Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-28

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 6.5)

The movement of rural people towards the cities in many countries all over the world is causing lower density of population in the countryside. According to me, it is a negative development, as the urban areas are getting overcrowded with more population than they can keep.

Many countryside people are shifting towards urban areas to live better than they used to do. This is happening due to the poor lifestyle of the rural people, lack of employment, deficiency of commercial facilities in villages. For instance, a qualified person living in a village tends to move with their family to a city with better academic or professional opportunities.

Although they are not at fault for this, the movement to the cities is responsible for urban sprawling and more homeless people. As the population in urban areas is rising, more accomodations are being required to shelter the city dwellers. Consequently, there will be more people than the amount of residences in the cities which will further result in more indigent people.

Moreover, if there is no sufficient people in the countryside, then there will be no rural development. There will be increasing demand for industrialization and urban development. Even the provition of the basic requirements such as food, shelter, health, recreation etc. for individuals living in the city will get difficult.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that rural people shifting towards cities will bring no good due to urban sprawing and the increasing demand of basic needs. The villages will remain underdeveloped and hence there will be a disrupt of balance between urban and rural areas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear from the opening: you consider rural-to-urban migration negative, and you maintain this view in the conclusion. You address both the causes of migration and possible consequences, including overcrowding, homelessness, and reduced rural development. The example of a qualified villager moving for educational or professional opportunities is relevant. However, some points are asserted rather than fully explained: for example, the link between fewer rural residents and a lack of rural development needs a clearer explanation, and the claim that city residents will struggle to access basic needs is broad. To strengthen the response, develop fewer consequences in more depth and show precisely how each follows from migration; this would make the argument more fully supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay has a clear overall structure: an introduction states your view, the body paragraphs present reasons and consequences, and the conclusion restates your position. Sequencing is generally easy to follow, and connectors such as “For instance,” “Consequently,” and “Moreover” help signal relationships between ideas. Some links are less precise or feel mechanical, particularly the repeated movement from population growth to a list of urban problems. The paragraph beginning “Moreover” also combines rural underdevelopment with pressure on city services without clearly showing the connection between them. Use topic sentences to establish each paragraph’s main point, then explain it step by step, and make references such as “this” or “there” explicit where needed. This would make progression more consistently clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic-related vocabulary, including “overcrowded,” “employment,” “urban development,” and “basic requirements.” There are also attempts at less common or formal expressions, such as “deficiency” and “reiterate,” but some choices are inaccurate or unnatural in context. For example, “lower density of population” does not express the intended idea as naturally as “a declining rural population,” while “urban sprawling” and “a disrupt of balance” are incorrect forms or collocations. Spelling errors such as “accomodations,” “provition,” and “sprawing” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise, natural collocations rather than more formal-sounding words, and proofread spelling and word forms. This will improve clarity while preserving your range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a reason clause (“as the urban areas are getting overcrowded”) and a conditional structure (“if there is no sufficient people…”). Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors occur. For example, “there is no sufficient people” has a subject–verb agreement problem, and “more people than the amount of residences” uses an unsuitable comparison structure. In “a qualified person … move with their family,” the singular subject does not agree with “move.” The sentence beginning “Although they are not at fault for this” also has an unclear reference for “they.” Review agreement, comparison structures, and pronoun reference, and check each sentence for a clear subject and verb. More accurate control of these patterns would strengthen your complex sentences.

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.