Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-18

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 7.5)

Smoking is widely known to cause serious health problems, including heart disease, lung cancer and other illnesses. Some people believe that smoking should therefore be made illegal. I partly agree with this view because, although smoking is extremely harmful, a complete ban may not be the most effective solution.

On the one hand, there are strong reasons for making smoking illegal. Firstly, smoking can seriously damage the health of both smokers and people around them. Passive smoking can also affect non-smokers, particularly children. Secondly, smoking places a considerable burden on healthcare systems because smokers are more likely to suffer from serious diseases and require medical treatment. For example, governments spend large amounts of money treating illnesses related to tobacco use. Therefore, reducing smoking could improve public health and reduce healthcare costs.

On the other hand, completely banning cigarettes could create several difficulties. Many adults are addicted to nicotine, and suddenly making cigarettes illegal could lead to an increase in illegal tobacco sales. It may also create a black market, making it harder for governments to control the quality and sale of tobacco products. Instead of a complete ban, governments could introduce stricter measures, such as increasing taxes on cigarettes, banning smoking in public places and preventing tobacco advertising. Public education campaigns could also encourage smokers to quit.

In conclusion, I agree that smoking is extremely harmful and that governments should take strong action to reduce it. However, I do not believe that making it completely illegal is the best approach. Stricter regulations, higher taxes and effective anti-smoking campaigns would be more practical ways to protect public health.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt clearly. You have taken a balanced position, acknowledging the dangers of smoking while arguing against a total ban in favor of more practical alternatives. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the discussion on the black market and the burden on healthcare systems. The argument is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes your main points. To reach a higher band, you could provide a more specific example of a country or a particular policy that has successfully reduced smoking rates through the measures you suggested, which would further strengthen the depth of your analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the arguments for and against a ban is handled smoothly using cohesive devices like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand'. The use of linking words such as 'Therefore', 'Firstly', and 'However' is natural and effective. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The flow of information is easy to follow, and the relationship between ideas is consistently clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task. Phrases such as 'considerable burden', 'public health', and 'stricter regulations' are used accurately. The vocabulary is precise and contributes to the formal tone of the essay. While the range is sufficient, incorporating a few more sophisticated, less common collocations or idiomatic academic expressions could elevate the score further. For instance, instead of 'make it harder', you could use 'complicate efforts'. Overall, the lexical control is strong, and there are no errors in word choice that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good variety of complex structures, such as conditional-like reasoning ('if... then' implied) and subordinate clauses ('although smoking is extremely harmful...'). The sentences are generally error-free, and your control over punctuation is excellent. The grammar is consistently accurate, which allows for a smooth reading experience. To achieve a higher band, you could experiment with a wider variety of advanced grammatical structures, such as inversion or more complex passive constructions, to demonstrate even greater flexibility in your writing.

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