Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

In today's highly competitive market, businesses often emphasise the novelty of their products in advertisements. This is mainly because consumers are attracted to innovation and companies need to distinguish themselves from their competitors. Although this trend can encourage businesses to improve their products, I believe it is a largely positive development when advertising remains truthful and responsible.One major reason companies highlight the new features of their products is to attract customers and increase sales. Modern consumers are constantly looking for products that are more convenient, efficient, or technologically advanced. For example, smartphone companies frequently advertise improved cameras, longer battery life, and new artificial intelligence features to persuade customers to purchase their latest models. In addition, emphasising innovation allows businesses to differentiate themselves in crowded markets, which can encourage healthy competition and further investment in research and development.I believe this development is positive because it can benefit both consumers and businesses. When companies compete to introduce new and improved products, consumers gain access to better technology, greater convenience, and potentially safer or more environmentally friendly products. Furthermore, this competition can stimulate innovation and create employment in areas such as research, engineering, and manufacturing. However, excessive emphasis on novelty can encourage unnecessary consumption, particularly when companies promote minor changes as major innovations. Therefore, advertising should provide accurate information rather than misleading consumers into replacing products that still function well.

In conclusion, businesses emphasise the new aspects of their products primarily to attract consumers and remain competitive. In my view, this is generally a positive development because it promotes innovation and gives consumers more choices. Nevertheless, companies should ensure that their advertisements are honest and that claims about new features are not exaggerated.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing clear reasons for why businesses emphasize novelty and a balanced, well-supported opinion on whether this is a positive or negative development. The ideas are relevant and logically extended, such as the discussion on smartphone technology and the subsequent analysis of consumer benefits versus the risk of unnecessary consumption. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the student could further explore the 'negative' aspect of the development with more depth, perhaps by discussing the psychological impact of planned obsolescence or the environmental consequences of constant product replacement, which would provide a more nuanced argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Furthermore', and 'Nevertheless' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow of the argument is easy to follow. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words. The structure is clear and supports the overall argument well, meeting the requirements for a high band in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is precise and appropriate for an academic context. The student uses a range of topic-specific terms such as 'highly competitive market', 'differentiate themselves', 'technological advanced', and 'planned obsolescence' (implied by 'minor changes as major innovations'). The word choice is natural and demonstrates a good command of collocation. There are no significant errors in word choice or spelling that impede communication. To improve further, the student could incorporate more sophisticated, less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range, though the current level is already quite strong and effective.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, including conditional clauses ('When companies compete...') and concessive clauses ('Although this trend...'). The grammar is generally accurate, with the majority of sentences being error-free. Punctuation is used correctly to manage the flow of information. There are no persistent grammatical errors that distract the reader. The control over complex structures is consistent, and the writing style is formal and appropriate for an IELTS Academic Task 2 response. The level of accuracy is high, with only rare, minor slips.

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