Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-18
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 5.5)
It is often argued that majority of the individuals spend their whole lives living close to the place where they were born. I believe the family and friends are the primary reasons behind this trend, although there are various advantages and disadvantages also.
To begin with, many people prefer to stay around the same location, where they had their childhood. To be more precise, they have memories in their brain, such as playing in the playground with their friends and going to school with their peers, and these memories develop a bond that attracts them to the place where they were born. Moreover, family is the another important reason because many people prefer to take care of their elderly family members who have raised them to an adult. Consequently, childhood beautiful memories and family are the reasons, due to which many people live close to the location where they had their childhood.
However, there are many advantages and disadvantages related to this trend. First and foremost, the primary advantage is that people are able to live with their loved ones and keep their memories alive in their heart. Although these advantages are very crucial, the disadvantages related to this approach cannot be denied. The significant drawback is that individuals who stay at same place for their entire live, they miss the chance to explore the world. As people can learn various thing like new culture, business and can gain knowledge, when travel outside of their hometown. For instance, many students move to foreign countries to have better education, and they get a chance to learn new things, such as new culture and fashion. As a result, they have more chance to develop in their life than those who lived in a same place for their entire life.
In conclusion, there are many who prefer to live their lives at a place where they born, and childhood memories and family attraction are the many factors behind this trend. Although there are advantages like chance to live with their loved ones, the disadvantages like foreign explosure and d
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
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. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation of why people stay is restricted to family and childhood memories, and the discussion on disadvantages is cut short by an incomplete conclusion. While the ideas are relevant, they could be extended with more depth or specific examples to reach a higher band. The response is also incomplete at the end, which affects the overall task completion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', 'Consequently', and 'However' are used to link sentences and paragraphs. However, some of the referencing is slightly mechanical, and the flow is interrupted by the incomplete final sentence. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the lack of a finished conclusion impacts the overall coherence of the piece. Overall, the structure is clear, but the cohesion is not always smooth or sophisticated.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task. You use some relevant phrases like 'primary reasons', 'crucial', and 'significant drawback'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'foreign explosure' (likely intended as 'exposure') and 'lived in a same place'. The range is sufficient to convey your meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. You rely on somewhat repetitive phrasing, such as 'childhood memories' and 'place where they were born', which limits the lexical variety.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include 'majority of the individuals' (missing 'the'), 'family is the another important reason' (incorrect article usage), and 'individuals who stay at same place for their entire live' (should be 'life'). These errors are noticeable but do not generally impede communication. To improve, focus on article usage, subject-verb agreement, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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