Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-15
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)
The percentage of people for using drugs and smoke are increasing everyday due to economical range and easily to find in every local store. Many people argue that the best way to discourage smoking is to make it illegal for public. However, some people say that this is not enough although measurements are needed. I believe that, making smoke illegal is impossible but we can reduce the weight of drugs inside it with the help measurements.
On the one hand, people are playing a role on smoking as a style, which incresing in percentage of smoking that cannot be possible to make it illegal in public places. This is because, inside smoke products it includes flavour and drugs that tasted very joyfull. For example, our goverments decided to illegal smoking items, but the idea was completely failed because people started to protest against them and distroying city. Afterwards, they decided to make smoke legal to make city safe. This shows illegal smoking cannot be possible and can cause problem by the smokers.
On the other hand, goverments should apply the measurements solution like, decresing the weightage of drugs or flavour and make it much expensive. In my personal experience, our goverments planned to make smoking products like cigerate, wape and others, very expensive. Moreover, they also tried to make a contract with company to decrease drugs materials. This idea worked properly and reduce the percentage of smokers. Normal people cannot afford expensive smoke products, and can be useful for clean environments.
In summary, making somking illegal cannot be possible, but it can possible due to reduce in weightage of drugs or flavour to make it less effect for human health and environments. I think we should apply smoking products more expensive, so many normal people cannot afford them.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You discuss both the proposal to prohibit smoking in public and the view that further measures are needed, and your position is clear in the introduction and conclusion: you consider prohibition impractical and favour reducing product strength and raising prices. The examples about public protest and higher prices are relevant, but the first view is not fully examined: the response argues that a ban would fail, rather than explaining how a public-place ban might discourage smoking. Some claims, such as that the ban caused city destruction and that price measures reduced smoking, need clearer explanation or support. Develop both sides more evenly and distinguish banning smoking in public from making smoking products illegal altogether. The stated length requirement is met; 10 words copied from the prompt were not counted.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs presenting contrasting views, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In summary” helps readers follow the broad progression. However, connections within paragraphs are sometimes mechanical, and some references are unclear. For example, “This idea worked properly” does not specify whether it refers to higher prices, the proposed company contract, or both. The first body paragraph also moves quickly from smoking as a style to product flavour and then to protests, without fully showing how each point supports the argument. Use clearer links between claims and examples, and make references explicit to improve the flow.
Lexical Resource: Band 4.5
You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “discourage smoking,” “public places,” “protest,” and “percentage of smokers,” so the main topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate or repeated expressions make parts difficult to interpret. “Weightage of drugs” and “decrease drugs materials” do not clearly express the intended idea; “nicotine content” or “reduce the nicotine content” would be more precise. There are also spelling errors such as “incresing,” “goverments,” “cigerate,” and “somking,” alongside repeated use of “smoke” where “smoking” or “tobacco products” is needed. Build a more accurate set of topic-specific terms and check spelling and word forms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a reason clause beginning “This is because” and a contrast introduced by “although.” However, many sentence patterns are not controlled accurately, and these errors sometimes make the intended meaning hard to follow. For instance, “The percentage of people for using drugs and smoke are increasing” has problems with sentence construction and subject–verb agreement, while “I believe that, making smoke illegal is impossible” uses an incorrect structure and punctuation. In “inside smoke products it includes flavour and drugs,” the clause structure is also faulty. Practise forming clear subject–verb sentences, using articles and prepositions accurately, and punctuating introductory phrases. Aim to make complex sentences reliable before adding more variety.
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