Some people think advertising aimed at children should be banned completely. Others argue that it is a normal part of a commercial society.
A full IELTS Writing Task 2 answer to this question, with a paragraph plan, ideas you can use, and the vocabulary that fits this topic.
The question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Some people think advertising aimed at children should be banned completely. Others argue that it is a normal part of a commercial society.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
How to read this question
The word to press is "completely". Almost everyone accepts some limits, so an essay arguing that children are impressionable is answering a question nobody disputes. The real issues are where the line falls and whether a ban is enforceable at all now that most advertising to children arrives through recommendation feeds and paid creators rather than through television slots a regulator can see.
Paragraph plan
Introduction — Paraphrase both views, then state a position: support a ban in principle on capacity grounds, but the definition and enforcement decide whether it means anything.
Body 1 — The case for banning — young children cannot recognise persuasive intent, so the ordinary defence of advertising does not apply to them.
Body 2 — The case against and the practical problem — funding for children's content, and the fact that modern advertising is not labelled as advertising.
Conclusion — Support a ban framed around persuasive techniques rather than media slots, since a slot-based ban regulates the channel advertisers have already left.
Model essay
Band 8.5–9.0 model essay
322 words
Some people believe that advertising aimed at children should be banned outright, while others regard it as a normal feature of a commercial society. In my view, although a complete ban may be excessive, strict regulation of such advertising is necessary to protect children from manipulation.
On the one hand, proponents of a total ban argue that children lack the cognitive maturity to distinguish persuasive marketing from objective information. To clarify, young viewers are particularly susceptible to advertisements featuring cartoon characters or celebrity endorsements, which exploit their emotional attachment rather than appealing to rational judgement. For instance, sustained exposure to advertisements for sugary snacks has been linked to rising childhood obesity rates, as children repeatedly pressure parents into purchasing unhealthy products.
On the other hand, others maintain that advertising is simply an unavoidable element of a market economy, and that responsibility ultimately lies with parents rather than regulators. This is attributable to the fact that companies have a legitimate right to market age-appropriate products, such as toys or educational materials, provided that the content itself is neither deceptive nor harmful. Prohibiting all advertising to children, in this view, would unfairly restrict legitimate commercial activity.
From my perspective, a complete prohibition is neither realistic nor necessary, but governments should impose strict limits on the content and timing of advertisements directed at children. To explain, restricting advertisements for unhealthy or age-inappropriate products during children's television programming, while still permitting the marketing of suitable goods, would strike a reasonable balance between commercial freedom and child protection.
To conclude, while opinions diverge on whether advertising to children should be banned or simply accepted, I believe that carefully regulated advertising, rather than an outright ban, offers the most balanced solution.
Created by a Band 8.5–9.0 IELTS Writing achiever — Premium. Sign up free to read the rest of this essay and unlock every model on the site.
This is a discussion (discuss both views) question. The essay above shows you what a strong answer looks like when it is finished. What it cannot show you is how to get there from a blank page in forty minutes.
That is what our Writing Study Library is for: the structure we teach for this exact question type, the paragraph pattern that goes with it, and the sentence openers for each stage — so the essay is planned before you start writing rather than assembled as you go.
Introduction: Paraphrase both views on whether advertising to children should be banned or accepted and state the opinion that strict regulation, not a total ban, is the right balance.
Body 1: Argue that children lack the cognitive maturity to resist persuasive marketing, illustrated by sugary-snack advertising linked to rising childhood obesity.
Body 2: Argue that advertising is a normal part of a market economy and companies have a legitimate right to market age-appropriate products responsibly.
Body 3: State that a full ban is unnecessary, but content and timing limits on advertising for unhealthy or age-inappropriate products during children's programming strike the right balance.
Conclusion: Restate that carefully regulated advertising, rather than a total ban, is the most balanced solution.
Word or phrase
Meaning
Used in a sentence
cognitive maturity
the level of mental development needed to reason and judge carefully
proponents of a total ban argue that children lack the cognitive maturity to distinguish persuasive marketing from objective information
susceptible
easily influenced or affected by something
young viewers are particularly susceptible to advertisements featuring cartoon characters or celebrity endorsements
exploit
to take unfair advantage of something for one's own benefit
advertisements... exploit their emotional attachment rather than appealing to rational judgement
legitimate
lawful and reasonably justified
companies have a legitimate right to market age-appropriate products, such as toys or educational materials
age-appropriate
suitable for a particular stage of childhood development
companies have a legitimate right to market age-appropriate products, such as toys or educational materials
deceptive
intended to mislead someone
provided that the content itself is neither deceptive nor harmful
prohibiting
formally forbidding something
prohibiting all advertising to children, in this view, would unfairly restrict legitimate commercial activity
regulated
controlled according to official rules
I believe that carefully regulated advertising, rather than an outright ban, offers the most balanced solution
Created by a Band 8.5–9.0 IELTS Writing achiever — Premium. Sign up free to see the ideas and vocabulary for this topic and unlock every model on the site.
Answers checked here may be published on this page, without your name, to help other learners. Nothing else about you is stored.
Common questions
How do I argue about a word like "completely"?
Treat it as the claim. Almost everyone accepts some restriction, so the essay has to be about the scope, not the principle. Saying explicitly that you support limits but dispute the absolute version is a clear position and immediately shows you read the exact wording.
Can I mention research without citing it?
Yes — "developmental research is consistent that…" is acceptable and IELTS does not check the source. Avoid inventing precise percentages or naming studies; the general claim carries the argument and the specifics only create risk.
Is it a strong move to say a proposed law would not work?
It is one of the strongest, provided you then say what would. Showing that a policy targets an obsolete mechanism demonstrates real evaluation. Ending there, without an alternative, leaves the question half-answered.
