Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-12

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)

Nowadays, many people are moving from villages to cities. Because of this, the population of rural areas is decreasing. I believe that this is a negative development because it can create problems for both villages and cities.

However, there are several reasons why people move to cities. The main reason is that cities offer more job oppurtunities than rural areas. People can also find better schools, colleges and hospitals there. For example many young people from villages in India move to cities like Delhi and Chandigarh to study or find a good job. when young people leave villages there are less workers for farming. This can reduce food production.

At the same time, cities can become overcrowded because most people move from villages to the cities for better work and oppurtunities that may cause traffic due to these people which can also lead to traffic, population and a shortage of houses. it can also increase unemployment because there may not be enough jobs for everyone. This movement can also cause problems in rural areas. Also, villages may lose education and talented people who could help to improve their communities.

In conclusion, although moving to cities can give better jobs and facilities, I think it is mostly a negative development. Governments should improve villages by providing better oppurtunities like education, healthcare, roads and job oppurtuinities so that people can have a good life without leaving their hometowns. I think from my perspective living in cities are more preferable than living in villages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by clearly stating a position that rural-to-urban migration is a negative development. The writer presents relevant ideas such as agricultural labor shortages in villages and overcrowding, traffic, and housing shortages in cities. Examples are also provided, such as young people moving from villages in India to Delhi and Chandigarh. However, some ideas are a bit repetitive and under-developed, and there is a slight contradiction at the very end of the conclusion where the writer states that 'living in cities are more preferable than living in villages,' which slightly blurs the stance. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, fitting the criteria for Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is divided into four paragraphs, providing a logical framework with an introduction, body paragraphs exploring different aspects of the issue, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However', 'For example', 'At the same time', and 'In conclusion'. However, referencing and transitions are sometimes mechanical, and the sentence structures within paragraphs feel a bit disjointed in places. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas about push-pull factors, rural consequences, and urban consequences, but overall the flow lacks the smooth progression found in higher bands. Therefore, a score of 6.0 is appropriate.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'overcrowded', 'shortage', 'unemployment', and 'communities'. However, there are notable spelling errors ('oppurtunities' used multiple times, 'oppurtuinities') and minor issues with word choice and phrasing. Less common lexical items are attempted but lack precision and collocation accuracy. While communication is never impeded, the lexical control is limited, placing this response firmly in the Band 6.0 category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional ideas. There are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues, such as run-on sentences and comma splices ('when young people leave villages there are less workers for farming', 'that may cause traffic due to these people which can also lead to traffic, population and a shortage of houses', 'it can also increase'). Subject-verb agreement errors also appear, such as 'living in cities are more preferable'. Despite these frequent errors, the meaning remains clear throughout, matching the Band 6.0 descriptors.

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