Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-01

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

It is better to buy just a few expensive clothes, rather than lots of cheaper clothes.

Do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 7.0)

It is a common thought to invest in a few branded clothes instead of spending money on local clothing. The following essay will scrutinize the supporting reasons before presenting my opinion.

People think that spending on expensive clothing will make them look presentable and wealthy. It is somewhat true because it is usually believed that the first impression is the last impression and does say a lot about a person's personality. These people also think that by covering themselves in luxury brands, they can fit well into the upper-class society. For example, many people at work repeat their outfits at least twice in a week to look professional and wealthy.

Another reason is the brand consciousness and materialistic nature of some individuals. Some people just really want to show off their money by wearing famous and expensive brands and simply tell the society that they have money even if they do not. This makes them feel superior in their friend circle, or, otherwise, they just feel left out. For instance, youngsters aged between 15 to 19 love to show off their money in schools to feel like they belong and seek attention, and they would choose to dress themselves in brands awkwardly instead of wearing clothes that would actually suit them.

Finally, after discussing the reasons mentioned above, I completely disagree with the statement in question because I believe that you do not need to have money to look good or presentable. The only thing required is a good fashion sense, and if you have that, then even buying multiple cheaper clothes will do the job, and it will also be pocket-friendly.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt, but the development is somewhat unbalanced. You present arguments for why people buy expensive clothes in the first two paragraphs, but your own position is only clearly stated in the final paragraph. To reach a higher band, your position should be clear from the introduction and consistently supported throughout the body paragraphs. While your arguments regarding social status and brand consciousness are relevant, they are somewhat generalised. Providing more specific, nuanced examples or counter-arguments would strengthen the development of your ideas. The conclusion is clear, but the essay would benefit from a more integrated approach where your opinion is woven into the discussion of the reasons rather than presented as an afterthought.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organised into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Another reason is' and 'For instance', which help guide the reader. However, the transition between the discussion of why people buy expensive clothes and your personal disagreement is a bit abrupt. The use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical rather than fluid. To improve, try to use a wider range of linking words and ensure that the relationship between sentences is more explicit. The paragraphing is appropriate, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'scrutinize', 'materialistic', and 'presentable'. There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'fit well into the upper-class society' (better: 'fit into upper-class circles') and 'dress themselves in brands awkwardly' (which is slightly unclear). The vocabulary is generally sufficient to convey your meaning, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more natural collocations and idiomatic expressions that are appropriate for a formal essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are clear and easy to follow, and your grammar is generally accurate. There are some minor errors, such as 'repeat their outfits at least twice in a week' (should be 'a week' or 'per week') and 'tell the society' (should be 'tell society'). While you attempt some complex structures, they are occasionally slightly awkward. To reach a higher band, aim for more variety in your sentence structure and ensure that your complex sentences are error-free. Punctuation is generally handled well throughout the text.

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