Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-31

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 6.0)

There has been a discourse over people prioritising the idea of constructing new railway lines to make the commuting between the cities easier, but some people were opposed to the idea and thought that it would be better for the money to be spent on improving the existing public transport.

In several countries, some people agreed that large sums of money should be used to build other railway lines aiming to make it easier to move between cities. The railway will result in less time being consumed by people who are going to another city. Once it’s constructed, it will become popular and be a dependable option for people when they have to transport to another city. For instance, there is the latest construction namely ‘Whoosh’ in Jakarta, which is a fast train that helps move from Jakarta to Bandung with an affordable price. Although, we need to keep in mind that not most people use trains on a daily basis.

Rather than spending money to construct new railway lines, some people demanded to improve the facilities of existing public transport. Most people preferred to focus on developing what has existed since it would cost less than new railway construction. For instance, public transportation development would have an effect on the country’s income due to the usage of public transport by most people. Besides that, public transport will help in keeping the environment healthy and if it succeeds, it will also affect in reducing pollution in the country.

In my own perspective, I believe that it would be better to develop what has existed. If there’s constant improvement on public transportation, the demand will increase and affect the country positively. Furthermore, it is crucial to consider the benefits and drawbacks of each option

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both viewpoints and providing a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding the environmental benefits of public transport is mentioned but not fully explored with specific evidence. The conclusion is also quite brief and lacks a summary of the main points discussed. To reach a higher band, ensure that each body paragraph provides a more thorough explanation and a concrete example that directly links back to the core argument, rather than just stating the benefits in general terms.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organised into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The progression of ideas is generally easy to follow. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'For instance' and 'Besides that'. Referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the discussion of high-speed trains and the improvement of existing transport could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and phrases would help the flow of the essay feel more natural and sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'discourse' and 'prioritising', which are used correctly. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'transport to another city' (should be 'travel to') and 'affect in reducing' (should be 'affect the reduction of' or 'result in a reduction of'). Expanding the range of vocabulary to include more precise academic collocations would enhance the overall quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'some people were opposed' (should be 'are opposed' to maintain tense consistency) and 'not most people' (should be 'not many people'). Additionally, there are minor issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage would significantly improve the accuracy of the writing.

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