Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-14

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 6.0)

In many parts of the world, people depend on private cars for transportation. Although cars are convenient and comfortable, i believe that relying too much on them has more negative effects on our lives.

One major effect is that private vehicles make our daily life easier. Whereas, individuals can travel to work, college, shops, and other places quickly and comfortable. However, cars are especially useful for families, elderly people and individuals who live far from public transport. For example, a person can use a car to reach the workplace on time without waiting for a bus and train.

While, depending heavily on cars also creates several problems. First, it can cause of traffic congestion, especially in big cities. Moreover, when many individuals use their own motorbikes, roads become crowded and journeys take longer. Second, cars produce harmful gases that increase air pollution and contribute to climate change. This can negatively affect people`s health. In addition, owing and maintaining a car be expensive because people have to pay for fuel, insurance, repairs, and parking.

Furthermore, another negative effect is that the public may become less active. Instead of walking or cycling for short distances, they may choose to drive. This can reduce physical activity and lead to an unhealthy lifestyle.

In conclusion, private cars provide comfort, freedom, and convenience, but excessive dependence on them causes traffic, pollution, high cost, and less physical activity. Therefore, i believe the negative effects are greater, and people should use public transport, walking, and cycling whenever possible.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating the position that the negative effects of car reliance outweigh the benefits. The ideas are relevant and logically developed, covering both the convenience of cars and the drawbacks such as traffic, pollution, and health impacts. While the arguments are sound, some points could be further extended with more specific examples or deeper analysis to reach a higher band. For instance, the discussion on health could be expanded by linking sedentary lifestyles to specific chronic conditions. Overall, the response is well-focused and maintains a clear position throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, such as the benefits of cars or the environmental and health impacts. Cohesive devices like 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'Furthermore' are used to link ideas, although some transitions are slightly mechanical. The use of 'Whereas' at the start of the second paragraph is grammatically incorrect and disrupts the flow. However, the overall progression of ideas is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There is some use of topic-specific vocabulary such as 'traffic congestion', 'climate change', and 'sedentary' (implied by 'less active'). However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'cause of traffic congestion' instead of 'cause traffic congestion' and 'owing a car' instead of 'owning a car'. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise collocations and a wider range of academic vocabulary to demonstrate greater flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates 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 'quickly and comfortable' (should be 'quickly and comfortably'), 'many individuals use their own motorbikes' (the prompt is about cars, not motorbikes), and 'maintaining a car be expensive' (missing 'can'). Additionally, there are punctuation and capitalization errors, such as the lowercase 'i' used for the first-person pronoun. These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the score.

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