Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-25

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)

I believe that the availability and consumption of international food at local supermarkets is both advantageous and disadvantageous. There are many reasons; however, I will be highlighting how it adds variety and grows the economy as the positive aspect. For the negative aspect, I will be discussing about the decline of local food and economy.

On one hand, this is a positive development because it adds to the variety of food available. Moreover, individuals who prefer trying new foods can buy any item from the supermarket. For example, pasta is an Italian dish, but many people in Pakistan cook it at home and eat it out in restaurants. This is possible only because the food produced all over the world is available in supermarkets. Another major contribution of international food being available in supermarkets is that trade increases. This can bring money in the country or send money to another country. For example, many people in America eat Pakistani food like biryani and haleem.

On the contrary, this leads to the decline of local food because many people have begun loving and consuming international food. For example, I love spaghetti, and this is not Pakistani food. I love spaghetti so much that even if biryani is placed in front of me, I will go for spaghetti first. Another aspect that makes international food consumption worse is that the country's money is being spent on buying them. We are forgetting our culture and food taste while adopting the

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You present both positive and negative effects and give a clear overall direction, with relevant examples such as pasta in Pakistan and Pakistani dishes eaten in America. However, the task asks whether this is a positive or negative development, and your opening calls it both without making clear which side you ultimately consider stronger. Several points are also under-developed: the claim that international food increases trade is not clearly explained, and the final point about cultural change is cut off before it is completed. The response is also three words below the required minimum. To strengthen the response, state a definite overall judgement, explain the consequences of each main point, and finish the final argument and conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph on benefits, and one on drawbacks. Signposting such as “On one hand” and “On the contrary” helps readers follow the contrast, and examples are generally placed beside the points they illustrate. However, the progression is incomplete because the final paragraph ends mid-sentence (“while adopting the”), leaving the argument and conclusion unfinished. Some links are also mechanical, and the opening’s promise to discuss both sides does not establish a clear overall position. Develop each paragraph through a point, explanation, and example, then add a concluding sentence that answers the question. This would make the organisation feel more complete and the connections between ideas clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “availability,” “consumption,” “international food,” and “decline of local food.” The examples also make the discussion accessible. However, several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, such as repeated use of “food” and “international food,” and “bring money in the country” is not a natural collocation. “Discussing about” is also an awkward word choice. More precise language would help distinguish imports, consumer choice, local producers, and cultural traditions. Aim to vary key terms without changing their meaning, and check collocations when describing trade and economic effects. These improvements would make the argument clearer and more appropriate to an academic essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “individuals who prefer trying new foods” and a conditional structure in “even if biryani is placed in front of me.” Most sentences communicate their meaning, but some grammatical patterns are inaccurate or incomplete. For example, “I will be discussing about” uses an unnecessary preposition, while “This can bring money in the country or send money to another country” has unclear parallel structure. The final sentence is unfinished, so it cannot show complete control of sentence structure. Review prepositions after verbs, parallel phrasing, and sentence completion. Using a wider range of structures accurately would make the response more fluent and reliable.

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