Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-05
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)
Nowadays, supermarkets give consumers a variety of food products from all over the world. While this development has some disadvantages, I believe that this has positive development. The reason is that it offers a great variety of choices and one can explore different cultures through food. In the furthermore paragraphs, I will elaborate on how this development has positive impact in many countries.
The advantage of it is that people can enjoy food from foreign countries. They will have a wide range of products to choose from. For instance, they can buy Italian pasta or Korean noodles while living in their country. Moreover, those who love Japanese sushi or Mexican food get to know more about their cultures. This will enhance their knowledge and get to know about the flavours of different countries. Keeping this in view, this development helps the farmers, manufacturers and retailers help in their business. And our economy grows as well.
Another thing about it is that, in the past people depended mostly on the local products and had little access to international products. But now, international trade has made it possible for consumers to have a huge range of products. Also, I firmly believe that food is something that connects people. In my opinion, foreigners don't compromise on the quality of product they are selling. They uses good quality raw material and they also care alot about hygiene as well.
On the contrary, this development has some drawbacks as well. Due to imports people are attracted to those products more that harms the local manufacturer that is selling its product. They should encourage people to buy locals as well because balance is very important. This can even shut down many local businesses as well.
In conclusion, consumers buying products from supermarkets from all around the world has positive development and people can explore different cultures through food.
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 the positive and negative aspects of global food availability. You clearly state your position that it is a positive development. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the benefits regarding cultural exploration are well-supported, the section on economic impact is a bit vague, and the counter-argument regarding local businesses is brief. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with more specific examples or logical reasoning. The conclusion is also quite repetitive, merely restating the introduction rather than synthesising the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'On the contrary', to link your points. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'In the furthermore paragraphs' (which is grammatically incorrect) and 'Another thing about it is that'. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the logical connection between the sentences is tighter.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'international trade', 'manufacturers', and 'compromise'. However, there are some instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'get to know about the flavours' (which is slightly redundant) and 'buy locals' (which should be 'buy local products'). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the sophistication or precision required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. For example, 'this has positive development' should be 'this is a positive development', 'They uses good quality' should be 'They use good quality', and 'care alot' should be 'care a lot'. Additionally, there are issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article consistency.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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