Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-13

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 6.0)

In the past, most supermarkets mostly contained native products for sale, but today in the supermarkets of every country one can find local as well as foreign items. This certain approach can lie on the scale of both advantages and disadvantages.

One of the reasons to encourage this approach is the exposure towards foreign food and how it can be better than local products. Many food products in a nation are made by using the same techniques and formulas which are benificial for certain individuals but can also cause harm or discomfort to many other people who carry a certain health problem. So by comparing the ingredients of local and foreign food products such people can gain major benifit from this approach. Moreover, knowing whether a certain foreign product is available locally saves people from ordering internationally, helping them avoid high shipping, delivery times and custom duties. For example: If a person is recommended a medicine made from a certain kind of herb that is produced locally, instead of ordering it he can take a look in his nearby supermarkets if foreign products are imported in his/her country.

Commencing towards the negative aspect of this approach. The main disadvantage that pops up in the mind is that importing international products often provides an illegal path for smuggling. There are many cases reported in different parts of the world of such smuggling. Even though, different steps have been taken to demolish this act but still many cases have been reported recently. In addition to it, the prices of foreign food products are relatively higher than local products which discourages many individual to tend towards cheap local products to fullfill their needs.

In conclusion, although buying or importing a foreign food product may create some additional pressure, I believe its benifits outweigh the drawbacks because this approach can be benificial in watering international relations and people get exposed to food cultures of different nations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address the question by presenting both benefits and drawbacks, then clearly state that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. The points about comparing products for health needs and avoiding international shipping costs are relevant, and the conclusion returns to your position. However, some ideas are less fully developed than others. The example about a locally produced herbal medicine is confusing because it does not clearly show why access to food from around the world is beneficial. The claim that imported products create a route for smuggling also needs a clearer explanation of how ordinary supermarket sales lead to this problem. Develop each point with a direct link to the question and a more precise example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion that restates your view. Linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “In addition to it,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the main stages, and the ideas generally progress logically. To make the organisation more effective, ensure that each paragraph develops one central point rather than moving between loosely connected claims. For instance, the health comparison and the shipping-cost point could be more clearly separated or connected. Some transitions sound mechanical, particularly “Commencing towards the negative aspect,” and the reference to “this approach” is sometimes broad. Use more natural transitions and clearer references to specific imported food products.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of vocabulary for the topic, including “ingredients,” “custom duties,” “smuggling,” and “international relations.” These choices show an attempt to express ideas beyond basic everyday language. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “exposure towards foreign food,” “lie on the scale,” and “demolish this act.” Spelling errors in “benificial,” “benifit,” and “fullfill” also reduce accuracy. Some expressions are vague, including “additional pressure” and “major benefit,” where a more precise description would strengthen your argument. Focus on learning natural word partnerships and checking spelling, while retaining the useful topic-specific vocabulary you already attempt.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “individuals … who carry a certain health problem” and a conditional example beginning “If a person is recommended…”. Most of the meaning remains clear, but some grammatical errors occur. For example, “prices … are relatively higher than local products” compares prices with products rather than with local prices, and “discourages many individual” has a singular-plural agreement problem. The long sentence beginning “So by comparing…” is also awkwardly constructed, while “Even though, different steps…” uses punctuation incorrectly after the introductory clause. Aim to make comparisons grammatically parallel, check singular and plural forms, and divide long sentences where needed.

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