Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-07

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 5.5)

There are split opinion regarding making smoking ban in public places. Some believes that best way to discourage smoking is to make prohibited in public places, While another group of thinkers support that it is not sufficient and other measures are required. Both has its own pros and cons. Therefore, before commenting on my decision, Both the opinions would be discussed.

Examining the former view, the primary argument the supporters would put forward is banning smoking in public spots will create good environment for the nonsmokers. For example, installing no smoking notice on the walls can aware and encourage individuals to not smoke in open spaces. In addition, they also believe this will improve the mental and physical health of the community as it will create positive environment in the public spaces.

On the contrary, the latter view suggest that by creating more smoking zone can control the situation. This is because smokers will have designated place to smoke. Besides this, local authority should make a strict laws on smoking in public place and make awareness campaigns to encourage individuals to quit. In fact, issuing tickets to the offenders who smoke in public place can

To conclude and give my opinion, I would say that to make healthier society and environment the government should put ban on such products is the best way to deal with this situation. In a big picture, This would create more eco-friendly environment and healthier communities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses both views and provides an opinion, but it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The arguments are somewhat superficial; for instance, the suggestion to 'create more smoking zones' is presented as a counter-argument but is not fully explored or linked back to the prompt's requirement for 'other measures'. The conclusion is abrupt and contains an incomplete sentence ('In fact, issuing tickets to the offenders who smoke in public place can'), which leaves the argument unfinished. To improve, you must ensure all points are fully developed with supporting examples and that the essay meets the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the flow is hindered by mechanical transitions and some awkward phrasing. While cohesive devices like 'On the contrary' and 'In addition' are used, they are sometimes applied in a way that feels repetitive or slightly unnatural. The paragraphing is logical in intent, but the lack of development within the paragraphs makes the progression feel disjointed. Additionally, the incomplete sentence at the end of the third paragraph disrupts the coherence of the argument. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear, complete topic sentence would enhance the overall structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'Some believes' (subject-verb agreement) and 'can aware' (incorrect verb usage). Phrases like 'good environment' and 'big picture' are somewhat simplistic. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise collocations and academic vocabulary, such as 'public health initiatives' instead of 'good environment' or 'stringent regulations' instead of 'strict laws'. Expanding your range of topic-specific vocabulary will help convey your ideas more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'Some believes' and 'Both has'. Articles are frequently missing or misused, for example, 'make smoking ban' instead of 'a smoking ban'. Sentence structures are mostly simple, and the attempt at more complex structures often results in errors, such as the incomplete sentence in the third paragraph. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring subject-verb agreement, and proofreading for missing articles. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while maintaining accuracy is essential for a higher score.

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

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