City or Countryside: Where Is It Better to Raise Children?
A complete IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 question with a model answer of 309 words, plus a breakdown of the sentence structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary that answer uses. Write your own version first, then compare.
Written by Manish Sharma · CELTA and DELTA qualified · 8 years teaching IELTS
Score my answer to this questionThe question
You have 40 minutes. Write at least 250 words.
Some people believe that it is better for children to grow up in cities, where there are more opportunities and facilities, while others think the countryside offers a healthier and safer environment. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Write at least 250 words.
How to approach it
- 01Discuss BOTH perspectives in separate body paragraphs before introducing your opinion
- 02Use specific examples — schools, clinics, parks, community life
- 03Make your opinion clear and consistent throughout, not just in the conclusion
- 04Use precise vocabulary: 'metropolitan areas', 'social adaptability', 'close-knit communities'
- 05Avoid stereotypes — acknowledge that both settings have strengths and weaknesses
- 06Use cohesive devices to signal contrast and conclusion clearly
Model answer
309 words in 5 paragraphs. Read it after you have written your own, not before: the point of a model answer is to show you what you missed, and you cannot miss anything you have not attempted.
Choosing the right environment in which to raise a child is one of the most consequential decisions a parent can make, and few questions divide families more sharply than whether to settle in a busy city or a quiet rural area. Each setting offers a distinctive blend of advantages and drawbacks, and in my view the better choice depends largely on what parents prioritise during the formative years.
Those who favour urban life point to the unrivalled range of opportunities cities provide. Children growing up in metropolitan areas usually have access to better-resourced schools, specialist clinics, museums, theatres, sports academies, and a far greater diversity of extracurricular activities. Exposure to people of different cultures, languages, and professions broadens horizons and helps children develop social adaptability. Moreover, public transport networks give them an independence that is often impossible in rural settings.
On the other hand, supporters of country life argue that the rural environment is profoundly healthier and safer. Clean air, open fields, and abundant natural light contribute to lower rates of asthma and obesity, while close-knit village communities offer a sense of belonging that anonymous cities rarely match. Rural childhoods foster connection with nature, encourage physical play, and shield children from the noise, pollution, and stress that characterise modern urban life.
In my opinion, both environments can produce well-rounded children, but during the early years the countryside offers clear developmental advantages. The space to run freely, the rhythm of the seasons, and a slower pace of life support physical and emotional development in ways that high-rise apartments cannot. As children enter their teenage years, however, access to the rich educational and cultural resources of cities becomes increasingly valuable, and many families benefit from relocating accordingly.
In conclusion, neither setting is universally superior. A childhood balanced between rural calm and urban opportunity offers, in my view, the most rewarding upbringing.
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 69 answers of the same type in this library. These are counts, not band scores: they describe what the writing does, which is the part you can copy.
18 more than the median answer for this task type
7 words at the shortest, 41 at the longest
the same as the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 22.1 words and vary by 8.1 words either side of that, running from 7 words to 41. Variation is the point. Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards a mix of simple and complex sentences, and an answer where every sentence is the same length reads as flat no matter how correct it is. 7 of the 14 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
6 in total, spread across 4 different functions. Range matters more than count: an answer that opens every paragraph with a sequencer signals its structure but never signals a relationship between ideas, and Coherence and Cohesion is marked on both.
on the other hand, however, while
moreover
accordingly
in conclusion
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 86 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 79 per cent appear exactly once. Lexical Resource is where repetition costs the most marks, and the usual cause is not a small vocabulary but reaching for the same noun every time the topic is named.
The longest run of words copied straight from the question is 3 words. Examiners discount wording lifted from the question, so a short run here is the right outcome: the answer restates the topic in its own words rather than borrowing the question's.
What you are marked on
All four criteria carry equal weight, and your Writing band is their average rounded to the nearest half band.
Task Response
Address both perspectives in depth and provide a clear, consistent personal opinion supported by reasons and examples.
Coherence & Cohesion
Use a clear four or five paragraph structure with effective topic sentences and a range of linking devices.
Lexical Resource
Use precise vocabulary on family life, development, and urbanisation with strong collocations.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Demonstrate a range of complex structures including conditionals, relative clauses, and parallel structures with accuracy.
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