Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-29

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that the best way to discourage smoking is to make smoking illegal in public places. Other people say that this is not enough and that other measures are needed.

Discuss both these views, and give your opinion.

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

Student answer (Band 7.0)

Some individuals propose that the best method of discouraging smoking is by prohibiting taking it in public places. Others argue that it is not enough to make it illegal rather more measures are necessary. In my opinion, in addition to making it illegal in open places, heavy taxes should be imposed on its sale.

On the one hand, smokers they say are liable to die young. This is a bold warning on every packet of cigarette, but people still take it indiscriminately. It is a positive step for banning smokers from taking it in public places. For instance, smoking at the reception of a hotel, or taking it inside a commercial bus with a lot of people inside. If anybody should take a smoke, it should be done in their private environment and not in public place.

On the other hand, as the global population is increasing, and more people tends to learn and start smoking, especially teenagers, there is need to urgently mitigate the situation now by enacting laws that will protect the society. I believe that more rules should be implemented to stop the increasing number of smokers. For example, government should pass a law, increasing the tariff or tax on these products. This will discourage a lot of people from engaging in the act and thereby reducing the effect of uncontrolled smoking in the society.

In conclusion, in addition to a making smoking unlawful in public places, I support more measures to be taken to discourage users, such as imposing higher taxes on those products.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all parts of the prompt by discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. Your position is consistent throughout the essay. However, the development of your ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, while you mention that smoking in public is bad, you could have expanded on the health benefits of banning it, such as reducing second-hand smoke exposure. Similarly, your argument for taxation is clear but could be strengthened by explaining how it specifically deters younger generations. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully explained with more depth and specific reasoning.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' to signal shifts in perspective. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions could be more sophisticated. For example, the link between the warning on cigarette packets and the public smoking ban could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the central ideas are easy to follow, though the overall progression could benefit from more varied linking words to improve the cohesion between your arguments.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'prohibiting', 'mitigate', and 'enacting laws' correctly. However, there are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'prohibiting taking it' instead of 'prohibiting smoking' or 'taking a smoke'. There is also some repetition of basic words like 'smoking' and 'people'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise synonyms and collocations related to public policy and health. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is a good start. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'smokers they say are liable' is redundant, and 'more people tends to learn' contains a subject-verb agreement error. Additionally, 'a making smoking' in the conclusion is grammatically incorrect. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they are frequent enough to limit your score. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your complex sentences are constructed accurately.

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