Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-20

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 recent years in numerous countries, some people believe that it is necessary to spend large funds on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between to urban areas. Whereas, another group of people argue that money should be spent on existing public transport. In my opinion i equally agree on both sides of the discussion. This essay will discuss both opinions and my personal opinion in detail.

On the one hand some people have an opinion that huge funds for new railway lines for the fast trains between cities would be easier for people to travel long distances within a short time. This means that whenever people have to travel miles away they do not need to sit for long hours to cover the journey, fast trains cover the journey in less time and it saves people time. For example , In India in many big cities many office workers or university students travel by metro or train for them fast trains would be very convenient and useful to reach their destinations on time.

On the other hand another group of people believe that improving public transport is better development because many people believe in cleanliness and safe journeys and for that those reasons they use buses or taxi. In other word in many parts of the area railway transportations is not highly introduced because people use buses or local taxi because those are more hygienic and safe and some people do not like to travel on dirty vehicles. For instance, In Gujarat most of the people prefer to travel in local city bus or in private taxi because train is not easily available and seats and doors of the train are not too clean.

In conclusion, although in some nations two groups of people have different opinions in which it is beneficial two invest money whether it is improving public transport or constructing new railway lines. In my point of view it is more beneficial to spend money on both equally because people are using all transportation as per their convenient and where they live, therefore improving both is necessary.

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. While you mention the benefits of fast trains and the preference for local transport, the arguments lack depth and specific evidence. For instance, the example regarding Gujarat is a bit anecdotal and does not fully support the broader argument about public transport infrastructure. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting points are more analytical rather than just descriptive. The position is consistent throughout, but the explanation of why both should be funded equally could be more robustly justified.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use basic cohesive devices like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' to signal transitions. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as in the final paragraph where the connection between the two viewpoints and your conclusion feels slightly abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'constructing', 'convenient', and 'infrastructure' (implied). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'highly introduced' and 'large funds'. The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, focus on learning collocations—for example, instead of 'spend large funds', use 'allocate significant capital' or 'invest substantial sums'. Expanding your vocabulary to include more academic and topic-specific terminology will help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'In my opinion i equally agree on both sides' (capitalization and preposition usage) and 'In other word' (should be plural). There are also issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement, such as 'train is not easily available'. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for basic errors like subject-verb agreement and pluralization to improve your accuracy.

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

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