Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-12
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)
Accordingly, it is generally argued that nowadays in many countries customers can go to a supermarket and buy different food produced all over the world. I tend to agree with this notion, and I think this is a positive development for people.
In the first place, people can go to a supermarket because they can find everything there. For example, if the summer season continues, winter vegetable will not be available in the summer season. Thus, this is pertinent to mention that the benefit of supermarket is that if any season continues, everything is available in the supermarket.
In addition to the previous point, another benefit is that many things that are not accessible in small shops, that is purchasable in the grocery store. For instance: some drinks like (monster,wine and alcohol) are not present in a mini mart. Hence, there is no denying the fact that a superstore is very beneficial for the citizens and also beneficial for foreigner.
On the other hand, bringing in food from abroad causes pollution due to long travel and hurts local former by lowering prices. For instance, moving food across the ocean needs a lot of fuel and cooling. Moreover, imported food can cause a virus and also cause a life threatning illness. Therefore, we may consider this point valid to say that importing food is bad for nature.
In a nutshell, after considering all the above-mentioned arguments we can reach a logical conclusion that supermarkets providing global food are positive, and international food brings great convenience.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the availability of global food in supermarkets. However, the development of ideas is limited. While you mention benefits like seasonal availability and variety, the points are somewhat repetitive and lack depth. The counter-argument regarding environmental impact and health risks is introduced, but the connection back to the overall position is weak. To improve, ensure each paragraph provides a clear, well-supported argument rather than listing simple examples. The conclusion is brief and does not fully synthesize the points made, which prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'In the first place', 'In addition', and 'On the other hand'. However, the use of these markers is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as the opening 'Accordingly', which does not fit the context of the introduction. Furthermore, the internal flow within paragraphs is occasionally disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where the explanation of seasonal availability is repetitive. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences will enhance the coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'good', 'bad', and 'things'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'hurts local former' (likely meaning 'farmers') and 'life threatning illness'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of more sophisticated or precise vocabulary limits the score. To improve, focus on learning topic-specific collocations related to global trade, sustainability, and consumer habits.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader, such as 'winter vegetable will not be available' (should be plural), 'that is purchasable' (subject-verb agreement), and 'cause a virus' (imprecise usage). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of parentheses and commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and pluralization to improve accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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