Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-28

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)

Advertisement is one of the oldest method to present a product in the market. Nowadays, businesses advertise their products as new in some way and try to distinguish their product from other. Although, there might be both positive and negative aspect of this kind of advertisement, I strongly believe it has a negative development.

Firstly, emphasising their product to be new might help the business to grab the attention of the unsatisfied customers. As a result, business might get the traction they were considering of and might gain popularity among customers. For example, new shampoo's which claim to be sulphur free has gained more popularity than the traditional branded shampoo's.

On the other hand, business has to compete with similar products in the market. Business uses these advertising strategy to separate themself from other products although it might mot be true. Business use it as a lucrative method of gain revenue as a result customers are scammed. For instance, in 2020 a shampoo which was advertised to contain certain chemicals which claimed to prevent hairfall was banned as there was no such chemicals found during testing. A false advertising created a scam where many customers failed.

In conclusion, although business uses advertisement to emphasise their products to be different that other, it might create a negative impact on customers and they might not be able to distinguish between truth and false claims.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: explaining why businesses emphasize 'newness' and providing an opinion on whether this is positive or negative. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of the arguments. While the ideas are relevant, they are somewhat under-developed. For instance, the explanation of why businesses use this strategy could be expanded with more analysis of consumer psychology. The position is clear, but the supporting examples, such as the shampoo anecdote, are brief. To reach a higher band, you need to expand your points with more detailed reasoning and ensure the essay meets the minimum length requirement to allow for full development of ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as the use of 'Although' at the start of a sentence followed by a comma, which is grammatically incorrect in that context. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be smoother. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your transitions between ideas are more natural and less formulaic.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'lucrative', 'distinguish', and 'unsatisfied customers'. However, there are several errors in word form and collocation, such as 'oldest method' (should be 'methods'), 'new shampoo's' (incorrect pluralization with apostrophe), and 'separate themself' (should be 'themselves'). There is also a lack of less common lexical items that would demonstrate a higher level of proficiency. To improve, focus on mastering pluralization, avoiding unnecessary apostrophes, and incorporating more sophisticated synonyms to replace basic words like 'new' or 'good'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that detract from the quality of the writing. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('business uses', 'business has to compete'), incorrect pluralization ('shampoo's'), and punctuation errors. The sentence 'As a result, business might get the traction they were considering of' is awkward and grammatically flawed. To improve, you should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct use of articles, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately. Proofreading for common errors like apostrophe usage would also significantly improve your score.

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

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