Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-04

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 6.0)

Everyone remembers where they were born, but some people prefer to spend their lives close to that place.

Although there would be reasons behind this. Firstly, people who don't like moving, especially introverts, may not like talking to new people and may not want to explore different cultures and lifestyles. They think that they feel uncomfortable moving to new places. Secondly, they are already settled down there, like they have a good job and own a house there. For instance, my friend did not move to Canada with me because he thought that he was comfortable in his birthplace and continued his studies there.

However, staying close to where you were born could have benefits, but it can also have some disadvantages. If people stay in their birthplace, it is easy to manage their living expenses as they have their own house and no worries about rent. Also, they have been living there since childhood; that is why they do not need to worry about anything, especially safety. On the other hand, it also has some cons, as you do not get a chance to explore other beautiful parts of the world and may be unaware of other cultures and food. Furthermore, in the future, sometimes you need to go somewhere else to build your career; at that time, you will feel uncomfortable and afraid because you are not used to moving to a new place.

In conclusion, living close to your birthplace is not harmful, but you should also explore other places so that you do not feel uncomfortable and afraid in the future when moving to a new place.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing reasons why people stay near their birthplace, as well as outlining the advantages and disadvantages. The position is clear throughout the essay. However, some parts are more fully developed than others, which is typical of this level. For instance, the reasons provided in the second paragraph, such as personal preferences and stability like owning a house, are relevant and supported by a personal example about a friend. Similarly, the advantages and disadvantages are introduced and discussed adequately, covering living expenses and career constraints. To reach a higher level, the ideas would need to be more thoroughly extended and supported with greater depth, avoiding a tendency to rely on general statements without deeper elaboration.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, dividing the introduction, reasons, advantages/disadvantages, and conclusion logically. There is a clear progression of ideas as the writer moves from why people stay to the pros and cons. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or basic, relying on standard transitional markers like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'However', and 'Furthermore'. Referencing is generally clear, though certain links between sentences feel slightly repetitive. To move to a higher band, the use of cohesive devices would need to be more flexible and integrated, ensuring that the relationships between ideas are signaled with greater subtlety and variety rather than relying on standard enumerative connectors.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating everyday concepts related to living arrangements and career choices. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'introverts', 'birthplace', and 'living expenses', but these are occasionally accompanied by minor word-choice or collocation inaccuracies, such as 'staying close to where you were born could have benefits' where 'offer' might sound more natural. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate and do not impede communication. To achieve a higher score, the writer would need to demonstrate a more flexible and precise range of less common lexical items, showing a stronger awareness of style and collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures such as conditional and concessive clauses effectively (e.g., 'Although there would be reasons behind this' and 'If people stay in their birthplace...'). There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, such as sentence fragments ('Although there would be reasons behind this.') and minor preposition or article slips, but these errors rarely impede communication and do not obscure the meaning. The majority of simple sentences are accurate, while attempts at complex forms show developing control. To reach the next band, the writer would need to produce a higher frequency of error-free sentences using a wider variety of complex structures with consistent precision.

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

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