Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-05

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)

Nowadays, in a number of nations, some people think that it is compulsory to spend huge sums of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities. However, other believe that the money should be spent on improving existing public transport. In this eassy both the perspective will be discussed along with my opinion in the upcoming paragraphs.

On the one hand, build new high speed railway lines saves travelling time. High speed trains allow people to travel between cities much faster. To explain, this is particularly useful for people who regularly travel long distances for work or business. For example, a journey that normally takes five hours could be reduced to two or three hours. As a result, people can save time and become more productive. Furthermore, high speed trains may reduces road congestion. To elaborate, people may choose trains instead of private cars. Fewer car can reduce traffic congestion on highways and also reduce air pollution.

On the other hand, improve existing public transport is beneficial for more people. Buses, metros and ordinary trains are used by million of people everyday. To explain, improving these services would directly benefit who depend on public transport for work and education. For example, increasing the number of buses and trains can reduce waiting times and overcrowding. Therefore, daily travel become more convenient and efficient. Moreover, it is more cost effective . To elaborate, high speed railway projects are extremely expensive, hence many people not affordable to utilise fast trains. Governments can improve several services instead of investing heavily in one project.

In conclusion, while high speed trains can provide faster travel and support economic development, improving existing public transport is more beneficial for the general public. Therefore, I believe governments should support reliable and affordable buses, trains and other forms of public transportation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task, presenting both sides of the argument and providing a clear personal opinion in the conclusion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as the discussion on productivity and congestion for high-speed rail, and the focus on accessibility for existing public transport. However, some arguments could be further extended to reach a higher band. For instance, the point about 'economic development' in the conclusion is mentioned but not fully explored in the body paragraphs. Overall, the position is consistent throughout the essay, and the response effectively meets the requirements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to link ideas. However, there are some minor issues with referencing and flow, such as the slightly abrupt transition between sentences in the second paragraph. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the overall structure supports the reader's understanding of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally appropriate and sufficient for the task. The student uses some topic-specific terms like 'road congestion', 'economic development', and 'public transportation'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word forms, such as 'build new high speed railway lines' (should be 'building') and 'many people not affordable to utilise' (should be 'cannot afford'). While the range is adequate to convey the message clearly, the lack of more sophisticated or precise collocations limits the score to a 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'high speed trains may reduces') and verb forms (e.g., 'improve existing public transport is beneficial' should be 'improving'). Punctuation is generally correct, but the consistent presence of these minor grammatical slips prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. The student shows an attempt at complex structures, but the accuracy of these structures needs improvement to achieve a 7.0.

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