Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-12

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 6.5)

In the recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in consumer behaviour. With the growth of local markets, people have stopped buying goods that are imported.

This essay will explore the primary reasons driving this change namely environmental awareness and a desire to support regional economies and argue that this is overwhelmingly a positive trend.

There are two reasons for this sudden shift. To start with, people have started recognizing the environmental damage that occurs when purchasing imported goods. Though the goods can be of good quality but there are high chances that they are made with chemicals that has adverse effects on our environment whereas goods made locally and sold by local venders are made out of natural resources that are ecological and environment friendly.

Furthermore, supporting local vendors is really important. Local goods such as fruits and vegetables that are grown in farms nearby are certainly more fresh, healthy and safe as compared to mass produced goods that are not produced in an environmental friendly way. Although it is true that local products can sometimes carry a higher price tag or offer slightly less variety than imported alternatives, the long-term ecological and economic benefits far outweigh these minor drawbacks.

In conclusion, the rising preference for locally manufactured and grown products is primarily driven by eco-conscious consumerism and the intention to bolster domestic economies. I firmly believe this is a positive trend that fosters environmental sustainability and community resilience, ultimately creating a healthier ecosystem and a more stable job market.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying reasons for the shift toward local goods and clearly stating a position that it is a positive trend. The ideas are relevant, though the development is somewhat brief. For instance, the explanation of environmental damage is a good start but could be more detailed with specific examples of 'chemicals' or 'transportation emissions'. The essay maintains a clear position throughout, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully elaborated with concrete examples or deeper analysis rather than relying on general statements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'To start with', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, the transition between the environmental argument and the economic argument could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. While the flow is generally good, some sentences feel slightly disjointed due to repetitive sentence structures. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task, with some good collocations like 'consumer behaviour', 'environmental sustainability', and 'community resilience'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and repetitive word choices. For example, 'venders' is misspelled (should be 'vendors'), and the phrase 'made out of natural resources' is slightly unnatural. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Expanding your repertoire of topic-specific vocabulary related to economics and ecology would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'In the recent years' (should be 'In recent years') and 'chemicals that has adverse effects' (subject-verb agreement error: 'have'). Additionally, the sentence 'Though the goods can be of good quality but there are high chances...' is grammatically incorrect because it uses both 'Though' and 'but'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and avoiding redundant conjunctions will help improve your accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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