Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-01
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 5.5)
Knowadays, personal vehicle becomes an essential mode of transportation in many country. Private vehicles makes the life comfortable and convenient, however this thing effects negatively on the life of the person as well as on the society.
On the one hand, private cars saves the precious time of the person. In the modern era, time play a very crucial role in ones life and on personal cars one can travel directly from their home to their office, shopping malls and other places without depending on public transport. Moreover, travelling to long distance on personal vehicle make the journey comfortable. For instance, when one go on holidays to different city or province with family then one can carry all the essential items with them as they have additional storage option and also one take short breaks throughout the travel and enjoy attractive views.
On the other hand, depending on the personal vehicle is not only effect the person lifestyle but also to the society. Firstly, using own vehicle excessively can cause health issues as one have to sit and travel, while in old era, people prefer to walk or do cycling for travelling which makes them healthy. Secondly, increase in number of vehicles on the roads leads to traffic congestions which cause air pollution and burn fuels. Th
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt by discussing the effects of car reliance and providing a balanced view. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum, which prevents a full development of ideas. The conclusion is entirely missing, and the final sentence is cut off mid-thought. While the position is clear, the lack of length and the incomplete nature of the response mean that the task is only partially addressed. To improve, you must ensure you reach the word count by fully developing your arguments and including a clear summary or conclusion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'Moreover' to signal shifts in the argument. Paragraphing is present, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, because the essay ends abruptly, the overall progression is interrupted. The logical flow within paragraphs is generally clear, but the lack of a concluding paragraph makes the essay feel unfinished. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are fully linked and that you provide a clear concluding statement to wrap up your arguments.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains somewhat repetitive and simple. Phrases like 'makes the life comfortable' and 'essential mode of transportation' are functional but lack sophistication. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'effects negatively' (should be 'affects') and 'in many country' (should be 'countries'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and a wider range of academic vocabulary to express your ideas with more nuance and variety.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('Private vehicles makes', 'time play', 'one go') and pluralization ('in many country'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the incomplete final sentence is a significant issue. While the meaning is usually clear, the frequency of these errors indicates a lack of control over more complex structures. Focusing on basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring all sentences are complete will help improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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