Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-29
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)
Nowadays, to prevent smoking people says that making it illegal on public places.Whereas, there are many other solutions are recommended by majority of masses .I will discuss both views before giving my opinion .
On the one hand, those who claim that making smoking illegal on public places is best way to decline smoking, says that number of non smokers are going through the bus stops, train stops and airports where chain smokers who continuously lighter the cigarettes also influence the non smokers indirectly. Moreover, they are spreading the diseases to the individuals, commonly walking on public places .To instance in 2003 over 200 non smokers are the victim of the cancer, because of they walk and travel through the public places or public transport.
On the other hand, majority of people believe that government should make rules and regulations for smoking .Not only making smoking in illegal public places is not the only solution . they should make cigarettes costly and also the wapes should not be sold in every shop .In this way easy availability will reduce and people specially will not buying them . Additionally , the cannabis stores should removed from public places and there should be area for chain smokers where they can smoke without being a threat for innocent people.
In my opinion, many of smokers are addicted to the wape, cigarettes and other smoking drugs . government should draw a line between nonsmokers and smokers by saparating the area for drugs instead of having a cannabis stores in public places
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both views and provides an opinion, fulfilling the basic requirements of the prompt. However, the development of ideas is limited. For example, the argument regarding the health impact of smoking is somewhat vague, and the supporting example about 2003 cancer statistics lacks clarity and logical connection to the specific point being made. The opinion provided in the conclusion is a bit narrow, focusing primarily on separation rather than addressing the broader debate about the effectiveness of legal bans versus other measures. To reach a higher band, you should expand your arguments with more detailed explanations and clearer, more relevant examples.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'On the one hand' and 'Moreover', but the flow between sentences is often mechanical or disrupted by grammatical errors. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'they should make cigarettes costly', where 'they' lacks a clear antecedent. Additionally, the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is abrupt. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the logical progression of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward word choices or incorrect collocations, such as 'lighter the cigarettes' instead of 'light cigarettes', 'wapes' (vapes), and 'majority of masses'. Some terms are used repetitively, and the spelling errors (e.g., 'saparating', 'wapes') occasionally distract the reader. To improve, focus on learning topic-specific collocations related to public health and policy, and ensure you use formal academic vocabulary rather than informal or imprecise phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures, and attempts at complex sentences frequently contain errors. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'people says', 'there are many other solutions are recommended') and article usage. Punctuation is also problematic, with inconsistent spacing before and after commas and periods. These errors are frequent and sometimes make it difficult for the reader to follow the intended meaning. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, before attempting more complex grammatical structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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