Some people believe that advertising has a strong effect on a person’s decision-making process. Others feel that it has little or no real impact. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

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Sample Response

1

Advertising is ubiquitous in modern society, but there are differing opinions on whether it has a significant impact on our decision-making processprocess or not. While some people believe that advertising strongly influences our purchasing decisions, others believe it has little impactothers tend to disagree. Personally, I think that advertising has little or no impact on our choices.

2

One argument in favour of advertising's influence is that it can create a desire for products or services that we may not necessarily needmay or may not necessarily need. Adverts often use persuasive language, imagery and beautiful models to create a sense of urgency or desireneed for the product, even when it is not essential or real. For example, an advertisement for a facial cream can create a desire for the product, even if it fails to fulfil its promisekeep the promise of making our skin as beautiful as the model featured in itmodel who was used in it.

3

By contrastOn the contrary, another group of people argue that these effects are often short-lived. People may forget about the products they saw in advertisements soon after seeing them, or they may not be as interested in them once they have had more time to consider their needs and priorities. In the case of a luxury car, the person may realize that they do not have either the money or the needthe money or the need for such a vehicle once they have had time to consider their options. These days, people tend to make rational decisions based on their needs and budget. For instance, a person who needs to buy a new air-conditioner will compare the product's features, price, and technologylook for the features, price, and technology of the product before making a purchase, regardless of how heavilymuch it is advertised. People tend to prioritize their needs over their wants, and advertising cannot change that.

4

In my opinion, people todaymodern people have become more sceptical of advertising and are often aware of the tactics used to persuade them to buy a product. This is why advertisements today cannotadvertisements, these days, can not influence their purchasing decisions.

5

In conclusion, advertising may have some impact on our decision-making process, but it is often short-lived, and people tend to make rational decisions based on their requirements and budget. We should let advertising inform us, and not force us to buy something.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 8.0

The response is strongest in its clear, sustained position and its relevant examples, which make both perspectives easy to follow. Its main limitation is that the case for advertising's influence is less fully developed than the counterargument, while a few claims are overly absolute. The highest-priority improvement is to deepen the first perspective with a second mechanism or example and then qualify the final judgement more precisely.

Band score breakdown

IELTS Writing Criteria Scores

TR

Task Response

7.5
Scoring rule

Both views and a clear opinion are addressed with relevant explanation, although the supporting side receives less development and the position becomes slightly more qualified in the conclusion.

Next step

Develop the pro-advertising view as fully as the opposing view and state the qualified position consistently throughout.

CC

Coherence and Cohesion

8.0
Scoring rule

Ideas progress logically through well-focused paragraphs, with cohesive devices used clearly and unobtrusively apart from minor repetition.

Next step

Integrate the separate opinion paragraph more closely with the preceding argument to reduce repetition and sharpen progression.

LR

Lexical Resource

7.5
Scoring rule

A broad and generally precise vocabulary supports the argument, with only occasional awkward choices such as describing a need as not real.

Next step

Replace slightly imprecise or absolute wording with more exact collocations and appropriately qualified claims.

GRA

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

8.0
Scoring rule

A wide range of sentence structures is handled accurately, and the few minor slips do not impede communication.

Next step

Refine punctuation and parallel phrasing in longer sentences to make an already strong level of control more consistent.