Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · IELTS Predictions Nov 2026 · 2026-11-08

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Recently the cost of public transport is rising rapidly. This is making it harder for some people to travel to work and other places.

What is the reason?

What solution can be done to solve this problem?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 4.0)

It is often argued that the price of public transport is increasing so fast as individuals find it making more challenging for individuals to travel to their workplace as well as other surroundings because of expensive prices.

To commence with, governments are increasing the prices as they can get benifits but it is effecting the life of individuals who travel by bus or train. By increasing the prirce

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response3.0
Coherence and Cohesion3.5
Lexical Resource4.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy4.5
Overall4.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the general issue—rising public-transport prices—and begins to suggest a reason, saying governments raise fares “as they can get benifits.” However, it does not explain this reason clearly or support it with an example, and it gives no solution, despite the task asking for both causes and remedies. The final phrase, “By increasing the prirce,” is unfinished, so the main ideas are not developed into a complete answer. The response is also substantially below the required 250 words, which leaves the task only minimally addressed. To improve, explain plausible causes, such as higher fuel or operating costs, then propose specific measures and show how they would help commuters.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the answer: an opening statement is followed by a paragraph beginning “To commence with.” This gives the reader a small amount of direction, but the response stops before a clear progression of ideas can develop. The opening repeats the idea of rising prices and difficulty travelling, while the next paragraph introduces a reason without explaining its connection. The final fragment, “By increasing the prirce,” leaves the paragraph incomplete and disrupts the flow. Use separate paragraphs for causes and solutions, and connect each point with clear explanation—for example, state a cause, explain its effect on fares, and then introduce a practical remedy.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses some relevant vocabulary, including “public transport,” “increasing,” “workplace,” and “travel,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is narrow and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise: “individuals” appears repeatedly, and “other surroundings” does not clearly express the intended meaning. There are also spelling errors in “benifits” and “prirce,” and “get benefits” is an imprecise way to describe why governments might raise fares. Aim for more precise topic vocabulary and accurate spelling, such as “commuters,” “operating costs,” and “fare revenue.” This would make the limited ideas clearer and more appropriate to an IELTS essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts a complex opening sentence using “as” and “because,” and the meaning is broadly understandable. However, the sentence is overloaded and its structure is difficult to follow: “as individuals find it making more challenging for individuals to travel” contains an unclear construction. The next sentence, “governments are increasing the prices as they can get benifits,” is grammatically simple, and the final line beginning “By increasing…” is incomplete. There is little evidence of a range of sentence forms or sustained control because the response ends so early. Practise writing complete, direct sentences, then add one subordinate clause where useful—for example, explain that fares rise when operating costs increase.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.