Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-10-17

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)

Smoking is a common problem in our country as it causes several diseases such as cancer and other mental physical illnesses. I strongly agree that it should be restricted because it is harmful for the society and environment as it makes the environment polluted.

On one hand, Smoking is dangerous for health which releases a chemical called Nicotin through our body. This chemical made from tobacco and it causes many health problems. When Nicotin enters our body it effects our lungs and blood cells. Our brain also consumes this chemical which is not a good outcome.It makes our body part weak. For example every year many people dies by cancer and the major factor behind this is smoking. As a result people suffers a lot even in a packet of tobacco the disclaimer shows that it can causes cancer.

On the other hand, The government don't do anything due to it pays taxes with a large amount of money.Smoking effects our environment as it makes the environment polluted and young kids and other non-smoker public suffers a lot. Due to it hampers our society and the environment it should be ban as soon as possible. people should raise their voice to the government.For example if people raise their voice or do protest then the government must enforce some new laws and regulations to solve this issue. Thus, the public may live their lives happily in a relatively peaceful environment.

In conclusion, I believe that it should be restricted as fast as possible so that our people may live peacefully and enjoy a better durable life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you strongly agree that smoking should be restricted or banned, and you give relevant reasons concerning health, environmental harm and government action. The health paragraph includes an example about cancer and tobacco warnings, while the second body paragraph explains how public pressure might lead to new laws. These points address the task, but they are not developed equally: the environmental claim is repeated rather than supported with a specific consequence, and the argument about government tax revenue is introduced without explaining how it affects policy. To strengthen the response, explain the reasons more fully and make the distinction between restricting smoking and making it illegal clear.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs signposted by “On one hand” and “On the other hand,” and a conclusion that restates your view. This gives the reader an overall route through the argument. However, some links are mechanical, and the progression within paragraphs is not always smooth. For example, the shift from nicotine’s effects to cancer deaths and then to package warnings could be connected more explicitly. Repetition of “environment” and “people” also makes the second body paragraph feel less developed. Use clearer cause-and-effect links and ensure each sentence advances one main point; consistent paragraphing and punctuation would also improve readability.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “cancer,” “tobacco,” “non-smoker” and “laws and regulations,” so the main ideas are generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word-choice, spelling and collocation errors make the writing less precise. Examples include “Nicotin” for “nicotine,” “mental physical illnesses,” and “the environment polluted.” The repeated use of “harmful,” “problem” and “environment” also restricts variety. Aim to learn accurate topic collocations and use them in context—for instance, describe the health risks of smoking or the effects of second-hand smoke. More precise vocabulary would help you explain your points without relying on broad or repeated wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including conditional and cause-and-effect structures such as “if people raise their voice … the government must enforce some new laws.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in agreement, verb forms, articles and sentence boundaries occur across the response. For example, “many people dies” should be “many people die,” and “the government don’t” should be “the government doesn’t.” In “it should be ban,” the passive form needs “banned.” Some sentences also run together, as in “outcome.It makes,” while “it causes” has an unclear reference. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and forming passive sentences, then proofread punctuation and sentence boundaries.

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