons for this movement, such as better jobs, education and other facilities. I think this is a negative development because it can create problems for both villages and cities.

One main problem is that villages can lose young people. Many young people go to cities to find jobs and earn more money. Because of this, there can be fewer people working in farming and local businesses. For example, in India, many people from villages move to big cities for work. This can make villages less active and can also affect farming. Another problem is that cities can become too crowded. More people can cause traffic, pollution and housing problems. Public transport and hospitals can also become very busy. However, people can get better jobs and education in cities, so this movement can be useful for some families. They may also earn more money and improve their life.

In conclusion, moving from rural areas to cities has some advantages, but I think it is a negative development. It can reduce the number of people in villages and create overcrowding and pollution in cities. Governments should provide better jobs and facilities in rural areas to reduce this problem.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position that the migration is a negative development. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of the arguments. While the ideas regarding the loss of rural labor and urban overcrowding are relevant, they are somewhat underdeveloped. To achieve a higher band, you need to expand on your points with more detailed explanations or additional examples. The conclusion is clear, but the overall development is constrained by the brevity of the response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'One main problem', 'Another problem', 'However', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader through the argument. The progression of ideas is generally easy to follow. However, the transitions between sentences could be more sophisticated to improve the flow. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the limited length makes the overall structure feel slightly thin.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. Phrases like 'better jobs', 'earn more money', and 'improve their life' are functional but lack the precision and variety expected at higher bands. There is little attempt to use less common or academic vocabulary. To improve, you should incorporate more topic-specific collocations related to urbanization, demographics, and socio-economic impacts.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically correct, and errors are rare and do not impede communication. For example, 'This can make villages less active and can also affect farming' is a clear, error-free sentence. However, the range of grammatical structures is somewhat limited. To reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as conditional clauses or passive voice, to demonstrate greater control.

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

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