Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-20
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 5.5)
MANY FOOD AND BEVRAGE COMPANIES CONTAIN HIGH LEVELS OF SUGAR, WHICH CAUSES MANY HEALTH PROBLEMS. SUGARY PRODUCTS SHOULD BE MADE MORE EXPENSIVE TO ENCOURAGE COSTUMERS TO CONSUME LESS SUGAR. IN THIS ESSAY REASONS WILL BE MENTIONED ABOUT THE CAUSES FROM HIGH INTAKE OF SUGAR, AND WHY I DISAGREE THAT IT SHOULD BE COSTLY SO PEOPLE CAN CONSUME LESS SUGAR.
ON ONE HAND, MANY MANUFACTURERS ARE USING HIGH AMOUNT OF SUGAR TO MAKE IT TASTIER OR MORE ATTRACTIVE IN YOUTH, DUE TO THIS, IN REACENT TIMES MANY PEOPLE ARE FACEING MEDICAL ISSUES LIKE HIGH SUGAR, BLOOD PRESSURE AND SUGAR RUSH ALSO, BECAUSE OF THE HIGH INTAKE OF THIS KINDS OF FOOD OR BEVRAGE PRODUCTS. SOMETIMES, COSTUMERS ARE UNAWARE ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF SUGAR USED IN THE PRODUCT, EVENTUALY BUYING IT AND REGREATING IT AFTERWORDS. FOR EXAMPLE, KIDS PREFERE MANGO JUICE AND ALMOST EVERY MANGO BEVERAGE USES EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF SUGAR TO MAKE IT TANGIER AND YUMMIER, AFTER CONSUMING IT THEY MIGHT FEEL DEASY DUE TO THE SUGAR RUSH.
ON OTHER HAND, MAKING SUGAR PRODUCTS MORE EXPENCIEVE CAN HAVE SOME DRAWBACKS, SUCH AS, COMPANIES CAN EXPERIENCE A GREAT LOSE DUE TO THE LACK OF SALES AND MIGHT BE EFFECTIEVE ON CEO'S MENTAL HEALTH. FROM THE CONSUMER POINT OF VIEW, NOT EVERYONE CAN BUY EXPENSIVE PRODUCTS AND EVEN THOUGH THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHICH PRODUCTS CONTAIN HIGHER SUGAR PERCENTAGE CAN BE DISBENEFIT. BEST WAY IS TO MAKE INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES FOR LESS SUGAR OR ZERO SUGAR, FOR INSTANCE, IN BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES MANY PRODUCTS SUCH AS COCO-COLA, THUMBSUP, PEPSIE AREFEW OF THEM.
IN CONCLUSION, PRODUCTS CONTAING HIGH SUGAR CAN BE HARMFULL AND CAUSE PROBLEMS SUCH AS, HIGH SUGAR, BLOUD PRESSURE, SUGAR RUSH. BUT MAKING IT EXPENSIVE IS NOT AN OPTION AS LOWER INCOME FAMILIES CAN NOT AFFORD COSTLY ITEMS, INSTED MAKE THE LABLE MARKED LESS SUGAR OR ZERO SUGAR.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the health impacts of sugar and the proposal to increase prices. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you provide a clear position, some arguments, such as the claim that price increases would affect a CEO's mental health, are not logically sound or well-supported. The suggestion to use labels instead of price hikes is a relevant alternative, but the explanation remains brief. To improve, ensure that your supporting points are more grounded in reality and provide more detailed examples to fully develop your arguments.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices like 'On one hand' and 'In conclusion' to signal shifts in the argument. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the connection between the lack of sales and the CEO's mental health is abrupt and lacks logical transition. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are several spelling errors, such as 'bevrage', 'reacent', 'faceing', 'regreating', 'expencieve', 'bloud', and 'lable'. Additionally, some word choices are inaccurate, such as 'disbenefit' and 'sugar rush' being used to describe a medical condition. To achieve a higher score, you should focus on accurate spelling and expanding your vocabulary to include more precise terms related to health and economics, while avoiding informal or repetitive language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'companies contain'), incorrect article usage, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'reasons will be mentioned about the causes from high intake'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma splices and run-on sentences. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and sentence boundaries would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.