Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Smoking has long been recognized as a major cause of serious health problems, including lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses. Some people believe that because of these harmful effects, smoking should be made completely illegal. While I agree that smoking poses significant risks to both smokers and those around them, I do not believe that banning it entirely is the most effective solution.

On the one hand, there are strong arguments in favor of making smoking illegal. Cigarette smoke contains harmful chemicals that damage the body and can lead to life-threatening diseases. In addition, passive smoking affects non-smokers, including children and elderly people, who may suffer health problems simply by being exposed to smoke. From this perspective, governments have a responsibility to protect public health by introducing strict measures against smoking.

On the other hand, completely banning smoking could create new problems. Adults should have the freedom to make their own choices, even if those choices involve certain health risks. History has shown that banning popular products often leads to illegal trade and black markets, making regulation even more difficult. Instead of imposing a total ban, governments should focus on raising public awareness, increasing taxes on tobacco products, restricting smoking in public places, and providing support for people who want to quit.

For example, many countries have introduced smoke-free public areas and high taxes on cigarettes. These measures have successfully reduced smoking rates without taking away individual freedom. In my own experience, anti-smoking campaigns and warning labels have encouraged many people to think seriously about quitting.

In conclusion, although smoking is undeniably harmful and causes many serious diseases, I believe that making it completely illegal is not the best approach. Strong regulations, public education, and effective support programs are more practical and sustainable ways to reduce smoking and protect public health.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have fully addressed all parts of the task. Your position is clear from the introduction and is maintained consistently throughout the essay. You provide a balanced argument by acknowledging the health risks of smoking before presenting a well-reasoned counter-argument regarding personal freedom and the practical limitations of a total ban. Your ideas are well-developed, and you support your points with relevant examples, such as the mention of black markets and the success of smoke-free public areas. The response is well-structured and directly answers the prompt's question regarding the extent to which you agree with the proposed ban.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the arguments for and against the ban is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'On the one hand', 'In addition', 'Instead of', and 'In conclusion', which help guide the reader through your argument. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the response. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, and the flow of information is natural and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. You use topic-specific terminology such as 'passive smoking', 'public health', 'black markets', and 'sustainable ways' appropriately. The language is natural and conveys your meaning clearly. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the context well, it remains largely functional. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated or idiomatic collocations to demonstrate a wider, more flexible range of lexical items. However, the current range is more than adequate for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

Your writing displays a good command of grammatical structures. You use a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as 'While I agree that smoking poses significant risks... I do not believe that banning it entirely is the most effective solution.' The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is accurate. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. To achieve a higher score, you could experiment with a wider variety of complex sentence structures, such as inversion or more advanced conditional forms, to show greater flexibility.

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