Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-27

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 6.5)

Some people believe that advertising is the most successful approach to attract consumers to buy items, while others argue that people nowadays don't care much about it as people became used to it. While simple traditional advertisements no longer draw the attention of buyers, unique and catchy advertisements are still the most effective tools to persuade the customers.

The advertising videos and playboards are widely common these days. It is obvious for us to be less curious about the things that we encounter in our daily lives casually. So, one additional hoarding board of a new business placed between numerous boards in city centers no longer catches consumers' eyes. Moreover, those advertisement videos that appear at the very first after selecting a video on YouTube is directly skipped by the viewers. This is because they are totally fed up with the same monotonous advertisements.

However, I believe that if an advertisement is unique and pleasing, no other marketing strategy can ever beat the advertising approach. For example, in recent days, digital boards are being used for this purpose, and this has attracted a lot of consumers. Since people find it new, they are interested in looking in. One of its main reasons to be appealing among the consumers is that it uses videos, and these videos create more impression among people, since it makes use of numbers of sensory organs of people. So, this indicates that the problem is not in the advertisement, rather it is the way they are represented.

In conclusion, it is true that the charm of advertisement has declined from the level it was in the past. Nevertheless, creating a creative advertising is still the strongest asset of the business.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views—that advertising is extremely successful and that it is too common to be noticed—while also clearly stating the writer's own opinion. In the introduction, the student outlines both perspectives effectively. The second paragraph explores the view regarding overexposure, noting that hoardings and YouTube ads are frequently ignored or skipped. The third paragraph develops the counter-argument that unique and creative advertisements, particularly digital boards utilizing multiple senses, remain highly effective. The conclusion nicely reiterates this stance. Ideas are sufficiently extended and supported with relevant examples, such as digital boards and YouTube pre-roll ads, demonstrating a clear position throughout and meeting the requirements of Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving smoothly from the introduction of the two views, through the analysis of ad fatigue, to the counter-argument about creative marketing, and finally to a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'Moreover', 'However', and 'In conclusion', though some referencing could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct thoughts and arguments. While referencing is occasionally slightly repetitive ('these videos', 'such as'), the overall progression of ideas is coherent and easy to follow, aligning closely with the Band 7 descriptors.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow for some flexibility and precision. Terms such as 'consumers', 'overexposure', 'marketing strategy', and 'sensory organs' are used appropriately. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, though occasional inaccuracies in word choice or collocation occur, such as 'approach to attract consumers to buy items' (rather than 'attracting') and 'playboards' instead of 'billboards' or 'hoardings'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication. The lexical range is adequate for a Band 6.5, leaning towards Band 7 given the effective thematic vocabulary, but sits comfortably at a solid 6.5 rounded to 6.5 or 7.0. Let us award 6.5 based on the occasional awkward collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional structures ('if an advertisement is unique and pleasing, no other marketing strategy can ever beat...') and relative clauses. There are frequent error-free sentences, showing a good level of control over basic and intermediate grammar. However, a few minor grammatical inaccuracies persist throughout the text, such as 'as people became used to it' (instead of 'have become'), 'look in' instead of 'look at', and 'a creative advertising' (where 'advertising' is uncountable or requires 'advertisement'). Punctuation is generally sound, and these errors do not impede communication, matching the criteria for Band 6.5 to 7.0. Given the frequency of accurate complex sentences, a Band 6.5 is appropriate.

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