Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-25

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 the modern era everyone is educated or have some little knowledge about every field or work in some nations many people thinking about to spending more money to upgrade the railway lines to improve the railway system or make fast. on the other hand some people believe that the money should be spending on the public transport to improve it. they should have to improve the both systems railway lines or public transports.

to begin with, there is most of the students and employees are travelling the the local public transport's some time they cannot reach office or school at time cause of rush in buses or technical problems in the government buses. moreover government should have to improve the transport system. for example the higher authorities should increase the buses in the every city or decrease the transport rates so everyone can use the public transport for the local travel as well as long travel except their own cars so people can reach at the destination timely.

to commence with, railway has a crucial role to travel from the our city to another city fast and in the cheap prizes if the railway line are making good and the public can travel easily or timely to their destinations I suggest to the higher authorities to make the over bridges for the railway line because which line are on road there will some animals can be come the railway line when rail will passing.

to conclude, government should be spend money in the both public transport and the railway lines they both have a substantial role to Rin the economy of the nation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a personal opinion, which is a requirement of the task. However, the development of ideas is limited. For example, the argument for high-speed rail is somewhat superficial, focusing on animal safety rather than economic or environmental benefits. The position is clear, but the supporting points lack depth and specific examples. To improve, you should expand on the 'why' and 'how' of your arguments, providing more detailed reasoning for why one approach might be superior or how they can be integrated effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For instance, the transition 'to commence with' is used incorrectly to introduce a new point about railways, and the connection between sentences is sometimes weak. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as in the final paragraph where the link between the two transport systems and the economy is mentioned but not fully explained. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'improve', 'money', and 'travel' throughout the essay. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'cheap prizes' (should be 'low costs') and 'Rin the economy' (likely a typo for 'run'). While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is not sufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher band scores. You should aim to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to infrastructure, urban planning, and economic development.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a high frequency of grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are frequent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'everyone is educated or have', 'railway line are making'), article usage, and sentence structure. Many sentences are run-on or lack necessary punctuation, making them difficult to parse. While there is an attempt to use complex structures, they are often faulty. To reach a higher band, you must focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring correct verb tenses, and improving your control over articles and prepositions.

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

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