Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-04

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)

Traffic jam are becoming one of the most several urban problems .In number of country ,numerous people believe that spending lot of money on develop new railway lines are imperative for very fast trains between cities. Other think that must be spent on improving facilities of public transportation. This essay examine both perspectives before presenting my own view that government should spent money on public transportation .

On the one hand, the government ought to spent money on constructing new railway lines. This is because it is best for long journey. Travelling by the trains is very cheapest and fastest to compare with other transport services. The more government spent money in railway

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 113 words long. This significant under-length prevents the development of ideas, resulting in a fragmented argument. While the essay introduces both perspectives and states a position, the discussion is cut off mid-sentence, meaning the task is only partially addressed. To improve, you must expand your points with specific examples and logical explanations to reach the required length. The current response is too brief to demonstrate the ability to develop a coherent argument, which is essential for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay attempts to use basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'This is because', but the overall structure is severely compromised by the incomplete nature of the text. Paragraphing is attempted, but the second paragraph is left unfinished, which disrupts the logical flow of the argument. The progression of ideas is hindered by the lack of completion. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence, supporting evidence, and a concluding thought, and always ensure you complete your sentences and paragraphs before moving on.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is quite limited and repetitive. There are several errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'several urban problems' instead of 'severe urban problems' and 'very cheapest' which is grammatically incorrect. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to express complex ideas effectively. To improve, focus on learning collocations (e.g., 'alleviate traffic congestion') and avoid using basic intensifiers like 'very'. Expanding your range of academic vocabulary will help you convey your arguments with more precision and sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('Traffic jam are', 'government spent money') and incorrect article usage ('In number of country'). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and the attempt at a complex structure is marred by errors. The unfinished sentence at the end further highlights a lack of control. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Practice writing complete, error-free sentences before attempting more complex grammatical structures.

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

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