Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-10

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Many manufactured food and drink products contain high levels of sugar, which causes many health problems. Sugary products should be made more expensive to encourage people to consume less sugar.

Do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 4.0)

Nowadays, supermarkets are full of different kinds of beverages and fast food which is harmful for health. It is often argued that many health issues are caused by drinks containing high amount of sugar, therefore sweet products should be made expensive. From my perspective, putting a high price tag on beverages or fast food might not be effective becasue wealthy people will still consume it. However, government should regulate the rules and put restriction on the quantity of sugar used.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You give a relevant, identifiable position: you doubt that higher prices will work because wealthy consumers may continue buying sugary products, and you propose government limits on sugar content. However, the response addresses the question only minimally. It does not explain these points with supporting reasoning or examples, and it does not fully explore whether making products more expensive could reduce consumption among other groups. The response also falls 170 words short of the required minimum, leaving the argument substantially incomplete. To strengthen it, develop your position in a full essay: explain the likely effects and limitations of price increases, support your claims with examples, and clarify how regulation would complement or replace taxation.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The short response has a basic line of progression: it introduces the health concern, presents a view about higher prices, and offers regulation as an alternative. The contrast signalled by “However” helps show the relationship between your position and recommendation. Nevertheless, the ideas are compressed into one paragraph, with no developed introduction, body paragraphs, or conclusion, so the overall organisation is limited. The sentence beginning “It is often argued” also joins two complete ideas with a comma, making the connection less controlled. Organise the essay into paragraphs, with each body paragraph developing one reason, and use linking expressions to show how evidence supports your claims rather than relying on a single contrast marker.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “health issues,” “high amount of sugar,” “price tag,” and “quantity of sugar.” These choices make your main point understandable, but the range is narrow and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “beverages and fast food which is harmful for health” and “put restriction on the quantity.” There is also a spelling error in “becasue.” Aim for more precise collocations and a wider range of terms, such as “sugar-sweetened products,” “excessive sugar consumption,” and “regulate sugar content.” Check spelling carefully and choose wording that distinguishes sugary drinks and foods from fast food generally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “beverages and fast food which is harmful for health” and a contrast introduced by “However.” The main ideas remain understandable, but grammatical control is uneven. In the first sentence, the compound subject “beverages and fast food” requires a plural verb (“are harmful”), and the phrase “a high amount of sugar” needs an article adjustment or a plural form. The sentence joining “health issues are caused…” and “sweet products should…” with only a comma is also faulty punctuation. Practise subject–verb agreement, articles, and joining independent clauses with a full stop, semicolon, or suitable conjunction. More accurate complex sentences would help express your reasoning clearly.

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