Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-02

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)

n the contemporary commercial landscape, marketing campaigns heavily revolve around highlighting the novelty and innovative aspects of goods and services. Companies frequently market their offerings as groundbreaking or entirely reimagined. This strategy is primarily driven by intense market competition, and while it accelerates technological advancement, I believe that this obsession with newness is predominantly a negative development due to its promotion of excessive consumerism and environmental degradation.

Businesses emphasize newness chiefly as a mechanism to capture consumer attention and stimulate demand in saturated markets. In an era where buyers are constantly bombarded with advertising, traditional features no longer suffice to differentiate a brand. By framing products as "new," companies create a psychological perception of superiority and urgency. A clear example of this can be seen in the smartphone industry, where manufacturers release annual iterations with minor cosmetic or software adjustments, heavily marketing them as revolutionary to persuade users to upgrade prematurely.

However, this relentless pursuit of novelty carries significant negative consequences, particularly for the environment and personal finance. By constantly convincing consumers that older models are obsolete, marketing departments fuel a unsustainable "throwaway culture." This encourages the premature disposal of functional electronics, clothing, and household goods, directly contributing to overflowing landfills and severe electronic waste crises. Furthermore, it places unnecessary financial pressure on individuals, especially impressionable youth, who feel compelled to purchase the latest trends to maintain social relevance.

In conclusion, while highlighting novelty is a clever commercial tactic for corporations striving to stay relevant in a competitive economy, its overall impact is detrimental. The constant push for new products accelerates resource depletion and fosters wasteful spending, suggesting that society would benefit more from a shift toward durability and sustainable consumption.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses both parts of the prompt: explaining the reasons for the emphasis on novelty and providing a clear, well-supported opinion on whether this is positive or negative. The position is consistent throughout the essay. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the discussion on the smartphone industry as an example of planned obsolescence and the subsequent environmental and financial impacts. The arguments are logical and directly relevant to the task, demonstrating a strong ability to extend and support ideas effectively. The response meets all requirements of the task prompt with a high level of clarity and focus.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the reasons for marketing novelty and the critique of its consequences is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'However', and 'In conclusion' are used naturally and effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, the analysis of the business strategy, the critique of the impact, and the conclusion. The flow of information is coherent, and the relationship between ideas is always clear, meeting the criteria for a high band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The vocabulary is precise and sophisticated, demonstrating a wide range of lexical items appropriate for an academic context. Phrases such as 'contemporary commercial landscape', 'saturated markets', 'planned obsolescence', and 'resource depletion' show a high level of control. The writer uses collocations effectively and avoids repetition. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or spelling. The language is natural and contributes significantly to the overall impact of the argument, reflecting a strong command of English vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. The writer successfully employs complex sentences, such as 'In an era where buyers are constantly bombarded with advertising, traditional features no longer suffice to differentiate a brand.' Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no significant grammatical errors. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the control over complex structures is consistent. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a high level of grammatical competence, which is characteristic of a high-scoring response.

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