Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-08

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many countries nowadays, consumers can go to a supermarket and buy food produced all over the world.

Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Supermarkets nowadays have food produced all over the world which any consumer can buy from here. This certainly is a negative development because food produced in a country undergoes various steps before reaching a supermarket of other country making it unsafe to eat.

Edible items present in a supermarket which are produced in another country are risky to eat because they can cause many food related diseases like food poisoning which is the quite common nowadays. In order for a food item to go to another country, some processing is done. Artificial salts which act as preservatives are added into food which helps them stay fresh for many days. Also nitrogen air is filled inside the food container to prevent it from any corrosion. Chips packets are a common example for this. There maybe leakage in the food container which will make the item very unhealthy to eat after a few days.

Having said that, we cannot ignore the fact that people get to know cultures of different countries by eating their food. In recent times, there is a buzz of korean culture in India because of the rising popularity of korean band BTS and K-dramas among youngsters. They implement many things from korean culture in their daily life like korean greeting. But one missing thing was their food which is now available in Indian supermarket giving opportunities to the curious youngsters try korean items like noodles.

Therefore, it can be said that it is a negative development that consumers can eat food produced all over the world because of risk of health related issues but one positive thing in this development is that people can try food of different cultures even though they have not visited the country itself.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the negative health implications and the positive cultural benefits of global food trade. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The argument regarding food safety relies on generalizations, such as the claim that all imported food is 'risky' or contains 'artificial salts,' which lacks nuance. While the position is clear, the supporting arguments could be more sophisticated. The essay covers all parts of the task, but the depth of analysis is limited, keeping it within the Band 6 range. To improve, ensure that arguments are supported by more balanced reasoning rather than sweeping statements about food processing.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. There is a logical progression from the negative health concerns to the positive cultural aspects. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Having said that,' 'Therefore,' and 'In recent times,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally repetitive. The overall structure is coherent, and the paragraphing is appropriate for the task. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensuring that the relationship between sentences is more fluid and less predictable.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to convey their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'corrosion' and 'implement,' though 'corrosion' is not the most precise term for food packaging. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'buzz of korean culture' or 'food related diseases.' While the range is sufficient to communicate the message, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band. Increasing the use of topic-specific collocations and more academic phrasing would significantly enhance the lexical quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'supermarket of other country' (missing articles) and 'prevent it from any corrosion' (incorrect preposition). Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'food poisoning which is the quite common nowadays.' While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on article usage, subject-verb agreement, and refining complex sentence structures to ensure they are error-free. The control of punctuation is generally acceptable, but sentence variety could be improved.

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

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