Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-31

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 4.0)

There are few people who prefers to stay and spend their lives close to their hometown. This essay will discuss about the potential reasons why few people prefers this and also explain the benefits and drawbacks of the same.

Some people do not prefer to live far awar from where they were born as they do not like to leave their comfort zone. Because they have spent most of their life in their hometown, they are too familiar with their surroundings.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You identify one plausible reason for staying near one’s birthplace: familiarity and reluctance to leave a “comfort zone.” However, the response addresses only part of the prompt. It does not explain any advantages or disadvantages, and the reason is not extended with a specific example or further explanation. The opening says the essay will discuss both reasons and benefits and drawbacks, but those promised points are not developed. The response is also substantially below the required minimum length, which leaves the task largely incomplete. To improve, answer each question directly: develop several reasons, then explain at least one advantage and one disadvantage, supporting each with a relevant example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response has a basic overall shape: an introductory statement followed by a paragraph giving a reason. The ideas in the second paragraph are related, moving from reluctance to leave a comfort zone to familiarity with the surroundings. However, there is too little development to establish a clear progression across the whole essay, and there are no paragraphs addressing the advantages or disadvantages. The phrase “This essay will discuss” signals an intended structure, but the promised sections never follow. Build a separate paragraph for each part of the question and use clear links between claims and explanations—for example, show how familiarity can lead to a practical benefit or limitation.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant vocabulary, including “comfort zone,” “surroundings,” and “hometown,” which makes the central idea understandable. However, the range is narrow because the response is very short, and several phrases are awkward or inaccurate: “discuss about” is not the usual collocation, “far awar” contains a spelling error, and “few people” does not clearly express the intended meaning of people who choose to remain near home. “The same” is also vague in this context. Aim for more precise wording such as “some people choose to remain,” “move away,” and “familiar environment.” Developing the advantages and disadvantages would also give you opportunities to use a broader range of topic-specific vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response includes simple sentences and an attempt at a complex sentence beginning “Because they have spent most of their life…,” showing some structural variety. Meaning is generally understandable, but subject–verb agreement is inconsistent: “people who prefers” and “few people prefers” should use “prefer.” The opening also has an awkward construction in “This essay will discuss about,” and the second paragraph begins with a dependent “Because” clause that is not joined to a main clause. Try combining it with the following idea: “Because they have spent most of their lives in their hometown, they are familiar with their surroundings.” More varied, complete sentence patterns and careful agreement would improve control.

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

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