EXAMPLE WRITING REPORT · PAGE 1 OF 4Your IELTS Writing feedback
Fictional Academic Task 2 response · Estimated task band, not an official IELTS result
Estimated task band6.0Target band 7.0
Your performance at a glance
The position is clear and the response stays on topic. The main constraint is development: one body paragraph lists benefits without explaining how they follow from the policy. The corrected version models a specific cause-and-effect example, while the action plan isolates that skill for the next essay.
Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource6.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
What is working
- Addresses all parts of the prompt
- Effective paragraph focus
- Maintains an appropriate style
What to focus on
- Ideas are listed rather than developed
- Support is vague, over-generalised or not relevant
- Systematic errors with articles, nouns or agreement
EXAMPLE WRITING REPORT · PAGE 2 OF 4Original and corrected response
Task question
Some people think governments should invest more in public transport than in new roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include relevant examples.
Original example response
Some people believe that governments should spend more money on public transport instead of building new roads. I agree with this view because buses and trains can helps many people and can make cities better.
First, public transport is useful for people who do not own a car. It is more cheap and easy for them to travel. Students and older people can use it. Also, if there are more buses, there will be less traffic. This have a good effect on the environment too. For example, in my city a new bus route was introduced and many people used it. They could travel more easily to schools and shops, and some people left their cars at home. This shows public transport is very important for everybody.
Second, building roads is expensive and it is not a permanent solution. More roads can encourage more cars. In addition, public transport creates jobs and makes the city modern. There are many benefits for society. Government need to give more money to the transport. However, roads are still necessary in places where buses cannot go, especially in rural areas. People who live far away needs safe roads to reach hospitals and schools.
In conclusion, I believe public transport should get more funding than new roads. It helps lots of people and will reduce problems in cities. Governments should also keep existing roads in good condition, but the main priority should be buses and trains.
Corrected example response
Some people argue that governments should prioritise public transport over the construction of new roads. I largely agree: reliable buses and trains can serve more residents while reducing congestion, although essential rural roads still need maintenance.
The strongest reason to invest in public transport is that it gives people without cars a dependable way to reach work, education and healthcare. For instance, if a city adds frequent buses between outer neighbourhoods and employment centres, a worker who cannot afford a car can accept a wider range of jobs. Better frequency also makes the service more attractive to drivers. When some of those drivers switch to buses, fewer individual vehicles compete for limited road space during busy periods.
By contrast, adding road capacity alone may offer only temporary relief if it encourages more car journeys. New roads also require land and continuing maintenance. This does not mean that all road spending should stop. In rural areas, where a frequent bus network may be impractical, repairing unsafe roads can be vital for access to hospitals and schools. The most sensible policy is therefore to assess local needs rather than apply the same budget rule everywhere.
Overall, I favour greater investment in public transport in towns and cities because it can widen access and reduce pressure on existing roads. Governments should nevertheless protect funding for essential maintenance, particularly in places with few realistic alternatives to driving.
Key corrections
The original position is relevant, but 'make cities better' and 'many benefits' are broad claims. 'Can helps' and 'This have' also show agreement errors. The revision specifies who benefits, how a more frequent service changes travel choices and where the argument needs a rural qualification. It is a model of development, not a script to memorise.
Original: Public transport creates jobs and makes the city modern. There are many benefits for society.
Improved: A frequent bus route to employment centres can widen access to jobs for residents who cannot afford a car.
EXAMPLE WRITING REPORT · PAGE 3 OF 4Full examiner comments
Estimated scores: Task Response 6.0 · Coherence 6.0 · Vocabulary 6.5 · Grammar 6.0
EXAMPLE WRITING REPORT · PAGE 4 OF 4How to move towards Band 7.0
Work on one priority at a time. Then try the same skill with a new question.
1Ideas are listed rather than developed
Use the ‘So what?’ test twice after every topic sentence. First ask why the point is true; then ask why it matters. Add those answers before adding another idea. Practise by expanding one four-sentence paragraph, not by writing a complete new essay.
Support is vague, over-generalised or not relevant
Use an evidence ladder: CLAIM → EXPLANATION → SPECIFIC EXAMPLE → LINK BACK. After the example, write ‘This shows that…’ and complete the sentence. If you cannot link the example back to the claim, choose a more relevant example rather than adding more detail.
Systematic errors with articles, nouns or agreement
Focus on one pattern at a time. For every noun, ask: Is it countable? Singular or plural? Does it need a/an/the? Then check whether the verb agrees: ‘The number of cars has increased’ but ‘Car numbers have increased’. Correct ten examples before writing a new paragraph.
Next steps
Your route towards Band 7.0 depends on consistency rather than adding more content. Develop the main ideas or features more precisely, make cohesion less mechanical and reduce repeated language errors. Practise the same priority on new questions so the improvement transfers under time pressure.
This is an independent assessment and an estimated band. The English Examiner is not affiliated with or endorsed by IELTS or its test partners.
Examiner overview
The position is clear and the response stays on topic. The main constraint is development: one body paragraph lists benefits without explaining how they follow from the policy. The corrected version models a specific cause-and-effect example, while the action plan isolates that skill for the next essay.