Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-15
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)
Nowadays, The population of urban areas are increasing because most of the individuals are moving to cities and leaving the area in a result the countryside residence are falling. I believe it is a positive development.
To begin with, individuals who are migrating from side areas to big cities can achieve a lot in their lives. Developed cities can provide better future life style for individuals,Which can be better for the future of a country. For instance, a person who get high level of education can get a better job also can start their own business and contribute in country economy in source of taxes.
Furthermore, large cities also provide better health solutions for their residents and by having easy access to the hospital and care center it could save a lot of people lives, money, and time. For example, it could cost a lot of money to travel to cities for the better treatments and also it consumes more time. In rural areas their are less chances of achievement due to the lack of hospitals schools and the career that every person deserves. countryside gives a person a relaxed life but not a promise and better career.
In conclusion, Although ,side areas can give you a piece of mind However,I believe that it is a positive development by moving to large cities and abounding the rural side because developed cities give a lot opportunities to the populance, like better job and bright career and also a good health opportunities.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
Your position is clear from the introduction—“I believe it is a positive development”—and remains consistent in the conclusion. You address the question with relevant reasons, including access to education and employment, contribution to the economy, and improved healthcare. The examples about travel for treatment and opportunities to start a business help explain your view. This meets the task well, while some points are less fully developed: for instance, the claim that city life is “better for the future of a country” is asserted rather than explained, and the benefits of rural life are only briefly acknowledged. To strengthen the response further, develop each main reason with a clearer explanation or a specific example, and consider the effects of rural population decline as well as the advantages of migration.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs beginning with “To begin with” and “Furthermore,” and a conclusion. The ideas generally progress from employment and education to healthcare, supporting the overall positive position. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. In the second body paragraph, the shift from city healthcare to limited rural opportunities and then to a relaxed rural life is abrupt. The conclusion also repeats several points rather than drawing them together, and punctuation around “Although” and “However” makes the relationship between ideas harder to follow. Use clearer topic sentences and link each example directly to its main point; organise the contrast with rural life in a more deliberate way.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “migrating,” “education,” “career,” “treatments,” and “contribute,” so the reader can understand the main ideas. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are noticeably inaccurate, sometimes making meaning less clear. Examples include “side areas” for rural areas, “health solutions” for healthcare services, and “abounding the rural side” for leaving the countryside. There are also spelling and word-form problems such as “populance” and “residence” where the intended meaning is residents. Aim to learn common collocations for urban and rural issues, and check spelling and word forms carefully. More precise vocabulary would make your arguments clearer and more natural.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “because,” “which,” and “although.” This gives the response some structural variety, but control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make sentences difficult to follow. For example, “The population of urban areas are increasing” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “a person who get high level of education” has errors in verb agreement and article use. The sentence beginning “For instance” also joins ideas without a clear grammatical structure. Review agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries, and practise building complex sentences with one clear main clause. More accurate control of these patterns would make your reasoning easier to read.
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