Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-07-25

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people spend most of their lives living close to where they were born.

What might be the reasons for this?

What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 7.5)

Nowadays, some people argue that a few of individuals remain close to the city of their birth for their whole lives. In my opinion, it is not always a better idea to reside in the same area forever and it has more disadvantages. This essay aims to discuss both, the benefits and drawbacks of living close to their city of origin briefly.

Living in an area from where a person belongs is convenient in many aspects. To begin with, a person is familiar to the routes of his city or town and can easily navigate through various locations. Moreover, he is well-adapted to the culture and traditions of that specific area, knows about the history of place and is comfortable to spend his life here. He has most of his family, relatives and friends living nearby. Therefore, it provides ultimate convenience to some individuals to spend their whole lives, living in the place of their birth.

A change is necessary, however, for the growth of an individual. The people who choose to live in another city or a country instead of living in the same area to which they belong can contribute majorly to their success. They are able to gain vast exposure and experience new things which broadens their vision to see the world. Their learning capabilities are enhanced and they usually have a better understanding and perception and can solve problems in a genuine way as compared to those who have limited exposure by remaining in the same place forever. Furthermore, individuals who select a new place to live in get the opportunity to connect with different people and hence, increase their social interaction which provides benefits in making new references and social links. For instance, people can land a job by having a strong social network and such references help them in their professional career as well.

In conclusion, there are a few benefits of living in the area where the individuals are born like familiarity of the place and routes to navigate as well as they have most of their family and friends living nearby. But the advantages of selecting and migrating to a new area outweigh the advantages of living in the birth place region like broader exposure, better vision and problem solving, a chance to collaborate and interact with new people and enhanced learning capabilities and a help in professional career due to better references as well.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt: reasons for staying, advantages, and disadvantages. The position is clear throughout, and the ideas are logically extended. For instance, the discussion on professional growth and social networking provides a solid, relevant argument for the disadvantages of staying in one place. The essay is well-structured, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points while reinforcing the writer's stance. To reach a higher band, the writer could provide more specific, concrete examples rather than relying on general statements about 'people' or 'individuals'.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical progression. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the transition between the benefits of staying and the benefits of moving is handled effectively with the phrase 'A change is necessary, however'. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' are used appropriately to guide the reader. Paragraphing is logical, and the relationship between ideas is generally clear. The cohesion is consistent, though it occasionally feels slightly mechanical, which is typical of this band level.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task and allows for some flexibility. The writer uses terms like 'navigate', 'broadens their vision', and 'perception' effectively. There are some minor collocation issues, such as 'familiar to the routes' (should be 'familiar with') and 'in a genuine way' (which is slightly vague). However, the range is adequate to convey complex ideas clearly. The vocabulary is generally accurate, and the errors do not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over sentence construction, though some minor errors persist, such as 'familiar to the routes' and 'a help in professional career'. The use of complex sentences, such as 'The people who choose to live in another city or a country instead of living in the same area to which they belong can contribute majorly to their success', shows a good grasp of grammar. Punctuation is generally accurate, and the errors present do not cause difficulty for the reader.

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