Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-15

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)

It is true that in many countries, consumers go to supermarkets and buy food that is produced all over the world. In my opinion, it is a positive development because they can buy healthy food, which was not available previously, and countries can benefit economically.

Healthy food is now available in every supermarket. This is because local sellers now contact other retailers and may import healthy food into the market. For example, Mexican and Japanese foods such as mangoes, carrots, and sushi are now easily available nearby, which may be beneficial for those who lack vitamins. While critics argue that transporting food hurts the environment, the health benefits for consumers are far more important. As a result, trading international food is a highly beneficial trend for society.

Furthermore, countries can benefit from bringing global food. Sellers import food at a cheap price and again sell it at a higher price. For instance, they bring food like foreign beef and lamb meat and sell those at a profit. They receive money and consistently contribute to their country's revenue. Consequently, importing food represents a favorable outcome for a nation's financial stability.

In conclusion, although food is available all over the world and people can buy from various markets, I firmly believe in purchasing food from a supermarket more because people can get nutritious food. Thus, they can get good food, which keeps their bodies healthy, and also help in maintaining national revenue by giving a specific amount of money to the government.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task and maintains a clear position throughout. The arguments regarding health benefits and economic advantages are relevant, though the development is somewhat simplistic. For instance, the claim that importing food is 'highly beneficial' for society is supported by basic examples, but the analysis lacks depth regarding the complexity of global trade or environmental impacts. The conclusion reiterates the main points but introduces a slightly repetitive focus on 'giving money to the government' which is not fully explored. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more nuanced explanations and perhaps acknowledge the counter-arguments with more sophistication.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, such as health benefits or economic gains. Cohesive devices like 'Furthermore', 'For instance', and 'Consequently' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the connection between the environmental argument and the health benefit in the second paragraph is somewhat abrupt. Improving the flow between sentences would help the essay read more naturally and elevate the score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There is some attempt to use topic-specific language like 'import', 'retailers', and 'financial stability'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic descriptors like 'good food' or 'cheap price'. To improve, you should incorporate more precise collocations and a wider variety of academic vocabulary to avoid repetition. For example, instead of 'bring food', using 'procure' or 'source' would demonstrate a higher level of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the grammar is generally accurate and communication is not impeded, there are some minor errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'bringing global food' or 'maintaining national revenue by giving a specific amount of money'. The control over complex structures is present but not entirely consistent. To achieve a higher band, you should focus on increasing the variety of your sentence structures and ensuring that your complex sentences are error-free and used with greater precision.

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