Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-21
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 5.0)
these are both 2 different opinion of peoples which they think according to thier mentality if we discuss spending money on new railway track for fast trains between cities, i think that it is a good opinion or an idea to build new tracks because if the train is fast more people can travel more quickly from one city to another on time and then can save a lot of time. and people can become less stress full about traveling and the rush on the station, but it is very expensive to build a reliable track for fast moving trains from city to city and if the country ecenomy of that country is not strong enough then the charges of train will be high and local passengers are may not able to afford that expensive ticket. on the other hand the opinion of improving existing sources is actually very help for a developing country because it is very less expensive to improve a existing thing because you just have to pay for its repair and maintinance. existing resources like trains and busses are easy to repair and budget friendly amd the govt dosen't have to pay large amount just to buy new things.
in conclusion both ideas are really great and helpfull for public but buying new items can increase the tax ratio on public which maylead to poverty and the other opinion is very good to improve existing thinks becase it is very cheap and easy to repair in the country
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a personal opinion, meeting the basic requirements of the prompt. However, the development of ideas is limited. The arguments regarding high-speed rail and existing infrastructure are somewhat repetitive and lack specific examples or deeper analysis. The position is clear, but the explanation remains at a surface level, which prevents a higher score. To improve, you should expand on the economic or social implications of each choice with more detailed reasoning or concrete examples to fully develop your arguments.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into three paragraphs, but the structure is weak. The introduction is informal and lacks a clear thesis statement. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often repetitive (e.g., 'and', 'but') or used mechanically. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is present, but the transition between the two viewpoints is abrupt. Improving the use of transition signals like 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'conversely' would help create a more logical flow between your ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is basic and often repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'good', 'expensive', and 'easy'. There are several spelling errors (e.g., 'ecenomy', 'maintinance', 'helpfull', 'thinks') and word choice inaccuracies (e.g., 'stress full', 'tax ratio'). While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited and does not demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands. You should focus on learning topic-specific collocations related to transport and economics to improve your precision and range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement, article usage, and punctuation. For example, 'these are both 2 different opinion of peoples' contains multiple errors. Complex sentence structures are attempted but are often faulty or run-on, which impacts readability. To reach a higher band, you need to focus on mastering basic sentence construction, punctuation, and the correct use of articles and plural forms, while gradually incorporating more complex grammatical structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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