Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-15

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 6.5)

Many people prefer to live in their hometown rather than live away from where they were born. There could be several reasons influencing this trend such as familiarity and comfort. Some suggest living far from their own hometown is more beneficial in terms of opportunities and personal development. However, I believe that the advantages of living in their hometown outweigh the disadvantages which I will discuss in the following paragraphs.

One of the main reasons is that people find their birthplace is their roots and stay connected to it, building and strengthening relationships with their families and peers. They can preserve and grow their culture and traditions more than anywhere else. For example, one can take care of their older family members by learning and practicing traditional beliefs and cultural values. Another reason is that they are more familiar and comfortable living there, as they spend most of their lives in the town. Due to their social connections, they would have secured jobs or successful businesses that they have grown without the stress of competition.

I believe that there are more advantages than disadvantages to this scenario. People's strong relationships make them feel secure and give a sense of belonging. They can care for their community and provide help in difficult situations which makes them responsible and dedicated. Additionally, individuals who live close to their family and in the town would live without worrying about buying houses or other major expenses encountered when living far from their birthplace. Also, they can enjoy their heritage and attend special occasions. For example, some places have sacred ceremonies related to their roots that one could attend without spending an excessive amount and save travel costs when living in their hometown.

Overall, residing in the birthplace is a common lifestyle choice among people as they experience strong social connection with the comfort and familiarity of place. They can enjoy their traditional and cultural festivals and carry forward their values and beliefs to their future generations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt: reasons for staying in one's hometown, as well as the advantages and disadvantages. The position is clear throughout, and the ideas are generally well-developed. For instance, the discussion on social connections and financial benefits provides relevant support for the advantages. However, the 'disadvantages' aspect is mentioned only briefly in the introduction and is not explicitly explored in the body paragraphs, which limits the depth of the response. To reach a higher band, ensure that both sides of the argument are balanced and explicitly addressed with specific points, rather than focusing primarily on the benefits.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, such as social connections or financial stability. Cohesive devices like 'One of the main reasons', 'Additionally', and 'Overall' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, the transition between the discussion of reasons and the discussion of advantages could be smoother, as the essay shifts focus slightly abruptly. The use of referencing is generally clear, though some sentences could be linked more tightly to improve the flow of ideas between paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There is a range of topic-specific vocabulary such as 'social connections', 'cultural values', and 'heritage'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a tendency to repeat words like 'hometown' and 'birthplace'. To improve, the student should incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and collocations. For example, instead of 'growing their culture', one might use 'fostering cultural heritage'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning, it lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is generally good control over basic grammar, and errors do not impede communication. However, there are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'people find their birthplace is their roots' (which is slightly awkward) and 'they would have secured jobs... that they have grown' (where 'grown' is not the ideal collocation for a job). The use of complex structures is present but could be more varied to demonstrate greater control. Punctuation is generally accurate, but the overall range of grammatical structures remains somewhat restricted.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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