Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-18

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 6.5)

It is true that most food and drink products are rich in sugar, which causes serious health problems for people. People often believe that raising the prices of these sugary products leads to decreased consumption. I agree with this statement because price is a key factor shaping demand among consumers, and at the same time, additional sugar intake is not mandatory for our body's normal functioning.

On the one hand, increasing the price of these sugar-enriched products can act as a good strategy to reduce their intake. This is because all consumers check the price of any item before they buy it, and they only purchase those items whose price they are comfortable with. So, if the prices of sugary items are increased, it creates a financial barrier for people to buy them, making them choose other items over sugary products. For example, in the past, Red Bull was one of the most consumed drinks in Nepal because of its lower price. However, the demand declined steadily in recent years with an increase in its price.

On the other hand, the fact that sugary products are not a basic necessity for our regular health and metabolism creates no problem with increasing their prices. This is because if it were a significant item like salt, increasing its price would be one of the poorest ideas, as this approach would make it difficult for people with low incomes to buy an item without which their lives cannot be sustained. Due to this reason too, there would not be any barrier from the government and concerned authorities to making sugary products more expensive.

Thus, making drinks and products loaded with sugar more expensive with the consent of the government can help control their consumption among consumers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student has successfully addressed all parts of the task. A clear position is established in the introduction ('I agree with this statement') and maintained consistently throughout the essay. The arguments are relevant and extended, focusing on consumer demand elasticity and the non-essential nature of sugary products. Ideas are supported with a relevant example regarding Red Bull pricing in Nepal. The response is well-rounded and fully explores why increasing prices would act as an effective deterrent without harming basic livelihoods. This performance aligns comfortably with the Band 7 descriptor.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are coherently structured, starting with a well-defined introduction, followed by two distinct body paragraphs representing 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand', and a concise concluding summary. Cohesive devices are used appropriately, such as 'This is because', 'For example', and 'Due to this reason too', guiding the reader smoothly through the arguments. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively, ensuring each central idea is handled in its own dedicated block.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is sufficient for the task and demonstrates some flexibility and precision. The student successfully incorporates less common and topic-specific vocabulary such as 'consumption', 'elasticity' (implied), 'metabolism', 'financial barrier', and 'sustained'. Word choices are generally appropriate, though there are minor awkward phrasings like 'sugar-enriched products' where 'sugar-sweetened' or 'sugar-laden' might be more natural collocations. However, errors in spelling and word choice are very rare and do not impede communication at all, allowing for a solid Band 7 score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer demonstrates a good control of grammar and punctuation, utilising a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Examples of complex structures include conditional clauses ('if the prices of sugary items are increased, it creates...') and relative clauses ('products that are rich in sugar'). The majority of sentences are grammatically accurate, and punctuation is handled well. While there are a few minor structural heaviness issues, such as 'concerned authorities to making sugary products', these errors do not impede communication and represent occasional slips rather than systematic failure.

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