Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-30

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 often argued that smoking can cause serious illness and should be made illegal. I strongly believe with this view because there have been cases where first hand smokers and second hand smokers can be affected and harm their lungs.

The primary reason for my view is that people who smoke and the individual who inhale the smoke are prone to lung cancer. The chemicals use in the production of cigarettes and vapes have side effects to the bodies. The numbers of cancer patients every year increased gradually due to this reason. The issue should be addressed as early as now so the chances of serious illness will be avoided. Furthermore, children may also affect with this. It is substantial that young generation will be protected at any cost. They are very sensitive and critical dilemmas may occur.

A further argument in favor in of this position is that it is one of the reasons why the earth experiences air pollution. Aside from the smoke that came from different factories, cigarette and vape smoke has a vital impact to the pollution. As the number of smoker increases, the possibility of people being sick due to this reason will also climb.

In conclusion, I strongly agree that smoking should be made illegal. This is one way on how to prevent serious illness. The production of the said product should be stopped or banned as well by the government officials. There should be a strict rule and protocols to be followed in each community.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of banning smoking. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention health risks and air pollution, the arguments lack depth and specific evidence. For instance, the claim that smoking is a primary cause of air pollution is a significant over-generalization that lacks supporting data or logical nuance. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more detailed explanations or concrete examples rather than repeating the same general statements about illness and pollution. The conclusion is clear, but the overall argument remains somewhat superficial.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'A further argument', and 'In conclusion' to signal the progression of your ideas. However, the flow within paragraphs is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel slightly forced. For example, the link between the health of children and 'critical dilemmas' is not clearly explained, which disrupts the logical flow. Additionally, the use of referencing is sometimes imprecise, such as in the phrase 'due to this reason', which could be more clearly linked to the preceding clause. Improving the variety of linking words would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some relevant topic-specific terms like 'lung cancer', 'second hand smokers', and 'air pollution'. However, there are instances of awkward word choices and collocations, such as 'chemicals use in the production' (should be 'chemicals used') and 'critical dilemmas may occur', which is not the most natural way to describe health risks. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. The range of vocabulary is sufficient for a 6.0, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt to use complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'people who smoke and the individual who inhale' (subject-verb agreement error: 'individuals who inhale'), 'children may also affect with this' (passive voice error: 'be affected by'), and 'one way on how to prevent' (awkward phrasing: 'one way to prevent'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the frequency of these minor grammatical slips prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct passive voice construction will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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