Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-26
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)
In this modern era, all the countries developing day by day and like to make best products and things which are useful and helpful for the local people. There are number of individuals who prefer to buy things from local shops, rather than buy imported goods. I will discuss the reasons behind it and also discuss if it is positive or a negative trend in upcoming paragraphs.
To begin with, there are numerous reasons why people like to buy thing from local stores rather than imported goods. First and foremost, it is helpful for nation development when individuals buy thing locally. For example, when people buy something, they have to pay tax on the goods which government use for country development. Secondly, it is the best way to save some money, when people buy imported goods, they might be more costly as compared to local one. So, these are the main reasons why people like to buy local things rather than imported goods.
On the other hand, on the positive side, this is beneficial for both individuals and nation its saves consumers money and helpful in country development as well as it's enhancing the popularity of local goods. Apart from this, on the negative side, sometime in local area they sell cheapest things on less price which result as a waste of money and sometime people didn't get things according to their choice from the local area.
In conclusion, no doubt this is the positive trend to buy things from local shops, because it is helpful in the growth of the nation and also enhance the individual's interest in local goods, but sometimes they didn't get things according to their preference from local shops.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for buying local and the evaluation of the trend. However, the development of ideas is quite limited. For instance, the argument regarding tax and national development is mentioned but not explained in detail. Similarly, the discussion on whether the trend is positive or negative is somewhat repetitive and lacks depth. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific examples or elaborate on the consequences of these trends. The position is clear, but the supporting arguments remain at a surface level, which restricts the score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'First and foremost', and 'On the other hand'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and some transitions feel forced. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the final paragraph where the pronoun 'they' is used without a clear antecedent. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would improve the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on simple, repetitive phrases like 'buy things', 'good', and 'helpful'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'result as a waste of money' instead of 'result in a waste of money'. To improve, you should aim to use more sophisticated vocabulary related to economics and consumer behavior, and pay closer attention to collocations to ensure your word choices sound natural in an academic context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'all the countries developing day by day'), missing articles, and incorrect verb tenses (e.g., 'it's enhancing' instead of 'it enhances'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. You should focus on proofreading your work to correct these recurring slips, particularly with verb forms and sentence construction.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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