Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-08

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 5.0)

In many nation railway is the huge system for people to travel. railway system is used for daily routing. many people think that it is necessary to spend large amount of money on making new railway system for reduce time in travel while other says that we don't need a new one we just have to upgrade the existing public transport in my opinion this is the better choice rather then build a new system.

To build a new railway line there are required a huge investment for build it from scratch, instead if we upgrade the existing public transport is done is the less investment for example Japan has a world first nation where the best railway facility is provided to the public from past 30 years they upgrade there level of railway step by step and invest the major amount of build a new technology in railway system instead if build a new one today they have bullet train with the speed of 350km/h

To make a new railway system existing system had to remove first and to build a new one is taking the more time which can affect the whole nation's economy because the nation like India where the 70% of economy is depend on the railway system so to stope this system for large period of time effecting the many factor of the nation for example in India daily $36 million of good is transport through the railway and the 60 million people go for work through the train on daily basis

In conclusion to upgrade the existing public transport is better option rather than build a new one from scratch it is easy to maintained and effective on cost

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention India and Japan as examples, the explanation of how upgrading existing systems is more cost-effective or practical is repetitive and lacks depth. The argument regarding the economic impact in India is relevant but could be more clearly linked to the prompt's core debate. To improve, ensure that each paragraph focuses on a distinct, well-explained point that directly supports your stance, rather than relying on general statements about cost and time.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is very limited and often mechanical. Transitions between sentences are frequently missing or awkward, such as the abrupt shift in the second paragraph. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track the flow of logic. To reach a higher band, you should use a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in contrast') to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There is significant repetition of basic terms like 'railway system', 'build', and 'money'. Some word choices are imprecise, such as 'routing' instead of 'routines' or 'stope' instead of 'stop'. The use of collocations is also inconsistent, which occasionally hinders the natural flow of the text. To improve, focus on learning topic-specific vocabulary related to infrastructure and transport, and try to use synonyms to avoid repetitive phrasing throughout your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures, and there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'railway is the huge system'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'there are required a huge investment'), and missing articles. Punctuation is also problematic, with many run-on sentences that lack necessary commas or periods. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the text from achieving a higher score. Focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement and article usage.

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