Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-07

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In the future all cars, buses and trucks will be driverless. The only people travelling inside these vehicles will be passengers.

Do you think the advantages of driverless vehicles outweigh the disadvantages?

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

Student answer (Band 6.5)

In the future, it is predicted that all cars, buses and trucks will operate without drivers, and passengers will be the only occupants. While this technology presents some challenges, I believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

One major advantage of driverless vehicles is road safety. The majority of accidents today are caused by human error, such as fatigue, distraction, or drunk driving. Autonomous vehicles, by contrast, use sensors and AI to follow traffic rules precisely and react faster than humans. For example, companies like Tesla and Waymo are already testing self-driving taxis that have significantly fewer collisions per mile compared to human drivers.

Another benefit is increased efficiency and convenience. Driverless buses and trucks can operate 24 hours without breaks, which would reduce delivery times and public transport costs. Furthermore, passengers can use travel time productively for work or rest instead of focusing on driving. This could be especially useful in congested cities like Rajkot, where traffic jams waste hours every day.

However, there are notable disadvantages. The most obvious is job losses. Millions of people worldwide work as drivers, and automation could lead to widespread unemployment. In addition, there are concerns about cybersecurity and technical failures. If a self-driving system is hacked or malfunctions, it could result in serious accidents.

In conclusion, despite the risks of unemployment and system errors, I think the benefits of driverless vehicles are greater. They promise safer roads, less congestion, and more productive travel. With proper regulation and retraining programs for drivers, the transition to autonomous transport can be managed effectively.

AI examiner evaluation

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

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly state your position in the introduction and maintain it throughout the essay. Each body paragraph provides relevant, well-developed arguments. For instance, you support the advantage of safety with specific examples like Tesla and Waymo, and you address the disadvantage of job losses with a logical explanation. The conclusion effectively synthesizes your points and offers a balanced perspective by suggesting that the transition can be managed through regulation. The ideas are well-extended and directly relevant to the question of whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices effectively to link your points. Phrases such as 'By contrast', 'Another benefit', 'Furthermore', and 'In addition' help the reader follow your argument smoothly. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The transition between the advantages and disadvantages is handled well, ensuring the reader understands the shift in perspective. The overall structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for an academic task. You use topic-specific terms such as 'autonomous vehicles', 'cybersecurity', 'malfunctions', and 'congested cities' with precision. The language is natural and conveys your meaning clearly. While the vocabulary is sufficient and accurate, it could be elevated further to reach the highest band by incorporating more sophisticated collocations or nuanced academic phrasing. However, the current range is more than adequate to express your ideas fluently and precisely without any noticeable errors in word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses ('If a self-driving system is hacked...') and contrastive structures ('While this technology presents...'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation and grammar is strong. There are no significant errors that impede communication. You successfully use a mix of simple and complex forms to maintain a professional tone. The grammatical accuracy is consistent throughout the text, reflecting a high level of proficiency.

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

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