Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that the best way to discourage smoking is to make smoking illegal in public places. Other people say that this is not enough and that other measures are needed.

Discuss both these views, and give your opinion.

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

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Nowadays, there has been a conversation about the possible way to put an end to the use of hard drugs by some individuals . While others believe that laws should be enforced to prevent smoking in public areas, another group recommend trying alternative measures. This essay will discuss the both views and give possible solutions to the problem.

To begin with, rules and regulations regarding to smoking drugs in public spaces will help minimize offenders from engaging in such act. This is because, areas such as the bars and clubs give easy access to use drugs. This has made it possible for drug users to have easy access to smoking marijuana and Indian hemp. For instance a recovering drug addict who is still struggling to quit smoking might find it difficult to adhere to his counselor advice once he visits a club because he is surrounded by people who don’t see anything wrong in smoking.

Meanwhile, there are other measures that can be taken to reduce the use of drugs. This includes, creating health awareness about smoking and hosting campaigns. For example, campaigns about the dangers of the use of drugs can be done every month. Also television and radio commercials and ads that will talk about the health risk of drug use and also benefits of quitting smoking can be televised. This will help create awareness about the need to stop smoking.

However, although the above measures is a way that can help reduce smoking, in addition to that, I believe that creating support groups for smokers will enable them receive all the support necessary to achieve this purpose which is to quit smoking.

In conclusion, there should be strict measures taken by the government to ensure that smoking is reduced in public places as well as creating awareness and creating support groups for smokers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides an opinion. However, there is a significant issue with task focus: the prompt asks about 'smoking', but the essay repeatedly discusses 'hard drugs', 'marijuana', and 'Indian hemp'. This shift in topic significantly impacts the relevance of the arguments. While the structure covers the required elements, the content is partially off-topic because it conflates tobacco smoking with illicit drug use. To improve, ensure that the arguments remain strictly focused on the specific subject matter provided in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Meanwhile', and 'In conclusion' are used to signal the structure. However, the referencing is sometimes mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. The transition between the discussion of public smoking bans and the introduction of drug-related examples is abrupt, which affects the overall coherence. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to the intended subjects would improve the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for higher bands. There is a repetitive use of basic terms like 'smoking' and 'drugs'. Furthermore, the confusion between 'smoking' (tobacco) and 'hard drugs' suggests a lack of lexical precision regarding the topic. While the student attempts to use some topic-specific language, the misuse of terms like 'Indian hemp' in a formal essay context is inappropriate. Expanding the range of vocabulary to include more academic collocations would enhance the quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'regarding to' (should be 'regarding'), 'minimize offenders from engaging' (should be 'discourage offenders from engaging'), and 'measures is' (should be 'measures are'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article errors throughout. While these errors do not typically impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and refining the use of prepositions will help improve the accuracy of your writing.

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