Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

With the changing trend, it is often noticed that some shoppers are increasingly preferring to purchase locally produced goods over imported ones. From my perspective, it is a 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 is benefiting the locals and the environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying reasons for the trend (quality, health, employment, environmental impact) and clearly stating a position that it is a positive development. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported. However, some arguments could be more thoroughly developed; for example, the link between 'adaptability to locally sourced goods' and 'surge in local employment' is slightly unclear and could benefit from a more explicit explanation. Overall, the response is focused and maintains a consistent position throughout the essay, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the reasons for the trend. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'On the one hand', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader through the argument. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing in the second paragraph ('due to more adaptability to the locally sourced goods') is a bit awkward, which prevents a higher score. The progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task and allows for some precision. You have used some good topic-specific collocations like 'mass production', 'carbon footprint', and 'domestically produced goods'. There are occasional minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'due to more adaptability to the locally sourced goods', which does not quite convey the intended meaning. However, the range is adequate to convey your ideas clearly, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated or idiomatic expressions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have used some complex forms effectively, such as 'As a result, consumers now prefer buying domestically produced goods over imported ones.' There are occasional grammatical errors, such as 'the decrease or carbon footprint' (likely meant 'the decrease of the carbon footprint') and 'due to more adaptability to the locally sourced goods'. These errors are infrequent and do not cause difficulty for the reader. The punctuation is generally accurate, and the sentence control is sufficient for a Band 6.5.

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