Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-22

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)

Some people argue that the best way to discourage smoking is to make smoking illegal in public places ,while others believe that this is not enough and that other measures are needed. While i agree that public smoking should be ban in public places to discourage smoking, i still think that other strategies should also be put in place to eradicate it finally.

On the one hand ,making smoking illegal in public places will protect non-smoker from second hand smoking ,which can lead to heart failure and disease. By this ,it will also reduce air-pollution from the environment. In Nigeria, when public smoking was ban, the numbers of visit to the hospital complaining of heart related issues were reduced dramatically. And since there is a law forbidding public smoking ,it can make smokers to be in convenient taken it publicly which in the long run can result to total abstainment from smoking .

On the other hand, other measures still need to be put in place for total eradication of smoking. People still buy cigarettes easily and smoke at home. Government need to create publicity on the danger of smoking , the health disadvantages of it., advertising restrictions that will help people to quit. Also higher taxes should be level on company that produce cigarettes in order to make it less available . Also some support programs should be put in place to support whoever that want to quit like counseling especially for the youth.

In conclusion, making smoking illegal in public places is a step which should be combine with general publicity,

advertising restrictions with higher taxes can significantly reduce smoking rate.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the health benefits of banning public smoking and the need for educational campaigns and taxation. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the mention of Nigeria is a good attempt at providing an example, but it lacks specific detail to fully support the argument. The conclusion is a bit abrupt and slightly repetitive. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on your supporting points with more depth and ensure your conclusion synthesizes your arguments more effectively rather than just listing them.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. You use basic cohesive devices like 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' to signal shifts in the argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical, and there are instances where the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the transition between the health benefits and the law in Nigeria is a bit disjointed. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'this', 'it') is always clear would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss the topic, using terms like 'eradicate', 'second hand smoking', and 'advertising restrictions'. However, there are several instances of word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'level on company' (should be 'levied on companies') and 'in convenient taken it' (should be 'inconvenienced by taking it'). These errors do not generally impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your expression. To improve, focus on learning the correct verb-noun collocations and ensure you are using the correct word forms in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms and articles. Examples include 'should be ban' (should be 'banned'), 'numbers of visit' (should be 'number of visits'), and 'whoever that want' (should be 'whoever wants'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some missing spaces after commas and unnecessary periods. While these errors rarely prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they occur frequently enough to keep the score in the 6.0 range. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will help improve your accuracy.

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

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