Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

It is highly argued that some individuals think it is necessary to allocate large sums of currency on constructing new railway lines for extremely rapid trains between urban areas, while others think that money should be spent on enhancing existing public transport. I will discuss both views and give my opinion.

On the one hand, there are several benefits from this if money allocate on constructing new railway lines in urban areas. Initially, it makes lofe easier as well as past life. To elucidate it, many individuals in cities face challenges in their daily life. When they will go for their work at that time many people do not reach exact time at office. So, if goverment spend more money to construct mnay fast railway lines its assist many individuals life they will go their work without any hesitation. As a consequence, its save their time and sometimes it gives more opportunities for their upcoming days.

On the other hand, some people think that cash should be spent on other public transport such as buses, cars and other heavy vehicles. First and foremost, its provide financial benefits of them. To explain it, buses are more convenient and affordable rather than other transport and it helps population in many ways as well as own cars also facilitates them in any time when they tackle in many problems. Consequently, it helps in many ways and gives a freedom life of them.

To sum up, Although I believe that if so much funds spend on faster railway lines it makes people life easier as compared past. Nevertheless, money should allocate on public transport because its always help them in good ways.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—constructing new high-speed railway lines and improving existing public transport—and provides a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. However, the ideas are somewhat repetitive and lack deep elaboration. For instance, in the second body paragraph, the argument that high-speed rail makes life easier is supported by vague statements such as "many individuals in cities face challenges in their daily life." The position is maintained throughout, but the support tends to generalise without specific examples from the writer's knowledge or experience. This places the response comfortably at Band 5.5 to 6.0, as the task is addressed and relevant ideas are present, but development remains limited and under-developed in places.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays a logical overall arrangement with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs representing opposing views, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas. However, cohesion is often faulty or mechanical, with frequent reliance on basic and repetitive connectors such as "On the one hand," "On the other hand," and "First and foremost." Furthermore, referencing is not always clear, and sentences within paragraphs sometimes lack smooth transitions, leading to a somewhat disjointed flow. For example, the sentence "To explain it, buses are more convenient and affordable rather than other transport and it helps population in many ways as well as own cars also facilitates them..." demonstrates a breakdown in cohesion and referencing. These issues align with the Band 5.5 to 6.0 descriptors.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating everyday concepts. However, there is a noticeable lack of precision and frequent misuse of lexical items and collocations. Examples include "large sums of currency" instead of money or funds, "make lofe easier" (spelling and word choice), and "gives a freedom life of them." Attempts at less common vocabulary often result in unnatural phrasing or word-choice errors, such as "goverment spend more money to construct mnay fast railway lines its assist many individuals life." While communication is generally maintained despite these errors, the lexical control is characteristic of a Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing conditional structures and relative clauses (e.g., "if goverment spend more money... its assist many individuals life"). However, grammatical accuracy is weak, with frequent errors in verb tense consistency, subject-verb agreement, article usage, and sentence structure. Many complex structures are faulty, such as "When they will go for their work at that time many people do not reach exact time at office." Punctuation and spelling errors also occur throughout the text. These persistent errors can cause some difficulty for the reader, placing the response firmly at a Band 5.0 level.

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