Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-04

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 4.5)

"The topic illustrates the money spent on fast trains and transport. Firstly, there are many types of transport, such as cars, bikes, etc. This means a lot of people use public transport. Secondly, nowadays there are many advantages of trains. The train is very fast. There are many people sitting on trains. But the main topic discussed is spending money. Spending a lot of money is the best way of constructing new railway lines between cities. For example, there are many cities like Islamabad and Multan. There are many junctions present there. Basically, this transport helps many people travel easily. Some people enjoy travelling by train. Some children also feel happy there.

On the other hand, the money should be spent on improving existing public transport. There are a few reasons. Firstly, public transport has many benefits for travelling. Many people think that there are a lot of pollution, vehicle problems, and petrol problems. Moreover, there are many disadvantages to spending money on improving existing public transport because a lot of people spend so much money on public transport. It is a very fast track. People should not spend too much money on improving public transport because it is a waste of money. It is useful. Some people do not feel tired. Another benefit is that it makes travelling distances easier compared to other transport. However, people do not think about spending extra money. People think that it is a waste of time and money.

In conclusion, some people think transport is a good option. But it has various advantages and disadvantages. In my opinion, the money should not be spent on improving existing public transport."

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response makes a limited attempt to discuss both views, but it does not explain the arguments behind either position clearly. The first paragraph mentions fast trains and new railway lines, yet points such as “Some children also feel happy there” do not support why large investment in high-speed rail is worthwhile. The second paragraph refers to pollution and vehicle problems, but then gives contradictory claims: improving public transport is described as both beneficial and “a waste of money.” Your opinion appears in the conclusion, but it is not clearly reasoned or consistently supported. To strengthen the response, explain practical benefits and drawbacks for each option, then state a clear preference and support it with relevant examples. The supplied length check confirms the minimum is met; 10 words copied from the prompt were excluded from the count.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic overall shape, with an opening, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. You also use signposts such as “Firstly,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion,” which help identify stages of the response. However, ideas within paragraphs are often placed beside one another without a clear logical connection. For example, the first paragraph moves from types of transport to train speed, then to cities and children’s enjoyment. In the second, opposing claims about spending are not reconciled, making the line of reasoning difficult to follow. Some linking phrases are also used mechanically rather than to show a precise relationship. Group related points and explain how each one supports the paragraph’s main claim.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use basic topic vocabulary such as “public transport,” “railway lines,” “pollution,” and “travelling,” so the general subject is usually identifiable. However, the range is repetitive and often too general to express the specific arguments required. Phrases such as “many advantages,” “many disadvantages,” and “a good option” do not tell the reader exactly what benefit or drawback you mean. Some combinations are also imprecise, including “a lot of pollution” in a sentence about what people think and “a very fast track” when discussing public transport. Build a more precise set of transport-related terms and use them in natural combinations, such as “reduce congestion,” “upgrade existing services,” or “high-speed rail links.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Most sentences use straightforward structures, and the reader can generally understand the intended meaning. You also attempt some longer sentences with connectors, for example, “Many people think that there are a lot of pollution, vehicle problems, and petrol problems.” However, the range remains limited, and errors in these attempts reduce accuracy. In that example, “pollution” is uncountable, so the construction with “a lot of” needs to be adjusted; the list also lacks a clear grammatical relationship to the claim. The sentence beginning “Moreover” is difficult to follow because its clauses and ideas do not fit together clearly. Practise building accurate complex sentences with a main claim followed by a reason or result, and check agreement, articles, and punctuation.

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