Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-25

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 some countries, most people believe that we should spend a large amount of money on the construction of new railway lines for fast trains between cities, while some people think we should spend our money on existing transport. I believe that we should spend our money to improve the condition of existing transport.

On the one hand, some people think that we should spend money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities. Due to this, people can easily travel between cities. It will be a good initiative by the government to spend money on new railway lines. Furthermore, due to the facility of trains people can easily commute. We can cover the distance in a short time. For instance, the railway lines from Karachi to Lahore save a lot of time and people can travel easily without any problem. The government should also spend money on small cities like Sahiwal, so that the people can also benefit from this.

On the other hand, some people believe that we should spend money on existing transport because it can be easily improved and does not require a lot of money and time. If we improve the condition of existing transport like buses and metro. Nowadays, people mostly prefer to travel through bus and metro because these are the most convenient options. Moreover, if the government improved the condition of buses through which we can travel between cities and inside the cities. For example, young people will move more to cities for jobs and education because due to improved buses commuters can commute easily.

To conclude, I believe that trains are the fastest way of traveling but we should spend money on improving existing transport because it saves our time and money.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—building new high-speed rail lines and improving existing public transport—and provides a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are generally relevant, such as mentioning travel time savings and economic benefits for commuters. However, the development of ideas tends to be repetitive and somewhat limited in depth. For instance, the discussion on existing transport repeatedly circles back to the idea of saving money and time without introducing broader perspectives like environmental impact, cost-efficiency of maintenance, or infrastructural constraints. As a result, the response meets the criteria for Band 6, as all parts of the task are addressed, but some arguments remain underdeveloped and rely on generalisations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a coherent overall arrangement and follows a recognisable structure with an introduction, body paragraphs addressing each view, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different arguments. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Furthermore', and 'To conclude'. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive, particularly the frequent reliance on 'due to this' and 'because'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, as seen in sentences like 'If we improve the condition of existing transport like buses and metro', which lack a main verb or complete clause structure, disrupting the logical flow of ideas. Progression is evident, but the occasional clunky transitions place this response solidly at Band 6.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating ideas related to transport, travel, and government spending (e.g., 'construction', 'initiative', 'commute', 'convenient options'). There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, but these are often accompanied by inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'facility of trains' instead of 'rail transport' or 'train services'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, but the vocabulary remains somewhat repetitive, frequently recycling words like 'spend', 'money', 'trains', and 'transport'. The lexical control is sufficient to allow the reader to follow the arguments easily, aligning with the requirements for Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The writer attempts complex sentences using subordinating conjunctions like 'because', 'so that', and conditional structures ('If we improve...'). However, many of these complex structures contain grammatical errors or are incomplete. For example, the sentence 'Moreover, if the government improved the condition of buses through which we can travel between cities and inside the cities' is a dependent clause left without a main clause, creating a sentence fragment. There are also tense inconsistencies and preposition errors, such as 'travel through bus' instead of 'travel by bus'. While these errors do not impede overall communication, their frequency prevents the essay from reaching a higher band, making Band 5.5 appropriate.

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