This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of whether or not consumers today really need advertising from the real IELTS exam.
I wrote about this same topic a year ago so this time I decided to have the opposite opinion. That’s a really good exercise to practice – try writing an essay about an old topic but have a new opinion about it!
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Dave
IELTS Essay: Customer Needs
If a product is good and meets customer needs, then people will buy it and advertising is unnecessary.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Some are of the belief that advertising is largely superfluous as most consumers are aware of their own needs. In my opinion, this is true despite the fact that advertising can occasionally serve informative purposes.
The stated aim of the majority of advertisements is to raise awareness among a potential audience. This applies to commercials, billboards, and online advertising. A good example would be the short commercials that play before videos on YouTube. These ads are designed to showcase an item or service that, based on advanced audience targeting, would appeal to a particular consumer or demographic. Since an individual has been targeted, it is likely that the advertisement will be relevant and, if the ad is well-designed, informative. For instance, this might be an advertisement for a smartphone targeted at a photography enthusiast that includes details about hardware specifications and picture quality.
However, the internet now allows individuals to research products more objectively on a case by case basis. When a particular person is interested in purchasing a new phone, because they lost an old one or they desire a more modern one, then they can compare prices online, read customer reviews, and consult a variety of blogs and sites like Consumer Report, which is well known for its unbiased appraisals. There are, admittedly, situations when individuals will uncover new products they might not have been aware of before through ads. However, this is more likely to occur organically in daily life if a person sees someone else, for example, with a useful smart watch. The advent of social media and sharing of personal information online also means that individuals have another media outlet aside from advertising that promotes new products and services.
In conclusion, advertising is no longer needed in modern society as there are other ways to research and discover products. This does not imply that advertising is ineffective, merely that in a perfect world it could be eliminated.
Analysis
1. Some are of the belief that advertising is largely superfluous as most consumers are aware of their own needs. 2. In my opinion, this is true despite the fact that advertising can occasionally serve informative purposes.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. The stated aim of the majority of advertisements is to raise awareness among a potential audience. 2. This applies to commercials, billboards, and online advertising. 3. A good example would be the short commercials that play before videos on YouTube. 4. These ads are designed to showcase an item or service that, based on advanced audience targeting, would appeal to a particular consumer or demographic. 5. Since an individual has been targeted, it is likely that the advertisement will be relevant and, if the ad is well-designed, informative. 6. For instance, this might be an advertisement for a smartphone targeted at a photography enthusiast that includes details about hardware specifications and picture quality.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific examples.
- Keep developing it fully.
- Stay focused on the same main idea.
- Finish by adding extra detail.
1. However, the internet now allows individuals to research products more objectively on a case by case basis. 2. When a particular person is interested in purchasing a new phone, because they lost an old one or they desire a more modern one, then they can compare prices online, read customer reviews, and consult a variety of blogs and sites like Consumer Report, which is well known for its unbiased appraisals. 3. There are, admittedly, situations when individuals will uncover new products they might not have been aware of before through ads. 4. However, this is more likely to occur organically in daily life if a person sees someone else, for example, with a useful smart watch. 5. The advent of social media and sharing of personal information online also means that individuals have another media outlet aside from advertising that promotes new products and services.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your new main idea.
- Include specific details and examples.
- Continue developing it…
- as fully as possible!
1. In conclusion, advertising is no longer needed in modern society as there are other ways to research and discover products. 2. This does not imply that advertising is ineffective, merely that in a perfect world it could be eliminated.
- Summarise your main ideas.
- Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.
Some are of the belief that advertising is largely superfluous as most consumers are aware of their own needs. In my opinion, this is true despite the fact that advertising can occasionally serve informative purposes.
The stated aim of the majority of advertisements is to raise awareness among a potential audience. This applies to commercials, billboards, and online advertising. A good example would be the short commercials that play before videos on YouTube. These ads are designed to showcase an item or service that, based on advanced audience targeting, would appeal to a particular consumer or demographic. Since an individual has been targeted, it is likely that the advertisement will be relevant and, if the ad is well-designed, informative. For instance, this might be an advertisement for a smartphone targeted at a photography enthusiast that includes details about hardware specifications and picture quality.
However, the internet now allows individuals to research products more objectively on a case by case basis. When a particular person is interested in purchasing a new phone, because they lost an old one or they desire a more modern one, then they can compare prices online, read customer reviews, and consult a variety of blogs and sites like Consumer Report, which is well known for its unbiased appraisals. There are, admittedly, situations when individuals will uncover new products they might not have been aware of before through ads. However, this is more likely to occur organically in daily life if a person sees someone else, for example, with a useful smart watch. The advent of social media and sharing of personal information online also means that individuals have another media outlet aside from advertising that promotes new products and services.
In conclusion, advertising is no longer needed in modern society as there are other ways to research and discover products. This does not imply that advertising is ineffective, merely that in a perfect world it could be eliminated.
