Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-30

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 a large number of countries, a significant number of people believe that it is necessary to expend large sums of money on built new railway lines for very fast trains between cities. Other people argue that the large number of moneys should be spent on improving existing transport public because it provides more benefits compared with railway lines. Furthermore, this eassy will discuss both perspectives before my presenting own opinion.

To begin with, a considerable number of people believe that a large amount of money should be spent on constructing new railway lines because they help people travel long distances between cities. For instance, a large number of passengers can easily travel by train, and heavy goods can also be transported to different cities. Because public transport cannot easily carry heavy goods, railways are beneficial for businesses because they allow people to transport materials between different countries and earn money from their businesses.

Furthermore, other people prefer investing money in public transport because, nowadays, a significant number of people travel by public transport, such as buses and trains. These forms of transport help people reach their destinations quickly and conveniently. For instance, many schoolchildren and local residents travel by bus because it is affordable and easily accessible. Therefore, government should spend large amount of money on the improve existing public transport.

In conclusion, I believe that the government should spend an equal amount of money on railways and public transport because both provide significant benefits. They allow people to travel easily between different cities and transport heavy goods conveniently.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—building high-speed railway lines versus improving existing public transport—and provides a clear position in the conclusion, suggesting an equal division of funds. The main ideas are relevant and supported with explanations regarding business transport and daily commuting. However, the development of ideas tends to be slightly repetitive, relying frequently on phrases like 'a large number of' rather than expanding into more nuanced sociological or economic arguments. For example, the explanation of how railways help businesses is somewhat general. While the prompt is fully addressed and a clear stance is presented, the depth of extension places this response comfortably at Band 6.5, leaning towards Band 6 for under-developed supporting arguments, but adequately covering all prompts.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, dividing the introduction, two body paragraphs representing opposing views, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used to signal the logical progression of ideas. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical. For instance, the transition in the second paragraph relies heavily on repetitive sentence structures, and the phrase 'Other people argue that the large number of moneys should be spent' contains a cohesive mismatch in noun-pronoun or determiner agreement. Paragraphing is used sufficiently, but the progression within paragraphs could be smoother without relying on boilerplate transitional phrases. Overall, the organizational structure meets the criteria for Band 6.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'constructing', 'conveniently', 'accessible', and 'affordable'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasing throughout the text, such as 'expend large sums of money on built new railway lines' (should be building), 'transport public' (should be public transport), and 'large number of moneys' (monies/money is uncountable in this context). The student attempts less common vocabulary, but these attempts are marred by word-choice and collocation errors. Although these slips do not impede overall communication, the frequency of lexical inaccuracies prevents the score from reaching a higher band. The vocabulary range remains adequate and minimally sufficient for a Band 6 score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The essay features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating the ability to construct subordinate clauses using 'because' and 'such as'. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors, including tense and infinitive mistakes ('on built new railway lines'), article and pluralization errors ('government should spend large amount of money on the improve'), and awkward prepositional use. Despite these errors, the meaning is generally clear and communication is rarely impeded. The control over complex structures is limited, and simple sentences are often more reliable than attempts at complex phrasing. This profile corresponds well with the Band 6 descriptors for grammatical range and accuracy.

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

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