Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-20

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 7.0)

Many individuals choose to reside near their birthplace for the majority of their lives. This pattern is primarily driven by strong family ties, established social networks, and a sense of familiarity. Remaining in a known environment provides emotional security, as individuals are surrounded by lifelong friends and relatives who offer a reliable support system. Additionally, avoiding the financial and logistical stresses associated with relocating to un unfamiliar region makes staying close to home an appealing choice.

There are several distinct advantages to this lifestyle. Firstly, proximity to family allows for convenient practical support, such as, multi-generational childcare and assistance during emergencies. Secondly, individuals often benefit from local knowledge, which can ease job hunting and navigating community resources. Financially, staying in one's hometown can reduce living expenses, especially if family housing is available.

Conversely, living in the same area for a lifetime carries noticeable disadvantages. The most significant drawback is limited exposure to diverse cultures, perspectives, and lifestyles, which can narrow an individual's worldview. Furthermore, local jobs markets may offer restricted career opportunities compared to major economic hubs or foreign cities, potentially hindering professional growth. Lastly, staying within one's comfort zone can prevent personal developments, as moving away often fosters independence, resilience, and adaptability.

In conclusion, while staying close to one's birthplace offers strong community bonds, emotional stability, and practical convenience. it can also restrict professional opportunities and personal expansion. Striking a balance between local roots and broader experiences remains key to personal growth.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt: reasons, advantages, and disadvantages. However, the essay is 243 words long, falling short of the 250-word minimum requirement. This under-length impacts the depth of development, as the ideas, while relevant, are somewhat brief. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your examples or provide more detailed analysis for each point. For instance, the section on 'personal developments' could be further illustrated with a specific scenario to ensure the response is fully developed and meets the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different aspects of the prompt. Cohesive devices such as 'Additionally,' 'Firstly,' 'Conversely,' and 'In conclusion' are used appropriately to guide the reader through your arguments. The progression of ideas is smooth and easy to follow. To improve, ensure that punctuation around cohesive devices is precise, such as avoiding the unnecessary comma after 'such as' in the second paragraph.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the topic, such as 'emotional security,' 'logistical stresses,' 'multi-generational childcare,' and 'economic hubs.' The language is generally natural and precise. There is a minor error in 'un unfamiliar,' which is a typo. You also use 'personal developments' in the plural, where the singular 'personal development' would be more idiomatic. Overall, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your ideas clearly and with some sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and your control of grammar is generally strong. There is a minor punctuation error in the conclusion where a full stop is used instead of a comma after 'practical convenience,' which creates a sentence fragment. Despite this, your control of complex structures, such as the conditional 'if family housing is available,' shows good grammatical range. The errors present are non-systematic and do not impede communication.

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.