Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-14

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 6.5)

This development presents both opportunities or challenges that in many countries consumers buy food produced in different parts of the world from their local supermarkets. I believe this is a positive development because it provides people with more choices and allows them to enjoy a wider variety of food.

Perhaps the most significant benefit is that people can easily access different types of food throughout the year. For example, supermarkets can sell fruits such as mangoes, oranges and grapes from countries with different climates. This means consumers do not have to wait for local products to be in season. Moreover, people can try traditional foods from other cultures without travelling abroad. This can make their diets more interesting and diverse.

Another benefit is that international food trade can support the economies of developing countries. Farmers and food producers can sell their products to customers in foreign markets, which can increase their income and create more jobs. In addition, competition between international producers may encourage companies to improve the quality of their products and keep prices reasonable.

Despite these merits, several drawbacks cannot be overlooked . Transporting food over long distances can increase pollution because trucks, ships and planes are used to deliver these products. Also, local farmers may face difficulties competing with cheaper imported food, which could negatively affect local agriculture.

Overall , the positive implications appears to surpass the negative ones . Although selling food from around the world can cause environmental problems and create competition for local farmers, I believe it is mainly a positive development because it gives consumers greater choice and supports international trade.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the development is positive. The ideas are relevant and logically developed, covering benefits such as year-round availability and economic support for developing nations, as well as drawbacks like environmental impact and local competition. The argument is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more specific, nuanced examples or delve deeper into the long-term implications of these global trade patterns to further extend the discussion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is well-organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the benefits and drawbacks is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'Despite these merits' are used effectively to link ideas. Paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument. The flow is natural, and the reader can easily follow the writer's line of reasoning from the introduction to the conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task and allows for clear communication. The student uses topic-specific terms like 'international food trade', 'developing countries', and 'environmental problems'. While the range is adequate, it lacks the more sophisticated or idiomatic collocations that would characterize a higher band. There are no significant errors in word choice, and the language used is appropriate for an academic context. To improve, the student should aim to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary to express ideas with greater nuance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There is a minor error in the opening sentence ('opportunities or challenges' should be 'opportunities and challenges') and a subject-verb agreement slip in the conclusion ('implications appears' should be 'implications appear'). However, these are infrequent and do not impede communication. The control over punctuation and sentence construction is solid, reflecting a good level of grammatical competence.

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

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