Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-11

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 widely argued that it is preferable to purchase less clothes of good quality instead of purchasing a lot of less expensive clothes. The driving factors behind this paradigm are superior quality and wastage prevention. I completely agree with this viewpoint and appreciate the efforts being done to bring this transition.

The primary catalyst behind the phenomenon is that expensive clothes are usually branded and have superior quality. This is because world famous brands make clothes from durable fabric which last a good length of time without getting ripped or torn easily with day-to-day activities. Even though we have to spend a little higher while purchasing such clothes but they are good value for money in the long run. To exemplify, an Adidas jacket although costly to purchase would survive more wear and tear and last longer when compared to a cheaper non-branded jacket bought from a local street market.

Another contributing factor is that we can prevent a lot of wastage by buying good quality clothes which need less frequent replacement. This means as we do not need to shop the clothes again and again, we can prevent frequent disposal of clothes and break the use-and-throw cycle which is quite common in the younger generation. Consequently, it turns out to be an environmental friendly practice and prevents materialism.

In conclusion, although shopping high quality clothes is costly when compared to low quality cheaper clothes, they do last ample length of time and contribute to environmental sustainability. Therefore, I complete agree with this practice as I believe it is fruitful in the long run.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, maintaining a clear and consistent position throughout. The arguments regarding durability and environmental impact are relevant and well-supported with a concrete example (the Adidas jacket). The ideas are extended sufficiently to meet the requirements of the task. To reach a higher band, you could further develop the counter-argument or explore the economic implications of 'fast fashion' versus 'slow fashion' in more depth to provide a more nuanced perspective, as the current development is somewhat straightforward.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and ideas progress logically. Cohesive devices such as 'The primary catalyst', 'Another contributing factor', and 'Consequently' are used effectively to link ideas. However, the transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph could be smoother, and some referencing is slightly repetitive. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the flow of information is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'driving factors', 'paradigm', and 'environmental sustainability' are used appropriately. There are some minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'spend a little higher' (should be 'spend a little more') and 'ample length of time' (which is slightly unnatural). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, the range is adequate rather than wide. Focusing on more precise collocations will help elevate your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While most sentences are clear and error-free, there are occasional grammatical slips, such as 'purchase less clothes' (should be 'fewer clothes') and 'environmental friendly' (should be 'environmentally friendly'). The use of complex structures is generally accurate, but the range is somewhat limited. To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of subordinate clauses and ensure consistent subject-verb agreement and adverb usage.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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