Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-02

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 argue that it is important to spend large amounts of money on building new railway lines because of fast travel between cities. Others believe that money should be spent on upgrading existing public transport. This essay will discuss both views and explain why I believe investing in existing public transport is so much better.

To begin with, railway lines give faster travel between different cities and save travelling time. High-speed trains can reduce travel time between major cities. As a result, individuals can reach their destination quickly in any kind of emergency such as for work, education and business. For example, students may easily reach their exam center on fast trains. In addition, another benefit of building fast railway lines is that they can boost economy growth and create opportunities for employment. Construction of new railway lines requires many workers, engineers, and people in various professions. As a result, it can have a positive impact on our economic system.

On the other hand, many people depend on public transport. Daily commuters need better services. Improving public transport can make travel better. Many youngsters use buses, local trains, and metro systems every day. Upgrading this transport can make travel convenient and safe. Therefore, the government should spend money on reconstructing bus stations, cleaner vehicles, and frequent services. Moreover, public transport is more affordable for the public. Not everyone can afford private transport or expensive high-speed train tickets. Affordable buses, trains, and metro services allow people to travel at a low cost.

In my opinion, Government must spend money on upgrading public transport facilities. Easy and convenient travel can give people safer travel.

In conclusion, although railway lines give faster travel and people can reach their destination in a quick way. I believe that public transport is more convenient for people because it is affordable and better upgrades give people easy travel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on public transport funding and high-speed railways, and presents a clear position throughout favouring existing transport upgrades. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and uneven across the paragraphs. For example, the arguments regarding economic growth and employment are presented in a generalized manner without sufficient elaboration or concrete examples. Furthermore, the supporting example for high-speed trains—stating that students may easily reach their exam center on fast trains—is somewhat simplistic and under-developed for an academic context. To move to a higher band, the writer needs to extend and support all main ideas with more depth and clearer real-world examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays some overall organization with clear paragraph breaks and a basic introduction and conclusion. However, the progression of ideas lacks fluidity, resulting in a somewhat mechanical structure. Cohesive devices are used, but they tend to be repetitive, relying heavily on basic linkers like 'To begin with', 'On the other hand', and 'In addition'. Additionally, referencing and logical transitions between sentences can be abrupt, such as the sudden shift in the third paragraph where consecutive sentences begin with 'Daily commuters', 'Improving public transport', and 'Many youngsters'. To achieve a higher score, the writer must use a wider and more flexible range of cohesive devices and ensure smoother logical transitions between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, demonstrating a minimally sufficient range to communicate basic ideas about transport and funding. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'economic system', 'reconstructing', and 'affordable', but there are noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'boost economy growth' instead of 'boost economic growth', and 'better upgrades' which sounds unnatural. Spelling is generally accurate, but the limited flexibility and repetitive use of common terms like 'money', 'spend', and 'travel' restrict the score. To improve, the writer should focus on precise word forms, natural collocations, and a broader variety of synonyms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence forms, demonstrating basic control over sentence structure. However, the range of grammatical structures is limited, and attempts at complexity often result in awkward phrasing or errors. There are frequent mistakes in articles and prepositions, such as missing articles ('Government must spend money' instead of 'The government') and awkward prepositional phrases. Punctuation and minor grammatical slips also occur, such as sentence fragments in the concluding paragraph where a dependent clause stands alone ('...because it is affordable and better upgrades give people easy travel.'). To reach a higher band, the writer needs to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures with greater accuracy and fewer basic errors.

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