The Influence of Advertising on Consumers
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 2 question with a model answer of 275 words, plus a breakdown of the sentence structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary that answer uses. Write your own version first, then compare.
Written by Manish Sharma · CELTA and DELTA qualified · 8 years teaching IELTS
Score my answer to this questionThe question
You have 40 minutes. Write at least 250 words.
Some people believe that advertising influences buyers too much and shapes their decisions in unhealthy ways. Others argue that it simply provides information and that consumers are capable of making their own choices. Discuss the impact of advertising on consumers and explain whether you believe stronger regulation is necessary. Write at least 250 words.
How to approach it
- 01Address BOTH the impact AND the regulation question — the prompt has two parts
- 02Use concrete examples like 'dark patterns', 'YouTube ads', 'algorithmic targeting'
- 03Acknowledge the positive role of advertising before critiquing it
- 04Offer a nuanced position: regulation, yes — but proportionate and targeted
- 05Mention real bodies (ASA, ACMA) to show world knowledge
- 06Keep paragraphs focused: one main point per paragraph
Model answer
275 words in 5 paragraphs. Read it after you have written your own, not before: the point of a model answer is to show you what you missed, and you cannot miss anything you have not attempted.
Advertising has expanded from print posters to a constant presence on screens, social feeds, and even within the games children play. While supporters argue it is merely informational, I believe modern advertising exerts a disproportionate influence on consumer behaviour and that targeted regulation is both justified and overdue.
Those who consider advertising harmless point out that it helps people compare products, learn about new services, and make informed purchases. In competitive markets, advertising can also drive down prices and stimulate innovation, since firms must continually demonstrate value to consumers. From this perspective, regulation risks restricting commercial speech and reducing the choice available to ordinary buyers.
However, the reality of contemporary advertising goes well beyond providing facts. Algorithms now identify the moments when users feel insecure, lonely, or impulsive, and deliver tailored messages designed to exploit those feelings. Children are particularly vulnerable: studies have shown they cannot reliably distinguish branded content from independent entertainment on platforms such as YouTube. Equally troubling is the rise of so-called dark patterns in online shopping — fake countdown timers, hidden fees, and manufactured scarcity — which manipulate rather than inform.
Given these concerns, I believe regulation is necessary, but it should be smart rather than sweeping. Governments should require platforms to label sponsored content clearly, restrict the targeting of minors, and outlaw misleading psychological tactics. Independent advertising standards bodies, similar to those in the United Kingdom and Australia, have proven that proportionate enforcement is possible without stifling legitimate marketing.
In conclusion, although traditional informational advertising plays a useful economic role, the personalised and persuasive nature of modern campaigns warrants tighter regulation. Protecting consumer autonomy is a public responsibility, not a private inconvenience.
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 69 answers of the same type in this library. These are counts, not band scores: they describe what the writing does, which is the part you can copy.
16 fewer than the median answer for this task type
11 words at the shortest, 27 at the longest
the same as the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 19.6 words and vary by 4.6 words either side of that, running from 11 words to 27. Variation is the point. Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards a mix of simple and complex sentences, and an answer where every sentence is the same length reads as flat no matter how correct it is. 6 of the 14 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
6 in total, spread across 4 different functions. Range matters more than count: an answer that opens every paragraph with a sequencer signals its structure but never signals a relationship between ideas, and Coherence and Cohesion is marked on both.
although, however, while
since
such as
in conclusion
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 90 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 84 per cent appear exactly once. Lexical Resource is where repetition costs the most marks, and the usual cause is not a small vocabulary but reaching for the same noun every time the topic is named.
The longest run of words copied straight from the question is 3 words. Examiners discount wording lifted from the question, so a short run here is the right outcome: the answer restates the topic in its own words rather than borrowing the question's.
What you are marked on
All four criteria carry equal weight, and your Writing band is their average rounded to the nearest half band.
Task Response
Discuss impact and address the regulation question with a clear stance
Coherence & Cohesion
Logical flow and balanced paragraph structure
Lexical Resource
Marketing, regulation, and consumer vocabulary
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Range of complex structures, conditionals, and modal verbs
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