Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-27

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)

Nowadays, an increasing number of consumers prefer to buy products made in their local area instead of imported goods. There are several reasons for this trend, and I believe it is generally a positive development.

One main reason is that people want to support local businesses. When consumers buy locally produced goods, their money stays within the community and helps local companies create jobs. Another reason is that local products are often considered fresher and more environmentally friendly. For example, buying vegetables from nearby farmers can reduce the distance that food needs to travel, which can lower transportation pollution. In addition, some people prefer local products because they know where they come from and how they are produced.

I believe this trend has several positive effects. Firstly, it can strengthen the local economy because small businesses receive more customers and income. Secondly, it can help protect the environment by reducing the need for long-distance transportation. Finally, buying local products can help preserve traditional skills and local culture, especially when people purchase handmade goods or traditional foods.

However, imported goods can sometimes be cheaper or offer more variety, so consumers should still have the freedom to choose products according to their needs and budgets.

In conclusion, people are increasingly choosing local goods because they want to support their community, buy fresher products and reduce environmental impact. Overall, I believe this is a positive trend because it can benefit both local economies and the environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the reasons for buying local goods (such as supporting local businesses, freshness, and environmental benefits) and evaluating whether this trend is positive or negative. A clear position is maintained throughout the essay. However, your response has a negative impact on Task Achievement because it falls short of the minimum 250-word requirement, containing only 243 words. This slight under-length restriction prevents full development in places and means the task cannot be fully satisfied at Band 7. Therefore, a band score of 6.0 is awarded, reflecting an otherwise well-structured attempt that covers all parts of the task with relevant ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

Your essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs addressing reasons and positive effects, a counter-perspective, and a concise conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, such as economic support versus environmental benefits. Cohesive devices are handled adequately through connectors like 'One main reason', 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'In addition'. However, referencing and transitions are at times a bit mechanical, which prevents the essay from reaching Band 7. Overall, the arrangement is coherent and easy to follow, making Coherence and Cohesion the strongest criterion in this submission.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms such as 'imported goods', 'environmentally friendly', 'transportation pollution', and 'traditional skills'. There are attempts at less common phrasing like 'preserve traditional skills and local culture'. However, the vocabulary tends to be somewhat general and repetitive (e.g., repeating 'local products' and 'positive trend'). Word choice and collocations are generally accurate and do not impede communication, but the lack of sophisticated or less common lexical items keeps the score at a solid Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You display a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses ('goods that are produced', 'distance that food needs to travel') and conditional or participial elements effectively. Grammatical accuracy is generally high, with the majority of sentences being free of major errors. Minor punctuation and structural slips are very rare. Control of grammar is quite good, and complex structures are attempted without causing difficulty for the reader, which comfortably secures a Band 7.0 for this criterion.

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