Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-20
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)
In today's world, most of the people buy food from different countries in supermarkets. Some people believe it is a right thing to have a chance to try different things and some disagree with it. And I agree with the statement of disagreement. Now, we will discuss both of the views with the reason.
People believe by having a chance to buy food of other countries helps them to have a variety of food. Many times there is no availability of food, especially seasonal fruits and vegetables and other kinds of items because of the weather, and with the help of having other countries' food, it's quite easier to buy and eat it. For example, in the UK, most of the time weather is cold and the production of summer fruits like melon and mango is relatively tough rather than Asian countries. Also, the trend and the other countries' stuff people like much as they can tell their relatives like, "I went to the market and look, I got an American item," just to make them jealous. Also, they think other countries' food is highly organized and no hygiene problem.
On the other hand, most of them, including me, believe that buying food from different countries really lets down your farmers who do a lot of hard work, and when you do not buy the item, it brings down the prices of it, which makes it tough for them. Also, there will be a problem of import with it, and it makes people have different kinds of items to eat.
In conclusion, there are different views on it, but according to my point of view, we should make our own products more valuable due to our farmers and natural products, which are more beneficial rather than buying international items.
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 both sides of the issue and providing a clear personal position. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. The argument regarding farmers is relevant but lacks depth, and the point about 'making relatives jealous' is anecdotal and lacks academic focus. The conclusion is clear, but the overall development of the argument is somewhat superficial. To reach a higher band, you should provide more substantial evidence or logical reasoning for your claims, such as discussing the environmental impact of food miles or the economic benefits of local food security, rather than focusing on social trends.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the other hand' and 'In conclusion', but they are sometimes used in a mechanical or repetitive way. The transition between sentences is occasionally abrupt, and some referencing is unclear, such as the phrase 'most of them' in the second paragraph, which does not clearly refer back to a specific group mentioned previously. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'seasonal fruits', 'production', and 'import'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'it is a right thing' instead of 'a positive development' or 'a beneficial practice'. There is also a tendency to use simple phrasing, such as 'other countries' stuff'. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and academic vocabulary related to global trade and economics to demonstrate a wider range of lexical control.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'most of the time weather is cold' (missing article), 'production... is relatively tough rather than Asian countries' (faulty comparison), and 'no hygiene problem' (missing verb). Punctuation is generally functional, but some sentence structures are awkward. To achieve a higher band, focus on improving your control over articles, prepositions, and comparative structures. Ensure that your complex sentences are constructed accurately to avoid errors that, while not impeding communication, occur frequently enough to affect the overall fluency.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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