Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
Nowadays, many businesses try to attract customers by presenting their products as new and different. This essay will discuss why companies use this strategy and whether it is a positive or negative development.
In my opinion, this is mainly a positive development. When companies introduce new products, they often try to improve their quality and provide better features. This gives customers more choices and makes their lives easier. For example, new smartphones usually have better cameras, longer battery life and faster performance. Therefore, competition between businesses can encourage companies to create better
In conclusion, businesses advertise their products as new because they want to attract customers and increase sales. I believe this is a positive development because it encourages innovation and gives consumers better choices.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 125 words long. Consequently, the development of ideas is severely restricted. While the essay identifies the reasons for the trend and states a position, the arguments are underdeveloped. The second paragraph stops abruptly mid-sentence, leaving the point about competition incomplete. To achieve a higher band, you must expand on your points with more detailed explanations and specific examples, ensuring the essay reaches the required length to fully explore all parts of the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is logically organized with an introduction, a body paragraph, and a conclusion. However, the abrupt ending of the body paragraph significantly disrupts the flow and coherence of the text. Cohesive devices such as 'Therefore' and 'In conclusion' are used correctly, but the limited length prevents the development of a more sophisticated structure. Paragraphing is present, but the brevity of the response makes it difficult to assess the full range of your ability to manage logical progression.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. Phrases like 'attract customers', 'improve their quality', and 'increase sales' are functional but lack the variety and precision expected at higher bands. There are no significant errors in word choice, but the range is limited, and there is no attempt to use less common or more sophisticated lexical items to express complex ideas about marketing strategies or consumer behavior.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The grammar is generally accurate, with simple and compound sentences constructed correctly. However, the range of structures is limited; there is a lack of complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses or conditional forms, which are necessary for a higher score. The abrupt ending of the sentence '...encourage companies to create better' indicates an incomplete structure. While the existing sentences are mostly error-free, the limited length prevents a demonstration of a wide range of grammatical control.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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