Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-29

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many parts of the world, people rely on private cars for transportation.

In what ways does reliance on private cars affect the way we live?

Do the effects tend to be positive or negative?

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

Student answer (Band 6.5)

The presence of private cars has reshaped how we live in countless corners of the globe. This essay will explore the diverse ways our reliance on personal vehicles impacts on our lives. This essay will explain how it has negative impact in the following paragraphs.

One of the apparent effects is the increase in personal freedom and flexibility private cars offer. Owing a car allows to finish the waiting line for public transportation, explore new destinations at our own pace, This expands leisure activities and people can enjoy their more time with friends by going with them because they have their private cars; therefore, they can go anywhere and anytime. For instance, a family with a car can take unplanned weekend trips to the beach or some other places without thinking of public transportation is accessible on that place or not.

The dependence on cars negatively impacts urban planning and the design of public spaces. Cities by car infrastructure prioritize parking lots and wide roads which put detrimental impact on green spaces, pedestrian walkways and cycling infrastructure. Moreover, it also effects the outdoor activities and people depend upon automobiles for even short distances.

In conclusion, I would like to restate that although private cars offer convenience and freedom but the negative impacts on our environment, public health cannot be neglected.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource6.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt, discussing the effects of car reliance and providing a clear stance that the impacts are largely negative. However, the essay fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 220 words. This under-length significantly limits the development of your ideas. While the points regarding personal freedom and urban planning are relevant, they lack the depth and detailed supporting evidence required for a higher band score. To improve, you should expand on your arguments with more specific examples or deeper analysis to ensure you comfortably exceed the word count threshold.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. There is a clear progression of ideas, moving from the benefits of car ownership to the negative consequences on urban design. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive. For instance, the transition between sentences could be smoother. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the overall flow would benefit from a wider variety of linking words and better referencing to connect ideas more fluidly across the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms such as 'reshaped', 'flexibility', 'detrimental', and 'infrastructure'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'Owing a car' (should be 'Owning') and 'effects the outdoor activities' (should be 'affects'). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing, such as the repeated use of 'private cars' throughout the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'allows to finish the waiting line' (missing object/incorrect structure), 'thinking of public transportation is accessible' (incorrect clause structure), and 'although private cars offer convenience and freedom but' (incorrect use of 'although' with 'but'). These errors do not impede communication, but they indicate a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of complex sentence construction.

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