Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-08
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)
The arguments show is between two view point one is developing railways line in the metro cities and the other side of the coin is make public transport better . discuss both views and give view point what i think .
To begin with the first view point that is using large amount of money to construct railways line the metro cities to save time of people who use the trains . Its that good idea that will help people to save their time and money . People use to spend more time with family and feels easy during journey . people go one side to another side easly without wasting much time .
however , improving public transport is also useful option for people . For short distances people use to go with bus make it easy . Government should make buses convience and more comfortable , extend numbers of seats and add more new buses .
To conclude both ideas works equally for people in cities . Developing buses and trains gives people smoth journey
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0
You identify both sides of the discussion: fast railway lines may save travellers time, while better buses can serve shorter journeys. However, the response addresses the task only partially. The benefits are stated briefly—such as having “more time with family”—but are not explained with examples or developed reasoning. The conclusion says both ideas “works equally,” yet the task also asks for your own opinion, and this does not make clear which investment you support or whether you favour a balance. The response is also 73 words below the required minimum, which leaves too little space to develop the discussion. Explain each view in more depth, give a relevant example, and state a definite position.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response has a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, one paragraph for each view, and a conclusion. This helps the reader identify the intended discussion, and transitions such as “To begin with,” “however,” and “To conclude” signal changes in direction. However, progression within paragraphs is limited: several short claims about saving time and travelling comfortably are listed without showing how they connect or adding supporting detail. The opening sentence is difficult to follow, and the conclusion repeats the two options rather than drawing the argument together. Some linking is also mechanical, and punctuation around transitions is inconsistent. Use clearer topic sentences and connect each claim to an explanation or example.
Lexical Resource: Band 4.5
You use a small set of relevant transport terms, including “railways line,” “public transport,” “buses,” and “journey,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, vocabulary is basic and repetitive, with “people,” “use,” and “time” recurring, and several inaccurate or awkward expressions make the meaning less natural. For example, “the other side of the coin is make public transport better” and “extend numbers of seats” do not express the ideas idiomatically. Spelling and word-form errors such as “easly,” “convience,” and “smoth” also weaken clarity. Build a wider range of transport-related collocations and check spelling; for instance, use “improve bus services” and “increase seating capacity.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
Most sentences use simple patterns, and the reader can usually infer the intended meaning. There is an attempt at a longer structure in “People use to spend more time with family and feels easy during journey,” but the verb forms and agreement are not controlled. Other examples include “The arguments show is between two view point,” “Its that good idea,” and “both ideas works,” which show frequent problems with sentence formation, articles, plurals, and subject–verb agreement. Punctuation and capitalisation are also inconsistent, particularly around “however.” To improve, practise accurate simple sentences first, then add controlled clauses using “because,” “which,” or “while.” Check that each sentence has a clear subject and correctly matched verb.
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