Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-15

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that advertising is extremely successful at persuading us to buy things. Other people think that advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Some people believe that marketing is extremely successful at influencing buyers' decisions while some believe that it's become so common that consumers usually ignore ads. In my opinion , marketing can be successful if it's done in a unique way.

To begin with ,brand positioning is a major factor of influencing purchasing decisions and why to choose them over their competitors. Some brands have marketed themselves so well that products are associated with brand name. For example ,customers usually ask for blue band instead of asking for butter and for milk they go for Olpers like there are no other brands. Another brand that has positioned themselves well on touching people's pain point of dandruff is head n shoulders. Another example of this is the Complan product which is associated with height growth.

On the other hand , the same old style of advertisements have bored the consumers and within 3 seconds the buyers make the decision to skip the ad and it's very hard to gain attention of the customers in today's time especially with the shorter attention span. For example , if there are 10 top brands in one niche and more or less produce a similar style of ads, the consumer will eventually start ignoring all the ads.

In my opinion , advertisement still plays a critical role in influencing purchasing decisions but it has to be done in a manner that connects with the potential buyers. For example ,if it's a sports drink hosting a sport tournament would connect with the consumers rather than a 40 second monologue.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed both views and provided a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, particularly the discussion on brand positioning and the impact of repetitive advertising. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the examples provided, such as 'blue band' or 'Olpers', are specific but could be better integrated into a more academic discussion of consumer psychology. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with more analytical depth rather than just listing examples. The conclusion is clear, but the overall structure could benefit from more balanced development between the two opposing viewpoints.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use some cohesive devices like 'To begin with' and 'On the other hand' to signal transitions. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes a bit mechanical, and the use of referencing could be more sophisticated. For example, in the second paragraph, the transition between brand positioning and the specific examples feels slightly abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'brand positioning', 'competitors', and 'niche' appropriately. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, and there is a lack of more sophisticated or 'less common' lexical items that would demonstrate a higher level of control. Some phrasing is slightly informal or imprecise, such as 'touching people's pain point' or 'in today's time'. To improve, try to incorporate more academic collocations and synonyms to avoid repeating basic words like 'ads' or 'brands' throughout the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is generally effective. However, there are several grammatical errors, particularly with punctuation (e.g., spaces before commas) and article usage (e.g., 'the Complan product', 'the blue band'). Additionally, some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'why to choose them over their competitors', which lacks a clear subject. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent punctuation will help improve your accuracy.

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