Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-19

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that the only reason for learning a foreign language is in order to travel to or work in a foreign country. Others say that these are not the only reasons why someone should learn a foreign language.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

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

Student answer (Band 4.0)

In this regard, there are two popular prevailing notions. One believes that it is necessary to spend large sums of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities while other claims that the money should be spent on improving existing public transport. I tend to argue on both schools of thought and share my opinion.

In the first place, the people, who assume it is very important to spend money on new railway lines for fast trains. It has many benefits. For example, if every person uses their own vehicles, it becomes very expensive. They could not afford the expense of petrol and other maintenance cost. Trains must be provided as public transport. For instance, trains provided very benefit for citizens such as: if someone cannot afford their own vehicles, and trains are budget-friendly so, everyone can afford it easily. Thus, it is pertinent to say that if people use fast trains, it will reduce traffic congestion on the roads.

On the other hand, who oppose the first notion, also possess some logical points to get themselves heard. Initially, they believe that the money should be spent on improving existing public transport. Public transport is also important. For example, if people are going from one city to another city they can use public tranport like local buses, vans and cars. Moreover, they also stress on a point that building fast trains is very expensive. With a lower budget, the government replace new buses and repair roads for the public. Hence, it is worth saying that investing in fast trains is the best way to modernise the public transport and reduce overall trafic congestion.

In a nutshell, after considering all the above-mentioned arguments we can reach a logical conclusion that both fast trains and local transport are important for the public.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 3.0

There is a major issue with task relevance in this response. The student's text discusses whether to spend money on constructing new railway lines for fast trains versus improving existing public transport. However, the actual prompt asks about whether the only reason for learning a foreign language is for travel or work. Because the response addresses a completely different topic (likely memorised from a transportation essay prompt), it fails to address the prompt's core question regarding foreign languages. Consequently, the position is entirely misplaced and the task is not answered. Under the official descriptors, this results in a low score for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.5

The essay is divided into an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion, showing some basic paragraphing structure. However, the logical progression is severely disrupted by the complete mismatch with the prompt. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or repetitively, such as the frequent reliance on 'For example', 'For instance', and transitional phrases like 'In the first place' and 'On the other hand'. While sentences are linked together mechanically, referencing is occasionally unclear, and the overall arrangement reflects a template-driven approach rather than a cohesive response to the specific stimulus. Paragraphing is present, but the organizational control is weak.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.5

The vocabulary used is largely repetitive and basic, heavily themed around transportation ('railway lines', 'fast trains', 'public transport', 'traffic congestion'). There are several word choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'One believes that' instead of 'Some believe that', 'trains provided very benefit for citizens', and 'the government replace new buses' (missing tense/modal). While the vocabulary is adequate to convey simple ideas about transport, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands, and there are noticeable errors in word formation and collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The response contains a mix of simple and attempted complex sentences, but many complex structures are grammatically faulty or incomplete. Examples of grammatical errors include sentence fragments ('In the first place, the people, who assume... It has many benefits.'), awkward subordination ('On the other hand, who oppose the first notion...'), and tense inconsistencies ('the government replace new buses'). Punctuation is also erratic in places, with comma splices and missing periods. Although some simpler sentences are accurate, frequent errors in grammar and clause structure cause difficulty for the reader and restrict the score.

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

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