Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-16

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 recognised as a major cause of serious health problems, including cancer, heart disease and respiratory disorders. Some people therefore argue that smoking should be completely prohibited. While I strongly agree that smoking should be restricted in order to protect public health, I do not believe that an outright ban would be the most practical or effective solution.

There are compelling reasons why governments should take stronger action against smoking. First and foremost, tobacco consumption places a substantial burden on healthcare systems. Smokers are significantly more likely to develop chronic illnesses, many of which require expensive and prolonged medical treatment. Consequently, governments may have to allocate considerable public funds to treating diseases that could largely be prevented. In addition, smoking does not only harm the individual smoker. Passive smoking can expose family members, colleagues and members of the public to harmful substances, particularly in enclosed environments. For this reason, strict regulations on smoking in public places are justified.

However, making cigarettes completely illegal could create several serious problems. A total prohibition might encourage a black market in tobacco products, allowing criminal networks to profit from illegal sales. Furthermore, some adult smokers are heavily dependent on nicotine, and abruptly banning tobacco could make it difficult for them to quit safely and successfully. Rather than simply criminalising smokers, governments could pursue a combination of measures, such as substantially increasing tobacco taxes, restricting advertising, introducing graphic health warnings and providing accessible smoking-cessation programmes. These policies can reduce consumption while addressing the underlying causes of tobacco dependence.

For example, countries that have introduced comprehensive tobacco-control measures have generally experienced reductions in smoking rates. Such policies demonstrate that changing behaviour through taxation, education and regulation can be more sustainable than relying exclusively on criminalisation.

In conclusion, I strongly support stringent restrictions on smoking because of its serious consequences for individuals and society. Nevertheless, I disagree that smoking should be made completely illegal. A comprehensive strategy combining regulation, taxation, public education and support for smokers who wish to quit is likely to be a more balanced and practical approach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student fully addresses all parts of the task by taking a clear, nuanced position on the prompt. Rather than taking a simple yes or no stance, the writer argues strongly for stringent restrictions while rejecting a total ban, which demonstrates a high level of critical thinking. The position is maintained consistently throughout the essay. Ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant reasoning, such as the economic burden on healthcare systems, the dangers of passive smoking, and the risk of fostering a black market. Key arguments are extended logically, fulfilling the Band 8 descriptor for Task Achievement by presenting a well-developed response with only rare minor omissions or over-generalizations.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Coherence and cohesion are managed exceptionally well in this response. Information and ideas are logically sequenced, guiding the reader smoothly from the introduction through well-defined body paragraphs to a clear conclusion. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each body paragraph focusing on a distinct sub-topic, such as the reasons for action, the dangers of a total ban, and supportive examples. Cohesive devices—such as 'First and foremost', 'Consequently', 'In addition', and 'Nevertheless'—are used flexibly and naturally without being mechanical. Referencing and substitution are clear throughout, meeting the criteria for a high band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The essay displays a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary suited to an academic discussion on public health and policy. The student skilfully incorporates less common lexical items and collocations, such as 'prohibited', 'substantial burden', 'chronic illnesses', 'prolonged medical treatment', 'criminal networks', and 'smoking-cessation programmes'. Word choice and collocations are generally very precise, with only occasional minor inaccuracies. Spelling and word formation are entirely accurate throughout the response, reflecting the standard expected at Band 8.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The writer demonstrates a wide range of structures with a high degree of grammatical flexibility. Complex sentences are used naturally and accurately, as seen in concessive clauses ('While I strongly agree that...') and conditional constructions. The majority of sentences are error-free, and control of punctuation and syntax is strong. Minor slips do occasionally occur, but they are non-systematic and never impede communication or detract from the sophisticated flow of the text. This performance sits comfortably within the Band 8 descriptor for grammatical control.

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