Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-06

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, people are highly reliable on cellphone while they are driving and it has become more dangerous as it distracts the driver. Due to this, it ought to be made illegal. However, I am partially agree with this notion.

To begin with, plethora of people are using their phone while they are driving on roadside and it creates negative impact on the driver. First of all, it keeps them distracted and as a result they can not focus on their driving and they would ended up with an accident. So, it has become illegal. For instance, according to the transport departmental feedback in the year 2025, they have mentioned that , approximately 80% of the accident are caused by lack of attention and using the phone while driving.

On the other side, it has been impactful to use it to see the map and direction while driving. If they are driving different location then they need to see the google map for direction. For example, according to statistical data in the year 2026, around 90% of the population have been using their phone to see the direction while they are driving. Even, they are using it for weather during the driving. Due to all these reasons, it is necessary to use it for some purpose.

To conclude this, using the phone while driving is dangerous as people are getting distracted and ended up with the road side accident. Whereas, they can use it to see the google map and weather forecast app.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a partial stance. However, the development of ideas is limited. While you mention the dangers of distraction, the counter-argument regarding navigation is somewhat weak, as it fails to address how technology could be used safely (e.g., hands-free mounts) versus the illegality of handheld use. The examples provided, such as 'transport departmental feedback in the year 2025', appear invented and lack the depth required for a higher band. To improve, ensure your arguments are more logically extended and supported with more realistic reasoning rather than relying on fabricated statistics.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices like 'To begin with', 'First of all', and 'On the other side'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the logical progression within paragraphs is occasionally disjointed. For instance, the transition from discussing accidents to the conclusion is abrupt. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next, rather than relying on simple list-like transitions.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You use some repetitive phrasing, such as 'using their phone while they are driving' and 'see the direction'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'highly reliable on' (should be 'highly reliant on') and 'roadside accident'. To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to road safety and technology, and focus on using words in their correct grammatical context to avoid minor errors that slightly affect the sophistication of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'I am partially agree' (should be 'I partially agree'), 'they would ended up' (should be 'they would end up'), and 'around 90% of the population have been using' (should be 'use'). These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding your main points. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct verb tense usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately without missing auxiliary verbs or incorrect verb forms.

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

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