Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-12

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)

People in different parts of the world rely on private cars for daily commute. It is more convienet for people as it saves time, on the other hand the fuel prices are increses rapidly, therefor, the effects could be postive and negative both. we will discuss both effects further in the eassy.

On one hand, commuting through private car, is more convenient for everyday tarnsport as it saves time, for example, my workplace is 15 kilometers away from home,so, if I travel through public transport it takes 1 hour exact to be on time for work and I have to take 3 buses, whereas , If I take my car to work it only will take 15 minutes.

On the other hand, having a private car comes with high maintenence, parking issues, fuel expense and so on. Secondly, it will increase the air pollution, for instance, nowadays people are buying more and more cars for their usage, therefore, incresing number of vehicles on roads and equally rising the carbon exposure to the air. These increases inflation. It is expensive to have a private cars because we have to pay for parking monthly, insurance, gas price, maintenance, monthly services .e.t.c.

To conclude, having perspnal vehicle comes with its pros and cons.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address both parts of the question by describing convenience and time savings as benefits, then discussing costs and air pollution as drawbacks. The example of travelling 15 kilometres to work by car versus taking three buses makes the convenience point relevant and specific. However, the response is short of the required 250 words, and this limits how fully you can explain the effects. Your position is also not fully clear: the introduction says the effects are both positive and negative, while the conclusion only says cars have “pros and cons,” without deciding whether the overall effects tend to be positive or negative. Develop the impacts on daily life further and state your overall judgement clearly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for benefits and drawbacks, and a conclusion. This makes the main contrast easy to follow. You also use signposts such as “On one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “To conclude.” However, some linking is mechanical, and the introduction’s “we will discuss both effects further” does not establish a clear line of argument. Within the negative-effects paragraph, costs, parking, and pollution are listed together without much development or a clear transition between them. The final sentence repeats the general contrast rather than bringing the ideas together. Use clearer links between each effect and its consequence, and make the conclusion reflect your stated overall position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “public transport,” “air pollution,” “insurance,” and “maintenance,” and the contrast between convenience and expense is understandable. However, the range is limited and some expressions are imprecise or awkward, such as “carbon exposure to the air,” “These increases inflation,” and “commuting through private car.” Spelling errors—including “convienet,” “increses,” “tarnsport,” and “perspnal”—are noticeable and can distract the reader. Aim for more accurate topic-specific collocations, such as “carbon emissions,” “rising fuel costs,” and “travel by private car.” Proofreading spelling and choosing precise phrases will make your ideas easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentences, including the comparison between travelling by bus and by car, and the main meaning is generally recoverable. However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and complex sentences are often faulty. For example, “It is more convenient for people as it saves time, on the other hand the fuel prices are…” joins contrasting clauses with incorrect punctuation; “These increases inflation” has a subject–verb agreement problem; and “It is expensive to have a private cars” has an article and plural error. There are also inconsistent capital letters and spacing around punctuation. Practise separating contrasting ideas into correctly punctuated sentences, and check agreement, articles, and singular/plural forms.

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