Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-31
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 5.5)
Technology can change the world in ways that are unimaginable untilthey happen .
It is being said that in the future ,all cars ,buses and trucks will be driverless.The only people travelling inside these vehicles will be passengers.That time is not too far away ,infact many test drives have already been proven a success.
In my opinion,disadvantages of driverless automobiles outweigh its advantages.
Although,machine intelligence is doing wonders in almost every field ,it still lacks certain human skills .To begin with ,driverless cars may not consider that animals lives are precious and they need to be saved from accidents.A driverless vehicle may just focus on reaching its destination on time and may crush any thing that comes in its way.For instance, recently a driverless car company was showcasing their new unmanned cars, met with an accident .The car just lost control and crashed into a nearby bus.
Furthermore,computer-driven vehicles cannot feel or understand if a passenger is feeling nauseous and wants to get out of the car immediately .This can lead to serious consequences and can even put the life of passenger in danger.
Also, in some cases the vehicle`s airconditioner might stop working and the computer can not fix it in time ,can cause breathing problems for many people.
Self-driving cars can also be used for scams and smuggling.For example,criminals may use such vehicles to steal valuables and never get caught.As the police would take a considerable amout of time to trace the operators of that car.
Similarly ,unmanned vehicles can scam people in the garb of online taxis.When someone books a taxi to go to a particular place ,the scammers may change the location through the computers and abduct that person.
In conclusion ,I believe that driverless vehicles present more threats to society than its percieved advantages.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
Your position is clear from the outset: you believe the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, and the conclusion restates this view. You address the topic with several relevant concerns, including animal safety, passengers’ needs, vehicle failures, and criminal misuse. However, the response focuses almost entirely on disadvantages and does not explain what advantages driverless vehicles might offer or why your concerns outweigh those benefits. Some points also need fuller, more convincing support: the example of a car crashing into a bus is brief, while the claims about nausea, air conditioning, and abduction are not explained in enough detail. Develop both sides and support your strongest points with clearer reasoning or specific examples.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The essay has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs presenting concerns, and a conclusion that returns to your position. Sequencing words such as “To begin with,” “Furthermore,” and “Similarly” help signal the progression. However, the links between some ideas are mechanical, and the paragraph about passenger discomfort combines nausea with air-conditioning failure without clearly showing how these points relate. The criminal-use paragraph also moves quickly from theft to taxi scams. Some references, such as “that car” and “this,” could be made more precise. Group related arguments, use transitions that show the relationship between them, and develop each paragraph around one main point.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use a reasonable range of topic-related vocabulary, including “driverless automobiles,” “machine intelligence,” “unmanned vehicles,” “smuggling,” and “abduct.” These choices make your position and examples understandable. However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “test drives have already been proven a success,” “crush any thing,” and “in the garb of online taxis.” There are also spelling and form errors, including “amout” and “percieved,” and some repetition of “driverless vehicles” and “car.” Aim for more precise, natural collocations and check spelling carefully. A broader range of accurate terms for benefits and risks would also help you discuss both sides more flexibly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt a mix of simple and complex forms, including a concession beginning “Although machine intelligence…” and conditional structures such as “This can lead to serious consequences.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but some grammatical errors and punctuation problems remain. For example, “disadvantages … outweighs its advantages” has a subject–verb agreement problem, and “can not fix it in time, can cause breathing problems” lacks a clear grammatical connection between the clauses. The sentence beginning “For instance” also has an unclear construction around the company and the accident. Review agreement, articles, and how to join clauses; use full stops or conjunctions where needed. More consistently controlled complex sentences would strengthen the response.
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