Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
Advertising is a promotional step taken by the companies in order to showcase their product to the consumer which can help company attract more customers to its product.
According to some people state that ads persuade us to buy things, which is true to some extent. A good marketing can be fruitful as it will be able to connect consumer to the product which eventually creates an emotional connection with the brand. This will cause the consumer to buy product from same brand everytime creating a loyalty with the brand. Further, some brands hire celebs to promote their products and their fans are unable to resist their hero's choice which results in sales in basis of fan loyalism.
On the other hand, some people have an opinion that in this high tech world, advertisement is not much important. This factor is also somehow fair as in this fast moving world no one cares much about ads as they are in some hurry. For example, Youtube plays ad before any certain video starts. None seems to be interested in their ads as everyone tend to skip it. This somehow clarifies that paying for promotion nowadays in not worth it.
From my side, I think that advertisement are only successful when the customer can relate the product to its daily life or have an emotional connection with the brand. Instead, the approach which can be followed is surveys which can be an effective way too as customer gets live experience of the product and test whether it is suitable enough for them or not.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding celebrity endorsements is relevant but could be expanded with more depth on why this creates 'fan loyalism'. Similarly, the counter-argument about YouTube ads is a good observation but lacks a broader discussion on the psychological impact of advertising beyond just 'skipping' ads. The conclusion introduces a new idea—surveys—which is not fully integrated into the previous discussion. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with clear reasoning and examples that directly support the prompt's core question about persuasion versus indifference.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are present, such as 'On the other hand', 'For example', and 'Further', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'From my side' to introduce your opinion, which is informal. The progression of ideas within paragraphs is generally clear, but the link between the final paragraph's suggestion of 'surveys' and the previous discussion on advertising effectiveness is somewhat abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the message to be conveyed clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'promotional step', 'emotional connection', and 'brand loyalty'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'sales in basis of fan loyalism' (should be 'based on fan loyalty') and 'none seems to be interested' (should be 'no one'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited; using more sophisticated synonyms and collocations would elevate the writing. Focus on using more precise academic vocabulary to describe the effectiveness of marketing strategies.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'According to some people state that' (a redundant structure), 'advertisement are' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'everyone tend to' (should be 'tends to'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article usage issues. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and refining complex sentence structures to ensure they are error-free.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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