Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-20

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)

Advertising has become an important part of modern life, and many companies use it to encourage people to purchase their products. Some people believe that advertisements are highly effective, while others argue that people have become so used to them that they often ignore them. This essay discusses both views. On the one hand, advertising can persuade people to buy products because it creates desire and highlights benefits. Advertisements often show how a product can make life easier or more enjoyable. For example, an advertisement for a new smartphone may show its high-quality camera, long battery life, and other useful features. As a result, people who were not planning to buy a new phone may become interested in purchasing one. Therefore, advertising can influence consumers by making products appear attractive and useful. On the other hand, advertisements have become so common that many people no longer pay attention to them. People see advertisements on television, social media, websites, and even on the streets. Consequently, they may become bored when they repeatedly see similar advertisements and simply skip them or look away. For instance, many internet users immediately skip online advertisements when they appear before a video. This shows that frequent exposure can reduce the impact of advertising. In conclusion, advertising can influence buying decisions by creating desire and showing the benefits of products. However, I believe its effect is limited because people are exposed to advertisements so frequently that many of them simply ignore them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views regarding the persuasiveness of advertising and the tendency for consumers to ignore it, while also providing a clear personal opinion in the conclusion. Ideas are relevant and supported by logical examples, such as the mention of smartphone features and online video ad skipping. However, the response has a minor negative impact on Task Achievement due to the strict length check: the text contains 245 words, which falls slightly short of the 250-word minimum requirement. Consequently, full development of some ideas is marginally restricted. Because all other elements of task coverage are well handled, including a clear position throughout, the response aligns best with a Band 6.5 descriptor for Task Achievement, rounded to 6.0 due to the length penalty.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a clear overall progression and logical organisation. Information and ideas are coherently linked using appropriate cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Consequently', and 'In conclusion'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the prompt: introduction, view one, view two, and conclusion. Reference words are handled well, ensuring the reader can easily follow the progression of arguments. While some cohesive relationships are somewhat standard rather than sophisticated, the clear logical flow throughout comfortably satisfies the Band 7 descriptors for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student displays an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms such as 'encourage', 'consumers', 'frequent exposure', and 'impact of advertising'. There are attempts to use less common items, and word choices are generally accurate. Spelling and word formation are correct throughout the text, and communication is never impeded. Although the lexical range is sufficient for precision and clarity, it lacks the more sophisticated, flexible, or uncommon lexical items and idiomatic control required to reach Band 7. Therefore, the vocabulary is well-suited to the Band 6 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, demonstrating effective control over grammar and punctuation. Examples of complex structures include relative clauses and conditional-like phrasing, such as 'people who were not planning to buy a new phone may become interested'. The majority of sentences are grammatically accurate, and the occasional minor slips do not impede communication in any way. Punctuation is handled correctly throughout. Because there is a solid variety of structures and frequent error-free sentences, the grammatical control clearly meets the standard for Band 7.

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