Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-16

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 5.0)

In a slew of nations, it is a debatable issue that either fund should allocate on developing new railway lines for quicker trains between cities or on enhancing the available public transport. Although, both of the view has different positive outcomes, I would argue that spending money on existing transportation system should be in first preference.

Individuals who argue that expending a huge amount of funding for constructing new railway lines, which will offer faster train service between city lives. To cope with the digital world, it is now necessary to improve transportation system. Establishing new railway lines for faster trains will assists city dwellers with easier and better movement. It will minimize the time of students, job holders and other professionals who use local vehicles to arrive their own destinations.Furthermore, a large proportion of people will also get employment in this sector, which will reduce unemployment problem. Therefore, indirectly it will help a country to financially develop.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify both sides of the debate in the opening and state a clear preference for improving existing transport. However, the response develops only the case for new railway lines: faster journeys and employment are mentioned, but the second view is not explained, and your own preferred option receives no supporting reasons. The discussion is therefore only partial, with ideas left largely undeveloped. The response also falls 92 words short of the required minimum, which limits the space available to address the task fully. To improve, explain the benefits and drawbacks of each option, support your preference with a specific example, and make sure every part of the prompt is covered.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic structure: an introduction is followed by a paragraph presenting arguments for new railway lines. Linking expressions such as “Furthermore” and “Therefore” help show how some points relate. However, there is no paragraph developing the other view or your stated preference, so the discussion does not progress through all parts of the task. Some connections are also unclear: “Although, both of the view…” does not lead smoothly into the writer’s position, and the sentence beginning “Individuals who argue…” is incomplete, making the relationship between ideas harder to follow. Use separate paragraphs for each viewpoint and a conclusion, and connect each supporting point explicitly to the argument it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “constructing new railway lines,” “faster train service,” “employment,” and “unemployment,” and the general subject remains understandable. There are also some less natural choices and collocations that reduce precision, such as “a slew of nations,” “fund should allocate,” “city lives,” and “financially develop.” Repetition of “transportation system” and “railway lines” also limits flexibility. Aim for accurate, natural phrases rather than choosing unusually formal wording: for example, use “in several countries,” “funds should be allocated,” and “economic development.” More precise vocabulary would help you express the comparison and your preferred investment clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “railway lines, which will offer faster train service” and a result clause beginning “which will reduce unemployment.” However, several errors affect accuracy and sometimes make sentence relationships unclear. For example, “Although, both of the view has” has faulty punctuation and subject–verb agreement, while “Individuals who argue that expending…” is not a complete sentence. Other examples include “will assists” and “arrive their own destinations.” Review agreement, verb forms, articles, and sentence completeness, and check punctuation around introductory clauses. Building accurate complete sentences first will make your more complex structures easier to control.

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