Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-26

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)

A difference of opinion is observed regarding the advertisement role in impulse buying or not. I will discuss the reason for both views and then give reason for why I believe it plays a major role in impulse buying.

People believe that ads play an important role in persuading us into buy products by influencing our thoughts. Technological advancement has led to increase of ads everywhere in addition to tailored ads for a specific user. Advertisement managers study psychology in addition to other subjects and tools which equip them with the knowledge on when is the right time to advertise, when are users more likely to buy. Social media apps have algorithms that push the ads that a user would be interested in, might have searched before and so on. These reason has lead people to believe that advertisement are well thought curated plan for increasing sales.

On the other hand, people believe that we have become immune to advertised products because they are everywhere, we open are phone ads are shown, we turn on tv ads are being broadcasted, we open a newspaper it has advertisement printed on them. People are now aware regarding how advertisement works and how human psychology is used to trick people into buying the products to increase the sales to gain profit by businesses.

I am of the opinion that people do understand how ads are advertised but still people purchase the products because many people do not have a control over themselves and an ad being shown again and again tricks you into believing that it might be a necessity.

In conclusion, people need to educate themselves about advertisement and how they are marketed towards the population to increase sales which has a bad impact on an individual life.

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 development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that ads use psychology and algorithms, the explanation could be more detailed. Similarly, the counter-argument regarding 'ad blindness' is introduced but lacks depth. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph provides a concrete example or a more thorough explanation of the underlying logic. Your position is consistent, but the conclusion is a bit brief and does not fully synthesize the points discussed in the body paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices like 'On the other hand' and 'In conclusion' to signal shifts in the text. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly repetitive. For example, the phrase 'people believe' is used frequently to start sentences, which limits the flow. Additionally, some sentences within paragraphs feel disconnected. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one will 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 'impulse buying', 'technological advancement', and 'algorithms'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'advertisement role' (should be 'the role of advertising') and 'well thought curated plan' (should be 'well-thought-out'). Some phrasing is also slightly unnatural, such as 'we open are phone' (should be 'when we open our phones'). To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure that your word forms are accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'These reason has lead' instead of 'These reasons have led') and missing articles or incorrect prepositions (e.g., 'advertisement are' instead of 'advertisements are'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur often enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for basic errors like pluralization and verb tense consistency to improve your accuracy.

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