Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-25

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 7.5)

It is often argued that manufactured food and drink products containing high levels of sugar should be made more expensive to discourage people from consuming them. I disagree with this view because it could negatively affect businesses producing these products, while wealthy consumers may continue to purchase them despite the higher prices.

One significant drawback of this idea is the potential financial loss for businesses that produce sugary food and drinks. Many of these companies depend on price-sensitive consumers from different age groups. If the prices of these everyday products increase, demand is likely to decrease because price and demand have an inverse relationship. Consequently, companies could face substantial financial losses and struggle to attract new customers. Moreover, competitors might take advantage of this situation by offering cheaper alternatives to attract consumers. For example, when Coca-Cola was boycotted by a large number of consumers due to a political dispute, other beverage brands such as 7UP and Pepsi reduced their prices to attract more customers.

Another negative aspect of increasing the prices of sugary products is that wealthy consumers may not be discouraged by the higher cost and could continue purchasing them as before. As a result, a particular group of people would still consume large amounts of sugar and remain at risk of developing health problems, making the price increase less effective as a solution. If reducing health problems is the main objective, governments and companies should instead work together to reduce the amount of sugar in manufactured food and drink products. For instance, such products could be subject to strict regulations regarding the maximum amount of sugar they are allowed to contain before being sold in stores.

In conclusion, I largely disagree with increasing the prices of sugary food and drink products because this could cause financial difficulties for businesses while failing to discourage wealthy consumers. Instead, stricter regulations on the amount of sugar used in these products would be a more effective approach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses the prompt by taking a clear position against the proposed price increase. The arguments are well-developed and logically extended. You provide two distinct reasons for your disagreement: the potential negative impact on businesses and the limited effectiveness of price hikes on wealthy consumers. The inclusion of a specific example regarding Coca-Cola and competitors adds depth to the argument. The conclusion effectively summarizes your stance and offers a viable alternative solution, which demonstrates a high level of task engagement. The ideas are relevant and supported throughout the essay, meeting the requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'One significant drawback', 'Moreover', 'As a result', and 'In conclusion'. The referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different arguments. The flow of the essay is natural, and the reader can easily follow your line of reasoning from the introduction to the final recommendation. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for an academic essay. Phrases like 'price-sensitive consumers', 'inverse relationship', 'substantial financial losses', and 'strict regulations' show a strong command of topic-specific language. The vocabulary is used with precision and contributes to the clarity of your arguments. While the range is sufficient and effective, there is room to incorporate more sophisticated or idiomatic collocations to reach the highest band. However, the current level is well-suited for the task, and there are no errors in word choice that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as conditional sentences ('If the prices... increase, demand is likely to decrease') and relative clauses. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is excellent. You maintain a consistent tone throughout, and the grammatical accuracy is high. There are no significant errors that cause confusion or difficulty for the reader. The use of modal verbs and passive voice is handled correctly, contributing to the formal academic style required for this task.

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