Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-03
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 4.5)
ln many countries, some people believe that government should spend large amounts on building new railway lines and high speed trains between cities. And some people argue that this money should be used to improve exiting public transport. This essay will discuss both views and give my opinion.
On the hand investing in new railway line high speed trains can bring several benefits. First of all can reduce traving time between cities and make transport more convenient for passengers. For example people can travel another city of work education in a shorter time. Secondly Morden railway lines reduce the numbers of cars on roads. This may help to decrease traffic congestions and air pollution especially in large cuties
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 3.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5
The response only partially addresses the task due to several significant issues. First, the length requirement is severely compromised, as the essay contains only 118 words, falling well short of the 250-word minimum. Furthermore, while the writer touches upon the two views regarding high-speed railways and existing public transport, the ideas remain very limited and under-developed. For instance, the points about reducing travel time and traffic congestion are stated briefly without sufficient elaboration or concrete supporting examples. The student's own opinion is mentioned in the introduction ('give my opinion'), but it is never actually stated or developed in the body of the text.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
There is some organisation in the essay, with a basic attempt to introduce the topic and use simple sequencing markers like 'First of all' and 'Secondly'. However, there is no clear overall progression across the text, and the paragraphing is underdeveloped, notably with the second paragraph running on without proper division. Cohesive devices are minimal, inadequate, and sometimes awkward, such as the missing preposition in 'On the hand'. Additionally, referencing and logical transitions between sentences are occasionally unclear, resulting in a somewhat disjointed flow that prevents the response from achieving a higher level of cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The lexical range is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The student attempts some topic-specific vocabulary such as 'transport', 'convenient', 'traffic congestions', and 'air pollution', but these are accompanied by noticeable errors in word form, spelling, and collocation. Examples include 'exiting' instead of existing, 'Morden' instead of modern, and 'cuties' instead of cities. While the meaning can mostly be deciphered, these recurring lexical inaccuracies cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the vocabulary score from moving into a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writing demonstrates a very limited range of structures, relying mostly on simple sentences, while attempts at more complex constructions are frequently faulty. There are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation throughout the text, including missing subjects and verbs (e.g., 'First of all can reduce traving time'), missing prepositions (e.g., 'travel another city'), and incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'traving'). These frequent errors and the lack of a reliable mix of complex sentence forms mean the grammar control remains constrained.
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