User-written IELTS example
Writing Academic Task 2 Band 8.0 Example
Original task prompt, user essay, band score, and related examples in the same report workspace.
Illustrative target band for this original model answer.
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Ideas to explore
- Population loss can affect rural shops, schools and informal support.
- City opportunities depend on housing, transport and service capacity.
- Respect for individual choice can coexist with balanced regional investment.
Suggested structure
- Give an overall positive or negative judgement with any necessary condition.
- Explain the effect on the communities people leave.
- Explain urban opportunities and capacity pressures.
- Weigh the effects and conclude consistently.
Useful vocabulary & examples
- rural depopulation
- a decline in the number of people living in countryside areas
Rural depopulation can make local services harder to maintain.
- urban capacity
- a city’s ability to accommodate residents through housing and services
Planning should increase urban capacity as demand grows.
- balanced regional development
- improvement that considers the needs of different areas
Balanced regional development can preserve meaningful choices.
Task Prompt
User Essay Analysis
Review the public answer with report-style highlights.
The exodus of rural inhabitants to urban areas is a prevalent phenomenon in many countries, leading to a decline in the rural population. This trend towards urbanization poses a significant challenge to the resource production and distribution as well as the overall equilibrium within affected nations. In my opinion, this shift represents a negative development when both rural services and urban capacity fail to keep pace with it.
One concern is the effect on communities that people leave behind. When younger residents move away, local businesses may lose customers and public services may become harder to maintain. A village school, for example, can face difficulties if there are fewer pupils, while older residents may have fewer people nearby to provide everyday help. These effects do not mean that every departure is harmful, but repeated population loss can make a community less resilient.
The receiving city can also face pressure when population growth is faster than planning. Housing demand may rise, transport become crowded and essential services struggle to expand. A newcomer seeking a better job may therefore encounter high rent and a difficult commute. The move creates an opportunity, but it does not automatically solve the person's previous problems.
There are genuine advantages to urban life. Cities may offer a wider range of jobs, educational programmes and specialised services. People should not be expected to remain in a village simply to preserve its population if they cannot find suitable opportunities there. Their freedom to improve their circumstances deserves respect.
Nevertheless, I consider sustained rural depopulation mainly negative when it weakens one area while concentrating pressure in another. The response should be to improve opportunities in smaller communities and plan urban growth, rather than restrict movement. Better connections and accessible local services can make staying a realistic choice instead of an obligation.
In conclusion, individual moves can be beneficial, but a continuing decline in rural population can create wider costs. A balanced pattern of development would preserve choice while avoiding the deterioration of countryside communities and overcrowding in cities.
Targeted Improvement Tips
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