Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-24

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 most of countries, some people think it is essential 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. This essay will discuss both points.

First and foremost, trains play important role in improving economy of any country through trains people can easily reach any city of their country which directly help to growth of country. Constructing new railway allow to access more cities and can easily distribute the population. Most of the people travel by train because they are budget friendly and also very fast. For instance, in Japan trains are very fast can travel through long distance in very short time through which people time save and very cheap that is why their economy is very good.

Furthermore, public transport help in many ways. People which can not afford any veichal they can use public transport. It also help in reducing a pollution which helps to keep environment clean and directly improve people health. For example, if any country has a good public transport it help to reduce air pollution and make people more healthy.

In my opinion, there are many advantages of trains but public transport should be improved because it is very good for environment.

In conclusion, trains helps in improving economy of country and can help to distribute the population. However, public transport helps in improving the environment of the city which directly help to improve the health of people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address both views and state a clear preference for improving public transport: “public transport should be improved because it is very good for environment.” The points about access to cities, affordability and pollution are relevant, but they remain general and are not developed with enough explanation. The Japan example is potentially useful, yet it focuses on fast trains without showing clearly how they support the economy. The response also contains 226 words, so it is 24 words below the 250-word minimum; 29 words copied from the task prompt were not counted. To strengthen the response, explain the benefits and drawbacks of each investment choice, support them with specific examples, and develop your opinion further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs on the two views, an opinion, and a conclusion. This helps the reader follow the main topics. However, progression within paragraphs is limited, and some links between ideas are unclear. For example, the claim that new railways “can easily distribute the population” is not explained, while the Japan example moves quickly from speed to travel time, cost and the economy. Linking phrases such as “First and foremost” and “Furthermore” signal stages, but the connections can feel mechanical. Build each body paragraph around one main claim, then explain it and show how the example supports it; also integrate your opinion into the discussion rather than leaving it as a brief separate paragraph.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “railway lines,” “public transport,” “air pollution” and “environment.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the meaning less natural. Examples include “improving economy,” “budget friendly,” and “distribute the population.” There are also spelling errors such as “veichal.” Aim to use more precise transport and investment vocabulary, and check common word partnerships and spelling. For instance, you could explain whether rail investment improves “economic growth,” whether fares are “affordable,” and whether transport links help “ease pressure on major cities.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Your writing communicates the central message, but grammatical errors are frequent and sometimes make sentences difficult to follow. The response relies mainly on simple sentence patterns, while attempts to combine ideas often lack correct structure or punctuation: “through trains people can easily reach any city of their country which directly help to growth of country.” There are recurring problems with articles, agreement and verb forms, as in “trains play important role,” “public transport help,” and “trains helps.” Sentence boundaries also need attention, particularly where two clauses run together. Practise building accurate complex sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and proofread each sentence for articles, singular/plural agreement and punctuation.

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