Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-26

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 8.0)

Smoking is widely recognised as a major cause of serious illnesses, including heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory problems. Some people therefore believe that smoking should be made illegal. I strongly agree that smoking should be more strictly controlled, although I believe that a complete ban may not be the most effective approach.

The main reason for banning smoking is its harmful impact on people's health. Cigarettes contain numerous toxic substances that can cause life-threatening diseases. In addition, smoking does not only affect smokers themselves, but can also harm people around them through second-hand smoke. For example, children who regularly live with smokers may be exposed to respiratory problems. Therefore, preventing people from smoking could reduce the number of smoking-related illnesses and lower pressure on healthcare systems.

However, making smoking completely illegal could create several difficulties. Many adults are addicted to nicotine and may continue to smoke despite a legal ban. This could lead to illegal markets and make it more difficult for governments to regulate tobacco products. Instead, governments could introduce higher taxes on cigarettes, prohibit smoking in public places and invest more in education and smoking-cessation programmes. These measures could discourage people from smoking while still allowing governments to control the industry.

In conclusion, although smoking causes serious health problems and deserves strict government control, I do not believe that making it completely illegal is necessarily the best solution. A combination of higher taxes, public education, restrictions and support for people who want to quit would be a more practical approach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have fully addressed all parts of the prompt. You clearly stated your position in the introduction, acknowledging the severity of the issue while arguing against a total ban in favor of alternative measures. Your ideas are well-developed, particularly in the second and third paragraphs, where you provide logical reasons for your stance and offer concrete alternatives like taxation and education. The response is balanced and maintains a consistent focus throughout, demonstrating a clear understanding of the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices effectively to link your points, such as 'In addition', 'Therefore', and 'However'. The transition between the argument for banning smoking and the counter-argument regarding the practicality of a total ban is smooth and natural. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion, ensuring the reader can follow your line of reasoning without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an IELTS task. You use topic-specific terms such as 'respiratory problems', 'toxic substances', 'nicotine', and 'smoking-cessation programmes' accurately. The language is natural and precise, allowing you to convey your arguments clearly. While the vocabulary is sufficient and effective, incorporating a few more sophisticated or less common collocations could elevate the response further, but the current level is well-suited for a high-scoring essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

Your grammar is consistently accurate, with a variety of complex sentence structures used throughout the text. For example, you effectively use conditional structures and subordinate clauses, such as 'although I believe that a complete ban may not be the most effective approach' and 'while still allowing governments to control the industry'. Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, demonstrating strong control over English syntax.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.