Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-30
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)
Nowadays, individuals are really keen to buy clothes. Everyone have different knowledge to buying clothes. Some people buy clothes at cheap price also some people like to buy expensive from well known stores. Today i will discuss both of views.
Firstly, Many people like to buy clothes from little shops at a discounted price based on their salary. Which people busy in their work routine and do not want to impress someone they buy clothes from small shops and supermarkets at a low price when items are on sale. Itis not meant that these clothes are not good looking sometimes these clothes have good quality which can be used over the years. But not every time because many times cheap quality clothes are not good enough. Also buying a lot clothes for children is not a good decision. Because children growth is fast and clothes became worthless.
Secondly, Many people who like to buy expensive clothes to become attractive. In this era, Social media is very helpful to those people to get attached to their favorite superstar Like what they are wearing. Also one hashtag is very common nowadays which is called OOTD. Its full form is Outfit Of The Day. Which can help fans to get notified about their superstar what wears today. Expensive clothes are not only good looking these are also good in material which can be feel by the person whom it wearing.
In my personal opinion, buying clothes from local shops is good for people who can not afford to buy expensive clothes but buying expensive clothes is better because people can get best quality which can be last long and you do not need to buy clothes again and again.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both sides of the argument, but the development is limited. While you provide reasons for both cheap and expensive clothing, the arguments lack depth and specific examples. For instance, the mention of 'OOTD' and social media is relevant but not fully connected to the core argument of quality versus quantity. Your position is stated in the conclusion, but it could have been more clearly established in the introduction to guide the reader throughout the essay. To improve, ensure each paragraph provides a clear, well-supported point that directly relates to the prompt's central theme of value and longevity.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For example, the transition 'Which people busy in their work routine' is grammatically awkward and does not effectively link the ideas. Additionally, some sentences are fragmented, such as 'Itis not meant that these clothes are not good looking sometimes these clothes have good quality'. Improving the use of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in contrast') would help create a smoother flow between your ideas and improve the overall coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'good', 'cheap', and 'expensive' repeatedly. There are also some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'get attached to their favorite superstar' and 'can be feel by the person whom it wearing'. These errors occasionally make the meaning slightly unclear. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to consumer habits, such as 'durability', 'fast fashion', 'cost-effective', or 'aesthetic appeal', and ensure they are used in the correct context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('Everyone have', 'children growth is fast'), missing articles, and incorrect verb forms ('what wears today', 'whom it wearing'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some sentences running together or being incorrectly fragmented. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly subject-verb agreement and the correct use of relative clauses. Proofreading for these common errors will significantly enhance the clarity and accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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