Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-02
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 has become really essential part to promote the products to the locals in this digital and modern era. some people say that advertising is very successful at persuading us to buy things while other believe that advertising is so widespread that we no longer pay attention to it. In this essay I will discuss both views, and I strongly believe that advertisement can still influence people to buy the products.
On the one hand, advertising can be extremely successful at persuading us to buy things. Companies use attractive images, artist and emotional or funny messages to capture the locals attention. Also, many companies use very famous artists to present their products so their admires will buy the products. For example, if a company use a famous artist to present their products such as skincare, drinks then it is more likely that more and more people will buy it since it is promoted by the artist they love. In addition, advertisement on social media can be personalized according to people interest since it has been a trend of sending PR packages to promote their product more. Therefore, advertisement can be really effective to grab people attention if it is done smartly.
On the other hand, some people argues that advertising has become really common that people no longer are influenced by it. Nowadays, people are exposed to advertisement in every platform that it is no longer exciting to people.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The essay addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the response is incomplete, as it fails to reach the 250-word minimum requirement. The second body paragraph is significantly underdeveloped, ending abruptly without providing a counter-argument or a concluding summary. While the main ideas are relevant, the lack of depth in the second perspective and the failure to meet the length requirement prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure that both sides of the argument are explored with equal depth and that the essay includes a proper conclusion to synthesize the points discussed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'In addition' to signal transitions. However, the progression of ideas is interrupted by the premature ending of the text. Paragraphing is present, but the second body paragraph is far too short to be considered a balanced development of the argument. The lack of a concluding paragraph further impacts the overall structure and flow of the essay. To improve, ensure each paragraph is fully developed and include a final summary paragraph that restates your position and summarizes the main arguments.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on repetitive phrasing such as 'buy the products' and 'famous artist'. There are also some minor errors in word choice, such as 'admires' instead of 'admirers' and 'locals attention' instead of 'local people's attention'. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and collocations related to marketing and consumer behavior, such as 'consumer habits', 'brand awareness', or 'targeted advertising'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'essential part to promote' (should be 'an essential part of promoting'), 'some people argues' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'if a company use' (should be 'uses'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall clarity. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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