Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-16

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 5.5)

In today's world, companies market their products to be unique and up to date to boast their sales. This essay will discuss positive and negative aspects and uncover the the reasons behind it.

With the development, the economy of many countries has increased as compared to their past, which has in result increased purchasing power of the people. People like to buy new things because they don't want to use an item which was already used by someone. For instance, in many developed countries like in Europe and America, people give charity of the things which they have used for few months and buy new thing. Another possible reason of people preferring new items could be having an up to date thing which could be a lot better than what they have. For instance, most of the iphone users buy a new iphone as soon as it is launched for multiple reasons like camera's quality, touch screen, better internet connectivity. Besides replacement, sometimes things have an expiry date so consumers will less likely to buy the things which will be expired in the next few weeks or months. Suppose, a person wants to buy a food item, which he has to use in the next two weeks. He would not buy any item which will be expired in the next two days because he will think that it is a waste of resources to buy such an item, which he would not be able to use any longer.

The negative of impact of such type of marketing could be wastage of existing items. People will less likely to buy old things which would be in result of waste. But this issue can be handled using recycling method or giving charity to people who can't afford new things.

To conclude, advertisement of new things is essential for development because it keeps us with the fast-paced world and issues arising from it could be handle with the proper planning.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for emphasizing 'newness' and the evaluation of whether this is positive or negative. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The explanation regarding consumer behavior and product life cycles is relevant, but the discussion on the negative impacts is quite brief and lacks depth. While you provide a clear position, the arguments could be extended further to reach a higher band. For instance, the link between marketing and environmental sustainability could be explored with more nuance to better support your evaluation of the development.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'For instance' and 'To conclude', to link your points. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive. For example, the transition between the discussion of food expiry and the negative impact of marketing is abrupt. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as 'the development' in the second paragraph, which does not clearly refer back to a specific antecedent. Improving the variety of linking words would enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'purchasing power', 'fast-paced', and 'expiry date' appropriately. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'boast their sales' (should be 'boost') and 'give charity of the things' (should be 'donate items'). There is also a minor repetition of 'things' throughout the text. To improve, try to use more precise synonyms and ensure that collocations are natural. The range is sufficient to communicate your ideas, but it lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'the the reasons', 'which was already used' (passive voice usage is slightly awkward here), and 'issues... could be handle' (should be 'handled'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some missing articles and minor errors in verb forms. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of passive voice would be beneficial.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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