Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-30
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)
It is widely believed that advertising plays an extremely powerful role in persuading us to buy things. While other people think that advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it. In my view, yes, advertising still plays a powerful role in shaping purchasing decisions; I will explain both views.
One of the main reasons why advertising persuades us to buy things is the constant update of new technology. In the past, many people advertised their products and shops using paper posters, which they put up in public places, but many people ignored them. Nowadays, this advertising is extremely increasing because of new technologies; many people advertise their products and shops through social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and since everyone uses these platforms, people see the advertisements and end up purchasing the products. For example, nowadays many big brands advertise extensively on social media and other platforms, which increases their sales, and consumers make purchasing decisions online.
On the other hand, it can be argued by some people that advertising is no longer effective, and the reason they think this is that people have lost trust in advertising. Many people try to advertise their products or shops but fail to succeed; there are many reasons for this failure, such as choosing the wrong product to advertise or advertising it in the wrong way. For example, if someone chooses to advertise a fragrance brand and there is already another competitor offering a similar product, people may no longer trust the advertising.
In conclusion, in my view, advertising is still largely effective nowadays, and many businesses benefit from it to increase their sales and encourage people to purchase their products.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views (advertising as persuasive vs. advertising being ignored) and giving an opinion, although the stance is introduced somewhat weakly in the introduction ('In my view, yes...'). Ideas are generally relevant, such as the discussion of new technologies and social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. However, the development of the second view regarding loss of trust is slightly underdeveloped and relies on a narrow example about a fragrance competitor. The position is maintained throughout the essay, but the depth of support for each viewpoint keeps the response at Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each view, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical and repetitive, such as the frequent reliance on 'Nowadays' and 'For example'. Referencing is generally clear, but the second sentence of the introduction is an incomplete fragment ('While other people think that advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it.'), which slightly disrupts the flow of the opening paragraph. Progression is discernible, but overall cohesion is limited, warranting a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms related to commerce and media such as 'purchasing decisions', 'technologies', 'social media', and 'competitor'. However, there are noticeable limitations and inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For instance, the phrase 'this advertising is extremely increasing' is unnatural, and 'fail to succeed' is redundant. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main ideas without impeding communication, the lack of flexibility and occasional lexical slips place this performance firmly at Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional structures such as 'One of the main reasons why advertising persuades us...' and 'if someone chooses to advertise...'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, including the sentence fragment in the introduction and clunky transitions. Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while errors are present, they rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the arguments easily. These features align well with the Band 6 descriptor.
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