Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-04

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 5.0)

Nowadays, many food and drink products contain high amount of sugar. Eating too much sugar can cause serious health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Some people believe that if the sugar products should be more expensive so people buy and eat less of them. I completely agree with this opinion because higher prices can reduce to buy sugary products and improve public health.

At first, people think carefully to buy expensive products. If soft drink, chocolates and sweet snacks cost more, then many people buy healthier and less costly things. For example, people buy fresh fruit, water and milk instead of sugary products. As a result, people can improve their health and reduce the risk of many disea

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response is significantly under-length, reaching only 120 words against the 250-word minimum. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. While you clearly state your position in the introduction, the ideas are severely underdeveloped. You mention the health benefits of taxing sugar, but you fail to provide a balanced discussion or sufficient supporting evidence to meet the requirements of an academic essay. The response ends abruptly, leaving the argument incomplete. To improve, you must expand your points with specific examples, counter-arguments, and a clear conclusion to meet the word count and depth expectations.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay shows a basic attempt at paragraphing, with an introduction and a body paragraph. However, the progression of ideas is limited due to the incomplete nature of the text. Cohesive devices are used in a very mechanical way, such as 'At first' and 'For example'. The lack of a concluding paragraph further impacts the overall flow and logical structure of the response. To achieve a higher score, you need to use a wider range of linking words and ensure that each paragraph develops a single, clear idea that connects logically to the next.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use repetitive phrasing, such as 'sugary products' and 'people buy'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'reduce to buy', which is grammatically incorrect and unnatural. To improve, you should aim to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to health, economics, and government policy, and try to use synonyms to avoid repeating the same words throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentences, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For instance, 'if the sugar products should be more expensive so people buy' is syntactically flawed. There are also issues with article usage and verb patterns, such as 'reduce to buy'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the lack of control over complex structures and the presence of persistent errors limit the score. Focus on mastering subject-verb agreement and correct sentence construction.

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

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