Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-21

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 one of the major causes of serious health problems, including heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory disorders. Some people believe that smoking should be made illegal because of its harmful effects. I largely agree with this view, although a complete ban may be difficult to implement.

Firstly, smoking causes significant damage not only to smokers but also to people around them. Passive smoking can expose family members, children and colleagues to harmful chemicals. If cigarettes were illegal, fewer people would be exposed to these risks. Moreover, making smoking illegal could discourage young people from developing this habit. For example, teenagers may be less likely to start smoking if cigarettes are difficult to obtain and there are strong legal consequences for selling them.

However, completely banning cigarettes could create several problems. Many people are addicted to nicotine and may continue smoking even if it becomes illegal. This could lead to an increase in the illegal sale of cigarettes and create a black market. In addition, governments would need to spend considerable resources enforcing such a ban. A more practical approach could therefore be to introduce stricter regulations, such as increasing taxes, banning smoking in public places and preventing cigarette advertising.

In conclusion, I agree that smoking should be strongly restricted because it causes serious illnesses and affects non-smokers as well. Nevertheless, instead of immediately making cigarettes completely illegal, governments should combine strict regulations with public awareness campaigns and effective smoking-cessation programs. This approach could reduce smoking rates while avoiding some of the problems associated with prohibition.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The student fully addresses all parts of the prompt by exploring the extent to which smoking should be made illegal. A clear, consistent position is established in the introduction ('I largely agree with this view, although a complete ban may be difficult to implement') and maintained throughout the essay. Main ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples and explanations, such as the dangers of passive smoking, the impact on teenagers, and the creation of a black market. The arguments are logical and directly answer the task question without wandering off-topic. Based on these strengths, the response easily meets the criteria for Band 7.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression from the introduction through the body paragraphs to the conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct central theme, such as health risks, black market concerns, and alternative solutions. Cohesive devices are employed flexibly and naturally, using transitional phrases like 'Firstly', 'Moreover', 'However', and 'In addition' to guide the reader smoothly through the arguments. Referencing is clear and unambiguous throughout the text. The flow of ideas is natural and logical, warranting a solid Band 8.0 for this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student displays a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited to an academic discussion on public health and legislation. Phrases such as 'respiratory disorders', 'passive smoking', 'black market', and 'smoking-cessation programs' demonstrate effective use of less common lexical items with a good awareness of collocation and style. Word choice is generally precise, and there are no noticeable spelling or word-formation errors. While the vocabulary is fluent and natural, it stops just short of the highly sophisticated control required for Band 8.0, making a strong Band 7.0 appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The writer uses a good variety of complex structures alongside simple sentences, maintaining good control throughout. Examples of complex constructions include conditional clauses ('If cigarettes were illegal, fewer people would be exposed...') and concessive clauses ('although a complete ban may be difficult to implement'). The majority of sentences are entirely error-free, and punctuation is handled correctly. Grammatical control is consistently strong, with only very occasional minor slips, which aligns comfortably with the descriptor for Band 8.0.

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