Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

There is a long debate in different countries, where some poeple believe that it is obligatory to spend large amounts of money on constructing new railway lines for fast trains between cities to make it more easy to travels between cities and evoid different road risks, while others think that money should be invested on improving existing public transport to help people be close to their homes. In my opinion i believe that it is better to invest in constructing new railway lines and trains that matchs between cities.

On the one hand, investing on improving existing public transport helps people get closer to their homes. By adding a lot of bus stations, investing on new buses makes people more comfortable. For instance people don't need to go far from their houses to travel or go to their works, as a result, people will be safe as bus stations are closer to their houses. Another point, by reducing the prices of public transport, car owners will depend on buses rather then their cars as the increas of the fuel, as a result, there will be a decrease in car congestion.

On the other hand, as cities become more and more crowded, constructing new railway lines for fast trains between cities is necessary. It makes people arrive in time as they have any appointments. fast trains don't have any delays as they have their own railway lines, that means there are no road congestions as a result travelers may go and arrive on time at their destinations. In addition, train lines are more safe rather then public transport. As roads are crowded public transport make poeple at risks of crashes so using train lines make travelers safer to evoid any type of risks.

In conclusion, despite of public transport benefits, i believe that it is necessary to invest in construction of new railway lines for very fast trains to make the life of poeple more comfortable.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and state a clear preference for new railway lines in the introduction and conclusion. The response gives relevant reasons, including easier access to local transport, reduced car congestion, and faster, safer inter-city journeys. However, the discussion is only partly developed: the benefits of improving existing transport are mostly asserted, and the claim that train lines are safer is not supported with a specific example or explanation. The phrase “help people be close to their homes” also leaves the intended benefit unclear. To strengthen the response, explain the practical impact of each point and support it with a relevant example. The length requirement is met; eight words copied from the task prompt were not counted.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion that restates your position. Linking phrases such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the discussion. Within paragraphs, however, connections can feel mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “as a result,” and some relationships between ideas are not fully clear. For example, the link between adding bus stations and people being safer needs more explanation. Use a wider range of linking methods, and make sure each sentence develops the point before moving to the next one. Clearer referencing would also help the argument flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use vocabulary relevant to transport and the topic, including “railway lines,” “public transport,” “car congestion,” and “destinations.” However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation, and spelling errors make parts of the argument less natural or occasionally unclear. Examples include “more easy to travels,” “invested on improving,” “the increas of the fuel,” and “evoid different road risks.” Some phrases, such as “help people be close to their homes,” do not express the intended idea precisely. Build a more accurate set of transport-related collocations and check spelling and word forms. More precise vocabulary would make your reasons clearer without requiring more complicated language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “while,” “as,” and “as they,” and the overall meaning is generally understandable. However, complex structures are often faulty, and errors in agreement, verb forms, articles, and sentence boundaries recur. For example, “trains that matchs” has an agreement error, while “as they have any appointments” does not form the intended conditional meaning. Capitalisation is also inconsistent, as in “i” and “fast trains” after a full stop. Practise building accurate sentences with subordinate clauses, and check each sentence for a clear subject and correctly formed verb. Greater control of these patterns would make the argument easier to read.

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