Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-29

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)

Living at the place where we born is a choice and some people chose to live most of the life at the same place where they born. There are several reason for this decision, and although it has certain disadvantages, I believe that staying close to one's hometown offers many benefits.

One major reason people remain in their birthplace is their strong family and social connections. They may want to stay close to their parents, relatives and childhood friends, particularly when their family need support. Another reason is familiarity. People who lived in the same area for many years usually feel comfirtable with local culture, language, lifestyle and community. In addition, some people may have stable employment or own property and business there, making relocation unnecessary.

There are several advantages to this lifestyle. First, living close to family provides emotional support and allows to share important occasions together. Second, people generally have a strong sense of belonging because have a strong sense of belongings because they know their neighbours and local community. However, the main disadvantages is that may have fewer career and educational opportunities. For example, a person living in a small town may have limited access to well paid jobs or high quality professional training. Staying in the same place may also prevent people from experiencing different cultures and becoming more independent.

In conclusion, People often stay near their birthplace because of family ties, familiarity and financial stability. Although this can provide a comfortable and supportive lifestyle, it may also limit them to explore other cultures and career opportunities and personal growth. Therefore, I believe people should consider both their personal circumstances and future ambitions before deciding whether to remain their hometown.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt: reasons for staying in one's birthplace, as well as the advantages and disadvantages. The position is clear throughout, and the ideas are relevant. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat brief. For instance, while you mention 'emotional support' as an advantage, it could be further illustrated with a specific example to reach a higher band. The conclusion effectively summarizes the main points, though it introduces a slight shift in focus by suggesting people should consider their ambitions, which is a good analytical touch. Overall, the response is well-structured and directly answers the prompt.

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 reasons, advantages, and disadvantages. You use cohesive devices like 'One major reason,' 'Another reason,' 'In addition,' and 'However' to guide the reader. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions are a bit mechanical. Additionally, there is a minor repetition error in the second body paragraph ('have a strong sense of belonging because have a strong sense of belongings'), which slightly disrupts the flow. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the progression of ideas is clear.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'relocation,' 'familiarity,' and 'financial stability.' There are some minor spelling errors, such as 'comfirtable' instead of 'comfortable.' You also have a repetitive phrase in the second body paragraph regarding the 'sense of belonging.' While you attempt to use more sophisticated language, the vocabulary remains somewhat standard. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations or less common synonyms to demonstrate a wider range of lexical control. Communication is never impeded, but the vocabulary lacks the precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical slips, such as 'place where we born' (should be 'were born'), 'some people chose' (should be 'choose'), and 'allows to share' (should be 'allows them to share'). Additionally, there are minor errors in article usage and verb agreement, such as 'the main disadvantages is' (should be 'disadvantage is'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more error-free complex sentences and ensure greater consistency in verb tense and subject-verb agreement.

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.