Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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 many countries, some individuals believe that it is important to invest more funds to construct new railway lines for fast trains. Some argue that the money spent to improve current public transport. I partially agree with that view because making new railway lines may help in fast transport but the existing public transport should also be improved.

Developing more railway tracks for fast moving trains like bullet trains is a good idea. It would have a significant benefit for the people who have to travel everyday to different cities for their work. Creating new tracks also decreases the load on the railway stations as there are more tracks and trains for travel. But there are also some drawbacks, like constructing more track are very expensive and if there is no need for for new railway lines, constructing them is useless.

On the other hand, many individuals use public transport everyday, like buses, trains and metro. If goverenment stops improving them it cause a lot of problems like accidents, more smoke from the buses and decreases tourism. If the public transport is not good, people will always use their own vehicals like cars and bikes, this leads air pollution and traffic congestion.

In my opinion, the govetnment should invest more in the improvement of public transport as it helps to control traffic congestion and improve tourism. The government should invest in developing new railway tracks, but there priority should be improvement of public transport.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and state a position: you support improving public transport as the priority while accepting that new fast-rail lines can be useful. Relevant reasons include reduced pressure on stations, pollution, and congestion. However, the discussion remains brief and several points are asserted rather than explained—for example, the link between transport improvements and “decreases tourism” is not made clear, and the benefits of fast trains are not supported with a specific example. Your conclusion repeats your preference but does not develop it further. The response also falls six words short of the required minimum. Develop each side with clearer explanation or an example, and make your position and supporting reasons more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph supporting new railway lines, a paragraph on existing public transport, and a concluding opinion. This makes the main contrast easy to follow. Basic linking phrases such as “On the other hand” and “In my opinion” help signal the stages of the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes abrupt: the claim that new tracks reduce pressure on stations is not clearly connected to the following drawback, and the public-transport paragraph moves quickly from accidents to tourism and then pollution. Some links between ideas are also unclear, such as “this leads air pollution.” Group related points and explain how each reason supports the paragraph’s main claim; use referencing and transitions more precisely.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the central ideas, including “railway lines,” “public transport,” “traffic congestion,” and “air pollution.” There are also attempts at more specific expressions such as “significant benefit” and “constructing.” However, the range is limited and several choices or forms are inaccurate or repetitive, including “fast moving trains,” “everyday” where “every day” is intended, “vehicals,” and “goverenment.” Phrases such as “decreases tourism” and “more smoke from the buses” are imprecise in context. These errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the overall argument, but they reduce clarity and naturalness. Build a wider set of accurate transport-related collocations and check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a conditional structure in “If the public transport is not good, people will always use their own…” and a contrast introduced by “but.” The overall meaning is generally understandable. However, errors occur across sentence patterns and sometimes make relationships unclear. For example, “Some argue that the money spent to improve…” is missing a main verb, “constructing more track are very expensive” has agreement and number problems, and “it cause a lot of problems” has incorrect subject–verb agreement. The final sentence also has an unclear clause structure. Practise complete clauses, subject–verb agreement, and plural forms, then proofread punctuation and sentence boundaries.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.