Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-17

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)

people have different views about wether larg sums of money should be spent on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities or on improving exicting public transport. Although both views have their merits, I believe that money should be spent on enhancing the current public transport considering the positive benefits.

on the one hand some people believe that money should be spent on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains to travel between cities, the main reason for that is the expected benefits, for example very fast trains get people to their destination quickly, with no extra wasted time on the traffic since they use specialized lines, important to mention is that the very fast trains goes over 300km per hour and there is one recent train which were built in japan goes with over 600km per hour, moreover trains offer to the passengers a variety of choices wether they want to travel on a regular class or a middle class or busniss class for more comfort and previleges, trains also can be used for commercial needs such carrying commercial goods between the cities.

on the other hand other argue that money should be spent on improving exicting public transprot, this is becuase the differ facilities that these trasportation means offer, this can be acheived starting by constructing specialized roads to avoide the traffic and offering cheap and affordable tickets, for inctance i find this view mor convincing becuase public trasports inside the cities are the most used, unlike trains between the cities because there are other alternatives such as plans.

in conclusion, Although some people believe that larg sums of money should be spent on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains, I believe that money should be spent on enhancing trasnports means ragard to the larg postive outcomes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both views and state a clear preference for improving existing public transport, so the response covers the main parts of the task. The case for high-speed rail includes faster journeys, dedicated lines and carrying goods; the case for local transport mentions affordability and its greater use within cities. However, some points are asserted rather than explained: the train-speed examples, including the claim about a Japanese train exceeding 600 km/h, are not connected clearly to why investment is worthwhile. The comparison with “other alternatives such as planes” also needs explanation. Develop each side with a specific, relevant example and explain how it supports your position. The conclusion repeats your preference but could summarise the main reason more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “on the one hand,” “on the other hand,” and “in conclusion” helps readers follow the discussion. However, the first body paragraph contains several ideas in one long sentence, making the relationships between speed, passenger classes and freight less clear. Some linking is also mechanical, and the phrase “this is because the differ facilities” does not clearly connect the reason to the claim. Use shorter sentences to separate supporting points, and make references such as “this view” or “these transportation means” more precise. This would create smoother progression without relying mainly on formulaic transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “railway lines,” “traffic,” “affordable tickets,” and “commercial goods,” and the meaning is generally recoverable. However, the range and control are limited by repeated wording such as “money should be spent” and “very fast trains,” as well as inaccurate or awkward choices: “middle class” for a travel class, “commercial needs” for freight transport, and “enhancing transports means.” Spelling errors such as “wether,” “exicting,” “busniss,” and “ragard” are noticeable and sometimes slow the reader. Build a more precise set of transport-related collocations and check spelling carefully. More accurate phrasing would help you express comparisons and benefits with greater clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex structures, including a concession in the introduction (“Although both views have their merits”) and a reason clause (“since they use specialized lines”). The overall meaning is usually understandable, but some errors in sentence structure, agreement and verb forms reduce accuracy. For example, “the very fast trains goes” should use a plural verb, while “there is one recent train which were built” has mismatched agreement and an awkward relative clause. The first body paragraph also runs several clauses together, with punctuation that does not clearly mark sentence boundaries. Practise controlling longer sentences by separating each main point, and check subject–verb agreement, articles and verb forms during revision.

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