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 like mangoes and sushi, but the explanation lacks depth regarding the complexity of global trade. 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 analysis of the trade-offs involved in global food distribution.

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 impact. 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 economic argument and the conclusion could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure helps the reader follow your argument without confusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'nutritious', 'financial stability', and 'import'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic descriptors. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'bringing global food' instead of 'importing global food' or 'global food trade'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and less common vocabulary related to the topic of international trade and nutrition to demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

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. For example, 'trading international food is a highly beneficial trend' is grammatically sound, but 'help in maintaining national revenue by giving a specific amount of money' is slightly clunky. You have good control over basic structures, but to achieve a higher score, you should aim to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical forms, such as conditional sentences or passive voice, with greater precision.

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