Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-11

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)

It is commonly believed that in many countries nowadays, customers can go to a supermarket and purchase food produced all over the world. Although this development can be beneficial and convenient for consumers, I believe that it is a negative development. The main reasons are that the environment can be polluted in this way and these products can be too expensive.

At the outset, in the present day, consumers can get all kinds of food from different parts of the world. However, the environment can also be polluted in this regard. This is because a vast quantity of food is transported to different countries by sea. For instance, in Pakistan, mangoes are exported worldwide and transported by ships. Therefore, a lot of fuel is used by these ships, and the combustion of fuel usually results in global warming and environmental pollution. Consequently, serious diseases can occur due to air pollution.

Besides that, the costs of these products cannot be justified. In other words, companies have to pay high transportation and freight costs. Furthermore, a large amount of tax also has to be paid for the clearance of these products once they reach the destination country. Therefore, the prices of these food products can become almost double when they are sold in the importing country. For example, sports goods manufactured in Pakistan are exported to the UK, while the prices of these products can almost triple when they are sold there because of the high taxes imposed on imported products.

To conclude, although it can be convenient for consumers to buy different kinds of food when they go to the supermarket, I firmly believe that this can have harmful effects because the environment can be polluted and customers may have to pay too much for imported products.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task and maintains a clear position throughout. You have provided two distinct reasons for your negative stance: environmental impact and economic cost. The ideas are extended with relevant examples, such as the transportation of mangoes and the taxation of imported goods. However, the example regarding 'sports goods' is slightly off-topic as the prompt specifically asks about food. To reach a higher band, ensure all supporting examples directly relate to the food industry. Overall, the development is logical and the position is consistent.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'At the outset', 'Consequently', 'Besides that', and 'In other words' to link your points effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different arguments. The flow is generally smooth, although some transitions could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel in the way ideas are connected.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'combustion of fuel', 'global warming', and 'freight costs' are used accurately. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some word choices are repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'products' and 'food'. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms or collocations related to international trade and environmental sustainability. The spelling is accurate throughout, and your word choice is generally appropriate for the context of an academic essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and grammatically sound, which ensures that your meaning is never obscured. There are some minor issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, but these do not impede communication. You show good control over punctuation and sentence boundaries. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice constructions used more fluidly to vary the rhythm of your writing.

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