Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-30

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 4.0)

My first openion some people want illegal somking on public place its not good for every one,because that is not good for everyone example public place on some small boys they people can think for smoking and also can start take smoking its not good for small boys,smoking can damge liver and other parts of body and most effect on heart chance its will be make cancer i have more example if some one smoke on public place some case in by mistake can start fire day per day yesterday i saw newspaper in news one person start smoking on public place and throw cigrate on paper and fire start by this mistake,

second point i am totaly agree with no smoking on public place its good for our public first banifit no one effect on smoking and people will think for our social activiies and also people think for our small boys i have one more exaple its will be iffect on money if people never think for smoking thay will not buy cigrate and they people can save money and this money will be use in familly so its a best for everyone i also agree with no smoking on public place,

Finally my point of review intottaly agree should be totaly ban smoking ban on public place i think if goverment start fine or jail law its will can effect on this matter

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response attempts to discuss the prompt regarding making smoking illegal in public places, but it falls significantly short of the requirements. First, the word count is 236 words, which fails to meet the 250-word minimum, leading to a penalty. Second, the prompt asks to discuss both views and give your opinion. While the student touches on passive smoking, health risks, and fire hazards to support banning smoking, the analysis lacks depth, and the discussion of alternative measures is extremely limited or confused. The student's position is somewhat repetitive rather than clearly structured. Ideas are under-developed, and the response lacks specific, well-reasoned arguments typical of higher bands. Therefore, it fits the descriptor for a Band 4.0, where the task is addressed only minimally and ideas are largely restricted and undeveloped.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

Coherence and cohesion are severely compromised in this response. The essay is divided into three very long, block-like paragraphs without proper sentence boundary punctuation. Sentences run into one another using commas instead of full stops, such as in "smoking can damge liver and other parts of body and most effect on heart chance its will be make cancer i have more example..." Cohesive devices are either missing or repetitive (using phrases like 'i have one more example' and 'also'), and referencing is unclear. There is no logical progression or clear paragraphing structure to guide the reader through the arguments. Paragraphing is used inadequately and inappropriately, which aligns closely with the Band 4.0 descriptor where information and ideas are not arranged coherently and transition is absent.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.0

The vocabulary used throughout the response is basic, repetitive, and heavily flawed. The student frequently misspells common words, such as 'openion' instead of opinion, 'somking' instead of smoking, 'damge' instead of damage, 'banifit' instead of benefit, and 'intottaly' instead of entirely. The range of vocabulary is extremely narrow and restricted, preventing the student from expressing complex ideas with precision. Expressions such as 'small boys' are used repeatedly to mean children or teenagers, and phrases like 'start take smoking' demonstrate poor collocation. Errors in word choice and spelling are pervasive and occasionally strain the reader's understanding, which places this performance firmly at Band 4.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.0

Grammatical range and accuracy are major weaknesses in this response. The text is characterized by massive run-on sentences containing multiple clauses strung together with commas or missing punctuation entirely. There is a complete lack of control over basic sentence structures, with frequent errors in tense, subject-verb agreement, and article usage (e.g., 'i saw newspaper in news one person start smoking'). Complex sentence forms are virtually non-existent or are attempted so poorly that they result in ungrammatical strings of words. Errors are so frequent that they constantly distort meaning and cause significant difficulty for the reader, matching the profile for a Band 4.0 performance.

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

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