Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-10

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In their advertising, businesses nowadays usually emphasise that their products are new in some way. Why is this? Do you think it is a positive or negative development?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

I frequently visit roadside stalls where every other stall owner sells almost the same thing yet claims to have a better quality product than it's opposition stall. This raises a question in my mind. Are they selling the same product or if there actually is a different element? The question will remain unanswered for a quite long time till I figure it out myself.

In the recent times, there has been an influx of entrepreneurs highlighting a lackthereof in bringing innovation in the market. Most of the time, they sell similar products which is brought from the same manufacturer and supplier put under the disguise of a new brand or whatsoever and charged high. Advertisements are always exaggerated and this can be a downturn for a business which might as well hinder the profit rate and lead to failure. Businesses want to portray that they have introduced innovation in their products so that customers are more attracted to purchasing that specific product and they think that this could give them a competitive edge, however, this can backfire if their strategy is not properly implemented.

In my opinion, it is a negative development to claim that your product is different than the rest because if it was, the customers themselves would have identified the innovation. Customer satisfaction woud bring in more customer and eventually the product will gain popularity but if you emphasise on the features of the product to gain a competitive edge yet customers find a resemblance with other similar type of products serving the same goal, this could lead to negative advertisement or popularity.

To acquire a positive development, it is important to highlight the new features of that specific product rather than simply advertising or putting emphasis on just the exclusivity of it. Businesses should grab customer attention by highlighting how the product's features will assist them in their day to day activities rather than just claiming that we are introducing something new. If the product is actually helpful, it will flourish and yes a necessary amount of advertisement will be sufficient.

In conclusion, businesses should be more strategic given the fact that customer these days are no fools.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both parts of the prompt: you explain that businesses stress novelty to attract buyers and gain a competitive edge, and you clearly regard this as negative when claims are exaggerated or products are essentially similar. The roadside-stall example gives the discussion a relevant starting point, while your suggestions about explaining practical benefits add a constructive qualification. However, some reasoning is asserted rather than fully demonstrated. For example, the claim that customers would identify genuine innovation themselves needs explanation, and the possible effects on profit and business failure are mentioned without a specific example. Develop one or two causes and consequences more fully, and make the distinction between misleading novelty claims and truthful promotion clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an opening example, an explanation of businesses’ motives, your opinion, a practical recommendation, and a conclusion. Paragraphs generally have identifiable purposes, and links such as “In my opinion” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the argument. Some connections are less smooth or precise. The opening questions lead into the main discussion indirectly, and the second paragraph combines market conditions, advertising, business risks, and competitive advantage in a crowded sequence. The transition from calling the development negative to describing how it could become positive also needs clearer framing. Use topic sentences to signal each paragraph’s main point and make cause-and-effect links explicit rather than relying on long sentences joined by “and” or “however.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary, including “innovation,” “competitive edge,” “customer satisfaction,” and “exclusivity,” which helps communicate the topic and your position. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “portray” and “implemented.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “a lackthereof in bringing innovation,” “charged high,” and “negative advertisement.” Spelling and word-form slips such as “woud” and “lackthereof” also reduce precision. Some expressions are vague, for example “or whatsoever” and “a necessary amount of advertisement.” Aim for natural collocations and more exact terms for the claims businesses make and the consequences for consumers or companies.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including conditional structures such as “if their strategy is not properly implemented” and a contrast introduced by “yet.” Meaning is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “every other stall owner sells … yet claims” shifts awkwardly between singular and plural reference, while “which is brought from the same manufacturer and supplier put under the disguise” has an unclear clause structure. In “if it was, the customers themselves would have identified,” the conditional form does not fit the intended general point. There are also errors in articles, agreement, and sentence boundaries, as in “a quite long time” and the long sentence beginning “Customer satisfaction woud bring in more customer.” Review clause construction, agreement, and punctuation, then proofread for these patterns.

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