Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-21

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 6.0)

There is a growing proportion of nations where citizens believe that it is beneficial to allocate greater funds on building new railway lines for faster trains across cities while others hold the view that government funds should be allocated on enhancing existing public transport.

Daily commuters has seen the great convenience train offer in avoiding heavy traffic compared to other form of public transport. They believe that having new railways will improve its travel time between cities. For instance, people would not need to wait in line awaiting for trains to come if there are railway lines constructed to allow continous transport from and to places. Hence, it will reduce situations where commuters are stuck during peak commuting hours and have to suffer standing in narrow space within the train.

On the one hand, some also hold the opinion of allocating funds on improving existing public transport like buses, jeepneys, and small cabs as these sort of transportation are more cost-effective to most people. Here in the Philippines, some public transport are not well maintained and has become not so very commuter friendly. Engines in jeepneys, for example, are so old that it releases too much dark smoke which is unhealthy for people and damaging to the environment. If the government put enough funds and strict policy to every driver on improving their vehicles, it will become much cleaner and safer for every commuting individuals.

In conclusion, it is my opinion that every state government should consider improving all forms of public transport as people utilize them daily as appropriate for their lifestyle and preferred convenience.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both proposals and give a clear preference in the conclusion: governments should improve all forms of public transport. The Philippines example about poorly maintained jeepneys, smoke, and passenger safety is relevant and helps explain the case for upgrading existing services. However, the two views are not developed equally. The argument for new high-speed rail focuses mainly on avoiding queues and crowded trains, without explaining its wider benefits, such as faster intercity journeys or reduced pressure on roads. The second view is more specific, but the conclusion does not weigh the options or explain why improvements to existing transport should take priority over new rail lines. Develop the first view further and make the reasoning behind your final preference more explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate discussion of the two views, and a concluding opinion. The Philippines example is placed in the paragraph about existing transport, so the reader can follow its relevance. However, the progression between ideas is sometimes unclear. The first body paragraph begins with commuters’ convenience, then shifts to waiting for trains and crowding, without clearly distinguishing current rail problems from the benefits of constructing new lines. Also, “On the one hand” introduces the second view without a corresponding “on the other hand,” and the opening sentence is long and difficult to track. Use clearer topic sentences and more precise links between each claim and its explanation to make the argument flow more naturally.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “allocate funds,” “heavy traffic,” “peak commuting hours,” “well maintained,” and “damaging to the environment.” These choices make the subject clear, and the local example adds specificity. There are also some inaccurate or unnatural expressions that limit precision: “greater funds on building” is an awkward collocation, “continous transport” is not the intended expression, and “commuting individuals” sounds unnatural in this context. Spelling errors such as “continous” also reduce accuracy. Aim for more natural transport-related collocations and check spelling; for example, describe investment as being “allocated to construction” and refer to “continuous services” or “commuters.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a conditional sentence beginning “If the government put enough funds…” and a relative clause in “trains…which is unhealthy.” Meaning is generally understandable, but some errors in agreement, verb forms, and sentence construction remain. For example, “Daily commuters has seen” should use a plural verb, while “some public transport…has become” has a mismatch between the plural subject and verb. In “Engines…are so old that it releases,” the pronoun should agree with the plural noun. The conditional “If the government put… it will become” also mixes forms; use a consistent conditional structure. Review subject–verb agreement and conditional patterns, while continuing to vary sentence structures.

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