Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-28
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 different countries, most of people wonder that it is compulsary to spend large sums of money on railway lines for ultra fast trains from one city to another city but most of people believe that the money should be spent on enhancing public transport. I believe that spending money on constructing railway lines should be very beneficial for all of us .
In many countries , some people do not have personal vehicle to travel from one city to another. In this respect, many people choose public transport instead of trains but most of people choose trains over public transport. First of all, public transport has many benefits as well as many disadvantages but in our country the public transport system is very bad .For instance, the money charging system of every vehicle is different so they charge different amount of money from different people.
Besides this, in many countries people opt to travel in trains because of environment these trains contain.In addition to this , there are many facilities including food facilities in trains . This is the reason people choose train more than public transport because they had to travel a long distance in moving from from one city to another. But a little problem is that these trains are very slow that some peole miss their important piece of work .That is the reason many people thinks it is compulsary to spend money on railway lines for fast service to all travellers.
In conclusion , by spending money on railway lines people would become more beneficial from fast service by train because this can make their life more convenient.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response addresses both views presented in the prompt: constructing very fast railway lines and improving existing public transport. The writer also attempts to give an opinion, stating that spending money on railway lines is beneficial. However, the development of ideas is limited and somewhat repetitive. For instance, the discussion on public transport merely mentions that the charging system is bad, and the points about fast trains are quite basic, focusing primarily on travel distance and speed. The position is stated, but the support for it lacks depth and specific examples, keeping the response at a Band 5 level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The essay is divided into four paragraphs, showing an attempt at a logical structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, the progression of ideas lacks clarity. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'First of all,' 'Besides this,' and 'In addition to this,' but they are sometimes mechanical or used inaccurately. For example, the transition between paragraphs does not always ensure a smooth flow of thought. Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear, as seen in the phrase 'the environment these trains contain,' which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the exact line of reasoning, placing this criterion at Band 5.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, with frequent reliance on simple phrases like 'spend large sums of money,' 'public transport,' and 'one city to another.' There are noticeable spelling errors, such as 'compulsary' instead of 'compulsory,' and awkward word choices, such as 'money charging system' instead of 'fare structure.' While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the basic message, the range is limited, and errors in word formation and collocation cause some difficulty, resulting in a Band 5 score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The essay exhibits a very limited range of grammatical structures. Simple sentences dominate, and attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty, such as in the opening sentence: 'most of people wonder that it is compulsary to spend...' There are numerous grammatical errors, including missing articles ('in trains' instead of 'on trains'), subject-verb agreement issues ('people thinks'), and tense inconsistencies ('they had to travel'). These frequent errors can cause difficulty for the reader and prevent the text from reaching a higher band, placing it firmly at a Band 4.5, rounded to 5.0 based on standard band parameters.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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