Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-01
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 5.0)
Some people prefer to live near the place where they were born. People are emotionally connected with that place as they know lots of people around place. The main benefit is that they can make a closer relationship with people who live nearby from many years. However, lack of exposure is the main drawback.
The main reason is that people are emotionally attached with the place. This is because they spend important part of their life at that place. Throughout their life, they make many friends and they do not want to loss them. For example, many people do not consider job opportunity outside their area because they do not want to loss their friends. Therefore, people prefer to live nearby area where they born.
The main benefit of living nearby places where they born is that people can live around known people. They can make good connection with them and people can enjoy their time with them. However, the main drawback is that sometimes they loss career opportunities.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 169 words. Consequently, the development of ideas is significantly restricted. While you identify reasons, advantages, and disadvantages, the points are underdeveloped and lack sufficient supporting detail or specific examples. To improve, you must expand on your arguments by providing more depth, personal insights, or hypothetical scenarios. The current length prevents a full exploration of the prompt, which is a key requirement for higher bands. You need to elaborate on each point to ensure the response is comprehensive and meets the task requirements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into three short paragraphs, which is a logical structure. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat repetitive, particularly in the second and third paragraphs where the same points about 'friends' and 'known people' are restated. The use of cohesive devices is basic and somewhat mechanical (e.g., 'The main reason is', 'The main benefit is', 'However'). To achieve a higher score, you should use a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph introduces a distinct, well-developed point rather than repeating previous information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite limited and repetitive. You frequently use simple phrases like 'people', 'place', and 'good connection'. There are also some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'loss them' (should be 'lose them') and 'nearby area where they born' (should be 'where they were born'). To improve, you should aim to incorporate more precise and varied vocabulary, such as 'social networks', 'professional prospects', or 'emotional attachment', and ensure you are using the correct word forms in context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are some attempts at complex sentences, they often contain grammatical errors, such as 'people can live around known people' or 'nearby area where they born'. There are also consistent issues with verb forms and articles (e.g., 'spend important part of their life'). To reach a higher band, you need to demonstrate a greater variety of complex structures, such as conditional sentences or relative clauses, while improving your accuracy. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct tense usage will significantly enhance the clarity and quality of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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