Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-11

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)

Some residents are of the belief that a considerable amount of funding should be disbursed towards building new railway tracks while others feel that it is smarter to invest that capital in upgrading a public transport system which is already in place. This essay will discuss the viewpoints of both the parties along with my opinion regarding this matter.

Increase in population has resulted in overburden on aviation industry. Japan introduced bullet train that runs at 450 km per hour and gives option to people who want to reach their destination's quickly. That train has a capacity of around 1300 passengers which is almost 4 times the capacity of an international flight. In a country like India with 1.2 billion people, developing fast train network makes even more sense.

People who think otherwise are arguing that priority should be given to enhancing the already active public transit system. Improving public transport will cost significantly less and will also require less time and efforts. This will also ensure that fully air conditioned modern buses will be running on wide roads and highways, doing which will reduce time between two different places. For example, in India, Governments main focus should be improving connectivity within the cities, improving road conditions that do not tear up by a spell of heavy rainfall.

To conclude with, I personally think it is better to invest heavily in constructing new railways lines in highly populated nations, whereas in a sparsely populated countries, more attention should be given in modifying the existing network.

AI examiner evaluation

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 uneven. While the argument for high-speed trains is supported by a specific example (Japan), the discussion on improving existing public transport is less developed and relies on generalisations about road conditions in India. To reach a higher band, you should ensure that both viewpoints are explored with equal depth and that your personal opinion is integrated more clearly throughout the essay rather than just appearing in the final paragraph. The ideas are relevant, but the supporting evidence could be more robust to fully satisfy the requirements of a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organised into paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. There is a clear progression of ideas from one paragraph to the next. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical. For instance, the transition between the two main viewpoints could be smoother, and the use of linking words is limited. Some sentences feel slightly disjointed, and the referencing (e.g., 'doing which will reduce time') is awkward. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring they are used more naturally would enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'disbursed', 'overburden', and 'connectivity'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'overburden on aviation industry' (should be 'an overburden on the aviation industry') and 'do not tear up by a spell of heavy rainfall' (which is non-standard phrasing). While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, you need to use less common lexical items with greater precision and awareness of style to move into the higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('Governments main focus', 'in a sparsely populated countries') and issues with verb tense and pluralisation ('destination's quickly', 'roads and highways, doing which will reduce'). These errors do not impede communication, but they are noticeable. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles, and ensuring that your complex structures are grammatically sound.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.