Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-19

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)

Some people tend to stay closer to their town or area where they were born, like root vegetables. This make them feel alive. I personally, being the opposite type always wonder "why" do they do that? My perception has always been that if you do not move, you will not be able to learn. The knowledge will be so limited, as if you're living in a shell.

With this curiosity I talked to people in my town who has been living their since they were born and noticed a mix response. Some people were happy with their decisions while some had regrets.

Those people who were genuinely happy had one common reason, which was, "familiarity". The whole town was like a family to them and they are known by everybody. They know the ins and outs of the town and every place within the town had some associated fond memories. In emergencies, they know that people of their town will be there to support and they will never feel like stranded among strangers.

On the other hand, some people had a very contradictory view of the same. They felt like trapped and were of the view that the life is dull. If they had moved somewhere else, they might have had better view of the life. One common answer was that they feel their knowledge, despite the technological advancement, is very limited to their surroundings. They dearly missed the experience of others norms, culture and way of living.

I, myself from a town where people do not move out often. When I first moved to United Arab Emirates, I realized the importance of moving out. The hustle and bustle of a fast paced country, interacting with different cultures and the technolgical advancement.

If somebody asks for my advice if they should move out, I would definitely going to recommend.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both questions: familiarity, community support and shared memories are offered as reasons for staying, while feeling trapped and missing other cultures are presented as disadvantages. Your personal experience of moving to the UAE also gives the discussion a relevant example. However, the advantages and disadvantages are not developed equally: the benefits are explained with concrete details, whereas the disadvantages rely mainly on broad claims about dullness and limited knowledge. The final sentence, “I would definitely going to recommend,” is unfinished, so your own position on whether people should move is not clearly completed. Develop the disadvantages with a specific consequence or example, and finish with a clear, complete conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a generally clear sequence: an introduction, discussion of people who are content staying, a contrasting view, and your own experience. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and phrases such as “On the other hand” signal contrast effectively. Some connections are less smooth, however. The opening comparison with “root vegetables” is not clearly linked to the argument, and the shift from reporting others’ views to your own experience could be more explicitly signposted. The final line also stops before completing the conclusion, leaving the progression unfinished. Use a focused introduction, connect each paragraph directly to the task, and add a concluding sentence that summarises your view.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss community and change, including “familiarity,” “ins and outs,” “stranded among strangers,” and “hustle and bustle.” These choices help convey the contrast between belonging and feeling restricted. There are also some imprecise or unnatural expressions, such as “a mix response,” “better view of the life,” and “others norms,” which reduce precision. “Like root vegetables” is an unusual comparison that may distract rather than clarify your meaning. Check spelling as well: “technolgical” should be “technological.” Aim for more natural collocations and precise wording, especially when describing the disadvantages and your own experience.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including conditional forms such as “If they had moved somewhere else, they might have had…” and clauses explaining why people stay. Meaning is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “This make them feel alive” needs subject–verb agreement, and “people in my town who has been living their” has agreement and tense problems. The final phrase, “I would definitely going to recommend,” is not grammatically complete. There are also issues with articles and sentence construction, as in “the life is dull” and the fragment beginning “The hustle and bustle…” Practise checking agreement, verb forms, and complete sentences during revision.

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

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