Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-16

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)

With the changing trend, it is often notices that some shoppers are increasingly preferring to purchase locally purchased goods over imported ones. From my perspective, it is positive development as these would lead to an increase in local employment and would be environmentally friendly.

Firstly, the imported products are sometimes of lower quality and are not often fresh. This is because many internationally sourced goods, like fruits and vegetables, are generally frozen and not fresh to maintain their lifespan. On the one hand, foreign goods are less costly due to mass production, but on the other hand, locally manufactured items are of better quality. For instance, recent studies have shown that many foreign companies produce a wide variety of goods using cheaper pesticides and low-cost production methods in order to grow crops quickly and reduce expenses. As a result, consumers now prefer buying domestically produced goods over imported ones.

Secondly, due to more adaptability to the locally sourced goods, it has led to surge in local employment. The skilled artisans from the rural area are getting a new identity and recognition. Moreover, it would contribute to the decrease or carbon footprint as the items are locally manufactured and do not need to be shipped, which leads to less consumption of fuel. Furthermore, this would also help small businesses to grow and support their national economy.

In conclusion, the growing trend for home-grown products is mainly due to the increase in local jobs and environmental conditions and the desire to support the local economy. I believe that this is a positive trend as it it benefiting the locals and the environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for the trend and the evaluation of whether it is positive or negative. The position is clear from the introduction and maintained throughout. The ideas, such as quality concerns and environmental benefits, are relevant and supported with examples. However, the development is slightly uneven; for instance, the argument regarding 'adaptability to locally sourced goods' is a bit vague and could have been explained more clearly to show how it directly causes a surge in employment. Overall, the response covers all requirements of the task well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively, such as 'Firstly', 'On the one hand', and 'Furthermore', which help guide the reader through the arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing in the second paragraph ('due to more adaptability to the locally sourced goods') is a little clunky, which prevents it from reaching a higher band. Nevertheless, the progression of ideas is clear throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate and sufficient for the task. You use some good topic-specific collocations like 'internationally sourced goods', 'mass production', and 'carbon footprint'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'it is often notices' (should be 'noticed') and 'adaptability to the locally sourced goods', which is slightly unnatural phrasing. You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, but to reach a higher band, you should aim for more sophisticated or precise word choices to express your ideas with greater nuance and fewer minor errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'it is positive development' (missing article 'a'), 'it it benefiting' (repetition error), and 'decrease or carbon footprint' (should be 'decrease in'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. The range of structures is adequate, but more consistent control over complex sentences would help elevate your score in this criterion.

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

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