Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-13

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)

It is a common belief that smoking is injurious to health therefore it should be banned. I agree that smoking is not only having adverse effects transiently but is also responsible for incurable serious illnesses in later stages.

Smoking leads to diseases primarily in respiratory system which affect lungs further causing difficulty in breathing. Cardiac conditions like artery blockage and cancers like lung cancers and bladder cancers can be seen in people who are chronic smokers. Along with deterioration of physical health of primary consumer the people in the vicinity tend to become passive smokers and are affected to some extent. There are numerous advertisements and campaigns to spread awareness about the lethal side effects of smoking however, a significant number of patients land in hospital wards with conditions like COPD ( Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary diseases) which is mainly caused by prolonged smoking. Therefore, the authorities should completely ban smoking and can make it a punishable offence. Although, currently it is illegal to smoke in public spaces but complete eradication can only solve the problem at grass root level thus reducing the load of deadly diseases.

This strictness may seem severe to some people who might defend saying that limited frequency of smoking is of no harm rather it helps in relieving stress.

Smoking might have some benefits but none of them can overweigh its harmful effects on human health as well as the environment. If given adequate interest and importance by the ruling government multiple lives can be saved by declaring smoking illegal.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have clearly addressed the prompt by taking a firm position in favor of banning smoking. You provide relevant arguments regarding health risks, such as respiratory and cardiac diseases, and touch upon the issue of passive smoking. The ideas are generally well-developed, though the counter-argument regarding stress relief is somewhat brief. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting points are expanded with more specific examples or deeper analysis. Overall, your position is consistent throughout the essay, and the main ideas are relevant to the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'therefore', 'along with', and 'although' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the paragraphing could be improved; for instance, the counter-argument paragraph is quite short and could be better integrated into the flow of the argument. Referencing is generally clear, but ensure that your cohesive devices are used to create a more natural, fluid progression between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic, using terms like 'transiently', 'chronic smokers', and 'eradication'. There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'land in hospital wards' (which is slightly informal) and 'primary consumer' (which is not the standard term for a smoker). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, the precision is occasionally lacking. Focusing on more natural collocations will help elevate your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('in respiratory system' should be 'in the respiratory system') and punctuation issues (e.g., the comma after 'Although' is unnecessary). Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'smoking is not only having adverse effects'. To improve, focus on article usage and refining your complex sentence structures to ensure they are error-free.

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.