Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-27

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 6.0)

We must look at what the demand is in that place. Constructing new railway lines for transport would be good if there is more need among the people but we must also see if the existing public transport is well enough for the local people to comfortably spend their journeys without any problems. My opinion would be that if the current public transport is not well and developed enough for the people to have safe and comfortable journey then the authorities should work on them for betterment. If the existing public transport is good enough to travel easily and people are satisfied with it then the authorities should move on to the task of spending more money on constructing new railway lines for fast transport between cities. If the matter is complex enough to make it difficult to take a decision, the best option would be to have a poll and ask the people themselves as it is them for whom the authorities work. From my personal experience in my country, it would be really difficult for the government to construct new railway lines as it would be really costly and taking into consideration that the current transport system in my country can be improved a lot. Anyways, if the current public transport is good enough and the next need of people is to have faster routes to travel between different cities , then , new railway tracks should be constructed for them. The decision totally depends on the interest and need of the people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both sides of the argument, but the development is limited. While you provide a clear opinion, the ideas are somewhat repetitive and lack depth. For instance, you mention 'demand' and 'comfort' multiple times without providing specific examples or detailed reasoning to support why one should be prioritized over the other. The argument remains quite general throughout. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the economic or social implications of each option, rather than simply stating that the decision depends on the 'interest and need of the people'.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay lacks a clear structure. It is presented as a single block of text, which makes it difficult to follow the progression of ideas. Paragraphing is essential in IELTS writing to separate the introduction, the two sides of the argument, and the conclusion. While there are some basic cohesive devices used, such as 'if' and 'then', the overall flow is mechanical. The transition between discussing the two viewpoints and your own opinion is abrupt. Using clear topic sentences and logical paragraph breaks would significantly improve the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is functional but limited. You rely on basic, repetitive phrasing such as 'good enough', 'well and developed', and 'the people'. There is little attempt to use more sophisticated or topic-specific vocabulary related to infrastructure, urban planning, or public policy. Phrases like 'work on them for betterment' are slightly unnatural. To improve, try to incorporate more precise terminology, such as 'infrastructure investment', 'commuter efficiency', or 'fiscal allocation'. Expanding your range of synonyms will help you express your ideas with more nuance and precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response consists mainly of simple and compound sentences. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent errors in sentence structure and word order. For example, 'if the current public transport is not well and developed enough' is grammatically awkward. There are also issues with punctuation, such as unnecessary spaces before commas. You should aim to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or conditional forms more accurately, to demonstrate better control over your grammar and punctuation.

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