Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-04

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some consumers are increasingly choosing to buy goods that are produced in their local area, rather than imported goods.

What are the reasons for this?

Is this a positive or a negative trend?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Consumers purchasing trends are changing time to time. People who prefer the items from abroad are now inclined towards local producers. This essay will showcase the cause of trusting the local brands and why this sort of adoption is plus point for everyone.

It is clearly seen that people wants their money to be invested within their countries which ultimately help the government to get more tax and as a result it will be used on the people for their needs. Moreover the local brands do not waste the money on the advertisement due to that the buyers can get same the product pocket friends. Not only this they people now a days has their mindset to save their culture which is only possible when they purchase the goods from the local shops.

However it is also seen that cheating is common in the market. To illustrate, there are many illegal websites in the market which perform fraudulent activities where person orders some items, money got deducted from the account but did not receive at all.

On the other hand it is seen that imported goods are quite cheap and pure because the government of that country does not allow them to cheat the people who pay or it. For example there is rule in abroad manufactures need to mention what are the configuration of content inside it and if the person is having problem they can reach out to the producer as everything is clearly mentioned on the products.

At last, one should prefer the local items as they are budget friendly, raise the economy of the nation and much more secure while the abroad things should be purchase only from the trusted vendor to get genuine thing.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for buying local and an evaluation of the trend. However, the development of ideas is inconsistent. While the reasons for buying local (economic benefits and cultural preservation) are clear, the discussion regarding the 'negative' aspect is confusing. The student shifts to discussing online fraud and the quality of imported goods, which does not directly address whether the trend of buying local is positive or negative. The position is somewhat clear, but the arguments lack depth and logical connection to the prompt's core question. To improve, ensure that every paragraph directly supports the stance taken on the trend itself.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is often interrupted by awkward transitions and unclear referencing. For example, the transition 'However it is also seen that cheating is common in the market' does not logically follow the previous paragraph about local brands. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Moreover' and 'On the other hand', but they are sometimes used mechanically or inappropriately. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'the people' or 'the configuration of content', which makes the flow of ideas feel disjointed. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'pocket friends' (likely meaning 'pocket-friendly') and 'the configuration of content inside it'. The student relies on basic vocabulary and struggles with collocations, such as 'the abroad things' instead of 'imported goods'. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of sophisticated or precise language limits the score. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on learning topic-specific collocations and avoiding literal translations of phrases.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('people wants'), missing articles ('the government of that country'), and incorrect word order or prepositions ('pay or it'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing commas. While the student attempts complex structures, they are often marred by errors. To improve, the student should focus on basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of articles before attempting more complex grammatical forms.

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