Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

It is often claimed that, nowadays some people think about that , spending large amount of new railway lines for fast trains between cities is necessary for better transportation but some people believe that , government should be spent more money on public transportation because some people think is better for people . I will discuss both points . but my view of point is improving exciting public transport and spent money is better for people .

Initating with points , firstly some people think spend large sum of money on constructing new lines for fast train . because some people believe fast train is very beneficial for fast reaching on their station . in modern era , every one doing job and always hurry so they believe fast trains are very helpful . they easy reach on their office . on railway lines not much traffic because every train on their track and fix their times and not extra charge because government fix charge rate . for instance , person office away for 2-3 hours they choose train because train travel time and money consuming .and help to people easily reach their office and workplace

moving further ahead , some people believe more money spent on improving existing public transport because public transport available on every 10 minutes so people like public transport . for instance , if some people live in village their railway lines are not built so public transport is easily available in small home towns . if people should late their office they can choose public transport because public transport is easily available if one bus is missing they can use another bus . secondly , public transport is easily available in anywhere .

in conclusion , public transport is beneficial for village and some people because public transport is easily available . but some time fast trains ise very beneficial . it is consuming people time and money .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion in the introduction. However, the development of ideas is limited. The arguments regarding fast trains and public transport are repetitive and lack depth. For instance, the explanation of why fast trains are beneficial relies on basic points about traffic and time, without exploring broader economic or environmental impacts. The conclusion is also somewhat contradictory, as it mentions that fast trains are beneficial after arguing for public transport throughout the essay. To improve, you should provide more specific, well-reasoned examples and ensure your arguments are fully extended rather than just stated.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. While there are some cohesive devices used, such as 'firstly', 'moving further ahead', and 'in conclusion', they are often used mechanically or inappropriately. The transition between ideas is sometimes abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the vague use of 'some people' throughout the text. The paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs lacks a clear flow, making it difficult for the reader to follow the development of your argument. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, which restricts the ability to convey complex ideas. You frequently rely on basic phrases like 'some people think', 'very beneficial', and 'easily available'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'fast reaching on their station' and 'if people should late their office'. These errors occasionally make the meaning slightly unclear. To reach a higher band, you need to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary, including less common lexical items and more precise collocations related to transport and infrastructure, while ensuring they are used accurately in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are attempts at complex sentences, they are often grammatically incorrect, such as 'if people should late their office they can choose public transport'. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement, article usage, and prepositional phrases (e.g., 'every one doing job', 'on railway lines not much traffic'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas and periods. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and then gradually incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, ensuring that your grammar remains accurate even when attempting more sophisticated sentence forms.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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