Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-05

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)

In many countries, governments face the difficult decision of whether to invest large amount of money in constructing new high-speed railway lines or improving existing public transport. While high-speed railway lines cam provide faster and more convenient journeys, I strongly believe that improving current public transport should generally be given greater priority.

On the other hand, there are several advantages of constructing high-speed railway lines. Firstly, fast trains can reduce travelling time between major cities, making it easier for people to travel for work, education and business. This can also encourage economic growth by connecting cities and allowing businesses to operate across larger areas. Secondly high-speed trains can also reduce number of passengers travelling by private cars and domestic flights. Therefore, investing in modern railway infrastructure can be beneficial in the long term.

On the other hand, improving existing public transport may be a more practical use of government funds. In many cities, buses, local trains and metro system is overcrowded and poorly maintained. Millions of people depends on these services everyday, Upgrading these systems, increasing their frequency and improving their frequency and improving safety would benefit a large proportion of the population.

In my opinion, although high-speed railway lines can contribute to economic development and improve connections between cities, government should should ensure that their existing public transport systems are affordable, reliable and efficient. Once these basic needs have been addressed, investment in high-speed railways can be considered.

In conclusion , high-speed trains offer faster intercity travel and environmental benefits, whereas improving existing public transport can provide more advantages to large number of people. Therefore, I believe that government should prioritize improving existing systems before spending huge sum on new high-speed railways lines.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly discuss both perspectives—the benefits of high-speed rail for economic growth and the necessity of improving existing public transport for the general population—and provide a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting arguments are slightly more nuanced; for instance, when discussing the benefits of high-speed rail, you could briefly acknowledge the potential environmental trade-offs or the specific types of regions that benefit most. Overall, the position is consistent and well-supported throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion' effectively to guide the reader. However, there is some minor repetition in the third paragraph ('improving their frequency and improving their frequency'), which slightly affects the flow. To improve, ensure that you vary your linking phrases and check for accidental repetition of words or phrases within the same sentence or paragraph.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'modern railway infrastructure', 'economic development', and 'practical use of government funds' are used appropriately. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'large amount of money' (should be 'large amounts') and 'reduce number of passengers' (should be 'reduce the number of passengers'). While these do not impede communication, addressing these small inaccuracies would elevate your lexical score. You have a good foundation, but try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations to demonstrate greater flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are error-free, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'metro system is overcrowded' (should be 'systems are'), 'people depends' (should be 'people depend'), and 'government should should' (repetition). Additionally, there are minor punctuation issues, such as the space before the comma in 'In conclusion ,'. To achieve a higher band, focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and eliminating repetitive words. Your control of complex structures is generally good, but increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences will improve your score.

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