Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-28

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)

As advertising becomes increasingly common these days some people might get the idea that they are not getting influenced by it as much as they used to before. While some people are on the contrary, due to the fact that we make our purchase decisions mostly depending on the basis of what we see in front of us. This essay will examine both opinions before explaining why I believe that advertising is still very relevant and has an influence on what we buy.

The strongest argument of people who do not agree with the fact that advertising has an effect on what we purchase every day is that the volume of advertisements around us at present. There are ads everywhere we go. Be it on our screen or on the roads we take, it is something that we are so used to seeing that we might not be paying attention to any. Every brand has their own advertising where they are constantly promoting their products or services. They are targeting the mediums people can not ignore. For this, the mass distribution sometimes becomes monotonous and people tend to miss them.

On the other hand, this thought might not be completely accurate. Because advertisements are not exactly done the way it was in the past. They are so subtle now that we do not notice them or regard them as advertisements. For example, many brands are using product placements in movies, tv series, OTT platforms and even reality shows to promote their product. Seeing a certain product in our favorite celebrity's hand we tend to get more influenced to buy it without even realizing it. Another instance is influencer advertisements. Most brands are collaborating with micro to top tier influencers to aware their consumers about their products and services. These influencers engage people with something completely random with their content to show the product or talk about the service. By targeting a niche market with a familiar face, brands are able to create connection without using the traditonal advertising. Their approach is more towards a modern and time appropriate format of advertising.

Taking all this into account, I believe that even today advertising has an influence on our purchase decisions. It just effects us in a different way that is more seamless and easy for brands. Advertisements might have changed the way it used to influence people but it is still very successful.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The essay addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal position. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the discussion on modern advertising techniques like product placement and influencer marketing. The response covers all parts of the prompt effectively. To reach a higher band, ensure that the introduction clearly outlines the two opposing views more explicitly. While the position is clear, the conclusion could be slightly more robust by summarising the main points of the argument rather than just restating the opinion. Overall, the response is well-focused and relevant throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the two opposing views is handled well using phrases like 'On the other hand'. Cohesive devices are used effectively, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints. To improve, ensure that referencing is always precise; for instance, in the second paragraph, 'any' is used without a clear noun reference. Overall, the flow of the essay is smooth and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient and allows for some flexibility and precision. You have used some good topic-specific collocations such as 'product placements', 'niche market', and 'mass distribution'. There are occasional minor inaccuracies, such as 'aware their consumers' (should be 'make their consumers aware') and 'effects us' (should be 'affects us'). While the range is adequate, incorporating more sophisticated synonyms or idiomatic expressions would elevate the score. The current range is enough to convey your ideas clearly and effectively without any significant strain on the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over grammar, but there are some persistent errors. For example, 'some people might get the idea that they are not getting influenced' is slightly awkward; 'being influenced' would be more natural. Additionally, 'advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it' is a good complex structure, but there are minor issues with article usage and verb forms (e.g., 'the volume of advertisements... is that the volume'). Despite these errors, the meaning is always clear and communication is not impeded.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.