Research indicates that nowadays some consumers are much less influenced by advertising than in the past.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 2 question on IELTSX. Research indicates that nowadays some consumers are much less influenced by advertising than in the past.

Consumers Less Influenced Advertising Reasons Positive Negative - IELTS Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

What do you think are the reasons for this? Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Write at least 250 words.

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 9 ยท 261 words.

In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that advertising exerts less influence on consumers than it once did. This shift can be attributed to greater access to information and growing scepticism towards marketing tactics. From my perspective, this trend is largely positive, as it encourages more informed and rational consumer behaviour.

One of the primary reasons why advertising has become less persuasive is the widespread availability of independent information. With the rise of the internet, consumers can easily compare products, read reviews, and consult expert opinions before making purchasing decisions. As a result, people are no longer reliant on promotional messages alone and are more inclined to question exaggerated or misleading claims. Furthermore, repeated exposure to advertisements across multiple platforms has led to advertising fatigue, causing many individuals to consciously ignore commercial content altogether.

In my view, this development is largely positive. Reduced susceptibility to advertising enables consumers to make more deliberate choices based on quality, value, and necessity rather than emotional manipulation. This shift also compels companies to improve their products and adopt more transparent marketing strategies in order to remain competitive. Although advertising still plays an important role in informing the public about new products, its diminished influence helps create a more balanced marketplace where consumer awareness and critical thinking are prioritised.

In conclusion, consumers are becoming less influenced by advertising due to increased access to information and heightened scepticism towards marketing practices. I believe this is a positive development, as it promotes informed decision-making and encourages businesses to compete on genuine merit rather than persuasive techniques alone.

Examiner feedback

This is an exceptional piece of writing that meets all the criteria for Band 9. The candidate demonstrates a sophisticated command of the English language, presenting a nuanced argument with perfect grammatical accuracy and a highly natural use of advanced vocabulary. The only minor observation is the length (approx. 235 words), which is slightly below the traditional 250-word recommendation, but since the task is fully addressed and the quality is superior, it does not negatively impact the score.

Task Response - 9

- The essay fully addresses the prompt by identifying causes for the trend and providing a clear evaluation of its impact. - The position is established in the introduction and maintained throughout the response. - Ideas are relevant, fully extended, and supported by logical reasoning (e.g., the role of the internet and advertising fatigue).

Coherence & Cohesion - 9

- Cohesion is used so naturally that it attracts no attention; the transition between the causes and the evaluation is seamless. - Paragraphing is logical and skillful, with each paragraph focusing on a clear central topic. - Referencing (e.g., "this shift," "this development") is clear and accurate.

Lexical Resource - 9

- Uses a wide range of vocabulary with natural and sophisticated control (e.g., "advertising fatigue," "susceptibility," "emotional manipulation"). - Collocations are excellent and feel effortless ("exerts less influence," "genuine merit," "deliberate choices"). - No errors in spelling or word formation were detected.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 9

- A wide range of structures is used with full flexibility and accuracy. - Complex sentences are constructed naturally (e.g., "Although advertising still plays... its diminished influence helps..."). - Punctuation is flawless throughout the text.

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