Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In a number of countries, some people think it is necessary to spend large sums of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities. Others believe the money should be spent on improving existing public transport.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 5.5)

In numerous countries, many individuals believe a large amount of funds or government budget should be spent on building new railway lines and introducing fast track trains between various cities.

It's a really crucial thought for public because everyday in our country people who work in other cities travels by bus which is costly and time-taking for them. If a alternative like this is built, mostly solution for long journeys will be resolved. People will be able to cover the distance in a very short time and it will be cheap for them as well. For this, a large amount of budget is required. But, if once it gets constructed it will be a peaceful decision for public and citizens who have to take long journeys in daily life.

On the different side, some people have a thought of using this money on improving public transport such as buses,cars and taxis. That is also a excellent belief because in our country the public transport is really slow,old and poorly staffed.

By approving a budget for it, new buses can be introduced in city which will play a important.role in carrying people that have to cover a small distance in the city. Within this, other things sich as zebra parkings and footpath bridges should be built in city for the betterment of traffic in area.

In my opinion, both these decisions are important and has profits for public. Primarily, if the train tracks will be constructed, it will be a gain for people who travels long distances. Secondly, the opinion for improvement of public transportation is also excellent beacuse it will help the inner city travellers and will also be a gain for the betterment of traffic and pollution in public as new (eco-friendly) buses will be introduced.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and give a clear overall position: you consider investment in fast trains and improvements to local transport important. The examples about workers travelling between cities and residents making shorter journeys are relevant. However, the discussion is not developed evenly: the benefits of fast trains are explained in more detail, while the case for improving existing transport is mostly asserted, with limited explanation of how buses or infrastructure would improve daily travel. The final paragraph repeats the two benefits rather than weighing them or clarifying how investment should be prioritised. To strengthen the response, explain the likely impact of each proposal with a specific example, then make your own preference or conditions for balancing the two options more explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from the case for fast trains to improvements in local transport and then to your opinion. Paragraphing helps readers identify these sections, and signposts such as “On the different side” and “In my opinion” show the intended direction. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes loose: the discussion of buses shifts to zebra crossings and footbridges without clearly linking these measures to the main comparison. The conclusion also repeats earlier points rather than drawing them together. Some linking expressions are awkward or repetitive, so connections can feel mechanical. Use topic sentences that state each paragraph’s main claim, and add clearer explanations of how each example supports that claim.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to discuss transport, including “railway lines,” “public transport,” “long journeys,” and “eco-friendly buses.” This makes the main ideas understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices or collocations sound unnatural, such as “a peaceful decision for public,” “a excellent belief,” and “a gain for people.” There are also spelling and word-form slips, including “sich” and “beacuse,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for more precise transport and policy language, and check common collocations and spelling. For example, describe a proposal as “beneficial” or “a practical investment,” and refer to “commuters” or “urban passengers” where appropriate rather than repeatedly using “people.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including conditional and relative structures, as in “If a alternative like this is built” and “people that have to cover a small distance.” However, errors occur often enough to make some sentences awkward or difficult to follow. Subject–verb agreement is inconsistent: “people … travels” and “both these decisions … has profits” should use plural verb forms. Articles and sentence construction also need attention, as in “a alternative” and “Within this, other things … should be built.” Punctuation is sometimes faulty, including the full stop in “important.role” and missing spaces after commas. Practise checking agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries, especially when combining clauses.

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