Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay on Drug Abuse: Language and Clarity Issues
Sample Answer with Feedback

πŸ“… Published Mar 2026 ⏱️ 40 minutes recommended πŸ“ 312 words Β· Band 5.5
✏️ Start Writing for Free
This Band 5.5 IELTS essay addresses drug abuse through problem and solution analysis but suffers from significant language and clarity issues. Frequent spelling and grammatical errors hinder effective communication. To enhance your IELTS score, it's crucial to avoid these common pitfalls and focus on clearer expressions of ideas.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Question

Problem/ Solution Β· Drugs Β· 40 min



Drug abuse has become a growing concern in many societies. What are the factors that contribute to the increasing problem of drug abuse in our society, and how can we address them?

Write at least 250 words.





5.5 Band

Overall Band Score

312 words · Problem/ Solution Β· AI Evaluated

6
Task Response
5.5
Coherence
5.5
Lexical Resource
5
Grammar

Score Breakdown

IELTS Writing Band Scores (1–9)

Task Response
6
Coherence and Cohesion
5.5
Lexical Resource
5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
5

Summary: The essay meets the minimum word count (312 words) and addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing factors contributing to drug abuse and suggesting solutions. However, it is marred by frequent language errors in spelling, grammar, and vocabulary, which reduce clarity and sophistication. The structure is basic but could be improved with better paragraphing and cohesion.

Now write your own β€” and see how your verdict holds up.

Submit your Drugs essay and receive AI scores across Task Response, Coherence, Lexical Resource, and Grammar β€” plus a Band 9 model answer for your exact question.

Student Answer
Real submission β€’ 312 words β€’ Annotated
312 words Band 5.5 WritingPart2
● Spelling ● Grammar ● Vocabulary

DRUGS CONSEMPTION OR SELLING HAS BECOOM ONE OF MOST SERIOUS SOCIAL PROBLEMES IN MANY COUNTRIES .IT AFFECTS NOT ONLY INDIVIDUALS BUT ALSO FAMILIES AND ENTIRE COMMUNITIES . THEREFORE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE MAIN PROBLEMS CAUSED BYTHIS PHENOMENAN AND MAKE EFFORTS TO FIND AND SUGGEST SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE THIS DANGER ISSUE .
ON ONE HAND , ONE OF THE MAIN MAJOUR CAUSES OF DRUG ABUSE IS PEER PRESSURE , MANY YOUNG PEOPLE START USING DRUGS DUE TO THE PRESSURE FROM THEIR FRIENDS OR CLASSMATES . THEY MAY WANT TO FIT IN WITH A GROUP OR AVOID BEEING REJECTED .IN ADDITION ,THE LACK OF EDUCATION AND AWARNESS PLAY A CRUCUAL ROLE IN THIS ESSIUE ,IN SOME COMMUNITIES PEOPLE ARE NOT FULLY AWARE ABOUT THE DANGER OF chemical products" title="Correction: these chemical products">THIS CHEMICAL PRODUCTS WHICH ARE MADE FROM CHEMICAL PROUDUCTS .FURTHERMORE , FAMILY PROBLEMS; POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT ARE A CONSIDIRABLE FACTOR . UNSTABLE FAMILY ENVIRONMENT AND FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES .FOR EXAMPLE , CONFLICTS BETWEEN PARENTS ; LACK OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ; FEELING HOPELESS ABOUT FUTURE CAN PUSH YOUNG PEOPLE TOWARD DRUGS USE AS A WAY TO ESCAPE THEIR PROBLEMS AND TO FORGET THEIR STRUGGLES .
ON THE OTHER HAND , SEVERAL SOLUTIONS CAN PREVENT THIS ISSUE . FIRSTLY , GOVERNMENTS SHOULD INVEST MORE MONEY IN EDUCATION AND AWARENESS C PROGRAMS . SCHOOL AND MEDIA CAMPAIGNS CAN INFORM YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THE DANGER OF DRUGS AND HELP THEM MAKE BETTER DECISIONS . SECONDLY , PUTTING STRICT LAWS AGAINST DRUG DEALERS AND REDUCE THE AVAILABILITY OF DRUGS . FINALY , PROVIDE REHABILITATION CENTERS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT IS ESSENTIAL FOR HELPING ADDICTS TO RECOVER AND REINTGRATE IN SOCIETY .
ULTIMETLY , DRUG ABUSE A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT AFFECT MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ; SECURITY AND SOCIAL STABILITY . NEVERTHERLESS THROUGH EDUCATION ; REHABILITATION AND STRONG LAW INFORCEMENTS GOVERMNTS AND SOCIETIES CAN REDUCE DRUG CONSUMPTION AND PROTECT THE FUTURE GENERATIONS .

