Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-29
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 5.0)
There is an ongoing debate on whether advertising has been successful in making us buy more products or not. Some commentators claim that it has made a huge impact on us, while others reject this notion and think that it has little impact. Both the viewpoints will be discussed in the upcoming paragraphs along with my opinion before deducing a plausible verdict.
To commence with, advertising plays an important role in manipulating people to buy certain products, because when people see ads they get to know about new products and their uses.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response is significantly under-length at only 92 words, failing to meet the 250-word minimum requirement. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. While the introduction sets up the discussion, the body paragraph is extremely brief and lacks the depth, development, and supporting examples required for a full essay. The prompt asks to discuss both views and provide an opinion, but the current response does not provide a conclusion or a fully developed argument for either side. To improve, you must expand your ideas with specific examples and ensure all parts of the prompt are addressed in full.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is too short to demonstrate a full range of cohesive devices or effective paragraphing. While the opening paragraph uses a logical structure to introduce the topic, the lack of subsequent paragraphs makes it impossible to assess your ability to manage a longer text. The transition 'To commence with' is a standard cohesive device, but the overall progression is halted by the premature end of the response. To achieve a higher score, you need to develop your ideas into distinct paragraphs with clear topic sentences and a variety of linking words to connect your arguments logically.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the limited length of the text, but it lacks the range and sophistication expected at higher bands. You use basic terms such as 'huge impact' and 'important role'. While these are accurate, they are quite generic. To improve, you should aim to incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to marketing and consumer behavior. For example, instead of 'manipulating people', you could use 'influencing consumer purchasing decisions'. Expanding your vocabulary will help you express more complex ideas clearly and effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The grammar in the provided text is generally accurate, with no major errors that impede communication. You have used a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'when people see ads they get to know about new products'. However, because the text is so short, there is not enough evidence to demonstrate a wide range of complex grammatical structures or consistent control over them. To improve, focus on using a greater variety of sentence types, including passive voice and conditional clauses, while maintaining your current level of accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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