Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-30

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 6.0)

Many manufactured food and drink products contain large amounts of sugar, which can lead to serious health problems. I agree that sugary products should be made more expensive in order to reduce sugar consumption.

One reason for this is that high sugar intake can cause obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. Many people, especially children consume sugary snacks and soft drinks regularly because they are cheap and easily available. If these products become more expensive, people may think twice before buying them and choose healthier alternatives such as fruits, water or fresh juices instead.

Another reason is that increasing the price of sugary products can help governments improve public health. The extra money collected through taxes on these products could be used to fund healthcare services and health education campaigns. To cite an example, several countries have introduced taxes on sugary drinks, which has encouraged some consumers to reduce their consumption and has motivated manufactures to lower the sugar content in their products.

However, higher prices alone may not completely solve the problem. Government should also educate people about the dangers of excessive sugar consumption and promote healthy lifestyles.

To sum up, I strongly agree that sugary food and drink products should be more expensive because this can discourage excessive consumption and improve public health. However, education and awareness are also necessary to achieve long-term results.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt clearly, maintaining a consistent position throughout. The arguments regarding health benefits and the potential for government revenue are relevant and well-supported. However, the response is 25 words under the 250-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. While the main points are clear, they could have been extended with more detailed examples or a deeper exploration of the counter-argument to fully meet the task requirements. Because the length requirement was not met, the score is capped at a 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'One reason for this', 'Another reason is', and 'To sum up' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure is coherent. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensure that the transition between the counter-argument and the conclusion is more seamless.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is sufficient for the task and allows for clear communication. You demonstrate an ability to use topic-specific terminology such as 'manufactured food', 'excessive sugar consumption', and 'public health'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on fairly common words. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and less common lexical items. For instance, instead of 'think twice', you could use 'reconsider their purchasing habits'. The spelling is accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and the punctuation is generally correct. There are no major errors that impede communication. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to include a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice constructions, with greater frequency. Currently, the sentence patterns are somewhat repetitive, which limits the demonstration of grammatical range.

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.