Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-29

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)

Advertising has become an important part of modern business, as companies use it to influence people's buying decisions. Nowadays, many businesses emphasise that their products are new or improved in some way. This essay will discuss the reasons behind this trend and explain why I believe it is a negative development.

To begin with, there are several reasons why companies highlight the newness of their products. One reason is that new products can attract more attention from customers. As people are often interested in different and improved products. Another reason is that businesses want to increase their sales and compete with other companies. Customers may believe that newer products have better quality or more useful features than older ones. For example, smartphone companies often advertise new models by highlighting improved cameras, batteries and designs, which can encourage people to replace their existing phones.

However, there is mainly a negative development for two reasons. Firstly, such advertising can encourage unnecessary shopping because people may feel that they need the latest products even when their current ones are still useful. Secondly, this behaviour can create more waste and negatively affect the environment. For instance, many people replace their phones after only a few years because a newer model is promoted, although their old phones may still work properly.

In conclusion, businesses mainly promote new products to attract customers and increase sales. However, I believe this trend is negative because it encourages unnecessary purchases and creates more waste. If this continues in the future, consumerism and environmental problems may increase further.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing reasons for the trend of emphasizing 'newness' and clearly stating a position that it is a negative development. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the smartphone industry. However, the development of ideas is somewhat brief. To reach a higher band, the arguments could be extended with more depth or nuance. For instance, you could discuss the psychological impact of marketing on consumer behavior or the economic implications of planned obsolescence in greater detail. The position is clear throughout, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points.

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 the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Another reason', 'However', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to link ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the reasons for the trend from the evaluation of its impact. The flow is generally smooth, though the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be slightly more sophisticated to improve the overall cohesion of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for clear communication. You use some topic-specific terms like 'consumerism', 'planned obsolescence' (implied), and 'buying decisions'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler vocabulary such as 'good', 'new', and 'important'. To improve, you should aim to incorporate more precise, academic collocations and less common lexical items. For example, instead of 'new products', you could use 'innovative offerings' or 'cutting-edge technology'. The spelling is accurate throughout, and there are no significant errors that impede meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and errors are rare and do not impede communication. For example, 'As people are often interested in different and improved products' is a sentence fragment that should be connected to the previous sentence. You show good control over punctuation and basic grammar. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to use a wider variety of complex structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice, with greater consistency and fewer minor errors in sentence construction.

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