Many people prefer to live in small towns while others prefer to live in big cities. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a small town and in a big city? Where would you prefer to live?
Sample Response
Considering where to live is one crucial thing which everybody has to do before occupying any places. Regarding this, the choices between these two may be different. Personally, living in a small town would be more interesting than in a big city. However, both have advantages and drawbacks.
According to a significant expanding in human population and the rapid development of the world in every sector which are causing a noticeable increase in human demands, people tend to live in a big city in order to help them in accessing all the things that they need including education, job facility, business opportunity, networks, or other stuff. As a result, the overwhelming majority of societies are living in the city which is again causing really crowded population in the city. Moreover, an enormous number of vehicles are inevitably increasing the risk of getting accidents and also pollutants such as carbon-dioxide that can contribute to global warming. This air pollution will be really annoying for people. Furthermore, the availability of various things such as money and other goods and the huge number of residence can open more opportunities for criminals.
In contrast, preferring to live in a small town would be more beneficial. Firstly, a limited number of population and more natural places with plenty of trees can ease us to relax and of course, the level of pollutants is not as high as it is in the big cities. Secondly, the risk of getting travel accidents is lower as the number of vehicles is fewer. Thirdly, a chance to get closer and socialise with other people is more in the small town.
However, regarding the accessibility to the education, important goods, shops, and so forth, moving or balancing the population in cities and small towns can tackle this problem. Nonetheless, people in small towns can purchase any goods from cities and also they can go for better education to the cities.
In summary, although some drawbacks may occur when living in a small town, its advantages outweigh the negative impacts. Therefore, in order to get a better and more relaxing life, I do believe that living in a small town is a key for it.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Clarify the comparison Original: the choices between these two may be different Suggested revision: people may choose differently between the two Why it matters: The original wording does not clearly identify who makes the different choices.
- 2. Complete comparison structure Original: more interesting than in a big city Suggested revision: more appealing than living in a big city Why it matters: The revision creates a parallel comparison between living in the two places.
- 3. Use accurate noun Original: the overwhelming majority of societies Suggested revision: a large proportion of people Why it matters: Societies do not literally live in cities; the intended reference is to people.
- 4. Use general present Original: are living in the city Suggested revision: live in cities Why it matters: The simple present and plural noun are appropriate for this general statement.
- 5. Fix overcrowding phrase Original: really crowded population in the city Suggested revision: severe urban overcrowding Why it matters: A population is not described as “crowded”; “overcrowding” names the condition accurately.
- 6. Fix subject agreement Original: an enormous number of vehicles are Suggested revision: the enormous number of vehicles is Why it matters: The grammatical head of the subject is the singular noun “number.”
- 7. Fix accident collocation Original: risk of getting accidents Suggested revision: risk of accidents Why it matters: People may have accidents, but they do not “get accidents.”
- 8. Remove incorrect hyphen Original: carbon-dioxide Suggested revision: carbon dioxide Why it matters: The chemical name is written as two unhyphenated words.
- 9. Use correct noun Original: huge number of residence Suggested revision: large number of residents Why it matters: “Residents” refers to people, whereas “residence” refers to a home.
- 10. Use gerund subject Original: preferring to live in a small town Suggested revision: living in a small town Why it matters: The paragraph describes the activity of living there, not the act of preferring it.
- 11. Fix population phrase Original: a limited number of population Suggested revision: a smaller population Why it matters: “Population” is directly modified by “smaller,” not counted with “a number of.”
- 12. Fix verb pattern Original: can ease us to relax Suggested revision: can help us relax Why it matters: “Help” takes an object followed by the base form, while “ease” does not fit this pattern.
Suggested Rewrites
- the choices between these two may be different people may choose differently between the two
- more interesting than in a big city more appealing than living in a big city
- the overwhelming majority of societies a large proportion of people
- are living in the city live in cities
- really crowded population in the city severe urban overcrowding
- an enormous number of vehicles are the enormous number of vehicles is
Why this response received Band 6.5
The essay answers every part of the question, maintains a clear preference for small-town life, and organises advantages and disadvantages into a logical discussion. Its main weakness is that supporting ideas remain general and are frequently expressed through unnatural vocabulary and grammar. Prioritise one concrete, well-explained example for each location while using simpler and more accurate phrasing.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
All parts are addressed with a clear preference, and relevant advantages and disadvantages are presented for both locations, though development is often general.
Support the strongest advantage and disadvantage of each setting with a specific explanation or realistic example.
Coherence and Cohesion
The essay progresses logically through city life, small-town life, accessibility, and the conclusion, but some linking is mechanical or imprecise.
Make each paragraph's central comparison explicit and revise the fourth paragraph so its problem-solution relationship is immediately clear.
Lexical Resource
There is adequate range for population, transport, pollution, crime, and social life, but frequent unnatural collocations reduce precision.
Replace phrases such as 'significant expanding', 'job facility', 'crowded population', and 'getting travel accidents' with standard academic expressions.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A mixture of simple and complex structures conveys the argument, although recurring errors in noun forms, agreement, articles, and clause construction are noticeable.
Use countable noun phrases accurately, such as 'a smaller population' and 'fewer vehicles', and shorten complex sentences before proofreading them.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Many people prefer to live in small towns while others prefer to live in big cities. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a small town and in a big city? Where would you prefer to live?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.