Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-01

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 6.0)

Buying local produce is one of the best ideas to support the local community instead of spending money on imported goods. There are several reasons for it, so let's discuss it.

First of all, supporting the people around your area is quite important, as they are helping others in town. For instance, if we live in a small town and have to buy vegetables, instead of going to a bigger city, we can just go to the local shops and buy the things which we want. It saves us a lot of time and cuts down the cost of gas as well. Furthermore, buying local produce is healthier than buying imported goods, as importing something takes a while, due to transportation time, and sometimes it can be days or months. So instead of buying older things, investing in local fresh produce makes more sense.

However, there is some produce which is not available locally, so in that case we cannot rely on everything produced by natives only. There can be a mix of both local and imported, which will make the business running good for both of the parties. For example, so many things are being imported from China, which are way cheaper than those produced within our own country, so consumers have enough options to choose from, which is beneficial for buyers.

Overall, as per the points mentioned above, I believe that buying goods natively is a good idea, but having more options from imported goods is beneficial for the consumers, as well as for our society to make good relations with other countries.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for buying local and the evaluation of the trend. However, the development is somewhat superficial. The reasons provided—saving time, reducing gas costs, and freshness—are relevant but could be expanded with more depth or specific examples. The evaluation of the trend is balanced, acknowledging both the benefits of local produce and the necessity of imports. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more detailed explanations for your arguments rather than listing them briefly. The position is clear throughout, but the overall development lacks the depth required for a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use some cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Furthermore', and 'However' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel a bit simplistic. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother to better reflect the shift from the benefits of local goods to the necessity of imports. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the central ideas are generally easy to follow, though the logical progression could be more sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'imported goods', 'local produce', and 'transportation time'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'good idea' and 'things' are used frequently, which are quite generic. To improve, you should aim to incorporate more precise, academic vocabulary and collocations. For example, instead of 'make the business running good', you could use 'facilitate trade' or 'ensure economic viability'. There are no significant spelling errors, but the lexical range is not yet broad enough for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is consistently clear, there are several grammatical inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'buying local produce is one of the best ideas to support' (better: 'a highly effective way to support') and 'make the business running good for both of the parties'. Punctuation is generally correct, but some sentence constructions are slightly unnatural. You have a decent grasp of basic grammar, but you need to increase the frequency of error-free complex sentences to reach a higher band. Focus on refining your sentence structure to improve flow and accuracy.

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

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