Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-11-05

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 6.0)

Most teenagers lately are wasting their time smoking because they are influenced by their friends, or they just want to show that they are strong and demonstrate their ability to do whatever they want because they believe it is the only way for them to express their freedom. I personally agree that smoking should be illegal for the following reasons.

First of all, it is one of the main causes of serious diseases like throat cancer, heart disease, and breathing problems. Moreover, it can affect non-smokers. For example, when you are in a café or just passing by, you are exposed to chemical substances without choosing to smoke, especially pregnant women and children.

Furthermore, governments spend large amounts of money treating illnesses related to smoking, and the death rate has been increasing over the years. The category most affected is young people. The main reason is imitating others.

In addition, throwing cigarette butts can cause environmental damage, such as pollution and deforestation. Also, smoking a cigarette for the first time or on a daily basis can lead to addiction. Then, it becomes difficult for people to quit, even when they know the risks and consequences they may face in the future.

To sum up, growing up in a society where smoking is common can never be healthy for either individuals or the government. It is a sort of distraction that destroys our identity and well-being, whether through smoking daily, being influenced by someone close to us, or simply seeing our favourite idols smoking and wanting to do the same without knowing what might happen next.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you agree that smoking should be illegal, and you give relevant reasons, including serious illness, harm to non-smokers, public healthcare costs, environmental damage and addiction. These points address the topic, but they are not all developed equally. The health effects and second-hand smoke are illustrated with examples, while the claims about rising death rates, young people being most affected, and cigarette litter causing deforestation need explanation or evidence. The response also focuses mainly on why smoking is harmful; it would address the question more fully by considering what making it illegal would involve and acknowledging a counterargument, such as personal freedom or the difficulty of enforcing a ban. Develop fewer points in greater depth to strengthen the argument.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction states your view, body paragraphs present reasons, and a concluding paragraph restates the general concern. Sequencing phrases such as “First of all,” “Furthermore,” and “In addition” help readers follow the argument. However, the progression can feel like a list of separate harms rather than a connected case for prohibition. The opening focuses on teenagers and peer influence, but this idea is not clearly carried through the body. Some references are also broad: “the category most affected” is not immediately clear, and the conclusion introduces “identity” without developing it earlier. Link each paragraph more explicitly to your position and use clearer references to improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “serious diseases,” “chemical substances,” “addiction,” and “well-being,” so the main ideas are understandable. There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “the death rate” and “environmental damage.” However, some choices are imprecise or unnatural, which limits the precision of the argument. For example, “wasting their time smoking” is an awkward way to describe the issue, and “the category most affected” is vague. “Demonstrate their ability to do whatever they want” is also wordy and does not express the idea as directly as it could. Aim for precise collocations and avoid repeating general terms such as “smoking” and “people” when a more specific expression is available.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “illnesses related to smoking” and a conditional structure in “when you are in a café or just passing by.” Most sentences communicate their meaning clearly, and punctuation generally supports the reading. Some longer sentences, however, become difficult to control. The opening sentence combines several ideas with “because” and “or,” making the relationship between peer influence, freedom and smoking less clear. The final sentence also strings together several alternatives, so its main point is harder to follow. There are some awkward grammatical patterns, such as “the category most affected is young people.” Break long sentences into clearer units and check that subjects and complements fit together.

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