Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-06
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)
In this contemporary world, numerous individuals believe that it is crucial to spend money on infrastructure. While some people vote in favour of constructing new railway lines, others argue that updating current public transport system is more beneficial. This essay will discuss about both point of views.
On the one hand, Building modern railway tracks in both on and under ground provides fast and efficient way of travel. It can help in tackling environmental pollution caused by carbon emissions and also reduce congestion of vehicles, which is one of the major problems in urban areas. There are some financial problems too, considering the fact that it is costly to build railway tracks and stations in every city or town. It also requires huge amount of time and effort to cover whole country with railway tracks.
On the other hand, reconstructing existing public transport system such as building new roads and launching latest buses or vans is also helpful for citizens. Although it is less expensive as compared to building railway lines, but these transport services causes air pollution through carbon emissions. Additionally, as these buses are huge in size, and can cause traffic jam in crowded areas, which is a notable concern for people who value time.
To conclude, both sides have their own advantages and disadvantages, but I believe that for long-term planning and a clean environment allocating budget to construct new railway lines is better option and a one-time investment. Because it not only saves time but also reduces the government resources spent on diminishing environmental pollution.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion in the conclusion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding the environmental benefits of high-speed rail is mentioned but not fully explored with specific examples or deeper analysis. The discussion of existing public transport is also slightly repetitive regarding carbon emissions. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more detailed supporting evidence or specific examples to justify your claims, rather than just stating them. The position is consistent, but the depth of the arguments could be improved to fully satisfy the requirements of a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'To conclude' to guide the reader through the structure. However, the flow between sentences within paragraphs can be a bit mechanical. Some transitions feel slightly abrupt, and the use of referencing could be more sophisticated. For example, in the second paragraph, the transition between discussing environmental benefits and financial problems is a bit sudden. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between ideas would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some relevant topic-specific terms like 'infrastructure', 'carbon emissions', and 'congestion'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in collocation and word choice, such as 'discuss about' (which should be 'discuss') and 'launching latest buses' (which is slightly unnatural). The range of vocabulary is sufficient but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. For example, 'updating current public transport system' is missing an article, and 'these transport services causes' contains a subject-verb agreement error. Additionally, the sentence 'Although it is less expensive as compared to building railway lines, but these transport services...' uses a redundant 'but' after 'although'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of subordinating conjunctions will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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