Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-10-21

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 5.5)

Smoking is a very harmful addiction. It is more likely a small poison. People who are addicted to it, don't know how much harm they are doing to their bodies. Smoking can cause serious illnesses and it should be made illegal. However right in the cover of a ciggratte packet, there are alot of warnings already been given, but unfortunately, People who are addicted to it doesn't pay any attention towards it and keeps on smoking.

I am totally agreed by the fact that smoking should be made illegal because of all the harms it does to our body. It may cause a lung cancer if the consumer is consuming it on daily basis. It is not just bad for the consumer of it, but the people sitting right next to a smoker are much more likely to cause a lung cancer. Because the smoker itself is smoking through the filtered part of the ciggrette but the smoke that is entering in the body of the person right next to him is without any filter and that person is more in danger than the smoker itself.

I have seen alot of smokers who died because of lung cancer, kidney diseases, artery diseases, heart diseases all starting because of smoking. There is not only lungs that are affected by smoking. Many organs of our body like kidneys, heart, artries, stomach and liver etc. are effected by smoking and it turns into a long-term disease for smokers. It should be made illegal so the ratio of smokers can be decreased and less harm can be caused for even childrens and elderly people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you agree that smoking should be illegal, and you give relevant reasons, including harm to smokers, second-hand smoke, and effects on other organs. The example of people you have seen die from smoking-related illnesses also supports your view. However, some points need fuller explanation. For instance, the claim that second-hand smoke makes nearby people more at risk than smokers is asserted rather than carefully supported, and the final point about protecting children and older people is not developed. To strengthen the response, explain how prohibition would reduce smoking and consider a counterargument, such as personal freedom or the possibility of an illegal market, before explaining why your position remains stronger.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, reasons supporting your position, and a concluding point about reducing harm. Ideas are generally relevant and can be followed. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear, and several points are joined in long sentences rather than separated into distinct steps. The explanation of filtered and unfiltered smoke, for example, would be easier to follow if divided into shorter sentences and linked explicitly to the claim about risk. Connectors such as “However” and “Because” are used, but some links feel mechanical or create sentence fragments. Use clearer paragraphing for each main reason and refer back to your central argument with precise linking phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “addicted,” “lung cancer,” “filtered,” and “long-term disease,” so the reader can understand the subject and your main ideas. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate or repetitive. Phrases such as “a small poison,” “the consumer of it,” and “the ratio of smokers” do not express your meaning naturally; “smoking prevalence” or “the number of smokers” would be clearer. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “ciggrette,” “alot,” and “artries.” Build a more precise vocabulary for discussing public health and policy, and check spelling and collocations during revision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast with “However” and a reason introduced by “Because.” Your meaning is usually understandable, but errors in agreement, articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries occur across the response. For example, “People who are addicted to it doesn't pay” should use a plural verb, while “I am totally agreed” has an incorrect verb construction. The sentence beginning “Because the smoker itself…” is a fragment, and “It may cause a lung cancer” uses an unnecessary article. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and complete sentence construction, then proofread articles and verb forms. Breaking long sentences into shorter clauses will also improve control.

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