Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-26

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 7.0)

Smoking is widely recognized as a major concern of serious health conditions including life-threatening diseases. Therefore, some people argue that smoking should be made illegal. Although, I agree that smoking poses significant risks to individuals and society. I believe that a complete ban is not the most effective solution, and stricter regulations should be implemented instead.

To begin with, smoking causes serious health problems. cigarettes contain harmful chemicals that can damage the lungs and other organs. Regular smokers are more likely to develop serious diseases over time.

For instance, a person who smokes several cigarettes every day for many years may develop lung disease or heart problems, which can reduce their healthy life expectancy. Consequently, regular smoking can not only shorten people's lives but also place an additional burden on healthcare systems.

On the other hand, making smoking completely illegal may not be an effective solution because adults should have some freedom to make their own personal choices. Instead of imposing a total ban, governments can introduce stricter regulations, such as increasing taxes on cigarettes, banning smoking in public places and conducting awareness campaigns about its harmful effects. For example, if tobacco products become more expensive, some smokers may reduce their consumption or quit the habit altogether. Therefore, stricter regulation may be more practical than making smoking completely illegal.

In conclusion, although smoking can cause serious health problems and reduce people's life expectancy, I do not believe that it should be made completely illegal. Instead, governments should impose stricter regulations, increase taxes on tobacco products and raise public awareness to encourage people to quit smoking.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in the introduction and maintaining it throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant and well-supported, particularly the discussion on personal freedom versus government regulation. The arguments are extended logically, with clear examples provided, such as the mention of increased taxes and public awareness campaigns. The conclusion effectively summarises the main points and reinforces the writer's stance. The response is well-balanced and demonstrates a clear understanding of the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the transition between the health risks of smoking and the counter-argument regarding personal freedom is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'For instance', 'On the other hand', and 'Therefore' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The flow of information is natural and easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The range of vocabulary is sufficient for the task and allows for some precision. The writer uses relevant terminology such as 'life-threatening diseases', 'healthcare systems', and 'tobacco products'. While the vocabulary is generally accurate and appropriate for the academic context, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or 'less common' lexical items that would elevate it to a higher band. However, there are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is generally good control over grammar and punctuation, with most sentences being error-free. For example, the use of conditional structures ('if tobacco products become more expensive...') is accurate. There are minor slips, such as the capitalization error in 'cigarettes' at the start of a sentence and the slightly awkward phrasing 'major concern of serious health conditions', but these do not interfere with the clarity of the message.

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