Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-17

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)

# Local Goods vs. Imported Goods

In recent years, people preferring locally produced goods instead of imported goods has become widely discussed in many countries. This essay will discuss the reasons behind this trend and find out whether it has positive or negative outcomes before giving my own opinion.

Several factors contribute to this trend, such as the freshness of vegetables and fruits, cheaper prices, and the promotion of local and small businesses. Locally produced vegetables and fruits are free from trade and transportation taxes, which reduces the price of goods. Additionally, vegetables and fruits are fresher in a local farmers' market than imported ones. For instance, peaches produced in Ontario are fresher and available at reasonable prices than Mexican peaches. Another noteworthy reason is the promotion of local and small businesses. For these reasons, people prefer to buy locally produced goods rather than imported goods.

Regarding the second question, I firmly believe that the positive outcomes of this trend outweigh the negative outcomes. However, for some goods, people entirely depend on imported products because of their low availability in local production. Local production enhances economic growth in areas such as rural regions and counties. In these areas, there are small businesses not only related to food but also to manufacturing, technology, and electronics. This has motivated young, educated adults in these areas through employment opportunities in these businesses. Another positive impact is economic growth in rural and county areas. Therefore, in this way, young people have jobs in their local areas, and the economic growth of these areas also improves.

Taking everything into account, I believe that this trend has several significant benefits, such as the freshness of vegetables and fruits, the promotion of businesses, and economic growth. Therefore, its positive outcomes outweigh the negative outcomes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The essay addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying reasons for the trend and expressing a clear position on its impact. The ideas are relevant, such as the freshness of produce and economic growth. However, the development is somewhat uneven. While the reasons are clearly stated, the discussion on whether the trend is positive or negative could be more deeply explored. For instance, the mention of 'low availability' of imported goods is a good point, but it is not fully linked to the overall argument about the trend's impact. The response is generally well-focused, but could benefit from more nuanced examples to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Additionally,' 'For instance,' and 'Taking everything into account,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more sophisticated. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure supports the argument effectively, though the flow between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother to enhance the logical progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for clear communication. You use some topic-specific terms like 'locally produced goods,' 'economic growth,' and 'employment opportunities.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a tendency to repeat phrases like 'vegetables and fruits' and 'imported goods' multiple times. To improve, try to use synonyms or more varied collocations. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede meaning, but the language lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and grammatically sound, such as 'Locally produced vegetables and fruits are free from trade and transportation taxes.' There are occasional minor errors, such as 'people preferring... has become' (subject-verb agreement) and some slightly awkward phrasing like 'find out whether it has positive or negative outcomes.' Punctuation is generally accurate. To reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence forms with greater consistency and fewer minor slips.

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