Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-08

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In some societies, obesity is regarded as a major problem. Some people believe that junk food advertising is largely to blame for this problem and should be banned. However, others feel that junk food advertising does not contribute to the problem of obesity and should not be banned.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience·and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence. Write at least 250 words.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Nowadays, obesity has become a major problem. Some people believe that fast-food advertisements are the main reason and they should be banned. Others argue that junk food advertising is not the major contributor and it should not be banned. This essay will discuss both the views before explaining why I believe that the government should impose some restriction on fast-food advertisements.

On the one hand, opponents of a ban argue that fast-food advertising is a legitimate form of commercial activity. Advertisements help businesses to attract consumers, increase their sales and create employment opportunities. The fast-food companies can get financial benefit. Therefore, advertisements are highly beneficial for their economic growth and development. Moreover, advertisements allow people to have access to desired items, banning them would restrict the customer's freedom of choice.

On the other hand, frequent exposure to fast-food advertisements encourage individuals, particularly young generation to choose unhealthy meals instead of nutritious alternatives. Regular consumption of food high in calories , salt and saturated fats can cause weigh gain and obesity. Over time, obesity increases the risk of the serious conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

In my opinion, the government should place strict regulation on fast-food outlets to stop putting too much appealing advertisements because they are highly detrimental to public health.

In conclusion, although fast-food restaurants benefit financially, advertisements can have a negative impact on human health. So, there should be restriction over their publicity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of the arguments. While the points regarding economic benefits and health risks are relevant, they are somewhat underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, you need to expand on your examples and provide more detailed explanations for your claims. For instance, you could elaborate on how specific advertising techniques target children or provide a concrete example of a country that has successfully implemented such restrictions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, the flow between some sentences is slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the transition between your personal opinion and the final conclusion is more seamless.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'nutritious alternatives', 'saturated fats', and 'cardiovascular disease'. However, there is some repetition of basic words like 'advertisements' and 'fast-food'. To achieve a higher score, aim to use a wider range of synonyms and more sophisticated collocations. For example, instead of 'fast-food companies', you could use 'the processed food industry' or 'multinational food corporations'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'weigh gain' (should be 'weight gain'), 'the serious conditions' (should be 'serious conditions'), and 'put too much appealing advertisements' (should be 'place too many appealing advertisements'). Punctuation is mostly correct, but there is an unnecessary space before the comma in 'calories , salt'. Increasing the variety of complex structures and proofreading for minor errors would improve your score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.