Answers
largely superfluous mostly not needed
aware know about
needs desires
despite the fact regardless of the truth that
occasionally serve informative purposes sometimes can be useful
stated aim real purpose
raise awareness make people know about
potential audience possible customers
applies is relevant here
billboards big posters outside
short commercials short videos advertising products
designed sculpted
showcase showing off
service delivery services, food delivery, etc.
based on advanced audience targeting comes from online user habits, search history, etc.
particular consumer a given shopper
demographic group of people
it is likely that it will probably happen that
relevant related
well-designed made well
informative gives information
photography enthusiast person who loves taking photos
includes details has info about
hardware specifications how fast the phone is
picture quality how good the pictures are
research studies
objectively without bias
case by case basis in each situation
compare prices online look at similar prices
customer reviews what people reported about it
consult look into
blogs websites with personal articles
unbiased appraisals objective reviews
admittedly I would concede
uncover find
occur organically happen without being forced
useful smart watch watch that has many purposes
advent beginning of
sharing of personal information online posting to social media
media outlet ways of spreading information
aside from besides
promotes encourages
modern society our world today
imply means
ineffective doesn’t work
merely just
in a perfect world ideally
eliminated gotten rid of
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
ˈlɑːʤli sju(ː)ˈpɜːflʊəs
əˈweə
niːdz
dɪsˈpaɪt ðə fækt
əˈkeɪʒnəli sɜːv ɪnˈfɔːmətɪv ˈpɜːpəsɪz
ˈsteɪtɪd eɪm
reɪz əˈweənəs
pəʊˈtɛnʃəl ˈɔːdiəns
əˈplaɪz
ˈbɪlbɔːdz
ʃɔːt kəˈmɜːʃəlz
dɪˈzaɪnd
ˈʃəʊkeɪs
ˈsɜːvɪs
beɪst ɒn ədˈvɑːnst ˈɔːdiəns ˈtɑːgɪtɪŋ
pəˈtɪkjʊlə kənˈsjuːmə
ˌdɛməˈgræfɪk
ɪt ɪz ˈlaɪkli ðæt
ˈrɛlɪvənt
wɛl-dɪˈzaɪnd
ɪnˈfɔːmətɪv
fəˈtɒgrəfi ɪnˈθjuːzɪæst
ɪnˈkluːdz ˈdiːteɪlz
ˈhɑːdweə ˌspɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃənz
ˈpɪkʧə ˈkwɒlɪti
rɪˈsɜːʧ
əbˈʤɛktɪvli
keɪs baɪ keɪs ˈbeɪsɪs
kəmˈpeə ˈpraɪsɪz ˈɒnˌlaɪn
ˈkʌstəmə rɪˈvjuːz
kənˈsʌlt
blɒgz
ʌnˈbaɪəst əˈpreɪzəlz
ədˈmɪtɪdli
ʌnˈkʌvə
əˈkɜːr ɔːˈgænɪk(ə)li
ˈjuːsfʊl smɑːt wɒʧ
ˈædvənt
ˈʃeərɪŋ ɒv ˈpɜːsnl ˌɪnfəˈmeɪʃən ˈɒnˌlaɪn
ˈmiːdiə ˈaʊtlɛt
əˈsaɪd frɒm
prəˈməʊts
ˈmɒdən səˈsaɪəti
ɪmˈplaɪ
ˌɪnɪˈfɛktɪv
ˈmɪəli
ɪn ə ˈpɜːfɪkt wɜːld
ɪˈlɪmɪneɪtɪd
Vocabulary Practice
I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:
Some are of the belief that advertising is l__________________s as most consumers are a_______e of their own n_______s. In my opinion, this is true d_________________t that advertising can o______________________________________s.
The s_____________m of the majority of advertisements is to r____________________s among a p________________e. This a_______s to commercials, b___________s, and online advertising. A good example would be the s_____________________s that play before videos on YouTube. These ads are d__________d to s_____________e an item or s__________e that, b_______________________________g, would appeal to a p_____________________r or d______________c. Since an individual has been targeted, i_______________t the advertisement will be r____________t and, if the ad is w______________d, i_______________e. For instance, this might be an advertisement for a smartphone targeted at a p____________________t that i________________s about h____________________s and p______________y.
However, the internet now allows individuals to r__________h products more o_____________y on a c__________________s. When a particular person is interested in purchasing a new phone, because they lost an old one or they desire a more modern one, then they can c_____________________e, read c_________________s, and c_________t a variety of b_____s and sites like Consumer Report, which is well known for its u___________________s. There are, a______________y, situations when individuals will u_________r new products they might not have been aware of before through ads. However, this is more likely to o_________________y in daily life if a person sees someone else, for example, with a u__________________h. The a_________t of social media and s___________________________e also means that individuals have another m_____________t a__________m advertising that p___________s new products and services.
In conclusion, advertising is no longer needed in m___________y as there are other ways to research and discover products. This does not i_______y that advertising is i_________e, m_______y that i________________d it could be e_____________d.
Listening Practice
Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities:
Reading Practice
Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Talk about an advertisement you watched that convinced you to buy a product. Include
What it was
When you saw it
How it convinced you
And if you were happy with the purchase.
Writing Practice
Practice with the same basic topic below and then check with my sample answer:
Some feel that the effects of advertising are positive for individuals and businesses, while others think they are negative.
Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.
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