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)

In contemporary society spending an amount on constructing new railway lines or on public transport has emerged as a highly debated issue. While a segment of people claim that it has led to a higher impact in society, others strongly oppose this notion. In this essay I will discuss both sides of the argument and draw a conclusion.

To commence with, some people think that spending on constructing new railway lines should be the important priorities for everyone. As it will not only increase the speed of the trains but also save the time for every individual to reach their desired destinations. Although many broken railway lines are creating a huge problem for drivers as well as for travelers because each time the journey is not smooth, and it has so many jerks, which people feel frequently. For example, spending fortune on maintaining these lines in which a fast-running train can go smoothly to other cities without any hurdles. Hence, it will make travelling easier and more comfortable, as it is the basic necessity for every person's life.

On the other hand, some claim that investing in public transport should be imperative for societies. Because we travel daily via local transport, which has poor infrastructure, and seats are not as much comfortable as people want for travelling. Moreover, these should be basic necessary for everyone's routine who do not have their own private vehicles, so they prefer to choose these vehicles. For instance, mostly 60% of local buses, rickshaws, or taxis are not in good condition, having rust in their infrastructure and poor-quality seats. Therefore, huge money should be invested in it to increase the service quality of poor public transport.

Furthermore, I believe that both should be equally important for the community, as a significant number of respondents are using in their daily life. Therefore, it is imperative for both individuals and the authorities to take a proactive and collective approach to maintain and improve the service quality of both transports in a sustainable manner.

To sum up, railway lines and local vehicles both should be uniformly maintained so that the public can avail more benefits and enjoy their journey in a good way. Consequently, policymakers ought to intervene through direct regulations and should provide equal funds for renovations and keep a check and balance on the services

each month.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the argument for high-speed rail focuses on 'broken railway lines' and 'jerks' rather than the broader economic or environmental benefits of high-speed infrastructure. Similarly, the argument for public transport relies heavily on the poor condition of current vehicles rather than the social necessity of affordable transit. While the prompt is addressed, the supporting points lack depth and analytical rigor. The conclusion is clear, but the overall development remains at a Band 6 level due to the tendency to over-generalize and the lack of sophisticated supporting evidence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To commence with', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel mechanical or slightly misused, such as 'Because we travel daily...' starting a sentence, which creates a fragment. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is logical, though the internal structure of the paragraphs could be more cohesive to reach a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'contemporary society', 'imperative', and 'proactive', but there are also instances of awkward word choices or collocations, such as 'spending an amount' instead of 'spending large sums' and 'mostly 60% of local buses'. Some phrasing is repetitive, and the range is somewhat limited. While communication is never impeded, the lexical control is not yet flexible or precise enough for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'spending on constructing new railway lines should be the important priorities' (subject-verb agreement) and 'these should be basic necessary' (word form). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some issues with sentence boundaries, such as the fragment 'Because we travel daily...'. While the meaning is always clear, the frequency of errors in complex structures prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. The writer demonstrates a reasonable grasp of grammar, but accuracy is inconsistent.

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