Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-15
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 a few countries, some people believe that it is essential to spend large sums of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains which moves between cities. While other argue that the money should be spent on improving existing public transport. This essay will discuss both views and will give my own opinion how I believe that spending money on existing public transport is better.
On the first hand, some people believe that it is necessary to spend large amount of money on development of new railway lines for very fast moving trains between cities. They believe people feel tired and discomfort while travelling from one city to another by using trains as normal and fast trains using same lines which slow downs the speed of fast moving trains, as fast train doesn't move fast on existing railway lines. New lines is a solution of this problem. For example, if a person is in an emergency and they only have the option to opt train for their travel. In emergency their first priority is to choose fast train and if fast train doesn't fulfill their requirement then there is a possibility they will never use trains to their travel in the future.
On the other hand, other people believe that for improvement in existing public transport the money should be spent on it. as the majority of the locals use public transport for their travel those people who moves between cities are very few. So, spending money on the existing public transport is more crucial than railway lines. If people have to travel between cities they can choose an airplane for their travel but local people don't chose those have to travel within the cities. For example, if there is not enough public buses available for locals, they will be late from their duties, due to long wait as buses are short.
In conclusion, I believe that money should be spent on improvements of existing public transport.. Because majority of the people use public transport. Others have options between trains or airplanes, but local public must have to use public transport within the city.
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 introduction and conclusion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding 'emergency' travel in the second paragraph is not fully explained or logically connected to the need for high-speed rail. Similarly, the argument for improving existing public transport relies on a somewhat simplistic comparison between local commuters and inter-city travelers. While the task is addressed, the supporting points lack depth and could be more effectively expanded to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the first hand' (though this is a non-standard collocation; 'On the one hand' is preferred), 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved to create a more cohesive argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word choices, such as 'moves between cities' instead of 'travel between cities', and 'duties' instead of 'work' or 'jobs'. The student relies on basic vocabulary throughout. While the meaning is generally clear, there is little evidence of less common lexical items or sophisticated collocations that would demonstrate a higher level of control.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('fast trains which moves', 'New lines is a solution'), missing articles ('opt train'), and awkward sentence construction ('those people who moves between cities are very few'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with double periods used at the end of sentences. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall clarity and accuracy of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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