Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-19

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)

Nowadays, businesses often highlight that their products are new in some way in their advertising. This essay will discuss the reason behind this trend and explain why I believe it is a positive development.

There are several reasons why businesses emphasize the newness of their products. One of the main reason is to attract customers' attention as people are always curious about something new. It also creates a competitive advantage in market that makes the product standout from similar products. Moreover, it encourages existing customers to buy again since new features/designs create excitement. However, it is still argued to have both positive and negative impacts.

On one hand, it is considered a positive decision because it encourages innovation and competition, while giving more choices to customers. Personally, I believe this is a positive development as it can help businesses increase sales and maintain their market position. For example, new smartphones often offer better cameras and longer battery life, giving consumers improved and more useful products.

On the other hand, emphasizing new products can have some negative consequences. In the first place, "New" doesn't always mean better. Advertising can mislead consumers. Furthermore, it may also encourage people to buy unnecessarily. For example, it will create waste when people replace perfectly good products.

To wrap up, I would recommend this strategy, but mention that it can become negative when companies exaggerate or mislead customers. Nevertheless, the positive effect outweigh the negative consequences, if the companies are mindful and aware of the potential adverse consequences.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing reasons for the trend and a clear personal position. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of competitive advantage and consumer curiosity. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the explanation of why it is a positive development could be more deeply explored with more nuanced examples beyond just smartphones. While the position is clear throughout, the analysis of the 'negative' side is slightly brief compared to the 'positive' side. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully extended with more detailed reasoning or illustrative examples.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the reasons, the positive perspective, and the negative perspective. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'On one hand', and 'Furthermore' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. However, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is slightly abrupt. The progression of ideas is generally clear, though some sentences could be linked more fluidly to improve the overall flow. The use of referencing is generally accurate throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'competitive advantage', 'market position', and 'adverse consequences'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler phrasing in places. Some word choices are slightly repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'positive' and 'negative'. To improve, you should aim to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and collocations to demonstrate a wider range of lexical control, particularly when discussing the impacts of advertising.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several error-free sentences, which is positive. However, there are minor grammatical slips, such as 'One of the main reason' (should be 'reasons') and 'the positive effect outweigh' (should be 'outweighs'). Punctuation is generally handled well, though some sentence structures could be more varied to enhance the sophistication of the writing. The errors present do not impede communication, but they do prevent the essay from reaching the highest bands where a wider range of error-free complex structures is expected.

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