Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-01

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)

Nowadays, businesses frequently highlight the fact that their products are new or innovative in their advertisements. This is mainly because consumers are attracted to novelty and companies need to differentiate their products from those of their competitors. Although this trend can encourage innovation, I believe it can also have negative consequences when businesses focus excessively on making products appear new.

One major reason companies emphasise novelty is that consumers often associate new products with improvement. People may assume that a newer version contains better technology, improved performance or additional features. For example, smartphone manufacturers regularly advertise new models by focusing on upgraded cameras, longer battery life and artificial intelligence features. Even when the differences between an old and a new model are relatively small, presenting the product as innovative can encourage customers to replace their existing devices. Furthermore, in highly competitive markets, describing a product as new can help a company attract attention and distinguish itself from rival brands.

There are, however, both positive and negative aspects to this development. On the positive side, competition based on innovation can motivate companies to invest in research and development. As a result, consumers may benefit from safer, more efficient and more convenient products. For instance, improvements in electric vehicles have been encouraged partly by competition among manufacturers to develop newer technologies and provide better driving ranges.

On the other hand, excessive emphasis on novelty can encourage unnecessary consumption. Consumers may purchase products simply because they are marketed as new, even though their existing products still function well. This can increase household expenditure and contribute to environmental problems, particularly when older electronic devices are discarded prematurely. In addition, some advertisements may exaggerate minor improvements, giving consumers the impression that a product is significantly different when it is not.

In conclusion, businesses emphasise the newness of their products because novelty attracts consumers and helps companies compete in crowded markets. While this can promote technological innovation and provide consumers with improved products, it can also encourage unnecessary purchasing and waste. Therefore, the overall impact depends largely on whether the advertised innovation represents a genuine improvement or merely a marketing strategy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt, exploring both the reasons behind businesses emphasising newness and whether this trend is positive or negative. A clear position is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are well-extended and supported with relevant examples, such as smartphone manufacturers upgrading cameras and the evolution of electric vehicles. The arguments are logical and balanced, though a slight tendency to over-generalise regarding consumer behaviour prevents a higher score. To reach the highest tier, the analysis could incorporate even more nuanced real-world complexities, ensuring every single point is pushed to its absolute logical limit with comprehensive depth.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are coherently sequenced, moving naturally from the reasons for the trend to its positive and negative impacts, and finally to a well-synthesised conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'There are, however', and 'On the other hand' are used flexibly and appropriately to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is managed effectively, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct central theme. To achieve the highest band, cohesion could be made entirely seamless and unobtrusive, completely masking any structural transitional signposts.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.5

The writer employs a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited to an academic discussion. Less common lexical items such as 'differentiate', 'disposed prematurely', and 'excessive emphasis' are used with a good awareness of style and collocation. Word choices are generally precise, enabling the communication of complex ideas regarding consumerism and technological advancement. There are only occasional minor inaccuracies or common collocations that prevent an even higher rating. To elevate the lexical resource further, the student could integrate more sophisticated idioms or less frequent academic collocations with absolute naturalness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

The response features a wide range of complex sentence structures, including conditional and participial clauses, used with a high degree of control. The vast majority of sentences are entirely error-free, showcasing excellent command over verb forms, tenses, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation. Complex constructions such as 'Even when the differences between an old and a new model are relatively small, presenting the product as innovative can encourage customers...' are handled smoothly. Only very occasional minor slips occur. To maintain this exceptional standard, the writer must ensure absolute precision in punctuation and prepositional patterns across all complex clauses.

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