Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-01

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)

Cities often provide more economic and study options. The number of people migrating from rural to urban areas has increased dramatically. In my opinion, moving to cities remains predominantly a negative trend, as it puts strain on city infrastructure and cause stagnation in rural economy.

Cities have limited space and resources. First of all, when there are more people than its capacity, the city becomes overcrowded. As a consequence price of houses increases. For example, rent of houses in the cities are much higher than villages. Additionally, more schools and hospitals are needed to cater these extra people. Also, there is frequent traffic jams, as the road are not enough.

On the other hand, when educated and young people migrate to cities, village economy collapses. Because there are not enough people for the agricultural work, which is the main source of money in the rural areas, the economic activities cease to exist. While in the past villages were self-reliable, this makes rural area dependent on the cities.

In conclusion, government should focus on decentralization the opportunities, so that people do not feel the need to migrate.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

Your position is clear: you consider rural-to-urban migration mainly negative, and you give two relevant reasons—pressure on city services and the loss of workers in rural areas. The examples about housing costs, schools, hospitals and traffic help explain the first point. However, the response addresses the task only partially because the ideas are brief and several claims are not fully explained; for instance, you say rural economic activity may “cease to exist” without showing how this would happen or giving a specific example. The introduction mentions study and economic opportunities but does not weigh these benefits against the disadvantages. The response is also 64 words below the required minimum. Develop each reason with explanation or a concrete example, and briefly acknowledge the benefits before reaffirming your position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction states your view, two body paragraphs present separate reasons, and a conclusion offers a policy response. Linking phrases such as “First of all,” “Additionally,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” make the progression easy to follow. However, some connections are mechanical, and the second paragraph begins with “On the other hand” even though it adds another negative consequence rather than presenting a contrasting view. The sentence beginning “Because there are not enough people…” is also left as a fragment, interrupting the flow. Use transitions that accurately show the relationship between ideas, and connect supporting explanations more smoothly to the main point of each paragraph.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “migrating,” “overcrowded,” “infrastructure,” “agricultural work,” and “decentralization.” These choices make the subject clear, and the meaning is generally understandable. There are, however, some inaccurate or unnatural word combinations: “cater these extra people,” “frequent traffic jams,” and “self-reliable” do not express the intended meanings naturally. “The economic activities cease to exist” is also an overly absolute and imprecise way to describe a decline in rural work. Aim for more precise collocations and avoid claims that sound categorical unless you can support them. For example, describe services as struggling to meet increased demand and rural economies as becoming less productive.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including a conditional structure in “when there are more people than its capacity” and a subordinate clause beginning “when educated and young people migrate.” The main ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors occur. In “it puts strain on city infrastructure and cause stagnation,” the verb should agree with the singular subject; “the city becomes overcrowded” also needs a clearer comparison than “more people than its capacity.” Other examples include “price of houses increases,” “rent of houses … are,” and the fragment “Because there are not enough people…”. Check articles, subject–verb agreement, and sentence completeness, and vary complex structures while ensuring each clause has a main verb.

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