Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

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 6.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt by 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 and the convenience of local public transport. However, some arguments could be more fully developed; for instance, the discussion on 'improving existing public transport' could benefit from more specific examples of what these improvements might entail (e.g., increasing frequency or upgrading technology) rather than just mentioning 'cars and buses'. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets the requirements of the task effectively.

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', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader through your arguments. While the progression of ideas is generally clear, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more precise in places. For example, in the second paragraph, the link between 'trains' and 'productivity' is a bit abrupt. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints, which helps the overall readability of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'financial burden', 'traffic congestion', and 'developing something from scratch' are used effectively. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'public transports provide the convenience of travelling' (should be 'public transport provides') and 'give ride to people' (should be 'provide transport for people'). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, these occasional errors prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task and does not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors throughout the text, such as 'for improve faster connectivity' (should be 'to improve'), 'public transports' (should be 'public transport' as it is an uncountable noun in this context), and 'people might have take' (should be 'might have to take'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article errors. While these errors are noticeable, they rarely impede the reader's understanding of your arguments. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct usage of modal verbs followed by the infinitive.

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