Duolingo / PTE / IELTS writing task – Discussion/Direct essay

Should smoking be banned in all public places, or is it a personal choice that should be respected? IELTS writing task 2- Discussion/Direct essay.

Model answer by Lifestyle Training Centre

Smoking in public places has long been a contentious issue worldwide. Although some view it as a personal choice, I firmly oppose public smoking. This essay will present the arguments supporting my stance.

Smoking in public spaces is a reprehensible act, characterised by its selfish and inconsiderate nature. When individuals smoke in public, they subject non-smokers to the detrimental effects of passive smoking, thereby jeopardizing their health. Children and innocent bystanders, who have no inclination towards smoking, often suffer the consequences of this harmful practice. Passive smoking not only results in long-term respiratory issues but also significantly increases the risk of serious ailments such as cancer. A recent survey conducted in India highlights the grave implications of passive smoking, particularly in children, identifying it as a leading cause of cancer among them and underscoring the urgency of addressing this public health concern.

In addition to causing deleterious health issues to bystanders, public smoking can also influence children and teens to embark on the journey of smoking. By smoking in public, smokers inadvertently promote the notion that smoking is acceptable. This can be seriously harmful to the health and wellbeing of society as a whole. Statistics indicate that children who have parents who smoke are more likely to take up smoking at an early age, thus dragging themselves into a lifestyle of addiction.

To conclude, while smoking may be a personal choice, doing it in public is not justifiable as it causes serious harm to bystanders and can lead to moral degradation, influencing children and teens to start smoking early in life. If one must smoke, it should be done in private, ensuring that others’ health and morals are not jeopardised.  

List of vocabulary used

1. Contentious: causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial.
2. Reprehensible: deserving censure or condemnation; very bad.
3. Inconsiderate: thoughtlessly causing hurt or inconvenience to others.
4. Detrimental: tending to cause harm.
5. Passive smoking: involuntary inhalation of smoke from other people’s cigarettes, cigars, or pipes.
6. Jeopardizing: putting (someone or something) into a situation in which there is a danger of loss, harm, or failure.
7. Innocent bystanders: people who are present at an event or incident but do not take part and are not involved.
8. Respiratory issues: problems related to the lungs and breathing.
9. Ailments: an illness, typically a minor one.
10. Survey: a method of gathering information from individuals, usually by asking questions.
11. Implications: the possible effects or results of an action or a decision.
12. Deleterious: causing harm or damage.
13. Influence: the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something.
14. Promote: further the progress of (something, especially a cause, venture, or aim); support or actively encourage.
15. Notion: a conception of or belief about something.
16. Justifiable: able to be shown to be right or reasonable; defensible.
17. Moral degradation: decline in ethical standards or moral values.
18. Ensuring: making certain that something shall occur or be the case.
19. Jeopardized: put at risk; endangered.

IETLS AC WRITING TASK 2