AI Feedback Report Details

Spelling Β· Grammar Β· Vocabulary Β· Criteria Analysis

Spelling Mistakes

18 errors
Misspelled Word Corrected Word
CONSEMPTION CONSUMPTION
BECOOM BECOME
PROBLEMES PROBLEMS
BYTHIS BY THIS
PHENOMENAN PHENOMENON
MAJOUR MAJOR
BEEING BEING
AWARNESS AWARENESS
CRUCUAL CRUCIAL
ESSIUE ISSUE
PROUDUCTS PRODUCTS
CONSIDIRABLE CONSIDERABLE
FINALY FINALLY
REINTGRATE REINTEGRATE
ULTIMETLY ULTIMATELY
NEVERTHERLESS NEVERTHELESS
INFORCEMENTS ENFORCEMENT
GOVERMNTS GOVERNMENTS

Grammatical Mistakes

14 errors
Mistake Correction Explanation
ONE OF MOST SERIOUS one of the most serious Missing definite article 'the' before superlative
DRUGS CONSEMPTION drug consumption 'Drugs' should not be plural when used as a modifier; use 'drug' for the noun modifier
THE LACK OF EDUCATION AND AWARNESS PLAY the lack of education and awareness plays Subject-verb agreement: 'the lack' is singular, so verb should be 'plays'
AWARE ABOUT THE DANGER aware of the dangers Preposition error: 'aware of' not 'aware about'; 'dangers' plural for clarity
THIS CHEMICAL PRODUCTS these chemical products Demonstrative adjective error: 'this' is singular, but 'products' is plural, so use 'these'
FAMILY PROBLEMS; POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT ARE A CONSIDIRABLE FACTOR Family problems, poverty, and unemployment are considerable factors Semicolon should be comma in a list, and 'factor' should be plural 'factors' to agree with multiple subjects
UNSTABLE FAMILY ENVIRONMENT AND FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES Unstable family environment and financial difficulties are also factors Sentence fragment; needs a verb to be a complete sentence
CONFLICTS BETWEEN PARENTS ; LACK OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ; FEELING HOPELESS ABOUT FUTURE conflicts between parents, lack of emotional support, and feeling hopeless about the future Semicolons should be commas in a list, and 'the future' requires the definite article
DRUGS USE drug use 'Drugs' should not be plural when used as a modifier; use 'drug' for the noun modifier
PUTTING STRICT LAWS AGAINST DRUG DEALERS AND REDUCE THE AVAILABILITY OF DRUGS Governments should put strict laws against drug dealers and reduce the availability of drugs Sentence fragment; missing subject and verb for the main clause
PROVIDE REHABILITATION CENTERS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT IS ESSENTIAL Providing rehabilitation centers and psychological support is essential Verb form error; gerund 'providing' should be used as subject instead of infinitive 'provide'
DRUG ABUSE A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT AFFECT MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ; SECURITY AND SOCIAL STABILITY Drug abuse is a serious problem that affects mental and physical health, security, and social stability Missing verb 'is' after 'abuse', and 'affect' should be 'affects' for subject 'that'. Semicolons should be commas
THROUGH EDUCATION ; REHABILITATION AND STRONG LAW INFORCEMENTS through education, rehabilitation, and strong law enforcement Semicolons should be commas in a list, and 'law enforcements' should be 'law enforcement' (non-count noun)
PEER PRESSURE , MANY YOUNG PEOPLE START Peer pressure. Many young people start Comma splice; two independent clauses should be separated by a period or semicolon

Vocabulary Improvements

9 suggestions
Original Word/Phrase Improved Word/Phrase Explanation
DANGER ISSUE dangerous issue 'Danger' is a noun; here an adjective is needed to modify 'issue', so use 'dangerous'
MAIN MAJOUR CAUSES major causes Redundant; 'main' and 'major' mean similar things; use one for conciseness
CHEMICAL PRODUCTS drugs Vague; in the context of drug abuse, 'drugs' is more precise than 'chemical products'
CONSIDIRABLE FACTOR significant factor 'Considerable' is acceptable, but 'significant' is more common in academic writing
PUTTING STRICT LAWS enacting strict laws 'Putting' is informal; 'enacting' is more appropriate for laws in formal context
LAW INFORCEMENTS law enforcement 'Enforcement' is a non-count noun; no plural form needed
PROVIDE REHABILITATION CENTERS providing rehabilitation centers Verb form; in this context, gerund is better for formal writing
REINTGRATE IN SOCIETY reintegrate into society Preposition error; 'into' is used with 'reintegrate'
PROTECT THE FUTURE GENERATIONS protect future generations Definite article 'the' is unnecessary; 'future generations' is a general term

Ready to practise? Get instant AI feedback on your verdict.

Submit your Drugs essay and receive AI scores across all four IELTS criteria β€” with specific feedback on whether your solutions are specific, realistic, and matched to your problems.

