Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Nowadays, many medical research projects are funded by private companies. In your opinion, do you think that research should be carried by private companies, individuals or government?

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

Student answer (Band 4.5)

I partially disagree with this statement because nowadays a large number of people travel on the roads rather than railways. I believe that government should spend more money roads rather than railways. Furthermore, this essay will discuss both perspectives before presenting my own opinion.

To begin with, the government should spend more money on roads rather than railways because many types of transport, such as buses, cars, and motorcycles, use roads. Therefore, investing in roads can be more beneficial for a large number of people. For example, individuals can reach their destinations safely and conveniently.

On the other hand, some money should also be spent on railways because a large number of people can travel by train. Railways are also beneficial for transporting heavy materials. For example, trains can carry large quantities of goods from one city to another efficiently

As far as I am concerned that authorities should spend more money on the roads because in this modern era, a large number of vehicles use roads every day . For example, if the authorities spend more money on roads, there will be a lower risk of accidents on the roads.

In conclusion, I believe that the government should spend an equal amount of money on both railways and roads because they are beneficial for our country and the environment. For example, better roads and railways allow us to transport materials easily between cities and carry heavy goods more efficiently.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response3.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall4.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 3.0

The response is completely off-topic. The prompt asks for an opinion on the funding of medical research by private companies, individuals, or the government. However, the essay discusses the funding of roads versus railways. Because the response fails to address the specific task question, it cannot be assessed as a relevant answer. Furthermore, the response is under the 250-word minimum requirement, which further impacts the score. To improve, you must carefully read the prompt and ensure your arguments directly address the specific subject matter provided in the task instructions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is structured into logical paragraphs with clear topic sentences, such as 'To begin with' and 'On the other hand'. There is an attempt to use cohesive devices like 'Furthermore' and 'Therefore'. However, the internal logic is disconnected from the prompt. While the paragraphing is appropriate for an essay format, the lack of relevance to the actual topic makes the overall progression ineffective. The transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is mechanical, and the conclusion contradicts the earlier stance taken in the introduction.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is repetitive and basic. Phrases such as 'a large number of people' are used multiple times, which limits the range of expression. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or an attempt to use precise terminology related to the topic of research funding. While the vocabulary used is generally accurate in its spelling and basic usage, it lacks the sophistication and variety required for higher band scores. To improve, focus on using synonyms and topic-specific vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and compound sentences. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'As far as I am concerned that authorities should spend', where the inclusion of 'that' is redundant. Punctuation is generally acceptable, though there are minor issues with spacing and sentence structure. The range of grammatical structures is limited, relying heavily on simple subject-verb-object patterns. To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate more complex structures, such as conditional sentences or relative clauses, while maintaining accuracy.

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

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