Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-21

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 6.5)

Cell phone usage during driving certainly distracts the driver while driving but I also believe they are needed for navigation for longer unfamiliar routes.

With the advent of technology, cell phone got more complex with their features making them perfect reason to kill time while performing daily tasks. Driving is no stranger to it and people generally find it a perfect opportunity to entertain themselves be it phone calls, music, emails, etc. While trying to keep ourselves engaged even when driving, it is easier to get distracted which might be fatal for the driver. The research statistics show 90 percent of the road accidents were directly linked to the driver being distracted by the usage cell phones. Therefore a major number of accidents could have been avoided if the use of cell phones was prohibited.

In addition to this I think with the onset of smart technology in the cell phones, people are more connected than ever before with the help of navigation. For instance I don't have to plan my long haules in advance beacuse google maps gives me the perfect route in a matter of a second avoiding road closures or heavy traffic every single time. Also the entertainment options especially music keeps the journey interesting and less boring which helps me stay awake while taking on major routes.

To conlcude, cell phones have definitely made driving a pleasent and efficient experience but it has lead to people overindulging and resulting in road fatalities primarliy because of it. I think the use of cell phones should only be limited to navigation, music and handsfree calling because it helps the driver stay focused while driving and entertained thus avaiding any major road accidents.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear: you recognise that phone use can distract drivers, but argue that some functions remain useful. You address both sides with relevant points, including accident risk and navigation, and the Google Maps example helps make the benefit concrete. This meets the task well, but the extent of your agreement is not fully consistent: the opening acknowledges the danger, while the conclusion recommends allowing several forms of use without clearly explaining why this is safer than a general prohibition. The claims about accident statistics and music helping drivers stay awake also need qualification or support. Develop the distinction between handheld and hands-free use, and explain which activities should be permitted and why.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an opening position, a paragraph on distraction, a paragraph on useful phone functions, and a conclusion. Ideas generally progress logically, and transitions such as “In addition to this” and “To conclude” help signal the stages of the argument. However, some links are mechanical, and the relationship between the two sides of your position could be made clearer. For example, the conclusion’s recommendation to allow navigation, music and hands-free calls is not explicitly reconciled with the earlier claim that phone use should be prohibited to prevent accidents. Some sentences also contain several ideas, making the progression less smooth. Use clearer topic sentences and connect each example directly to the point it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for the topic, including “distracted,” “navigation,” “road closures,” “heavy traffic” and “road fatalities.” There are also attempts at more varied phrasing, such as “overindulging” and “onset of smart technology,” though some combinations are unnatural or imprecise: “perfect reason to kill time,” “long haules,” and “taking on major routes.” Spelling slips such as “beacuse,” “conlcude,” “pleasent,” “primarliy” and “avaiding” are noticeable, even though the intended meaning is usually clear. Aim for accurate, natural collocations and proofread carefully. More precise terms for different kinds of phone use would also help you express your argument with greater control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple and complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which might be fatal for the driver” and a conditional structure in “accidents could have been avoided if…”. Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors reduce accuracy. For example, “cell phone got more complex with their features” has a mismatch between the singular subject and pronoun, while “the usage cell phones” is missing a grammatical link. The opening sentence also shifts from “the driver” to “they,” making the reference unclear. Some long sentences combine several points and would benefit from clearer clause boundaries and punctuation. Review agreement, articles and sentence construction, then check each sentence for a clear subject and reference.

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