Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-08

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 6.0)

In recent days, advertising companies generally exaggerate that their products are new in some way mainly to attract the buyers and to dismiss their competitors. It also sparks a debate whether it is a negative or positive development. I wholeheartedly believe, the disadvantages of this trend outweigh the advantages.

If we are to address the reasons behind this trend, it is surely to attract the consumers. The businesses establish some new formulas in their every launch and highlights it throughout the whole product campaign. They believe that, this tactic will attract the buyers. Another reason is to outshine their other competitors. They believe, adding something new would make their products standout compared to the other existing products of the industry. For instance, a famous shampoo brand named Sunsilk always launches a new product right after the other brand names Parachutes launching something new and they add something more powerful to their shampoo compared to the Parachute one.

However, I believe that, this type of exaggeration brings several problems such as it results in overspending for people. They exaggerate the small changes in their promotion which influences ordinary people to buy the new one while the previous one was not less better than the new one. The tech company Apple can be the biggest example for this one. Every September Apple launches their new iphone but the design of the IPhone had remained same till a very long period and they add a little new feature to their new phone and manipulates people to buy it through tricky advertisements. Sometimes, in term of food and skincare products, to make it tastier and effective, they add some more chemicals which may not have an instant affect but can cause harm for over consuming or using. For example, a new Korean skincare brand that have been thriving through the world skincare industry. They have launched the new versions of their existing products and the products are advertised by famous figures. Later, it is found that, the added new product can cause skin cancer if used for a long time. That caused the collapse of the population of the brand.

Even though these advertisements are good for the company and businesses it might result in further problems.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for the emphasis on 'newness' and the evaluation of whether this is positive or negative. The position is clear from the introduction. Ideas are relevant, such as the competitive nature of markets and the psychological impact on consumers. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat uneven. The example regarding the Korean skincare brand is a bit anecdotal and lacks a strong connection to the core prompt about 'newness' in advertising, focusing more on product safety. To reach a higher band, ensure that every example directly supports the specific argument being made about the marketing of 'new' products.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a progression of ideas from the reasons for the trend to the negative consequences. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However', 'For instance', and 'Another reason', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally slightly unclear, such as in the final sentence of the second paragraph where the comparison between brands could be more precisely articulated. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the overall structure is coherent.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task. You use some effective collocations like 'spark a debate', 'outshine their competitors', and 'thriving through the world'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'dismiss their competitors' (which should be 'outperform' or 'undermine') and 'not less better than' (which is grammatically awkward). There are also minor issues with word forms, such as 'affect' used instead of 'effect'. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the essay from reaching a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. For example, 'I wholeheartedly believe, the disadvantages...' should not have a comma after 'believe'. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'a new Korean skincare brand that have been thriving' (should be 'has') and 'the design of the IPhone had remained same' (should be 'the same'). Despite these errors, the meaning is generally clear, and the errors do not significantly impede the reader's understanding of your arguments.

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

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