Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-17

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 7.0)

Nowadays, many people are moving from rural areas to cities in search of better opportunities. As a result, the population of the countryside is declining. Although this trend has some benefits, I believe that it is mainly a negative development. In this essay, I will discuss both sides and then give my opinion.

On the one hand, moving to cities can improve people's lives. Urban areas usually offer better job opportunities, educational facilities, and health care services. People can find well-paid jobs and provide a better standard live to their family. For example, in Pakistan, many young people move to Lahore and Islamabad to attend university and find suitable employment. Therefore, moving to cities also helps us to achieve our goals.

On the other hand, this trend will also lead to some problems. Firstly, when a large number of people leave rural areas, this may lead to a shortage of workers in agriculture. This may result in less production of vegetables and fruits. Secondly, moving to cities also causes overcrowding in cities which increases traffic and pollution. For instance, the major cities of Pakistan can increase the demand for transport, housing, and other public facilities. Finally, villages may lose young and educated people, which can slow down their development also.

In conclusion, moving to cities increases people's wages, facilities, and education, etc. I believe this is mainly a negative development because it can weaken rural communities, reduce the agricultural workforce, and increase pressure on urban facilities. Governments should create more jobs and improve public services in villages to encourage people to stay there.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

Your response addresses both sides of the question and maintains a clear position: although urban migration can improve access to work, education and healthcare, you judge it mainly negative. The examples of young people moving to Lahore and Islamabad and the effects on agriculture and city services support your main points. This fits a response that covers the task and extends its ideas. To strengthen the development further, explain the consequences more specifically—for example, how a reduced agricultural workforce might affect food prices or rural livelihoods. The point that migration helps people “achieve our goals” is less precise than your other supporting details, and the conclusion’s list of benefits could be linked more clearly to the argument.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay is organised clearly, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the benefits and drawbacks, and a conclusion that restates your position. The progression from individual advantages to wider rural and urban consequences is easy to follow. Linking phrases such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “Finally” help signal the structure, while “For example” introduces relevant support. Some transitions are a little formulaic, and repeated use of “This may” and “moving to cities” makes parts of the discussion feel less fluid. You could improve cohesion by varying references—for instance, using “this migration” or “the shift to urban areas”—and by making the relationship between each example and its claim more explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “declining,” “overcrowding,” “agricultural workforce,” and “public facilities.” These choices communicate the main ideas clearly, and the topic-specific terms help you discuss both rural and urban effects. However, some wording is imprecise or unnatural, such as “a better standard live,” “moving to cities also helps us,” and “the major cities of Pakistan can increase the demand.” The repeated use of general words such as “better,” “people,” and “facilities” also limits precision. Aim to use more accurate collocations and specific terms, while checking word forms and phrasing. This would make your argument sound more natural and flexible without changing its clear meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You demonstrate a useful mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a concession in “Although this trend has some benefits” and conditional phrasing in “when a large number of people leave rural areas, this may lead to a shortage.” Many sentences are grammatically controlled, and punctuation generally supports readability. A few errors remain, such as “provide a better standard live to their family,” where the noun phrase is not formed correctly, and “the major cities of Pakistan can increase the demand,” where the subject and intended meaning do not fit the structure. The final sentence also uses a clear recommendation structure. Review sentence subjects and noun phrases, and check that each clause expresses the intended relationship precisely.

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