“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 these views and give your own opinion.”

One body per view, opinion in conclusion. Name a real platform (YouTube, TikTok) — vagueness caps you at 6.

Task 2·40 min·≥ 250 words·📚 Cambridge IELTS sample

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🧠 5-step plan

How to crack it

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1
Read the question twice.
Underline every keyword. The instruction word ("agree", "discuss") decides your structure. Get this wrong and you cap at 5.
2
Plan for 5 minutes.
Two body paragraphs. One main idea each. Pick examples BEFORE you write the intro.
3
Write your intro last in your head.
Once you know the conclusion, the intro writes itself. Paraphrase the question, don’t copy it.
4
Aim for 270–290 words.
Less = task incomplete. More = grammar errors. Stay in the pocket.
5
Leave 3 minutes to proofread.
Hunt articles ("a/an/the"), subject-verb agreement, and "make/do" mix-ups. They’re your usual suspects.

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The four traps this question sets

Model answer

Band 8.5 · 276 words

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