Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
Nowadays, some people believe that a huge amount to build new railway lines for rapid trains between cities. while other think that money should be spent on improving existing public transport. This essay will explain both views before giving my own opinion.
On the one hand, some people believe that money should be spent on constructing railway lines for very fast trains between cities. This is because when new railway lines are constructed, people can easily travel to other cities rather than paying money to rent a car. for example, individuals who stay in different city for job, and they want to travel their own city to meet with families, and they waste plenty of time on the local transport just because of less facility of transport Therefore they want the new railway lines which take less time and easily travel from one city yo another city.
On the other hand, others think that money should be spent on improving the existing public transport. One reason is that instead of spend numerous amount on a new system, we can improve the old transport system. For instance, we have the transport system already like buses and vans, so we can spend money to improve on this. Furthermore, a new system takes a lot of time and spend to much money, so we save our money and improve the existing system. Because we already have the transport system, we spend money to improve it.
In my opinion, I believe that it is necessary to spend a large amount on built the new transport system, because in our country the transport system is very poor. people faced alot of problems in daily base.
In conclusion, both views have their own advantages. However, I believe that spending money on constructing a new railway line because it is more beneficial in the long term.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both views and provides a personal opinion, meeting the basic requirements of the prompt. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive. For instance, the argument for improving existing transport relies heavily on the same point about saving money, and the personal opinion section is underdeveloped, lacking specific examples or a clear explanation of why the new system is superior beyond a vague mention of 'poor' current infrastructure. To reach a higher band, you should provide more detailed, distinct reasons for each perspective and ensure your opinion is fully integrated and supported with logical evidence rather than just stated.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the transition 'Therefore they want the new railway lines' is abrupt, and the connection between sentences within paragraphs is sometimes weak. There are also issues with punctuation, such as missing capital letters at the start of sentences (e.g., 'for example') and run-on sentences. While the overall progression is logical, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the repetitive nature of the sentence structures make the flow feel somewhat disjointed.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on simple, repetitive phrasing such as 'spend money' and 'transport system'. There are also several word-choice errors, such as 'less facility of transport' and 'on daily base', which sound unnatural. To improve, you should aim to use more varied collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to infrastructure and urban planning. Avoid repeating the same basic verbs and nouns throughout the essay; instead, use synonyms to demonstrate a broader command of the language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'other think'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'spend numerous amount on a new system'), and missing articles. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic errors would significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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