Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-25

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 recent times, people from different countries prefer visiting a supermarket to buy various grocery items produced around the world. In my opinion, this is a positive development because it provides the accessibility of whatever they want and gives them a chance to try things that are not grown in their homeland.

People in the past had problems accessing food from different countries. This is because there was no conveyance available, and items take a significant amount of time to reach a supermarket. They had to import foods, which sometimes got rotten and in no condition to eat. But today, this problem has been solved because transport facilities have increased lately and the supermarkets are crowded with the number of different foods. This provided the local people the ability to buy those things at their doorstep without the hurdle of waiting and buying at excessive costs. For example. Discounts are offered at multiple stores and malls, so people have the option to buy food at cheaper prices.

People living in overseas countries have affection for their country's local food sources. They prefer eating their local foods, as they bring an enormous amount of food with them while coming abroad. However, they have to make arrangements to buy it from the supermarkets as soon as it gets finished. This provides them a chance to try distinct foods from other countries as well. A supermarket imports food from all over the world and gives people the accessibility to buy it easily. For example, a renowned YouTuber has launched its own chocolate brand, which is available in bigger cities' malls.

In conclusion, buying different food sources from a supermarket is easier now, providing people an opportunity to relish other countries' food.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by clearly taking a position that global food availability in supermarkets is a positive development. The main ideas are outlined in the introduction and supported in the body paragraphs. For instance, the writer discusses how modern transportation allows for quick importation without excessive costs and mentions the benefit for expatriates and locals trying foreign foods. However, some arguments lack deep extension, and the example regarding a YouTuber's chocolate brand is slightly colloquial and tangential, which prevents the response from reaching the highest band levels. Overall, all parts of the task are addressed adequately, placing it firmly at a Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. It is divided into an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion, which helps structure the overall argument. Cohesive devices are used adequately, such as transitional phrases like 'In my opinion', 'This is because', and 'However'. Paragraphing is handled reasonably well, though some body paragraphs could be further unified. Referencing is generally clear, with words like 'this' and 'they' linking ideas, although occasional mechanical transitions slightly affect the natural flow. These characteristics align well with the descriptors for a Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms such as 'accessibility', 'importation', 'renowned', and 'expatriates' (implied by context). However, there are some minor word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'conveyance available' instead of transport or shipping, and 'items take a significant amount of time' (tense shift). Words like 'overseas countries' are slightly unnatural compared to 'foreign countries'. The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points clearly without impeding understanding, which corresponds to a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses such as 'In recent times, people from different countries prefer...' and 'This is because there was no conveyance available...'. There are some grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'items take a significant amount of time' (mixing past and present tenses) and 'the supermarkets are crowded with the number of different foods'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while errors exist, they rarely impede communication, allowing the response to achieve a Band 6.0.

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