Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Some people are spend most of their life living close to where they are born because they are addicted for that place they can't leave that place

It can be understand by one by one first problem is that people can't leave that place because they are addicted of that place there feelings are attached with that place so they are not leaving that place and some time the people are don't have the money to go out from that city or that place where they are living so this can be a big reason for them to don't live that place There are several advantages to living close to one's birthplace. People can receive emotional and financial support from their families. They also know the local area well and usually have a strong social network. For example, a person who stays in their hometown may find it easier to get help from relatives during difficult times.

However, there are also some disadvantages. Staying in the same place for many years can limit a person's opportunities for better education, employment and personal growth. They may also have fewer opportunities to experience different cultures and lifestyles. For instance, moving to a large city may provide better career opportunities than staying in a small town.

In conclusion, people often remain near their birthplace because of family, familiarity and stable work. Although this can provide comfort and support, moving to a new place can sometimes offer greater opportunities and personal development.

So this are the majors for this topic

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt: reasons for staying near one's birthplace, and the advantages and disadvantages of doing so. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The first paragraph is repetitive and lacks clear structure, while the subsequent paragraphs are more focused. The ideas are relevant, but the initial explanation regarding 'addiction' to a place is not fully developed or articulated with academic precision. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is supported by more detailed reasoning or specific examples rather than repeating the same sentiment in different words.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. For instance, the transition 'It can be understand by one by one' is awkward and does not effectively link the ideas. There is also a lack of variety in linking words, with the text relying on simple transitions like 'However' and 'For example'. The final sentence, 'So this are the majors for this topic', is disconnected from the rest of the essay and does not function as an effective concluding statement.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'addicted for that place' instead of 'attached to' or 'emotionally tied to'. The phrase 'don't live that place' is also grammatically and lexically incorrect. While the student successfully uses some topic-specific vocabulary like 'financial support', 'social network', and 'personal growth', the overall range is limited, and the repetition of basic words hinders the sophistication of the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('people are don't have'), incorrect preposition usage ('addicted for'), and awkward sentence construction ('Some people are spend most of their life'). The sentence structures are mostly simple or compound, with very few attempts at complex sentences. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with run-on sentences and missing commas. To improve, the student should focus on basic sentence construction, verb tense consistency, and ensuring that subjects and verbs agree correctly.

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

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