Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-31
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)
Clothes plays a extremely important role in our life. Now a days, clothes are become more expensive compare to past. In my opinion, I believe that buying a expensive clothes present various benefits. I will explain this topic in further paragraph.
Firstly, Expensive clothes gives a sense of comfort. Branded and expensive clothes are always made from the quality materials especially cotton. So, one would have more comfort than the clothes with cheaper prices. For example, according to studies from 2022 in India, clothes manufacturer revealed that 60% of public purchases a expensive clothes and among them majority of public said that expensive clothes gave a more comfort than the cheaper clothes.
Secondly, according to me clothe always represent our personality and confidence. Moreover, personality and confidence are very important in various stages of our life. For example, one could perform well in interview and job meetings with comfortable clothes. However, there are also another factors important but clothes are one of them. In addition, expensive clothes are made up of high quality materials so they are long lasting then the other clothes. Although, buying a expensive clothes is not easy for everyone but i believe that buying a 2 expensive clothes in a year is better than the spending money in buying 6 clothes.
In conclusion, expensive clothes are not only gives a sense of comfort but also represent our personality and confidence.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of buying fewer, more expensive items. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While the arguments regarding comfort and personality are relevant, they are somewhat repetitive and lack depth. The examples provided, such as the reference to a 2022 study in India, are vague and lack sufficient detail to fully support the argument. To improve, you should expand on your points with more specific reasoning and ensure you meet the minimum word count to allow for a more comprehensive exploration of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion' to signal the structure. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally unclear (e.g., 'there are also another factors important'). The paragraphing is sufficient, but the transition between ideas could be smoother. To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensure that the logical progression of your arguments is more seamless throughout the text.
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 terms like 'expensive', 'clothes', and 'good'. There are also some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'clothes manufacturer revealed' instead of 'a clothing manufacturer' and 'cheaper prices' instead of 'lower prices'. While the meaning is clear, the lack of sophisticated or less common vocabulary limits the score. Try to incorporate more precise synonyms and collocations to demonstrate a better command of the language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('Clothes plays', 'clothes are become'), article usage ('a expensive clothes'), and comparative structures ('long lasting then the other clothes'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and comparative adjectives. Proofreading for these specific types of errors would significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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