Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-28
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)
In recent years, obesity has become serious health issue in societies. Obesity is increasing day by day. Some people believe that junk food advertisement is main reason to obesity and should be banned while some individuals argue that only junk food advertising is not the basic reason to obesity and should not be banned. I believe that banning only ads will not work, a planning and educational approach is necessary.
Some people believe that junk food ads should be banned because they runs ad during cartoons so children insist to eat junk food, therefore it should be banned. By watching too much ads the junk food is becoming normal food but it is not beneficial. For example, UK has banned the junk food advertisements on different cartoon channels to protect the health of children. So, for these factors advertisement should be banned.
However, some people believe that junk food advertisement is not the reason to obesity, because deciding food depends upon individual mood and they eat the food according to their mood instead of watching ads. Moreover, lack of exercises and cheap food prices are also the solid reason for obesity. Stress and depression also causes obesity. Improper diet plans also take part in obesity. Advertising is a part of free market so jobs will decrease if ads are banned.
To sum up, the junk food plays role in obesity but only blaming junk food advertisement is not fair there are multiple other factors present, which causes obesity. A balanced approach of education, exercise and planning is required to control the serious issue of obesity.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are relevant, such as the influence of advertising on children and the role of lifestyle factors like exercise and diet. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding the 'free market' is introduced but not fully explained in terms of its impact on the obesity debate. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more detailed reasoning or specific examples to ensure the argument is fully developed rather than just listed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a basic attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Moreover', and 'To sum up'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical or repetitive, and some transitions feel abrupt. For example, the transition between the discussion of children and the broader market argument could be smoother. Additionally, the use of referencing is occasionally unclear, which affects the overall progression of ideas. Improving the variety and sophistication of your linking words will help create a more natural flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'obesity', 'junk food', and 'free market'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of awkward phrasing or word choice, such as 'runs ad' instead of 'runs advertisements' and 'take part in obesity' instead of 'contribute to obesity'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and a wider range of academic vocabulary to express your ideas with greater sophistication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the junk food', 'a serious health issue'), subject-verb agreement ('they runs ad', 'stress and depression also causes'), and pluralization. These errors are noticeable but do not consistently impede communication. To achieve a higher score, you need to demonstrate better control over basic grammar and punctuation, and aim for more error-free complex sentences.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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