Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-02

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)

Whilst many people think it is important to invest a large amount of money on building new railway lines for improve faster connectivity between cities, others believe the investment should be on improving existing public transport. I agree with the latter statement, particularly because it will significantly reduce the cost of developing something from scratch and public transports provide the convenience of travelling to both far and near places.

On the one hand, new railway lines foster faster connectivity between cities, helping those who travel from distant places to attend schools or office. Trains are one of the fastest modes of transports and so it saves a lot of time during emergencies like examinations, job interview, medical attention and so on. Moreover, It saves time spent in traffic congestion and improves quality of life as people can be more productive in the saved time. For example, employees can start a slow morning with probably sleeping more or doing exercise before reaching office without any rush.

On the other hand, improvement of the existing public transport would significantly reduce the cost of constructing entirely new railway lines. It will reduce the financial burden of government while still providing people with better modes of transport because when public transports like cars, buses, auto-rickshaws etc are improved, their performance improves as well. Furthermore, trains cannot provide ride to people commuting to inner places of a city as it has specific stops. For instance, people might have take another ride via public transports to reach their destination which increases their regular travelling cost too. Nevertheless, public transports can provide the convenience of giving rides in both far and near locations as most of these do not have any particular station or stop like train.

In conclusion, developing new railway lines can definitely perform faster connection between cities but it will increase the financial cost which improving something existing will not. Additionally, trains can give ride to distant place but public transports can take to both destinations and therefore i believe more money should be spent of improving existing public transport.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all parts of the prompt, discussing both viewpoints and providing a clear personal opinion. Your position is consistent throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant, such as the economic benefits of improving existing infrastructure versus the connectivity advantages of high-speed rail. However, some arguments could be further developed. For instance, the discussion on 'public transport' is slightly vague, as it conflates buses and cars with public transit systems. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting examples are more specific and that you fully explore the implications of your arguments rather than just listing them.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'Furthermore' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as in the sentence '...as it has specific stops,' where 'it' refers back to 'trains' (plural). Paragraphing is used appropriately, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the benefits of new lines to the advantages of upgrading existing systems. Improving the variety of linking words would enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'financial burden,' 'traffic congestion,' and 'connectivity.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'improve faster connectivity' (should be 'improve connectivity' or 'facilitate faster connectivity') and 'give ride to people' (should be 'provide transport for people'). You also repeat 'public transports' frequently, which is slightly unnatural as 'public transport' is generally an uncountable noun in this context. Expanding your range of synonyms and focusing on precise collocations would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'public transports provide' (should be 'public transport provides'), 'probably sleeping more' (awkward phrasing), and 'people might have take' (should be 'might have to take'). Punctuation is generally fine, but there are minor errors with capitalization, such as 'Moreover, It saves.' To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of modal verbs. Increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences will help you reach a higher band.

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