Detailed Criteria Feedback

AI-powered analysis for each scoring criterion

Task Response 6
Evaluation
The response covers the task by identifying key factors (e.g., peer pressure, lack of education, family problems) and proposing solutions (e.g., education programs, strict laws, rehabilitation). However, some points are overly general and repetitive, and development could be deeper with more specific examples.
Examples
The essay mentions 'peer pressure' and 'family problems' as causes but does not elaborate with detailed instances. Solutions like 'strict laws against drug dealers' are stated without further explanation.
How to Improve
Provide more concrete examples for each factor and solution. Avoid repeating ideas from the introduction. Ensure each paragraph fully develops one main idea with supporting details.
Coherence and Cohesion 5.5
Evaluation
The essay has a clear introduction-body-conclusion structure, but paragraphing is inconsistent. Transition words are used (e.g., 'on one hand', 'furthermore'), but the flow between ideas is sometimes mechanical. Some sentences are poorly linked, affecting overall coherence.
Examples
The first body paragraph mixes multiple causes without clear separation. The use of semicolons in lists (e.g., 'FAMILY PROBLEMS; POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT') is incorrect. The conclusion is brief and repetitive.
How to Improve
Use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph's main idea. Improve paragraph organization by focusing on one cause or solution per paragraph. Use appropriate linking words (e.g., 'however', 'in contrast') to connect ideas smoothly.
Lexical Resource 5.5
Evaluation
Vocabulary is relevant to the topic but limited and often misspelled or misused. There are several spelling errors and repetitive phrases, which reduce the range and accuracy of lexical resource.
Examples
Misspellings: 'consemption' for 'consumption', 'becomm' for 'become', 'problemes' for 'problems', 'awarness' for 'awareness'. Repetition: 'chemical products' used redundantly. Awkward phrasing: 'this danger issue' instead of 'this dangerous issue'.
How to Improve
Expand vocabulary by learning synonyms and topic-specific terms. Proofread carefully to correct spelling errors. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to choose more precise words and avoid repetition.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy 5
Evaluation
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the essay, including subject-verb agreement, punctuation mistakes, and sentence structure issues. While some complex sentences are attempted, errors often impede meaning.
Examples
Subject-verb agreement: 'DRUG ABUSE A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT AFFECT' should be 'Drug abuse is a serious problem that affects'. Punctuation: Incorrect use of semicolons in lists. Sentence fragments: 'FOR EXAMPLE , CONFLICTS BETWEEN PARENTS ; LACK OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ; FEELING HOPELESS ABOUT FUTURE CAN PUSH...' is poorly structured.
How to Improve
Review basic grammar rules, especially subject-verb agreement and punctuation. Practice writing complex sentences with correct clause structures. Consider using grammar checking tools and seeking feedback to identify common errors.
πŸ’‘
Tip: Review the Band 9 model answer to see how a high-scoring essay structures arguments, uses advanced vocabulary, and maintains coherence throughout.

RELATED ESSAYS

02
Education πŸ“ 398 words ⏱️ Jul 2026 Band 9 Model βœ“
Academic pressure is causing mental health issues among teenagers, including anxiety, depression, and burnout.This growing problem is affecting students’ well-being and long-term development.What are the causes of this issue, and what solutions can be suggested?Write at least 250 words.
"Knowledge is power", is a well-known quote amongst many people. The world has advanced technologically and academically to exceedingly high levels. With such d...
03
Education πŸ“ 297 words ⏱️ Jun 2026 Band 9 Model βœ“
Academic pressure is causing mental health issues among teenagers, including anxiety, depression, and burnout.This growing problem is affecting students’ well-being and long-term development.What are the causes of this issue, and what solutions can be suggested?Write at least 250 words.
In recent years, academic pressure has emerged as a major contributor to mental health problems among teenagers. With increasing competition and expectations in...
04
Drugs πŸ“ 300 words ⏱️ Jun 2026 Band 9 Model βœ“
Drug abuse has become a growing concern in many societies. What are the factors that contribute to the increasing problem of drug abuse in our society, and how can we address them? Write at least 250 words.
In recent years, many countries have been facing a variety of social and economic challenges. Among these, the issue mentioned in the statement has become a ma...
05
Student Behaviour πŸ“ 311 words ⏱️ Jun 2026 Band 9 Model βœ“
Student behaviour is a serious issue in many schools around the world. What do you think are the causes of this? What solutions can you suggest?  Write at least 250 words.
Problem and Solution Essay Template (with Signposting Language – 250+ Words) In recent years, many countries have been facing a variety of social and economic c...
06
Drugs πŸ“ 223 words ⏱️ Jun 2026 Band 9 Model βœ“
Drug abuse has become a growing concern in many societies. What are the factors that contribute to the increasing problem of drug abuse in our society, and how can we address them? Write at least 250 words.
Nowadays, people with illnesses are increasing rapidly due to the contamination in the environment and unhealthy diets. Becoming a reason to use medicine to mai...