Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-30

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 6.0)

The issue of whether the government should spend money on railways rather than roads has sparked considerable debate. Some people believe that spending on roads is much more important, while others argue that the government should allocate more money to train transport. I largely agree that the government should spend more funds on railways, as they make travelling more convenient both within cities and between them.

In my opinion, authorities should invest more in railway lines because trains provide a smooth and convenient means of transportation between different areas, including cities, towns and rural regions. Spending on train services could help individuals travel from one place to another more easily, as railways can cover long distances efficiently. For instance, people living in rural areas may need to change two or more buses to reach their destination. A convenient train service could make their journey easier and save both time and money.

Secondly, I firmly believe that the government should spend more on the rail network because trains can carry more passengers at once than other forms of public transport, such as buses and cars. As a result, hundreds of people can travel in a single journey compared with other transport systems. This can help control traffic and reduce fuel consumption. People can use rail services instead of travelling in their own cars, which can reduce their travelling costs as well as fuel expenses. In turn, this can help to reduce traffic congestion.

On the other hand, some people may believe that the state should spend more money on roads. I think that the transport authorities should maintain essential roads while giving greater priority to railways. Road transport is still necessary because many goods and medicines are transported by buses and trucks. However, the government should allocate more funds to rail services, especially in areas where traffic congestion and pollution are serious problems.

In conclusion, although roads are important for transportation, investing more in railways could provide a more convenient and sustainable transport system in the long term.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response is largely off-topic, as the student discusses whether the government should spend money on railways rather than roads. However, the prompt specifically asks whether medical research should be carried out by private companies, individuals, or the government. Because the content fails to address the prompt's core question regarding research funding, the response cannot be considered a successful answer to the task. To achieve a higher band, the essay must directly address the actual prompt provided, ensuring that all ideas and arguments are relevant to the specified topic.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a clear overall arrangement with logical paragraphing. Each paragraph has a discernible focus, such as the benefits of train travel, passenger capacity, and counter-arguments regarding roads. Cohesive devices like 'Secondly', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are used to structure the text, though referencing is sometimes repetitive. To reach a higher band, the writer could make transitions between sentences smoother and ensure that cohesive devices are used more flexibly without relying on formulaic transitions, thereby enhancing the natural progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, demonstrating an attempt to use less common items such as 'sustainable transport system', 'traffic congestion', and 'allocate more funds'. However, there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing related to the misinterpretation of the topic. To move up to a higher band, the student should incorporate a wider range of sophisticated, less common lexical items with greater precision in collocations, ensuring that vocabulary choice is entirely appropriate for the intended context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The writing exhibits a good variety of complex sentence structures with frequent error-free sentences. The writer demonstrates strong control over grammar and punctuation, using subordinate clauses effectively in sentences such as 'As a result, hundreds of people can travel in a single journey compared with other transport systems.' Errors are rare and do not impede communication. To achieve an even higher band, the student should aim to maintain consistent error-free control across a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, demonstrating full flexibility.

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

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