Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-13

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 6.5)

Transportation plays a vital role to bring modernisation in a country. In many nations, there is a debate about allocating money to build new railway routes to commute faster between urban areas or to enhance the public transport system that is already being used by the population. I believe that improving older public transport should be prioritised.

On the one hand, there are several benefits of constructing high speed railway lines. Firstly, people can commute much more quickly between cities. This can be particularly useful for students and workers who need to travel regularly, can have a facility of traveling fast and reach to their destinations on time which will help them to manage their time. In addition, metro trains can encourage people to opt for railway transport rather than road transport. As a result, this will decrease the traffic congestion and lower pollution on roads.

On the other hand, improving existing public transport has various positive development to citizens. First and foremost, in many urban areas, buses, local trains and metro services are inconvenient, overcrowded and not well maintained. Despite spending billions on new railway system, government can invest on improving the older public transport as it requires a fewer amount of money to enhance the local transport.

In conclusion, although high speed railways can save travelling time and reduce road congestion, improving existing local transport practical and inclusive use of public money. Therefore, i believe that government should first make current transport systems efficient and accessible to everyone.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The position is consistent throughout the essay. Ideas are relevant, such as the benefits of high-speed rail for time management and the necessity of improving existing infrastructure for inclusivity. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited; for instance, the argument regarding the cost-effectiveness of improving local transport could be further supported with more specific examples or deeper analysis. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'In addition', and 'First and foremost' are used to guide the reader through the arguments. While the progression is generally smooth, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Referencing is mostly clear, though the connection between the final sentence and the preceding argument in the conclusion could be more tightly integrated. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to convey ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'modernisation', 'traffic congestion', and 'infrastructure'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice or collocation, such as 'positive development to citizens' (should be 'benefits for citizens') and 'requires a fewer amount of money' (should be 'requires less money'). The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the intended meaning but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'Transportation plays a vital role to bring modernisation' (should be 'in bringing'), 'can have a facility of traveling fast' (awkward phrasing), and 'improving existing local transport practical' (missing verb 'is'). Punctuation is generally correct, but there are minor slips in article usage and prepositional phrases. These errors do not impede communication, but they indicate a need for more consistent control over complex structures.

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