Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-28

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 contemporary society, transport service imperative for individuals as they rely on public transport to commute to work. In many nations, it is contentious issue whether it is necessary to spend a lot of money on constructing new railway line for very fast train between town or the money should be spent on enhance existing public transport.This essay will not only discuss both the viewpoints but my opinion will also be highlighted while concluding this.

one compelling argument in favour of spend large amout money on new railway lines is that these trains enable passengers to travel between distant cities in a shorter period of time As a consequence,businesspeople and tourists can save valuable time and travel more conveniently. For instance,e, businesspeople travelling between major cities such as Ahmedabad and Mumbai can attend important meetings more quickly by using high-speed trains, while tourists can visit different destinations without spending excessive time on travelling.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response introduces the topic and gives a relevant reason for high-speed rail: it can reduce travel time for businesspeople and tourists. The Ahmedabad–Mumbai example helps illustrate this point. However, the task asks you to discuss both views and give your own opinion, and the response only develops the case for new railway lines. It does not explain why improving existing public transport might be preferable, nor does it state a clear personal position. The conclusion is promised but not provided. The response is also 97 words below the required minimum, which leaves too little space to address and support all parts of the task. Develop both sides, make your view explicit, and support it with reasons and examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic structure: an introductory paragraph is followed by a paragraph presenting one argument, and the example is connected to that argument with “For instance.” The sequence from faster journeys to benefits for businesspeople and tourists is understandable. However, the response ends before establishing an overall progression through both sides and a conclusion. The opening says the essay will discuss both views, but the body does not fulfil that plan. Some linking is also awkward or mechanically attached, as in “As a consequence,businesspeople,” and the long opening sentence makes the central question harder to follow. Use separate paragraphs for each viewpoint and your opinion, and check spacing and punctuation around linking phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses some relevant topic vocabulary, including “public transport,” “railway lines,” “high-speed trains,” and “distant cities.” Phrases such as “save valuable time” and “travel more conveniently” communicate the intended benefits clearly. There are, however, noticeable word-choice, word-form, spelling, and collocation problems: “transport service imperative” is not a natural expression, “spend a lot of money” is repeated from the prompt’s idea, and “on travelling” is less natural than “travelling.” Errors such as “amout” and the stray “e” in “For instance,e” also reduce accuracy. Build a wider range for discussing investment and transport improvements, and proofread spelling and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both a complex opening structure (“whether … or …”) and a cause-and-effect sentence beginning “As a consequence,” so the response shows some variety beyond simple statements. Meaning is generally recoverable, but several grammatical errors remain. For example, “transport service imperative” is missing a verb, “it is contentious issue” needs an article, and “on enhance existing public transport” uses an incorrect verb form after the preposition. The phrase “one compelling argument in favour of spend” also needs a gerund or noun construction. Punctuation and sentence boundaries are inconsistent, particularly in the opening and around “As a consequence.” Practise accurate article use, verb patterns after prepositions, and proofreading sentence boundaries while retaining your attempts at complex structures.

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