Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-28

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 this modern era, people think that less costly attire is better than purchasing more expensive ones. I will discuss my views in the upcoming paragraphs.

In this advanced world, it is very easy for everyone to buy any branded clothing online. Many companies give hefty discounts on it. On the other hand, folks can get it within a few hours or days after ordering it online. Expensive clothes are well-designed and long-lasting. People can buy any variety from the frame. Furthermore, costlier clothes create awareness among people about the new trend in the market.

On the other hand, it is hard for some people to buy expensive wear due to some household and personal reasons. Urban and rural areas are running on a very fast track in every field, and the budget for everything is rising day by day. Due to this, numerous low-wage people like to have bundles of cheap clothes so that they can spend money on education, health, and household chores. For instance, many students and part-time workers like to buy cheap clothes to pay tuition fees.

Moreover, many big companies such as Amazon give good deals on famous products for a season and for a few days near the festivals in every nation according to the culture and tradition. For instance, in the Asian region, people mostly do shopping due to so many celebrations.

In conclusion, buying expensive and cheaper clothes depends on the individuals' accountability. But affordable things are always beneficial for everyone in life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt, but the position is inconsistent. While you initially state you will discuss your views, the conclusion shifts focus to the idea that 'affordable things are always beneficial,' which contradicts the prompt's premise of buying expensive clothes for longevity. The development of ideas is somewhat superficial; for instance, the argument about expensive clothes creating 'awareness' is unclear and lacks logical connection to the topic. To improve, ensure your position is clearly stated in the introduction and maintained consistently throughout the essay, with each paragraph providing a clear, well-supported reason that directly addresses the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed. For example, the transition between the benefits of expensive clothes and the constraints of low-wage earners is abrupt. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Furthermore' and 'On the other hand,' their usage is occasionally mechanical or repetitive. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'People can buy any variety from the frame,' where the meaning is obscure. Improving the logical flow between sentences and using a wider variety of linking words would enhance the coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You rely on basic descriptors like 'hefty discounts' and 'good deals,' which are acceptable but not sophisticated. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'buying expensive and cheaper clothes depends on the individuals' accountability,' where 'accountability' is not the correct word choice for financial decision-making. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and idiomatic collocations that demonstrate a deeper understanding of the topic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally hinder the flow, such as 'Many companies give hefty discounts on it' (where 'it' lacks a clear antecedent) and 'Urban and rural areas are running on a very fast track.' Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction is often repetitive. To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence forms, such as conditional clauses or relative clauses, and pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and pronoun references to ensure your writing is more accurate.

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

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