Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-14

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)

The migration of individuals from rural to urban areas is a growing trend, leading to concerns about the declining population in rural areas. The impact of such a change remains a matter of debate, as it can have both positive and negative consequences.

The opportunity for upward social mobility maybe significantly limited in the countryside simply due to lack of accessible education, awareness on emerging fields and employment opportunities. The range of courses provided by universities in the outskirts maybe limited. Therefore, individuals may move to cities in search for better education and jobs. Even marginally improved ceiling income potential with opportunities in the cities can make a significant impact to the individuals in the countryside. With a lack of evenly distributed job opportunities people have no option but to leave their homes.

Therefore, the individuals migrating to cities are the ones that are educated with skills that are often scarce in the countryside. This can further lead to a reduction in the quality of skilled workers available in the rural areas in several sectors. For instance, doctors who remain in rural areas may not be sought after in cities due to their relatively limited skills or qualifications; however, they may be the best healthcare professionals available in those areas. In traditional villages, a growing trend can be observed in which a higher proportion of men remain unmarried because women tend to marry into families that are more likely to migrate to urban areas, thereby contributing to a declining rural population.

An ideal society should provide evenly available opportunities irrespective of demographic location. The government should encourage institutions to open branches in relatively under developed areas by incentivizing them. For instance, relaxed taxation can be a good start. Such measures help create job opportunities that allows individuals to remain in rural areas allowing to contribute to the social and economic development of their native areas.

I believe the negative consequences of rural migration are more impactful and therefore need to be curbed appropriately while ensuring that the rural population enjoys equal opportunities as that available in the cities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing the trend of rural-to-urban migration and clearly taking a stance that this is a negative development. The writer presents relevant ideas regarding social mobility, the loss of skilled workers in the countryside, and the sociological impacts on traditional villages. The position is maintained throughout the essay. While some points, such as the example regarding doctors or marriage trends, could be slightly more sharply focused, the ideas are sufficiently extended and supported to satisfy the Band 7 requirements well. The conclusion clearly reiterates the student's viewpoint.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving smoothly from the introduction to the drivers of migration, the negative consequences for rural areas, potential government solutions, and a definitive conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively, such as 'Therefore', 'For instance', and 'Such measures', ensuring that relationships between ideas are transparent. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, contributing to an overall coherent piece of writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The writer displays a sufficient range of vocabulary that allows for flexibility and precision, such as 'upward social mobility', 'demographic location', and 'economic development'. Less common lexical items are used with some awareness of style and collocation. However, there are a few minor lexical inaccuracies or awkward phrasings, such as writing 'maybe' instead of 'may be' (used twice), and 'ceiling income potential'. These occasional errors prevent the lexical score from reaching the higher bands, but communication is never impeded.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay exhibits a good mix of complex and simple sentence structures. The writer successfully employs conditional and participial phrases, such as 'In traditional villages, a growing trend can be observed in which...' and 'The government should encourage institutions to open branches in relatively under developed areas by incentivizing them.' There are frequent error-free sentences, though a few minor mechanical errors appear, such as spelling 'under developed' as two words instead of hyphenated, and a slight punctuation slip in 'allowing to contribute'. Control of grammar is generally strong.

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