Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-16

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 6.0)

The railway transportation system is one of the significant means of transportation and is affordable. In certain countries, a portion of people think it is necessary to spend large sums of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities. However, the other half argues that money should be spent on existing public transport. This essay argues from both stances, including personal opinion. Investing in fast trains benefits the users because it can carry a higher number of customers and faster. However, investing in current means of transportation like buses is also equally important due to cheap price.

It is necessary to spend large amounts of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities. Trains can carry a higher number of passengers compared to other means of transportation. For example, in Japan, the maximum number of people travel by train because the maximum number of people can travel with affordable transportation fees. So investing in the construction of new railway lines between cities is very important.

However, investing money in improving existing public transport is equally important. Existing public transport, like buses, should be improved by buying newer and faster buses, because buses are cheaper compared to trains, so every citizen can afford them regardless of their class. For example, more than 80% of Bhutanese immigrants use buses due to their low price. So, investing in other existing public transport is equally important.

Nevertheless, regarding personal opinion, investing in a new fast railway train is important compared to investing in existing public transport. Other transport, like buses often stuck in traffic jams and are inconvenent during rush hours. For example, China, one of the countries with the highest population in the world, prefers railway transport to avoid traffic jams and save time. So, investing in railways has more advantages over investing in existing public transport.

In conclusion, investing in existing public transport can provide cheaper services. However, investing in railways is more important compared to the other alternative because trains are much faster and avoid traffic jams to save time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the efficiency of high-speed rail versus the accessibility of buses. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat repetitive. For instance, the argument about passenger capacity is mentioned in both the second and third paragraphs without significant expansion. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more nuanced analysis or specific, well-explained examples rather than repeating the same points. The position is consistent throughout, but the depth of the argument could be improved by exploring the economic or environmental implications of these transport choices more thoroughly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is generally easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices like 'However', 'Nevertheless', and 'For example' to link sentences. However, some transitions feel mechanical or repetitive, particularly the frequent use of 'So' to conclude paragraphs, which limits the flow. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes slightly unclear; for example, in the third paragraph, the jump from discussing buses to '80% of Bhutanese immigrants' lacks a clear contextual link to the broader argument about public transport infrastructure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'railway transportation system', 'infrastructure', and 'rush hours'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic descriptors such as 'important', 'cheap', and 'faster'. There are also minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'inconvenent' (spelling error) and 'the other half argues' (which is slightly unnatural in this context). To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and collocations to demonstrate a wider range and more sophisticated control of language.

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 frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'the maximum number of people travel by train' (awkward phrasing), 'buses often stuck in traffic jams' (missing auxiliary verb 'are'), and 'investing in a new fast railway train is important compared to investing in existing public transport' (slightly clunky structure). Punctuation is generally functional, but the control over complex sentence forms is inconsistent. Increasing your focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice would help improve your accuracy.

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

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