Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-30

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)

Many believe by making smoking illegal in public areas can help reduce consumption of cigarettes there others argue that different approaches are need to solve this problem. In my opinion, imposing legal consequences to smoking in public places will be a better approach to be taken compared with other measures.

Firstly, number of smokers have increased exponentially from the time it has been introduced. Public smoking has been normalized over the past few years. Smoking is injurious not only to the smokers but also to the people around them. Passive smoking is known to more dangerous than active smoking. But if it becomes illegal in public areas, non smokers will be less exposed to the harmful smoke. For instance, a person smoking a cigarette in a crowded public area is also affecting the health of people around him. If the smokers are aware about any legal consequences attached to this, they will naturally avoid smoking in public.

Secondly, many others measures can also be taken to discourage smoking in public areas like imposing small fines or giving a designated place for smokers in a corner. These methods can be helpful but might not be as affective as making it illegal. For example, a smoker can pay a small fine and get away with it easily with much regret. But once it becomes illegal, the smokers will be much more conscious about smoking in public.

In conclusion, other parameters can be affective towards discouraging smoking in public but making it illegal will definitely make a bigger difference. According to me, none of the ways will be as efficient as making smoking illegal in public places.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you argue that making smoking illegal is the best approach, the discussion of 'other measures' is brief and lacks depth. The argument that fines are ineffective is a good point, but it could have been supported with more specific examples or evidence. The conclusion reiterates your position well, but the overall task response would benefit from more detailed exploration of why the alternative measures are insufficient compared to a total ban.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and there are instances where referencing is slightly unclear, such as the transition between the first and second paragraphs. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph transitions smoothly into the next to create a more cohesive argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some relevant topic-specific terms like 'passive smoking', 'consumption', and 'legal consequences'. However, there are some word choice errors, such as 'affective' instead of 'effective' and 'much regret' which does not fit the context of paying a fine. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure that your word choices are contextually accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'number of smokers have increased' (should be 'the number... has increased') and 'other approaches are need' (should be 'needed'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article usage errors. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent verb tense usage to improve your accuracy.

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

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