Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

In many countries, some people think it is necessary to spend large sums of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities, while others argue that money should be spent on improving existing public transport. In my opinion, an equal amount of money should be spent on both the categories as both are required for people's benefit and country's development.

On the one hand, it is necessary to spend large sums on constructing new railway lines because it helps people to reduce their travelling time to reach their destinations. This is because other modes of transport may take longer hours to reach destination and individuals often have to spend longer hours during travelling. As a result, constructing railway lines helps people to reduce their travelling time. Additionally, constructing new railway lines may help in the overall development of the country as it helps the country to boost in the infrastructure sector. It helps the country to become more modern as compared with other countries.

On the other hand, critics argue that the money should be spent on improving existing public transport as it is frequently used by local people. For example, people travelling by a bus may not shift to railway lines as they have a habit of travelling by bus, so improving existing mode of transport may be beneficial for people. In addition, this view allows people to have a comfortable journey in their daily life. Making upgradations such as improving seats, ventilation systems and so on helps individuals to have an enjoyable and peaceful journey.

In conclusion, spending on constructing new railway lines help people to reduce their travel time and help in overall development of the country. However, spending on existing public transport benefits people and help in making comfortable journey. I believe that an equal amount of money should be spent on both the categories for people's and country's benefit.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—building new railway lines for very fast trains and improving existing public transport—and provides a clear position in the introduction and conclusion, arguing that an equal amount of money should be spent on both. The ideas are relevant and generally supported, such as reducing travel time and boosting infrastructure development for high-speed trains, and providing comfortable journeys for local commuters. However, some of the supporting explanations are slightly repetitive, such as stating that new railways reduce travelling time multiple times in the first body paragraph. To reach a higher band, the ideas require deeper extension and more varied examples rather than circular reasoning. Overall, the response meets the requirements for Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay has a clear overall arrangement with a logical progression from introduction to body paragraphs and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with distinct paragraphs for each view. Cohesive devices are employed to connect ideas, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or repetitive, particularly with phrases like 'This is because' and 'As a result' used within close proximity. Additionally, referencing could be smoother, as some transitional sentences restate previous points rather than advancing the argument. The overall organizational structure remains coherent and easy to follow, fitting the Band 6 descriptor well.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using topic-specific terms such as 'infrastructure sector', 'public transport', 'upgradations', and 'ventilation systems'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, though this is sometimes accompanied by awkward phrasing or slight inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'spend longer hours during travelling' instead of 'spend hours travelling' or 'both the categories' instead of 'both categories'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and errors do not impede communication. The lexical resource aligns well with the requirements for a Band 6 score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over relative clauses and introductory dependent clauses, such as 'In many countries, some people think it is necessary...' and 'While others argue that money should be spent...'. However, there are recurring grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'both the categories' (missing quantifier control) and subject-verb agreement slips like 'spending on constructing new railway lines help' and 'help in making comfortable journey'. Punctuation is generally sound, and while errors are present, they rarely impede communication. This balance of complex structures and frequent minor errors reflects a solid Band 6 performance.

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