Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-06

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 part of the world, people are now shifting to the cities, so the number of residents decreasing in the countryside. While this trend offers the nature will be preserved and their will be less deforestation. I bealive that on balance it is has the positive development for the people who are living in cities or countryside.

Admittedly, that the movement of people has some clear benefits for human as well as environment. Because their will be less deforestation as compared to when people start building in countryside. For example in cities there are alot of appartments are not occupied, moving there is best choose rather then cutting down tree. Consequences will be global warming and lossing natural habitats. But on the other hand it also make the city crowded and causing more pollution e.g individuals have there own sources of transport.

Howere, the wider consequences of this trend are more encouraging. The most serious benefit is decreasing the global warming which will cause by increasing population in countryside and as result they will cut down the trees. In countries such as Pakistan, most of rural people are not moving to the larger cities there are more then enough places are empty. Another reason is people in rural areas are not paying that much tax because they mostly useing the natural resources like wood instead of gas it also impact the economy of a country.

In conclusion, although the movement trend to cities can make the city crowd, the resulting is lossing the natural habitat and global warming, it will also has the positive impact on economy, and as a result less deforestation. So this lead me to conclude that this is largely positive development.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You answer the question directly and maintain a clear overall view that rural-to-urban migration is largely positive. The discussion includes relevant points about reduced pressure to build in the countryside, preserving habitats, and possible urban crowding and pollution. However, these ideas are not equally developed: the claim that migration reduces global warming is asserted rather than explained, and the Pakistan example is difficult to interpret because it says rural people are not moving while also referring to empty places. The point about rural residents paying less tax is also not clearly connected to the benefits of migration. To strengthen the response, explain the causal links more carefully and support each main reason with a precise example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion, and the reader can follow the broad argument. Linking expressions such as “For example,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help signal stages in the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear: the first body paragraph moves from deforestation to apartments, then pollution, without fully connecting these points. “Admittedly” and “However” also do not clearly establish the relationship between the ideas that follow. Some references, such as “this trend” and “the resulting,” are vague. Use topic sentences to define each paragraph’s main point, and make links between claims explicit rather than relying mainly on transition words.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “deforestation,” “natural habitats,” “global warming,” “rural areas,” and “pollution,” which helps communicate the subject. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “on balance” and “wider consequences.” However, the range and control are limited by repeated or imprecise expressions, including “people,” “positive development,” and “the movement trend.” Several spelling errors—“bealive,” “appartments,” “Howere,” and “lossing”—are noticeable, while phrases such as “best choose” and “sources of transport” are not natural in context. Build precision by learning common collocations for migration and environmental effects, and proofread spelling and word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast clause beginning “While” and a conditional-style explanation with “when people start building.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but errors occur across sentence structures and often make the reader pause. Examples include “In many part,” “the number of residents decreasing,” “I bealive that … it is has,” and “it also make the city crowded.” There are also problems with articles, agreement, and clause construction, as in “there are alot of appartments are not occupied.” Aim first for accurate basic sentence patterns, then add complex clauses. Check subject–verb agreement, verb forms, and sentence boundaries during revision.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.