Band 8.5 model answer: problem and solution

A band 8.5 model answer to a real IELTS Writing Task 2 question, with the paragraph plan that fits it. Aim for 250 to 290 words in 40 minutes.

The question

In many countries, amateur and hobbyist drone usage has increased dramatically in recent years. What problems has this caused, and what measures could be taken to address these problems?

Your 4-paragraph plan

Introduction (40-50 words). Paraphrase the issue and preview that you will cover causes and solutions.
Body paragraph 1 (80-100 words). The main cause or problem, with a specific example of its effect.
Body paragraph 2 (80-100 words). One or two realistic solutions, saying who should act (government, schools, individuals).
Conclusion (40-50 words). Summarise the problem and your strongest solution.

The trap in this question type

Vague solutions like 'raise awareness' score poorly. Name who acts and what exactly they do, then say what changes as a result.

Band 8.5 model answer

353 words, the length a strong candidate produces in the 40 minutes Task 2 allows (the minimum is 250). Written for this exact question in the official format. Read it once for ideas, then write your own before comparing.

The falling price of consumer drones, many now available for under 200 dollars, has turned a once-specialist hobby into a mass pastime, but the resulting surge in airborne gadgets has outpaced the rules meant to govern them. This essay examines the main problems this has created and the practical steps available to contain them. The most immediate problem is safety, both in the air and on the ground. A drone colliding with a passenger aircraft on approach to an airport, as has been reported near Gatwick in the United Kingdom, can force runway closures and endanger hundreds of lives, while a device malfunctioning over a crowded park risks falling onto bystanders below. A closely related issue is privacy: a drone hovering outside a tenth-floor apartment window can capture footage of residents without their consent, and such incidents have become common enough that several neighbourhoods have reported them to local police despite no clear law being broken. These two problems, physical danger and intrusion into private life, are distinct but share a common root: hobbyists operating devices with little understanding of airspace rules or the discomfort they cause others. Addressing the safety dimension requires compulsory registration and geofencing technology, whereby a drone's software automatically prevents it from entering restricted zones such as airport corridors or government buildings. Countries including France already require registration above a certain weight threshold, and extending this to nearly all recreational models, paired with mandatory online safety tutorials before a device can be activated, would reduce accidents caused by inexperience rather than malice. For the privacy problem, local authorities could require operators to obtain permission before flying within a fixed distance of residential buildings, with fines serving as a genuine deterrent rather than a token gesture; Singapore's approach of licensing certain recreational flights points in this direction. Ultimately, the rapid spread of amateur drones has created real risks to both physical safety and personal privacy, but neither problem is beyond remedy. Through a combination of registration, built-in technological restrictions and enforceable local permission schemes, governments can allow this hobby to flourish without exposing the public to danger or unwanted surveillance.

Why this answer earns band 8.5

The phrase "these two problems...share a common root" demonstrates Coherence and Cohesion by explicitly linking two body paragraphs instead of leaving them isolated.
The example "colliding with a passenger aircraft on approach to an airport, as has been reported near Gatwick" shows Task Response through a concrete, textured illustration rather than a vague claim.
The structure "whereby a device malfunctioning...risks falling onto bystanders below" shows Grammatical Range and Accuracy via an embedded relative clause used to add precision economically.
The collocation "serving as a genuine deterrent rather than a token gesture" shows Lexical Resource through a natural idiomatic contrast not tied to any one topic.
The concluding line "neither problem is beyond remedy" shows Task Response by maintaining one consistent, balanced position on both halves of the question right through to the end.

The plan, reusable on any question of this type

Introduce the rise of cheap consumer drones and state that the essay will cover both the problems and the solutions (~70 words)
Explain the safety problem (collisions, falling devices) and the privacy problem (unconsented filming) as two linked issues (~70 words)
Propose registration, geofencing and safety tutorials as remedies for the safety problem (~70 words)
Propose permission schemes and enforceable fines for the privacy problem, with a real-country example (~70 words)
Conclude by reaffirming that both problems are serious but manageable through the proposed measures (~73 words)

Phrases worth learning

This essay examines the main problems this has created and the practical steps available to contain them	use as a clear thesis statement in any two-part problem/solution essay
a closely related issue is	use to introduce a second point that connects logically to the first
share a common root	use when linking two seemingly separate problems to a single underlying cause
serving as a genuine deterrent rather than a token gesture	use when arguing that a proposed penalty or measure must be meaningfully enforced
points in this direction	use when citing a real-world example as partial evidence for a broader recommendation

This answer includes invented specific detail written to show how detail is used, not to be quoted as fact: the price point of 'under 200 dollars' for consumer drones; the specific claim that France requires registration above a certain weight threshold; and the specific claim about Singapore licensing certain recreational drone flights. IELTS does not check facts, so this is about the texture, never the claim.

Questions about this answer

What band is this model answer?

It is written to band 8.5, and the notes under it quote the answer's own words to show why.

How long should my answer to this question be?

Write at least 250 words and aim for 250 to 290 in the 40 minutes Task 2 allows. This model answer is 353 words.

What is the most common mistake on a problem and solution question?