Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-12
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 7.0)
It is often said that driverless cars, buses, and trucks will completely replace human drivers in the future. Although autonomous vehicles have some drawbacks like unemployment and technical issues, I think the benefits are more important for society.
On the one hand, driverless technology has some clear disadvantages. The main problem is job losses for people who work as taxi, bus, or truck drivers. If all vehicles become automatic, millions of workers around the world will lose their jobs and face severe financial problems. Another issue is that computer systems can sometimes glitch, fail, or get hacked by malicious users. If the technology fails while driving at high speeds on busy roads, it could cause serious accidents and threaten human lives.
On the other hand, there are major advantages to using automated transport. Firstly, road safety will improve significantly because most traffic accidents happen because of human error, such as driving too fast, using mobile phones, or getting tired. Computers do not get distracted, so they can follow traffic rules properly and react faster to dangers. Secondly, traveling will be much more convenient and productive. Passengers can rest, read books, or do work during their commute time instead of focusing on the road. Finally, elderly people and people with disabilities who cannot drive themselves will have better mobility and freedom.
In conclusion, although driverless vehicles could cause job losses for transport workers and have some technical risks, the advantages like better road safety, convenience, and accessibility make them a positive development overall.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The arguments are relevant and well-developed, with specific points regarding job displacement and technical risks balanced against safety, convenience, and accessibility. The essay maintains a consistent stance throughout. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more nuanced examples or a deeper exploration of the long-term societal implications of autonomous transport to further extend the ideas presented.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Firstly', and 'Finally' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the disadvantages from the advantages. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between ideas is clear throughout the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses topic-specific terms such as 'autonomous vehicles', 'malicious users', and 'commute time' accurately. While the range is adequate, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or idiomatic expression that would characterize a band 8 or 9. The word choices are precise enough to convey the intended meaning without error, but the essay relies on relatively standard academic vocabulary rather than more varied or precise lexical items.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The essay demonstrates a good command of grammatical structures. There is a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as the conditional 'If all vehicles become automatic, millions of workers... will lose their jobs'. The grammar is largely accurate, with very few errors. Punctuation is used correctly to support the structure of the sentences. The writing is clear and error-free for the most part, showing a high level of control over sentence construction, which is consistent with the band 8 descriptor.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.