Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-19

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 parts of the world, individuals are migrating from rural areas to the urban parts in search of better job oppertunities and to get a quality of education. In my openion, it has some advantages and few disadvantages.

On the one hand, moveing from villages or towns to the cities is benificial. This is because in hamlets the ratio of job oppertunities is approximately zero . So people can take risk of migration in order to improve their lifestyles. Moreover in order to get higher education or a good quality of education. Usually students can take admissions in universities and in colleges. Furthermore, the facility of hospitals is not available in settelments, so to take good medical treatment, individuals can move towards cities.

On the other hand, all these deeds have several drawbacks. First thing is that, excessive migration of people from villages to cities can increase popluation of cities and it can increase the saturation. Second thing is that migrators will face different problems while relocating in new areas permanently and many other problems like that.

In my openion permanent migration in cities is not beneficial. Instead governmet should take steps to improve the life quality in villages. They should have to build advanced hospitals, markets, colleges and schools. Moreover, to built better roads and provide the other facilities is crusial

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address the question by presenting advantages of rural-to-urban migration and then concluding that it is not beneficial overall. The points about employment, education and healthcare are relevant, and your final suggestion that governments improve village services gives your position some direction. However, the stance is not fully consistent: the introduction says migration has advantages and disadvantages, while the conclusion calls it not beneficial without explaining how the disadvantages outweigh the benefits. The drawbacks are also only briefly stated; for example, “saturation” is not explained, and the problems faced by migrants are left general. The response is below the required 250 words, which limits the development of your reasons. Explain each main point with a consequence or example and make your overall judgement clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph presenting benefits, a paragraph on drawbacks, and a conclusion. “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” help signal the contrast, while “Moreover” and “Furthermore” introduce additional points. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, particularly with “First thing” and “Second thing,” and several ideas are listed rather than connected through explanation. The sentence beginning “Moreover in order to get higher education” is incomplete, interrupting the flow between points. The conclusion also introduces a policy recommendation without clearly linking it to the earlier discussion. Develop a clearer sequence by explaining how each reason supports your position, and use complete sentences and more precise referencing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “migration,” “higher education,” “medical treatment,” and “permanent migration,” so the reader can follow the subject. There are also attempts at more specific terms such as “hamlets” and “settlements.” However, the range is limited and some choices are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “the ratio of job opportunities is approximately zero,” “increase the saturation,” and “all these deeds.” Spelling errors are noticeable, including “oppertunities,” “benificial,” “popluation,” and “crusial,” and they reduce the overall accuracy of the vocabulary. Aim for common, precise collocations rather than unusual words used uncertainly; for instance, describe a lack of employment, pressure on city services, or the challenges of resettling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “because” and “so,” and most of your meaning remains understandable. However, control is uneven, especially in longer sentences. “Moreover in order to get higher education or a good quality of education” is a fragment, and “They should have to build” combines modal forms incorrectly. There are also problems with articles and sentence construction, as in “to get a quality of education” and “the facility of hospitals is not available.” Punctuation is inconsistent, including the space before the full stop in “zero .” Work on forming complete sentences, using one appropriate modal construction, and checking articles and clause boundaries. These changes would make your ideas easier to read.

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.