Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-10-09
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 5.5)
Everyone knows the consequences of smoking. It also results in severe disorders and therefore many individuals think it is mandatory to illicit it. From my perspective, it is valid to pass this law. This essay will discuss this statement and also elaborate my view about it.
Smoking is something that does not have a single benefit. Therefore, there is not a reason to make it legal. However, a lot of individuals do not want it to be banned. They say that smoking helps them to unwind their mind. It is because they are addicted and dependent towards smoking. For instance, a survey shows that smokers seem to be at their dead end whenever the supply is cut off. Another reaons from apponents is that various kind of smoke is not detrimental for health as it is just for fashion or a tradition. Regarding this, many students often seen using pipe smoking, it is because they are unaware about its impact on their body.
It should be completely restricted around the world as there are many demerits of it. To begin, I will talk about chain smoking. People frequently using cigarrettes and tobacco, often end up habituated to nicotine. In addition to addiction, there is another significant motive to prohbit smoking, as it is a wide spreading issue. Many colleagues mislead their fellows and a society of smokers develop. Smoking is a primary factor of lung diseases, mainly lung cancer. It sometimes lead to second hand sugar, and cholestrol diseases. Smokers lose their beauty in many cases, turning black lips and spores on face.
In conclusion, I will say that government and authorities should take steps to completely get rid of smoking in their countries as there are just advantages towards society and health.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You take a clear position in favour of making smoking illegal, especially in the opening and conclusion, and you give relevant reasons such as addiction, peer influence and serious health effects. However, the response addresses the issue only partially because several points are asserted rather than explained. For example, the claim that smoking has “not a single benefit” is not examined, while the opposing view about relaxation is mentioned but not answered in a developed way. Some supporting details are unclear or inaccurate, such as “second hand sugar,” which makes the health argument difficult to follow. To strengthen the response, explain how each example supports a legal ban and address the consequences or practical implications of prohibition.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion, and signposts such as “For instance,” “To begin” and “In conclusion” help identify stages of the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is uneven: the second paragraph moves from addiction to fashion and student pipe-smoking without clearly connecting these points, and the third combines addiction, social influence, cancer and appearance. Some linking is mechanical or repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “therefore” and “In addition.” Referencing is also unclear in places, as in “Regarding this,” where the connection to the preceding claim is uncertain. Group related reasons together and use clearer transitions to show how each point develops the central argument.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “addicted,” “nicotine,” “lung cancer” and “second hand,” so the reader can identify the subject and main concerns. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate word choices or collocations make meaning unclear. “Illicit” is used where “prohibit” is intended, “dependent towards smoking” is unnatural, and “at their dead end” does not clearly express withdrawal or distress. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “reaons,” “appon ents,” “cigarrettes,” “prohbit” and “cholestrol.” Aim for precise, conventional expressions and check spelling carefully. For example, use “dependent on nicotine” and “a widespread public-health problem” rather than the less natural phrases in the essay.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a reason clause in “It is because they are addicted” and a conditional-style explanation beginning “as there are many demerits.” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to interpret. Examples include “many students often seen using pipe smoking,” which lacks a finite verb, and “It sometimes lead,” where the subject and verb do not agree. The sentence beginning “Another reaons from apponents is that…” is also difficult to follow because its structure is incomplete or poorly controlled. Practise building complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and check agreement, articles and plural forms. Vary sentence patterns only after the basic structure is accurate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.