Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Nowadays , some people in some countries believe that is crucial to invest money on building new railway lines for bullet trains between cities. Others argue that the budget should be used on improving the existing transport means.

In this essay, I'll discuss both perspectives and then share my opinion.

On the one hand spending money on constructing new railroads for bullet trains across cities could be beneficial, in fact it can bring people together and bridge the gap between cities, so that there will be more trading trends or knowlege transfer in the near future; for example, connecting cities and all could create better job opportunities, thus increasing the nation's economy. Moreover, these trains help reduce the transport's congestion as well as diminish the gas emitted per person, since most of the them work with electricity thus preserving the environment.

On the other investing a large amount of money on these high-speed trains and neglecting the existing public transport, does have many flaws. In this case the rail tracks of the public means will suffer from erosion over time and as result could be life threatening for all passengers. Furthermore these trains all requires high maintenance as well as an exorbitant budget often exceeding billions in some countries like the US, Germany, China....

In my opinion, we should focus more on enhancing the existing public transport rather than investing on building those bullet trains. Besides that amount of money could be used to boost the quality of equipements in various type of fields like education, healthcare, technology...

In conclusion, although building high-speed railway lines can improve connectivity between major cities and reduce travel times, I believe that investing in existing public transport systems should take priority, as it would benefit a larger proportion of the population and address current transportation problems more effectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both views and state a consistent preference for improving existing transport, so the response covers the task and gives a clear position. The case for high-speed rail includes connectivity, employment, economic growth and lower emissions; the conclusion also explains that existing systems serve more people and address current problems. However, some points are asserted rather than fully explained. For instance, the claim that new lines create “more trading trends or knowledge transfer” would be stronger with a clearer explanation or a specific example. The drawbacks of neglecting current transport are also less developed than the benefits of new rail. To strengthen the response further, explain how investment in existing services would improve daily journeys and support your comparison with a relevant example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear overall progression: an introduction, a paragraph for each view, your opinion, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “On the one hand,” “On the other,” and “In conclusion” helps readers follow the discussion, and the final paragraph restates your position clearly. Some linking is less smooth within paragraphs: “in fact” and “so that” connect several claims in the first body paragraph without making their relationships fully clear, while “Besides that amount of money” does not clearly refer back to a specific point. The separate opinion paragraph also repeats the preference stated in the conclusion. To move the organisation forward, make links between claims more precise and integrate your opinion with the supporting explanation rather than repeating it.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for the topic, including terms such as “connectivity,” “congestion,” “high-speed trains,” and “maintenance.” There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “bridge the gap between cities” and “life threatening,” although some choices are inaccurate or unnatural in context. Examples include “trading trends,” “transport means,” and “the gas emitted per person”; these make parts of the argument less precise. Spelling and word-form slips such as “knowlege” and “equipements” are noticeable but do not prevent understanding. Aim for more natural transport collocations and check spelling carefully. For example, use “trade between cities,” “public transport services,” and “emissions per passenger” to express these ideas more precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex structures, including cause-and-effect clauses (“since most of them work with electricity”) and a conditional result (“could create better job opportunities, thus increasing the nation’s economy”). Meaning is generally clear, but some grammatical errors remain. The opening phrase “some people … believe that is crucial” is missing a subject after “that,” and “these trains all requires” has a subject–verb agreement error. There are also issues with articles and sentence boundaries, as in “as result” and the long first body sentence, which would benefit from clearer punctuation. Review agreement, article use, and comma placement, and divide sentences when they contain several separate claims. This would improve accuracy while preserving the range of structures you are attempting.

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