Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-29

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)

It is scientifically proven that smoking is hazardous to health and can be fatal. Therefore, it should be illegal to smoke. I strongly agree with this notion as it can cause serious diseases and can cause mental health issues.

The primary reason behind my agreement is that smoking tobacco or any drug can be hazardous and can lead to serious ailments like cancer and can affect cardiovascular health. It has been proved in scientific reports that smoke can disturb the oxygen binding capacity of blood and can cause sudden cardiac arrest eventually leading to death of the individual. Therefore smoking can be fatal and causes various diseases which can affect the mental health of the people and the family members related to the individual.

Furthermore, as smoking is quite addictive and in order to deal with its addictive effects, a professional counselling is required as the withdrawal effects can be extremely intense and can lead to mental health issues. Therefore, both mental and physical health issues are very severe. Therefore, high amount of financial capital is required to deal with treatment and frequent counselling sessions which can cause financial debt and can affect the overall well-being of the individual even after the treatment. Hence, it has serious issues and can cause serious anxiety and depression.

In conclusion, i completely agree that smoking, in any form, can cause severe physical and mental health issues and affects the financial budget of the individual due to costly treatment of serious ailments caused by it. Hence, smoking should be made illegal.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt clearly, maintaining a consistent position throughout. You have identified key arguments regarding physical health, mental health, and financial implications. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat repetitive. For instance, the link between smoking and financial debt is mentioned but not fully explored with specific examples or logical depth. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph introduces a distinct, well-supported point rather than restating the same general ideas about 'serious issues' and 'illnesses'. The conclusion effectively summarizes your stance, but the overall argument would benefit from more specific real-world examples or a more nuanced discussion of the implications of making smoking illegal.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Therefore', and 'Hence' to link ideas. However, the use of these devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, the word 'Therefore' is used at the start of three consecutive sentences in the second and third paragraphs, which disrupts the flow. To improve, vary your transition words and ensure that the progression of ideas feels more natural. Referencing is generally clear, but the overuse of simple connectors makes the structure feel slightly rigid rather than fluid.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'cardiovascular health', 'withdrawal effects', and 'financial capital'. However, the vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, particularly the frequent use of the word 'serious' and 'issues'. There is a lack of more sophisticated or precise collocations that would elevate the response. While your meaning is always clear and there are no significant spelling errors, the range is not sufficiently wide to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands. Focus on incorporating more topic-specific academic vocabulary to express your ideas with greater precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'It has been proved in scientific reports that smoke can disturb...'. While your grammar is generally accurate and communication is never impeded, there is a lack of variety in your sentence construction. Many sentences follow a similar pattern, and there are minor issues with punctuation and article usage (e.g., 'a professional counselling' should be 'professional counselling'). To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice constructions, while maintaining the current level of accuracy.

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

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