Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-29

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 6.5)

People hold differing views regarding investing huge amount of capital on building new railway track for metro-trains. While some argue that local transport which is already there should be enhanced. I believe that the public transport should be upgraded.

On the one hand, there are valid argument for why boosting railway track for metro-train should be considered. The main argument is that prioritizing metro-train make people lives convenient and faster. For instance, if we have to go Butwal from Kathmandu, it will take many hours but if fast trains like metro-train is available we can shorten the period. This indicates that allocating money for this type of advanced railway track makes citizens life more easier.

On other hand, I side with those who believe that spending money on local transport is crucial. The primary reason is that advanced system is not applicable in all places or people does not know how to assist it, however, people are used to with local vehicles and can easily use it if traffic jams and good road facility is provided. A clear example of this is an old man was suffering to use metro-train in India so, he went with local bus and it took long because of traffic jam. Therefore, investing on local transports, roads, and traffic system is more significant. Moreover, older people can also easily access local transport that advanced one.

In conclusion, although there are strong arguments on both sides, I am of the opinion that investing money for better public transport is more important.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. The example regarding the 'old man in India' is anecdotal and lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band. While the position is consistent, the supporting arguments could be more thoroughly extended to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the economic or social implications of transport infrastructure. The response covers all parts of the prompt, but the arguments remain at a somewhat superficial level, which prevents it from reaching the higher bands.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On other hand', and 'Moreover' are used to guide the reader. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as the missing article in 'On other hand'. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate, and the logical flow is maintained throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'capital', 'infrastructure' (implied), and 'advanced system'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'assist it' instead of 'use it' or 'access it', and 'makes citizens life more easier' (a double comparative error). The range is sufficient to communicate the message, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('people does not know'), missing articles ('the' before 'metro-train'), and awkward phrasing ('advanced one' instead of 'the advanced one'). These errors are noticeable but do not significantly impede communication. To improve, the student should focus on consistent verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions, as these persistent errors keep the score in the mid-range.

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