Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-19

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 many countries, mostly people consider that it is essential for countries to invest more funds on constructing new railway tracks for fast trains in cities. While others argue that, funds should be spent on enhancing current public transport.

In my opinion, spending more money on developing new railway lines is good for many countries.

Government should increase their budgets to construct new railway lines when authorities put more money on railway lines it will help to reduce traffic problems in major cities because traffic congestion is a major issue in big cities that will cause the reasons of accidents when more railway lines construct this will also helps to reduce accidents ratio in big cities. when more railway tracks build trains will be arrived on time and everyone should be travel easily without delay. It will also help to boost economy because government will take more benefits through new railway lines.

On the other hand, Government should spent more funds on existing public transport because it costs less to invest in new transport system. for example they can also install online transaction system in current transportation system so that everyone can get benefit from it. they can also provide more facilities such as wifi, security cameras etc, so people would travel safely.

As a result, spending money on new railway lines helps to boost economy but it will increase expenditure for authorities but spending money on current public transport will help people to travel easily without any hurdles and difficulties.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding traffic congestion and accidents is repetitive and lacks specific examples or logical depth. The second paragraph regarding existing public transport is also quite brief. To achieve a higher band, you should expand on your points by explaining the 'why' and 'how' more thoroughly, rather than just stating the benefits. The conclusion is a bit abrupt and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented, merely restating them without adding a final evaluative thought.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'In my opinion', 'On the other hand', and 'As a result' are used, but the internal flow within paragraphs is often choppy. For example, the transition between discussing traffic congestion and the economic benefits of railways is abrupt. Additionally, some referencing is unclear, such as the use of 'they' in the second body paragraph, which lacks a clear antecedent. Improving the variety and sophistication of linking words would enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'big cities', 'good', and 'take more benefits'. There is some attempt at topic-specific vocabulary such as 'traffic congestion' and 'expenditure', but these are not consistently used. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'accidents ratio' instead of 'accident rate' and 'everyone should be travel' which is grammatically incorrect. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and a wider variety of academic vocabulary related to urban planning and economics.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'trains will be arrived'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'everyone should be travel'), and missing articles (e.g., 'Government should spent'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. You should focus on proofreading for basic tense consistency and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately.

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

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