IELTS Essay Bank · Task 2 Academic · Opinion (agree/disagree)
Banning Junk Food Advertising to Children: Band 7 Sample Essay
314 words · Topic: Media & advertising, Health ·
The question
Manufacturers of sugary snacks and fizzy drinks frequently target their advertising at young children through television, apps and social media.
To what extent do you agree or disagree that this kind of advertising should be banned completely?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.
Band 7 sample essay
Highlighted = useful vocabularyChildren today see advertisements for sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks not only on television but also in games and videos on their parents' phones. I agree that this kind of marketing should be banned completely, because young children cannot resist it and the damage to their health is too serious to ignore.
The main reason for a complete ban is that young children are not able to recognise advertising for what it is. It is widely accepted that very young children do not understand that an advert is trying to persuade them. Companies take advantage of this by using cartoon mascots, toys and games which make unhealthy products look more excited. When a child then demands these products, it is often the advertisement, not the child's real hunger, that is making the decision. Targeting such a vulnerable audience is, in my opinion, unethical.
The second reason is the effect on public health. Childhood obesity has increased in many countries, and it is linked to serious problems later in life, such as diabetis and heart disease. Adverts do not only sell one product; they create eating habits that can last for life. A ban would therefore protect children's health in a long-term way and reduce the costs for health systems in the future.
Opponents claim that a ban limit companies' freedom and that parents, not governments, should decide what children eat. However, parents cannot check every screen their child looks at, and a partial ban, for example only on television, would simply push advertisers onto social media and gaming platforms, which is much harder to control. The Canadian province of Quebec has restricted advertising aimed at children for many years, which shows that such rules are workable.
In conclusion, advertising sugary products to young children takes advantage of their inexperience and undermines their health. It should therefore be banned on all platforms, not only restricted.
Word count: 314
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Why this is Band 7: criterion by criterion
Task Response
Band 7The writer presents a clear position — full agreement with a complete ban — and maintains it throughout. Both main reasons are extended and supported, and the counter-argument is answered with a relevant point about why a partial ban would fail, which directly addresses the word "completely" in the question. The Quebec example is well chosen. Some ideas are over-generalised, however: "Childhood obesity has increased in many countries" is not linked specifically to advertising, and the claim that a ban would "reduce the costs for health systems" is asserted rather than explained. This is a secure Band 7.
Coherence and Cohesion
Band 7The essay is logically organised, with a clear central topic in each paragraph and a clear progression from reasons to rebuttal. A range of cohesive devices is used appropriately, including "therefore" within a sentence, the reference "this" in "take advantage of this", and a semicolon linking two related ideas ("Adverts do not only sell one product; they create…"). The paragraph openers are slightly formulaic ("The main reason…", "The second reason…"), but overall cohesion is well managed, so Band 7 is appropriate.
Lexical Resource
Band 6This is the weakest criterion. The essay attempts some less common vocabulary, such as "vulnerable audience", "undermines" and "unethical", but other attempts are inaccurate: "look more excited" should be look more exciting, and "in a long-term way" is unnatural (in the long term). There is a spelling error in "diabetis" (diabetes), and the words "children", "advert" and "products" are repeated noticeably. The range is adequate rather than flexible, and these errors in word form and collocation place Lexical Resource at Band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Band 7A variety of complex structures is used, including a cleft sentence ("it is often the advertisement … that is making the decision"), a conditional ("a partial ban … would simply push advertisers…") and non-defining relative clauses. Most sentences are error-free. There are a few agreement errors — "a ban limit companies' freedom" (limits) and "social media and gaming platforms, which is much harder to control" (which are) — but they do not reduce communication, which fits Band 7.
Useful vocabulary and collocations
- vulnerable audience
- people who are easily influenced or harmed; a precise term for arguments about children and advertising.
- public health
- the health of the population as a whole; essential for any government or health essay.
- eating habits
- the way a person usually eats; also dietary habits in more formal writing.
- undermines
- gradually weakens or damages; a strong, less common verb (undermines their health, undermines trust).
How this essay could reach Band 8
- 1Check word forms and fixed expressions: -ed adjectives describe feelings and -ing adjectives describe what causes them (exciting products, excited children), and use set phrases such as in the long term. These inaccuracies are what hold vocabulary at Band 6.
- 2Reduce repetition by varying key nouns (young viewers, marketing, these products) and adding precise topic words such as persuasive techniques and high-sugar products.
- 3Link each general claim more tightly to advertising — for example, explain how repeated exposure to adverts leads to the eating habits you describe.
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