Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-18

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 5.0)

It is heard that many people in different countries around the world are prefering to live in cities instead of the countryside which cause the decrease in population in countryside. In my opinion, it is not good thing because of two reason inflation and pollution.

The main reason why moving to cities from rural area is not beneficial is that the inflation rate in cities are higher than the countryside. In countryside, there is enough farm land to grow crops and less populated which points to high availability of food as well as housing which drives prices down. For example, a family living wanting to live in country side can find cheaper house and buy food in less cost than the cites. For this reason I believe countryside is suitable to live more comfortably then cities.

The second reason is that with over crowding and growing population, urban areas have increased pollutants which may lead to different diseases and health issues. In search for opportunities many individuals choose to love in cities which rises population and number of vehicles on the road releasing a lot of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases. These harmful gases causes long pollution and other resperatory diseases. For example, a person who does not smoke in highly populated area like New Delhi are more likely to develop long cancer than who lives in rural area.

To conclude, although cities may proviode career opportunity, the negative impact like pollution and inflation out weighs the positive development so I think moving to cities is the positive development.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You give a clear overall view that rural-to-urban migration is harmful and support it with two relevant reasons: higher living costs and pollution. The examples about food and housing costs and air pollution in New Delhi help connect your points to the topic. However, the position becomes contradictory in the conclusion: you say the negative impacts outweigh the benefits, but then call migration “the positive development.” This makes your final answer unclear. The reasons are also only partly developed; for instance, explain more precisely how rural population loss affects communities, or qualify the health comparison with evidence. Keep your position consistent from introduction to conclusion and extend each main point with a clear explanation and relevant support.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. Each body paragraph focuses on one main reason, and signposts such as “The main reason,” “The second reason” and “For example” help readers follow the argument. However, progression is sometimes mechanical, and some links between ideas are unclear. In the first body paragraph, the move from available farmland to lower prices and then to comfortable living needs a more explicit explanation. The conclusion also conflicts with the position stated earlier, disrupting the overall flow. Use clearer cause-and-effect links, vary the transitions, and ensure the final paragraph accurately summarises the argument you have developed.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some topic-related vocabulary, including “inflation rate,” “overcrowding,” “pollutants,” “carbon dioxide” and “career opportunity,” which helps communicate the subject. However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation and spelling errors make parts of the response difficult to interpret. For example, “love in cities” appears to be an incorrect word choice, while “long pollution” and “long cancer” do not express the intended health effects clearly. There are also spelling errors such as “resperatory” and “provioide.” Aim for more precise, natural combinations and check spelling carefully. Using terms such as “cost of living,” “air pollution” and “lung cancer” would make the argument clearer and more appropriate for an academic essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which may lead to different diseases and health issues” and a conditional example beginning “For example.” However, errors are frequent, and some sentences are difficult to process. Examples include “many people … are prefering,” “which cause the decrease,” and “the inflation rate … are higher,” where verb forms or subject–verb agreement are faulty. Articles and sentence construction also need attention, as in “it is not good thing” and “a family living wanting to live.” Practise building accurate sentences with one clear main clause, then add subordinate clauses only when their grammar is secure. Proofread agreement, articles and verb forms systematically.

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