Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-31
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)
It is predicted that cars, buses and trucks will become driverless in the future, with passengers being the only people travelling inside them. Although this development could offer some benefits, I believe its disadvantages outweigh its advantages.
On the one hand, driverless vehicles may experience software malfunctions, which could cause serious accidents. These vehicles rely on advanced systems to detect other vehicles and objects, but a technical error could prevent them from accurately interpreting their surroundings. For example, if a driverless car fails to detect another vehicle because of a software error, it could cause a collision and seriously injure passengers. In addition, navigation errors could cause vehicles to take inefficient routes. As a result, passengers might arrive late for work or other important commitments, causing inconvenience in their daily lives.
On the other hand, driverless vehicles could provide transportation when human drivers are unavailable. Unlike traditional taxis, which may be difficult to find at night or in remote areas, automated vehicles could operate around the clock. For instance, a person living in a rural area could use a driverless vehicle to travel to a nearby town late at night, even when conventional taxis are unavailable. Therefore, this technology could make transportation more accessible at different times.
In conclusion, although driverless vehicles could provide convenient transportation when human drivers are unavailable, the potential for software and navigation failures could have serious consequences. Therefore, I believe their disadvantages are more significant than their advantages.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages and taking a clear position. However, the essay falls short of the 250-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. While the arguments regarding software malfunctions and accessibility are relevant, they are somewhat brief. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more detailed examples or deeper analysis. The conclusion is clear, but the overall development is limited by the word count, preventing a more thorough exploration of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
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. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'In addition,' and 'For instance' effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the structure supports the overall argument well. To improve, you could vary your linking words further to avoid a slightly mechanical feel, but the current level of cohesion is sufficient for a clear and logical flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'software malfunctions,' 'inefficient routes,' and 'conventional taxis' correctly. The language is natural and conveys your meaning clearly without any significant errors. However, the vocabulary is somewhat functional and lacks the more sophisticated or 'less common' lexical items that would push the score into the 8.0 range. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations or academic synonyms to demonstrate a wider, more flexible range of vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Your grammar is generally accurate, and there are very few errors that impede communication. You successfully use conditional structures ('if a driverless car fails...') and complex sentences with subordinate clauses ('Although this development could offer...'). The punctuation is also handled correctly. While the range of structures is sufficient, you could aim for more varied sentence beginnings and more complex grammatical forms to demonstrate greater flexibility and control, which would help in achieving a higher band score.
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.