Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-14

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 5.0)

It is often argued that the gouverment should spend much money on railway lines for fast trains to be able to move between cities. While others believe that the existig public transport is the one which should invest in.This essay will examine both of these views before giving my own opinion.

On the one hand, some people believe that spending the money on building the route for the fast trains is more important because this event will offer more accessibilty between cities and will give more time and opportunity for tourism to see different places of the country. For instance, i went to France to be more specific Paris last year and from young age i wanted to see Marseille and i only had 2 days left, so instead of using public transport that will spend 8 hours i just used the fast train with only 3 hours. That's why fast trains are important to save time and to have more opportunites.

On the other hand, others think that this money should be spent on improving existing public transport because it is more common for people to use it more than other trasnport. Moreover, it is a solution to avoid accident also , it reflects the economy and the beauty of the country. For example, students and workers even tourists use public transport more than trains, so it have more importance to spend money on improving it.

To summarise, Althought the benefits that fast trains will give to citizens or tourists and the time that will save, i believe that improving existing public transport is more vital because this will reduce the chance of accident.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You discuss both options and state a preference for improving existing public transport, so the response is relevant to the task. The example of travelling from Paris to Marseille helps illustrate the time-saving benefit of fast trains. However, the ideas are only partly developed: the claim that better public transport would reduce accidents is not explained, and the point that it “reflects the economy and the beauty of the country” is unclear. Your final preference is present, but it would be stronger if introduced clearly earlier and supported with a specific reason or example. Develop each side with a clear explanation of how the proposed investment benefits people.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, one paragraph for each view, and a conclusion. Phrases such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “To summarise” help signal the stages of the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes weak, as several claims are placed together without showing how they connect. For example, the second body paragraph moves from public transport being widely used to accident prevention, then to the economy and national beauty. The introduction also promises an opinion, but the position is not made clear until the conclusion. Use clearer links between each claim and its explanation, and make your position explicit from the start.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “fast trains,” “public transport,” “accessibility,” and “improving,” and the reader can generally understand your main points. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which makes parts of the argument unclear. For example, “the route for the fast trains” is less precise than describing the construction of high-speed rail lines, while “it reflects the economy and the beauty of the country” does not clearly express the intended benefit. There are also noticeable spelling errors, such as “gouverment,” “existig,” and “trasnport.” Aim for more precise transport-related vocabulary and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast in “While others believe…” and a reason clause beginning “because.” However, complex structures are often faulty, and errors in sentence boundaries, agreement, articles, and verb forms occur throughout. For example, “While others believe…” is a dependent clause presented as a sentence fragment, and “it have more importance” has incorrect subject–verb agreement. In “the existing public transport is the one which should invest in,” the structure does not clearly identify who should invest. Punctuation also needs attention, particularly the comma splice in “Although the benefits… citizens or tourists and the time that will save, i believe…”. Practise building complete sentences and checking each clause for a clear subject and verb.

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