Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-23
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)
Nowadays, businesses just show off that their products are brand new. This is a positive as well as negative development specially in today's world. Below, i will give some reasons to support my position. Initially, i would like to write the pros of this development. Actually, it is a very better way of selling something by emphasize that the product is new. If product is not in its best condition then, no one will like to buy this. Another positive point is that, if business man or woman make very attractive add of their product. As a result, everyone will pay attention to their product and quickly they will buy their product, and then owing to their add their product will become very popular all over the city or country. Now, turning on the other side of the statement. Undoubtedly, in some cases it is also a negative development. Actually, if a customer pay attention to their product by watching add. And if the product is not as like as they emphasize in the picture, then they will loose their customer. On the other hand, their is another cons of this, if another company don't show their product exact like them and maybe their product is same like this, that they show in the picture , eventually all people will show interest in the products of second one who are honest according to the people's point of view. To recapitulate, i will write ,there are some positive as well as negative points to show the products are new. Personally, i strongly believe on that it has more pros in the advertising, business owners emphasize their product are new in some way than cons of it.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt, identifying reasons for the emphasis on 'newness' and providing a personal opinion on whether this is positive or negative. However, the development of ideas is limited. For example, the explanation of why businesses emphasize newness is quite simplistic, focusing only on the idea that products must be in 'best condition'. The arguments regarding the pros and cons are repetitive and lack depth or specific examples. The position is stated, but the reasoning remains superficial throughout the essay, which prevents it from reaching a higher band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inappropriate, such as 'Initially, i would like to write the pros' or 'Now, turning on the other side of the statement'. These phrases feel forced rather than natural. Additionally, referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in the second body paragraph where the comparison between companies is difficult to follow due to awkward phrasing. While there is an attempt at paragraphing, the internal logic within the paragraphs needs significant improvement to ensure a smoother flow of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. Words like 'product', 'new', and 'positive/negative' are used frequently without variation. There are several instances of inaccurate word choice, such as 'business man or woman make very attractive add' (instead of 'advertisement') and 'loose their customer' (instead of 'lose'). The range is limited, and the student struggles to use less common lexical items effectively. To improve, the student should focus on learning synonyms and collocations related to marketing and consumer behavior to express ideas with more precision and variety.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are attempts at complex sentences, they are often marred by grammatical errors, such as 'if another company don't show their product exact like them'. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement, article usage, and punctuation (e.g., 'i' is consistently lowercase). The misuse of 'add' for 'advertisement' and the awkward phrasing in the final sentence significantly impact clarity. The grammatical control is inconsistent, and the lack of variety in sentence structure limits the ability to convey complex arguments effectively.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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