IELTS Writing Task 2 (Exercises) : Advertising (Part 1)

Words/Phrases

1. bombard (v)
2. conglomerate (n)
3. consume (v) – consumption (n)
4. dominate (v)
5. endorse (v)
6. exaggerate (v)
7. fallacy (n)
8. gain popularity (collocation)
9. merchandise (n)
10. obsolete (adj)
11. predecessor (n)
12. processor (n)
13. revolutionary (adj)
14. saturate (v)
15. tuberculosis (n)

Exercises:

Task 1: Fill in the blanks with suitable words/phrases

1. The troops ___ the city, killing and injuring hundreds.
2. It is a common ___ that women are worse drivers than men.
3. Gas lamps became ___ when electric lighting was invented.
4. Since the US market has now been ___, drug dealers are looking to Europe.
5. He has ___ the whole event to make it sound rather more dramatic than it actually was.

Task 2: Fill in the blanks with suitable words/phrases

Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things that we really do not need. Others say that advertisements tell us about new products that may improve our lives.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Recently, commercial advertisements have 1__________ a variety of television channels, newspapers, magazines and websites. While some claim that this trend helps popularise new goods that enhance people’s living standards, I would contend that the main result is the unnecessary 2__________of goods by the public.

There is a common 3__________that advertising is an important means to introduce new and invaluable products to the public. People may argue that in the past, a number of world-changing products 4__________thanks to advertising, such as the success story of electronic cigarette advertisements in the early 2000s, which were believed to have saved millions from 5__________and lung cancer. However, in more recent years, the market has become 6__________, leaving very little chance that one can invent a 7__________ product that changes people’s life. Even when there are such life-changing inventions, it is still very unlikely that they can reach their potential customers through advertising channels, because these channels tend to be owned, controlled or 8__________by 9__________, who have no top priority other than promoting their own 10__________ .

I believe the main purpose of most advertisements is to persuade customers to make a purchase regardless of their true needs. To meet sales targets, large companies often 11__________the usefulness of a small feature of their products when advertising. For example, the latest Samsung mobile phone seems no different from its 12__________, except for a slightly faster 13__________, but Samsung marketers are skilful enough to convince customers that their older phones are 14__________, and that these devices must be upgraded to the latest version. Some other companies, including Unilever, have hired celebrities to 15__________their products, so as to appeal to customers who are fans of these famous people. All these advertising techniques may promote sales, but are far less likely to encouraging customers to purchase the goods they truly need.

In conclusion, advertising has been used as an important selling tool for many businesses, whose primary goal is profit, rather than meeting customers’needs.

333 words.

Key/Answer

Task 1:

• (1) bombarded
• (2) fallacy
• (3) obsolete
• (4) saturated
• (5) exaggerated

Task 2:

• (1) bombarded
• (2) consumption
• (3) fallacy
• (4) gained popularity
• (5) tuberculosis
• (6) saturated
• (7) revolutionary
• (8) dominated
• (9) conglomerates
• (10) merchandise
• (11) exaggerate
• (12) predecessor
• (13) processor
• (14) obsolete
• (15) endorse