Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-20

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Using a cell phone while driving is dangerous because it causes the driver to become distracted. Therefore, cell phone use by drivers should be made illegal.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Nowadays, many people believe that a habit of multitasking such as using cell phones during driving can be life threating and should be illegal for public safety. I firmly agree with this notion as it not only put the driver's life at risk but, can also cause injuries to other people. This essay will discuss the main reasons supporting why it should be made illegal.

Many individuals have a habit of using their cell phones during driving which can lead to unfortunate accidents. Driving requires undivided attention as it can cause many injuries to someone which can also lead to death. Apparently, with such serious consequences it is important for governments to implement strict rules and regulations against offenders. Therefore, such activity during driving can cause some serious harm to society.

I strongly agree that the individuals who use their mobile during driving should be penalized with heavy penalties and ban their license. This will significantly impact the driver to be more careful during driving and can avoid unnecessary accidents. Moreover, governments should also install digital cameras which can directly detect such activity and generate digital chalan. Therefore, it is extremely important to make such activity illegal which can injure the innocent people.

In conclusion, many people have developed a great skill of doing many things at a moment, while driving individuals do texting and even be on call which can distract them and cause accident. A strict regulation and heavy penalties can surely help to mitigate this serious issue.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt clearly, maintaining a consistent position throughout. The arguments regarding safety and the need for legal consequences are relevant. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive; for instance, the second and third paragraphs both focus heavily on the need for penalties and the danger of accidents without introducing distinct, nuanced supporting points. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on the 'why' behind your arguments, perhaps by discussing the psychological impact of distraction or the effectiveness of current enforcement versus proposed stricter measures, rather than restating the same points in different ways.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion' are used to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel repetitive. For example, the use of 'Therefore' appears at the end of multiple paragraphs, which makes the progression feel slightly formulaic. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the relationship between sentences is more fluid. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure would benefit from more sophisticated signposting to guide the reader through your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'multitasking', 'undivided attention', and 'mitigate'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation that limit the score. For example, 'life threating' should be 'life-threatening', 'digital chalan' is not standard English, and 'ban their license' is better expressed as 'revoke their license'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of precision in these areas prevents the vocabulary from being considered flexible or sophisticated. Focusing on learning collocations—words that naturally go together—will help you sound more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. For instance, 'not only put the driver's life at risk but, can also cause' contains an unnecessary comma and a subject-verb agreement issue. Additionally, 'doing many things at a moment' is grammatically awkward. There are also issues with article usage and verb forms, such as 'ban their license' instead of 'banning their licenses'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

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