Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-16
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 5.5)
In today’s modern era people want to look more attractive and stylish . Yes I do agree According to my point of view one should invest money in buying expensive clothes rather than buying cheaper clothes for their daily wear or occasions when you purchase expensive branded clothes it gives you more benefits rather than a cheap cloth does there are several positive effects on our personality.
Furthermore, I would like to share one of my experience that I had with purchasing expensive and cheap clothes . I visited a mall and found a very attractive dress one of the shops but as I saw the price tag I was heartbroken because I love that dress so much but it was expensive . Then I visited other day in the local shops in nearest market . Then I found the same dress as mall over there but it was so cheap . For me it was like a dream that I am getting a same dress in so much less price. I asked the shop owner to pack that dress for me. But there I made a big mistake by buying that dress for local shop. When I brought it home and washed it before wearing I saw all the color of dress was fade . After a week I visited again in the shopping mall to buy that dress and that day goes I still have that dress in my collection and I wear it oftenly .
To wrap up, In short it is good to invest money in buying expensive clothes instead of buying cheap clothes.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of buying expensive clothes. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you provide a personal anecdote to support your view, the argument lacks depth regarding broader economic or environmental implications, which would have strengthened the response. The conclusion is very brief and does not fully summarize the main points discussed. To improve, ensure that each body paragraph explores a distinct reason for your stance, providing more detailed analysis rather than relying solely on a single personal narrative.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into three paragraphs, which is a basic structure. However, the logical progression is hindered by the lack of effective cohesive devices. Transitions between sentences are often missing or repetitive (e.g., 'Then I visited', 'Then I found'). The use of linking words is quite mechanical, and some sentences feel disjointed. To achieve a higher band, you should use a wider variety of cohesive devices such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in contrast' to better connect your ideas and improve the flow of your argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic descriptors like 'attractive', 'cheap', and 'expensive' throughout the text. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'oftenly' (which is not a standard word) and 'all the color of dress was fade' (should be 'the color of the dress faded'). To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to consumerism, quality, and durability, and pay closer attention to word forms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'in local shops'), incorrect verb tenses, and punctuation errors, such as the lack of commas and the run-on nature of some sentences. For instance, 'that day goes I still have that dress' is grammatically unclear. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, consistent tense usage, and using punctuation to separate distinct thoughts, which will help clarify your meaning and demonstrate better control over complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.