Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

In majority of the countries, some citizens have a belief that it is crucial to invest substantial amount of funds in constructing brand new railway tracks which is advantageous for rapid trains between cities. However, there is also a general perception that funds should be diverted towards upgrading the existing modes of public transport. This essay will provide reasoning for both of these views along with my opinion and conclusion.

On the one hand, the general public is favourable for new railway lines because the majority of them visit big cities for work-related activities and to meet their families. Based on their understanding, if there is an excellent infrastucture in the railway industry, it will lessen the burden on the other modes of travel, namely local buses, airplanes and personal cars which will not only be cost-effective but will reduce environmental pollution to great extent which is beneficial for human health.

On the other hand, there are citizens who oppose this idea and promote the development in the existing public transport sector. According to their point of view, less funds are required in this upgradation and it will be advantageous for large population who prefer to work in their own cities. Moreover, the techological advancements in transport industry have enabled the governments to switch to electric buses and cars which does not leave any detrimental effects on the environment.

In my opinion, it's a good strategy to follow a balance between investing in both railway tracks and public transport which will be beneficial for a general public in the long-run. Moreover, our environment will be protected from harmful emissions.

It can be concluded that, investment in transport industry is crucial for major development in many countries around the globe. The harmful pollution triggered by various modes of travel, namely trains, cars, airplanes and buses needs to be curtailed for prosperity of a country.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the environmental benefits of high-speed rail and the cost-effectiveness of upgrading existing systems. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding 'techological advancements' in the second body paragraph is a bit brief and could have been expanded with more specific examples or deeper analysis to reach a higher band. The position is consistent throughout, but the supporting arguments lack the depth required for a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Moreover' are used to guide the reader through the arguments. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the paragraphing is functional but could be more sophisticated. The progression of ideas is clear, but the link between the conclusion and the preceding arguments could be more tightly integrated to improve the overall flow of the essay.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some attempts at less common items like 'curtailed', 'detrimental', and 'prosperous'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in collocation and word choice, such as 'favourable for' (should be 'in favour of') and 'infrastucture' (spelling error). The range is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, but it lacks the precision and natural collocation expected at higher bands. The repetition of basic terms like 'funds' and 'transport' suggests a need for more varied synonyms.

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 several grammatical slips, such as 'In majority of the countries' (missing article), 'which does not leave' (subject-verb agreement error with 'cars'), and 'beneficial for a general public' (article usage). These errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The control over complex structures is present but inconsistent, and punctuation is generally accurate.

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