Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-21

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Smoking can cause serious illnesses and should be made illegal.

To what extent do you agree?

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

Student answer (Band 6.5)

There are a number of advertisements regarding smoking and its dangerous effects on public health such as cancer. It is also said that it should be made illegal but I do not agree with the statement of considering it illegal as it could lead to more serious issues for government and people addicted to it. However, several measures can be taken to reduce the consumption of nicotine.

First and the foremost reason for my disagreement is that the people who are already addicted to smoking or vaping will need to visit rehabilitation which would be an added burden to the system and completely banning it can also result in backlashes from people and there can be protests against government. For instance, while I was working at Toronto Pearson Airport, an number of people used to ask for smoking room that is not made at the airport. When they were said that there was no smoking or vaping room, they used to get angry or some of them wen to the bathroom and smoked. Hence, considering this level of addictiveness it would be practically not possible to ban it.

Another reason for my disagreement is increase in cigarette smuggling. It is human pschycology that when a particular product is not available they can go above and beyond to get and consume it even if it can cost their lives. For example, in Gujarat India, drinking alcohol is banned and it is considered as a dry state. Due to this many people smuggle alcohol from other states and sell it at very high prices. Some people sell mixed alcohol, which has also resulted in death of few people last year. Therefore, cigarettes and vape should not be made illegal completely but people can be made aware for the dangerous illness they could have due to smoking or vaping.

To conclude, I strongly agree that smoking causes illness such as cancer but it is not a practically or wise decision to make it illegal as the consequences are more dangerous.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. You argue against a total ban by highlighting the practical difficulties, such as the burden on rehabilitation systems and the risk of illicit trade. The ideas are well-supported with relevant examples, such as the situation at Toronto Pearson Airport and the alcohol prohibition in Gujarat. The argument is logical and consistent, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0. To reach a higher band, you could further develop the counter-argument by acknowledging the health benefits of a ban more deeply before refuting it, ensuring a more balanced exploration of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme. You use cohesive devices such as 'First and the foremost reason', 'For instance', and 'To conclude' to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as 'that is not made at the airport', which is slightly awkward. The progression of ideas is clear, but the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'rehabilitation', 'addictiveness', 'smuggling', and 'prohibition'. There are some spelling errors, such as 'pschycology' instead of 'psychology', and minor word choice issues, such as 'practically not possible' instead of 'practically impossible'. While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, there are occasional inaccuracies in collocation. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensure careful proofreading to eliminate spelling mistakes, which will help you move into the higher band range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'an number of people' (should be 'a number of'), 'wen to the bathroom' (should be 'went'), and 'people can be made aware for the dangerous illness' (should be 'aware of'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but some phrasing is slightly unnatural. The errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage will significantly enhance your grammatical accuracy.

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

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