Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-24

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 6.5)

Nowadays, businesses often emphasise that their products are new in some way in order to differentiate them from their competitors. I firmly believe this is a positive development, particularly because it can attract more consumers and increase sales.

A growing number of consumers are interested in products that offer something new because people are naturally attracted to new trends in their daily consumption. For example, make-up brands often label some of their ingredients as new or unique, even when there is little difference in the actual results. However, because these products are marketed as new, consumers may buy them out of curiosity and interest. Therefore, businesses try to use more engaging and unique advertising strategies to distinguish their products from those of competitors and attract a larger number of customers. Presenting a product as new is one effective way of achieving this.

I believe this is largely a positive development from a business perspective because attracting more customers can increase revenue. With the growing number of businesses today, gaining attention in a competitive market can be difficult. However, marketing products as new or unique can create initial interest among consumers and encourage them to try them. As more people purchase these products out of curiosity, positive word of mouth can spread, helping the business gain greater attention. For instance, many businesses begin with strong marketing campaigns that present their products or services as unique, allowing them to become familiar within their target market and gradually improve their offerings.

In conclusion, businesses emphasise the novelty of their products to promote them in a unique way and gain customers' attention. I consider this a positive development because it can help businesses attract more buyers and consequently increase their revenue.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: explaining why businesses emphasize novelty and providing an opinion on whether this is positive or negative. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive. While the argument that novelty attracts customers is sound, the essay could be strengthened by exploring the potential negative aspects (e.g., consumerism, misleading marketing, or environmental impact) to provide a more balanced and nuanced discussion. The current focus is heavily weighted toward the business perspective, which limits the depth of the analysis regarding the 'positive or negative' aspect of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and ideas progress logically from the motivation behind the strategy to the business benefits. Cohesive devices such as 'However,' 'Therefore,' and 'For instance' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the explanation of the phenomenon from the evaluation of its impact. The flow is smooth, and the reader can easily follow the writer's line of reasoning throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate and generally appropriate for the task. The writer uses terms like 'differentiate,' 'competitive market,' and 'marketing campaigns' correctly. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler phrasing (e.g., 'new,' 'good,' 'increase'). To reach a higher band, the writer should incorporate more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to consumer behavior and corporate strategy. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication, but the lexical variety does not demonstrate the flexibility required for a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is accurate. The writer successfully uses complex structures, such as 'even when there is little difference' and 'allowing them to become familiar,' which shows a good command of syntax. While the range of structures is sufficient, it is not particularly wide or ambitious. The writing is clear and easy to read, with no errors that cause confusion or impede the reader's understanding of the intended message.

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