Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-18

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)

In many nations worldwide, it is often argue that large amount of money should be spent on constructing new railway lines for advanced rail networks, while others think that state revenue should be spent on upgrading existing public transport. In this essay, I will discuss both opinions and explain why I believe that it is crucial to improve public transport.

On the one hand, developing fast train lines can significantly increase national development. High speed train makes travelling between distinct country quickly and efficiently which bridges the gap between workers and businessman who travel from long distance. For instance, Bullet trains in China and Japan allow professionals to communicate easily across ling distance and massive economic growth was shown between these countries. Moreover, this fast connectivity reduces the reliance of local people in domestic transport. Consequently, number of carbon emissions from traffic declined.

On the other hand, modernize local public transport systems directly addresses the needs pf general population. Most people depends on buses, subway lines and taxi for their daily routines, such as going for work or school. However, when government fix existing transport, they reduce traffic congestion, minimize travel delay and make daily traveling more affordable and comfortable. For example, expanding buses routes or improving subway lines helps a large percentage of working people than fast trains, as they are often expensive and used less frequently by ordinary people.

From my perspective, spending state income in updating local public transport are more beneficial than constructing fast railway lines because public transport is affordable and convenient. Additionally, most of the population prefer it in their daily routines.

To conclude, some people think national income should spent on high speed railway lines, while other think income should spent on public transport. However, both development has benefits but municipal transport are convenient and general population heavily rely on it for their daily purposes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both viewpoints and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as the comparison between high-speed rail for economic growth and local transport for daily utility. However, the development of the argument could be more nuanced; for instance, the link between high-speed rail and carbon emissions is mentioned but not fully explained. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully explored with more specific detail or logical extension.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two viewpoints and the writer's own perspective. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Moreover', and 'Consequently' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, there is some mechanical use of these devices, and occasionally, the flow between sentences feels slightly abrupt. Referencing is generally clear, but some transitions could be smoother to improve the overall progression of ideas. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'advanced rail networks', 'traffic congestion', and 'state revenue'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'it is often argue' (should be 'argued') and 'modernize local public transport' (should be 'modernizing'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over word forms and collocations to reach a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the writer attempts complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('Most people depends', 'both development has benefits') and article usage. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors that persist throughout the text. The majority of sentences are understandable, but the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical consistency would significantly improve the quality of the writing.

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