Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-20

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)

In recent years, smoking is widely recognised as a major cause of serious health problems, including respiratory diseases, heart conditions and various forms of cancer.Some individuals argue that smoking should be completely prohibited bt law. Although, I strongly support stricter measures to discourage smoking, I do not believe that completely ban would be the most effective approch.

To commence with, there are several compelling reasons why smoking should be controlled more rigorously. First and foremost, tobacco consumption has severe consequences for both smokers amd those around them. To expand, prolonged exposure to tobacco smoke can increase the risk of life-threatening disease, while passive smoking can also negatively affect family members and other members of the public. Furthermore, smoking places a considerable burden on healthcare systems because governments may have to spend substantial amount of public money treating preventable smoking-related illnesess. For instance, people who smoke for many years are more likely to require treatment for chronic respiratory problems, which can pressure on hospitals and medical professionals.

However, making smoking entirely illegal could create several practical and social problems. One major concern is that prohibition may encourage an illegal tobacco market, making cigarettes available through unregulated channels. This could make it more difficult for authorities to monitor tobacco products and prevent their sales to young peopel. Governments could combine higher tobacco taxes, restrictions on advertising, smoke-free public areas and accessible smoking-cessation programmes. These measures could reduce consumption while allowing exitsing smokers to receive appropriate support.

To recapitulate, I agree that smoking causes serious illnesses and that governments should take stronger action to reduce tobacco use. Nevertheless, I do nit believe that completely banning smoking is the most pragmatic solution. A combination of taxation, strict regulations, public education and effective cessation support would be a more balanced way to protect public health and deminish smoking rates.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively addresses all parts of the prompt, taking a clear and well-developed position on whether smoking should be made illegal. The writer acknowledges the severe health risks associated with smoking while presenting a nuanced counter-argument against a total ban, suggesting alternative measures such as taxation and education instead. Ideas are extended logically and supported with relevant explanations regarding healthcare burdens and the risks of an illegal tobacco market. The position remains consistent throughout the essay, demonstrating a solid understanding of the task requirements and meeting the criteria for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear overall progression and logical organisation. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, two body paragraphs discussing opposing sides, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are generally well managed, with phrases like 'To commence with', 'Furthermore', and 'However' guiding the reader through the argument. However, there are minor cohesion flaws, such as the sentence fragment 'Although, I strongly support stricter measures...' which disrupts the flow between clauses. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow, aligning well with a Band 6.5 descriptor.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate and generally appropriate for the task. The writer attempts less common lexical items such as 'prohibited', 'prolonged exposure', and 'pragmatic solution'. However, there are several typographical and lexical errors throughout the text, including 'bt' instead of 'by', 'approch' instead of 'approach', 'amd' instead of 'and', 'illnesess' instead of 'illnesses', and 'peopel' instead of 'people'. While these do not impede overall communication, the frequency of spelling and minor word-choice inaccuracies prevents the lexical score from reaching the higher bands, placing it solidly at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, successfully incorporating conditional and subordinate clauses such as 'while passive smoking can also negatively affect...' and 'people who smoke for many years are more likely to...'. There are several grammatical and mechanical errors, including punctuation issues like the comma splice after 'Although' in the introduction, and minor phrasing errors like 'can pressure on hospitals' instead of 'can put pressure on hospitals'. Although errors are present, they rarely impede communication, allowing the essay to achieve a Band 6.0.

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