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)

In many countries people think spent the large amount of money construct the fast railway lines in the cities. and other think that spent the money on better developed the public transport. i beleived that the public transport are the best idea for all people so why should spent the money on this project.

Firstly. people are think the spend money on railway lines. fast train are cover the long distance in the short time. For example people are traveled city to other cities with the help of flight and paid are the extra money. however the wait long time for flight. improved the railway lines and fastest train in cities. fastest train is the best thing who are travel to long distance they are very help safe travel in short time and save the times.

Secondly, other people are think that spent the money on the better developed public transport. people are travel on the own transport and they are stuck in the traffics and students jobers are late on the work and school, For example some people can not afford the car and bike they feel very uncomfortable, in contrast better improved the public transport so all people acsess to the public transport this method are shortage the traffic all are afford on the public transport.

in the conclusion railways is the better idea but all people are use railways lines railway line are travel city to city but improved the public transport are best thing so all people are afford. and travel in around the city . public transport are very helpful in the save time. i think so public transport are best idea spent the money on this.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is limited. While you mention the benefits of fast trains and the necessity of public transport, the arguments are repetitive and lack depth. For example, the point about traffic congestion is relevant, but it is not fully explained or supported with specific, logical reasoning. The conclusion is somewhat confusing because it contradicts itself by stating that railways are the 'better idea' while simultaneously arguing that public transport is the 'best idea'. To improve, ensure each paragraph focuses on one clear, well-supported argument that directly relates to the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'Firstly' and 'Secondly' are used, but the internal flow of sentences is frequently broken by poor punctuation and awkward transitions. For instance, the transition 'in contrast better improved the public transport' is unclear. Referencing is also problematic; the use of 'they' and 'this' often lacks a clear antecedent, making it difficult for the reader to follow the logic. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each sentence flows naturally into the next will significantly improve your score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You frequently use basic words like 'money', 'people', and 'best'. There are also several errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'shortage the traffic' instead of 'reduce traffic' and 'students jobers' which is not standard English. The lack of variety in your vocabulary prevents you from expressing complex ideas clearly. To reach a higher band, you should focus on learning topic-specific collocations related to transport and urban planning, and try to use a wider range of synonyms to avoid repeating the same words throughout the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that often impede communication. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement ('public transport are', 'people are think'), verb tense usage, and sentence structure. Many sentences are fragmented or run-on, such as 'For example people are traveled city to other cities with the help of flight and paid are the extra money.' The lack of control over basic sentence construction makes the text difficult to read. You should focus on mastering simple sentence structures first, ensuring correct subject-verb agreement and tense consistency, before attempting more complex grammatical forms.

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