Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-14

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 5.5)

Smoking is a bad addictive habit which can cause severe health issues for the person who is involved in it.

yes! the smoking should be illegal as it creates a bad impact on this younger generation and they get fascinated enough to give it a try but eventually they get used to its aroma and taste which later becomes difficult to abandon. Further, not only direct smokers gets to bear the effects but also people standing near the smokers get to do passive smoking which causes them to bear certain diseases like asthma and lung infection.

Still, on the other hand, if addictives like these will be banned, people will go to any extent in order get access to these. This will cause the "Black market" to increase its reach and demerit good like these will be sold in higher prices. Also, it can give encouragement to criminal activities which will cause chaos in the country which can gradually become difficult to stop.

Making smoking illegal is not he solution, still the goverment can impose certain laws which can result in decrease in smoking. For example, the taxes on cigerettes can be increased which will increase its price causing people to leave smoking. Moreover, advertisement of these substances should be banned as like in 'Pakistan' which will create a larger impact as people will not be able to know which brand is circulating in market. Last thing to make situation better can be to educate people about its harmful effects which can be a fruitful solution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both sides of the argument before proposing alternative solutions. The position is clear, although the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. For instance, the argument regarding the 'black market' is relevant but could be more deeply explored to reach a higher band. The essay covers all parts of the task, providing reasons and examples, such as the mention of tax increases and advertising bans. However, the tone is occasionally informal (e.g., 'yes!'), which detracts from the academic nature of the task. Overall, the ideas are relevant and the position is maintained throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the argument. There is a clear progression of ideas from the health risks to the economic consequences of a ban, and finally to alternative solutions. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Further', 'Still, on the other hand', and 'Moreover', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, the counter-argument, and the proposed solutions. The referencing is generally clear, and the flow of the argument is easy to follow for the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'fascinated', 'abandon', and 'circulating'. However, there are also instances of imprecise word choice or awkward phrasing, such as 'demerit good' (likely meaning 'demerit goods') and 'addictives' (when 'addictive substances' would be more accurate). Spelling errors like 'cigerettes' and 'goverment' are present. While the range is sufficient to convey meaning, the lack of precision and occasional errors prevent a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('not only direct smokers gets to bear', 'if addictives like these will be banned') and punctuation errors. While these errors are noticeable, they do not significantly impede communication. The use of complex structures is attempted, but control is inconsistent. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that conditional sentences are formed correctly. The overall control of grammar is sufficient for a band 6, but more accuracy is needed for a higher band.

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

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