Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-27
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)
Some people argue that advertising is very crucial for persuading potential customers to purchase the goods and services produced. Advertising is one of the important activity in product sales and marketing while some individuals perceive it as an unnecessary move played by the brand as it does not attract the customers anymore.
Advertising is the way of promoting the manufactured goods and services so that it can reach to the potential customers. It can be done via direct marketing, social media ads, public relations or promotion using magazines. When the products and services are promoted using proper channels, they go directly to the eyes of the customers and they can attract them. For marketing the products properly, the brand should focus on making eye-catching advertisements by themselves or from trusted public figures. It is because people tend to believe the products which are promoted by their favourite and trusted celebrities. Furthermore, the advertisements reflect the product information so that the potential customers do not have to worry about the product specifications and quality; they can view their needy products/ services at the brand website or any suitable sources.
By contrast, advertising unnecessarily do not attract the customers. We can see redundant advertisements in social medias which make us irritated and uninterested. Also, fake advertising is trending in which brands do not disclose the genuine product / service features, hiding their demerits; which reduces the trustworthiness and relevance in buyers.
In conclusion, there are various advantages which outweigh the disadvantages of advertising the products and services. The products should be advertised carefully by following all the rules and regulations concerning the customers' safety standards.
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 both views and provides a personal opinion, though the development is somewhat uneven. You successfully discuss the persuasive power of advertising through celebrity endorsements and information provision. However, the counter-argument regarding the 'irritation' caused by redundant ads is less developed. While your position is clear in the conclusion, the essay would benefit from a more balanced exploration of the two perspectives. The ideas are relevant, but some points, such as the mention of 'fake advertising,' could be expanded to better support your overall argument. Ensure that your opinion is clearly stated in the introduction as well as the conclusion to strengthen the overall task response.
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, such as 'Furthermore,' 'By contrast,' and 'In conclusion,' to link ideas. However, the transition between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing could be more precise. For example, the phrase 'it can reach to the potential customers' is slightly awkward. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensure that the relationship between sentences is always clear. Paragraphing is used appropriately, which is a positive feature of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'potential customers,' 'specifications,' and 'trustworthiness.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'unnecessary move played by the brand' and 'needy products.' The phrase 'social medias' is also incorrect; it should be 'social media' as it is an uncountable noun. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that your collocations sound natural. Avoid repetitive phrasing and focus on using words that accurately convey your intended meaning.
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. For instance, 'Advertising is one of the important activity' should be 'one of the important activities,' and 'advertising unnecessarily do not attract' should be 'advertising unnecessarily does not attract.' Additionally, there are some issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading your work to catch these small but consistent grammatical slips.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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