Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
Recently, there has been a growing debate about what facilities should the government invest on in order to minimize traffic in society. While some people argue that allocating funds to the construction of new railway lines will reduce traffic by creating several routes for travel, others maintain that money should be invested on improving existing public transport as it reduces the number of cars available on the road. This essay will discuss both views before reaching a personal opinion.
On the one hand, when the government invest on constructing new railway lines which automatically create several routes for travel, this will eventually reduce traffic as people will use different routes to get to a location. For example, the Chinese government has already invested on constructing new railway lines which has helped to reduce traffic in the country despite the fact that China is one of the most populated country in the world.
On the other hand, allocating money to improving existing public transport will help reduce the number of cars available on the road. this will be possible because when public transports are improved citizens will have no need to use their private cars instead, they will prefer to use the public vehicles. For instances,
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 205 words long. This significantly impacts the development of the response, as the essay is incomplete and ends abruptly mid-sentence. While the introduction and the first body paragraph address the prompt, the second body paragraph is unfinished, and the conclusion is entirely missing. Consequently, the position is not fully developed, and the task is only partially addressed. To improve, you must ensure you complete all parts of the task, including a clear conclusion, and provide sufficient detail to meet the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay shows a basic logical structure with an introduction and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' are used to signal the progression of ideas. However, because the essay is incomplete, the overall coherence is compromised. Paragraphing is attempted, but the abrupt ending prevents a cohesive flow. To improve, ensure that each paragraph is fully developed with a clear topic sentence, supporting evidence, and a concluding thought, and always include a final summary paragraph to tie your arguments together.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use repetitive phrasing, such as 'invest on constructing' and 'reduce traffic'. There are also minor collocation errors, such as 'invest on' instead of 'invest in'. The range of vocabulary is limited, and there is little attempt to use less common or more sophisticated lexical items. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of synonyms and more precise collocations related to urban planning and transport infrastructure.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'what facilities should the government invest on' is an incorrect question structure, and 'one of the most populated country' should be 'one of the most populated countries'. There are also issues with punctuation and capitalization, such as starting a sentence with 'this will be possible' without a capital letter. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage after 'invest', and proofreading for basic sentence mechanics.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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