Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-13

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 4.0)

To begin with, there are several reasons why this issue is important in our daily life. The main reason is that it can have a direct effect on people and society. For example, many people face this situation in their daily lives, and it can change their lifestyle in different ways. In addition, this issue can also affect young people, families and the community. Another important point is that it may create both positive and negative effects, depending on how people deal with it. Therefore, it is important to understand this issue carefully and take suitable steps to improve the situation. Overall, this is a significant point that should not be ignored.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 3.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, coming in at only 112 words. Furthermore, the content is entirely off-topic and lacks any engagement with the prompt about driverless vehicles and whether their advantages outweigh their disadvantages. Instead of discussing transport, safety, or technology, the text consists of vague, generic filler sentences such as 'many people face this situation in their daily lives, and it can change their lifestyle in different ways.' Because the response is significantly under-length and does not address any part of the task prompt, it falls below the descriptors for Band 4.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

Although the text is grouped into a single paragraph and uses basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'In addition', and 'Overall', the progression of ideas is practically non-existent because the sentences are overly general and devoid of a specific topic. There is no logical development of arguments regarding the prompt. Referencing is repetitive, relying heavily on vague placeholders like 'this issue' and 'this situation' without establishing clear referents. Paragraphing is also inadequate for an essay format, as it consists of only one block of text. This performance aligns best with Band 4 descriptors for cohesion and organisation.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary used throughout the response is extremely basic, repetitive, and lacks any specific terminology related to the essay topic. Phrases like 'important issue', 'daily lives', 'positive and negative effects', and 'improve the situation' are recycled without demonstrating flexibility or precision. There are no attempts at less common lexical items, and the language is restricted to rudimentary functional phrases. While the spelling is generally accurate, the range of vocabulary is far too limited for higher bands, reflecting the Band 4 descriptor where vocabulary is basic and repetitive.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The writer demonstrates control over very basic sentence structures, such as simple and compound sentences linked with coordinating conjunctions ('and') or basic introductory phrases ('To begin with', 'Another important point is that'). However, the grammatical range is severely limited, consisting mostly of predictable patterns and copula verbs. While there are few overt grammatical errors due to the extreme simplicity of the syntax, the lack of a variety of complex structures prevents the response from achieving a higher score. Communication is not severely impeded by errors, but the range is minimal, fitting the Band 4 to Band 5 profile.

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

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