Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-01

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 6.5)

There is an ongoing debate about the increasing popularity of buying goods that are manufactured in a local area rather than imported from another country. There could be several reasons for this particular choice, such as cost, trust, quality and availability of the products. I believe that this is a positive trend for generating income for the local vendors.

Purchasing goods from the local shop has become more popular among young people in this country. Some consumers prefer to buy every small thing that is produced in their local area. The main reason behind this approach is cost. Local vendors often set profit margins low, which benefits consumers to purchase more from the same shop. Not only does this trick build trust, but it also improves the consumer-vendor relationship. Moreover, consumers cannot stop themselves from shopping for items which they find inexpensive with a good quality. For example, by buying furniture from a trustworthy source, you will eventually get discounts without making a compromise in quality.

Furthermore, these contribute to the positive trend. Firstly, buying goods that are produced or manufactured in the local area would generate income for the local shop owners. Imported goods are usually much more expensive, and the majority of inhabitants cannot afford them. For instance, exotic fruits such as blueberries, raspberries, dragon fruits, and jackfruits are seasonal and expensive as well. Despite having the best antioxidant properties, people are afraid to buy them because of their price tag. Instead, they invest their money in local vendors and help them earn more than usual.

To sum up the discussion, I believe that some customers are increasingly selecting to purchase from a local shop rather than using imported goods from another nation because of trust, easy availability, affordability and great quality products. This rising trend is positive as it helps local vendors to earn more.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both the reasons for buying local goods and evaluating whether this trend is positive or negative. The position is clear throughout the essay. However, some ideas are more fully developed than others, which places the response at this band level. For instance, the reasons regarding cost, trust, and quality in the second paragraph are mentioned and supported with a general furniture example, but the discussion remains somewhat broad. The evaluation of the trend being positive is effectively tied to generating income for local vendors in the third paragraph, citing specific examples such as exotic fruits like blueberries and raspberries. To move to a higher band, the writer would need to extend and support all main ideas equally rather than relying on occasional generalisations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction and conclusion. Information and ideas are logically sequenced, guiding the reader through the discussion of reasons and the evaluation of the trend. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points, such as the reasons for the trend and the economic impact on local shop owners. However, cohesion can sometimes feel a bit mechanical or repetitive, as seen with transitions like 'Furthermore' and 'Moreover.' Additionally, referencing is not always completely clear, such as the vague opening of the third paragraph with 'furthermore, these contribute to the positive trend,' where the pronoun reference is slightly loose. To achieve a higher score, the writer should employ a wider and more flexible range of cohesive devices with smoother transitions between ideas and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task and demonstrates an attempt to incorporate less common lexical items such as 'profit margins,' 'antioxidant properties,' and 'inhabitants.' There is also a solid command of everyday vocabulary related to shopping and economics. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation that prevent a higher score, such as 'buy every small thing' instead of 'everyday items,' and 'without making a compromise in quality' rather than 'without compromising on quality.' Spelling and word-form errors are minor and do not impede communication, ensuring clear understanding throughout. To reach the next band, the writer needs to demonstrate greater precision in word choice and use more sophisticated, idiomatic expressions naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over various structures such as conditional-like clauses ('by buying furniture from a trustworthy source, you will eventually get discounts') and negative inversions ('Not only does this trick build trust, but it also improves...'). There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, such as missing or unnecessary articles ('in a local area' rather than 'in local areas') and slight preposition issues, but these errors rarely impede communication and meaning remains clear. To progress to a higher band, the writer must incorporate a wider variety of complex structures with frequent error-free sentences, ensuring complete accuracy across more sophisticated syntactic patterns.

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

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