Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-13

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)

As far as this topic is concerned, businesses nowadays often emphasise that their products are new or improved. This is mainly because companies want to attract customers and remain competitive. In my opinion, this is generally a positive development, although it can sometimes encourage unnecessary spending.

Firstly, companies highlight new features because consumers are usually interested in new and improved products. Businesses use advertising to make their products appear more attractive than those of their competitors. For example, mobile phone companies often advertise new cameras, faster processors and improved designs to encourage people to purchase the latest models. Moreover, describing a product as new can create curiosity and make customers more interested in trying it.

On the other hand, this trend can have some negative effects. Companies may encourage people to replace products that are still useful simply because a newer version is available. This can lead to unnecessary spending and increase the amount of electronic and other waste. However, new products can also provide better quality, improved safety and useful technology, which can benefit consumers.

In conclusion, businesses emphasise the new features of their products mainly to attract customers and compete in the market. Although this can sometimes encourage unnecessary consumption, I believe it is generally a positive development because new products can provide better quality, improved features and greater convenience.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both why businesses emphasise new products and whether this is a positive or negative development. A clear position is maintained throughout the response. The ideas are relevant and supported with a clear example, such as mobile phone companies advertising new cameras and processors. However, the development is somewhat limited, and the response falls short of the word count requirement, containing only 222 words instead of the minimum 250. This negative impact on full task development caps the band score. In accordance with the marking criteria for under-length responses, Task Achievement is penalised, reflecting the incomplete development caused by the word count deficit. Overall, while the content is well-directed, it needs more expansion to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is arranged coherently with a logical overall progression. Ideas are divided into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, supporting body paragraphs addressing reasons and contrasting views, and a clear conclusion. Cohesive devices are used adequately to guide the reader, such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'On the other hand'. However, referencing and paragraphing can sometimes feel a bit mechanical. There is a clear progression of thought from explaining the advertising motives to discussing the environmental and consumer benefits and drawbacks. Despite the short length, the internal structure of the essay remains clear and easy to follow, supporting a solid Band 6.5 performance in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. Words and phrases such as 'remain competitive', 'unnecessary spending', and 'electronic waste' are used accurately. There are also attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'curiosity' and 'convenience'. However, the lexical range remains somewhat standard and repetitive, lacking the sophisticated or precise collocation characteristic of higher bands. Spelling and word choice are generally accurate, and vocabulary does not impede communication. To reach higher bands, the writer should incorporate a wider variety of less common lexical items and precise academic phrases related to consumerism and marketing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a satisfactory mix of simple and complex sentence forms. The student successfully constructs complex sentences, such as 'Businesses use advertising to make their products appear more attractive than those of their competitors' and 'Although this can sometimes encourage unnecessary consumption, I believe it is generally a positive development...' Grammar and punctuation are handled with good control, and errors are rare. The majority of the sentences are grammatically accurate, and punctuation is used correctly throughout the text. The grammatical control is a strong point of this response, showing an ability to write clear, error-free complex structures.

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