Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-30

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)

In many countries, a few number of people believed that development is spending an excessive amount of funding on building new railways tracks for the fast-moving trains from city to city, howeover, others believe that this amount of funding should be used to improve exisiting public transport. In my opinion, spending the money to make existing public services better needs more attention.

Individuals in many countries consider that constructing new infrastructures and railway lines would be more beneficial for the development of the cities. No doubt, it is somehow true, building new tracks for the fast trains traveling between city to city may provide a lot of advantages to the public using it as they will be able to travel without wasting their time on the railway stations waiting for the train. For instance, if a student or may be a person from cooperate sector may have to travel regularly to another city, can use these fast moving trains for their convenient daily use.

On the other hand, already existing public transport within the city needs maintainence and improvement along with time, because a large number of people are using it daily. There must be a need of making the already existing infrastructures of roads, buses, and transport network better within the city, so that the traffic flow could be better during peak hours and public can use it comfortably. For example, a lot of students and other people using metros and public buses for their daily commute can have better traveling experience with improved public transport services.

In conclusion, constructing new railways tracks between cities is necessary but something more important that that is to make already available services reliable to use for the public because mostly people living in a city are traveling within the urban area and they need city public transport on daily basis.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your response addresses both views and gives a clear preference for improving existing public transport, especially in the introduction and conclusion. You also provide relevant examples, such as students and workers travelling between cities and daily users of buses and metros. However, the discussion is uneven: the benefits of fast trains are mainly described as saving time, while the case for improving local transport is broader but still general. The conclusion says new railways are necessary, but this position is not fully reconciled with your preference for existing services. To strengthen the response, explain the trade-offs more specifically—for example, who benefits from intercity trains and how investment in local networks affects a larger share of daily journeys—and maintain a consistent, fully explained position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, one paragraph for each view, and a conclusion. Paragraphs generally stay focused, and signposts such as “On the other hand” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the discussion. The progression is understandable, although some linking is mechanical and several sentences contain unclear references or connections. For example, “this amount of funding” refers back to the proposed railway investment, but the opening sentence is difficult to follow, while “because mostly people living in a city” does not connect smoothly to the preceding claim. Improve cohesion by making references explicit, using a wider range of natural transitions, and ensuring each example is clearly linked to the point it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of transport vocabulary, including “railway lines,” “traffic flow,” “peak hours,” “daily commute,” and “public transport services.” These choices make the topic clear, and some phrases show an attempt to be precise. However, inaccurate word forms, spelling, and collocations are noticeable and sometimes make the writing less natural: “a few number,” “railways tracks,” “cooperate sector,” and “maintainence” are examples. Repetition of “public transport,” “better,” and “city” also limits flexibility. Build accuracy by checking common collocations and spelling, and vary repeated terms where appropriate—for instance, use “urban transit” or “local transport network” when the meaning remains clear.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses with “because,” “so that,” and “if,” and the main ideas are generally understandable. However, some sentence structures are faulty, particularly where clauses are joined or subjects are omitted. In “No doubt, it is somehow true, building new tracks…,” the comma joins ideas that need clearer sentence boundaries; “if a student… may have to travel…, can use…” also lacks a clear grammatical subject in the main clause. There are additional issues with articles, plurals, and agreement, as in “between city to city” and “something more important that that.” Practise building complete clauses and checking agreement and sentence boundaries while retaining your attempts at complex structures.

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