Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-14

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)

It is undeniable that cigarette smoking is a leading cause of severe, life-threatening illnesses worldwide. While some argue that governments should therefore ban tobacco products entirely to protect public health, I believe that while the health risks are catastrophic, making smoking completely illegal is neither practical nor effective.

On the one hand, there is overwhelming medical evidence that smoking destroys human health and burdens public infrastructure. Tobacco use is directly linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular complications, and various forms of cancer, most notably lung cancer. Furthermore, secondhand smoke poses a severe danger to non-smokers, particularly children. Because public healthcare systems, such as Canada’s universal healthcare, shoulder billions of dollars annually in smoking-related treatment costs, proponents of a ban argue that outlawing tobacco would save countless lives and preserve public resources.

On the other hand, prohibiting smoking outright would likely create more problems than it solves. Historical attempts at banning popular substances—such as alcohol prohibition in the 20th century—demonstrate that criminalization does not eliminate demand; instead, it drives the market underground. A total ban on cigarettes would give rise to massive illicit black markets, empowering organized crime and depriving governments of billions in vital tobacco tax revenues that are currently used to fund health education and cessation programs. Additionally, nicotine is a powerful chemical addiction. Punishing individuals with criminal records for a personal health struggle is counterproductive; a better approach is heavy taxation, strict public consumption laws, and accessible cessation support.

In conclusion, although the health hazards of smoking are profound and undeniable, making it entirely illegal is an impractical solution that would foster illicit trade rather than curb addiction. Governments should instead focus on progressive reduction policies, public awareness campaigns, and support for those trying to quit.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt by evaluating the extent to which smoking should be made illegal. A clear, well-supported position is established in the introduction and maintained consistently throughout the essay. The student considers both sides of the argument: acknowledging the severe health and economic burdens of tobacco use while persuasively arguing that prohibition is impractical due to historical precedents and the emergence of illicit black markets. Ideas are thoroughly extended and supported with relevant examples, such as reference to Canada’s universal healthcare and historical alcohol prohibition. The response satisfies all requirements of Band 8 for this criterion through its well-developed arguments and fully maintained position.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and smooth progression of ideas throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving seamlessly from the introduction to the health arguments, counter-arguments regarding prohibition, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used flexibly and naturally, with appropriate transitional phrases such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore'. Paragraphing is managed skilfully and appropriately, ensuring the overall structure contributes to the clear development of the argument. This performance aligns comfortably with the Band 8 descriptors for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

The student displays a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary appropriate for an essay on public health and policy. Less common lexical items are used effectively and with a strong awareness of collocation, such as 'life-threatening illnesses', 'chronic obstructive pulmonary disease', 'illicit black markets', and 'cessation programs'. Word choice is generally precise and natural, with only occasional minor inaccuracies. Spelling and word formation are entirely accurate throughout the text, demonstrating the control expected at Band 8.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The essay utilises a wide variety of complex sentence structures with a high degree of flexibility and control. The majority of sentences are error-free, featuring sophisticated subordinate clauses, participial phrases, and conditional ideas ('While some argue that...', 'Because public healthcare systems...'). Punctuation is handled expertly to guide the reader through complex arguments. Only very occasional minor slips or stylistic awkwardnesses occur, placing the response solidly in the Band 8 category for grammatical range and accuracy.

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