Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-19

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 6.5)

Advertising is an important part of modern life. Some people believe that advertisements are very successful in encouraging people to buy products, while others think that advertisements are so common that people no longer notice them. This essay will discuss both views and give my opinion.

On the one hand, advertising can strongly influence people's buying decisions. Companies use attractive pictures, famous people and special offers to make their products look more useful and desirable. For example, when people repeatedly see an advertisement for a new mobile phone, they may become interested in buying it even if their current phone still works well. In addition, advertisements can introduce new products and help customers learn about their features and prices.

On the other hand, people are exposed to advertisements almost everywhere, including television, social media, websites and streets. Because of this, many people have become used to advertisements and simply ignore them. For instance, internet users often skip advertisements before watching a video or scroll past sponsored posts on social media. Therefore, advertisements are not always successful because people may not pay attention to them.

In my opinion, advertising is still effective, but its influence depends on the type of advertisement and the person who sees it. Creative and relevant advertisements can attract people's attention, whereas repetitive and uninteresting advertisements are usually ignored.

In conclusion, although people often ignore advertisements because they see them so frequently, advertising can still persuade consumers when it is attractive, creative and relevant to their needs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt. You have clearly discussed both views regarding the effectiveness of advertising and provided a personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and logically developed, such as the mention of skipping online ads versus the influence of celebrity endorsements. To reach a higher band, you could further extend your arguments by exploring the psychological impact of advertising or the role of data-driven targeting in modern marketing. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is well-organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and the progression of ideas is logical. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'In addition', 'Because of this', and 'In conclusion' effectively to guide the reader. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall flow. To improve, you could vary your linking phrases slightly more to avoid a somewhat formulaic structure, ensuring that the transition between the two opposing viewpoints feels even more natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'buying decisions', 'exposed to', and 'sponsored posts' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is appropriate and clear, it remains somewhat functional. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more sophisticated or less common lexical items, such as 'ubiquitous', 'persuasive', 'consumer behavior', or 'subliminal'. The current vocabulary is error-free, but increasing the variety and nuance of your word choices would elevate the overall quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Your sentences are generally error-free, and punctuation is used correctly. You successfully use conditional structures ('even if their current phone still works well') and complex sentences ('although people often ignore advertisements...'). To reach the 8.0+ range, you should aim for a wider variety of complex structures, such as inversion or more sophisticated relative clauses, and ensure that the majority of your sentences are error-free. Currently, the writing is accurate but lacks the complexity required for the highest bands.

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