Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-02

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 6.5)

While it is widely believed that purchasing costly clothes in limited quantity is better than buying cheaper ones in larger quantities. I completely disagree with this statement because of limited styling options and wastage of money on overly-priced items.

The most compelling reason for believing this is that individuals can make numerous combinations of clothes if they have more variety of garments. People waste excessive money on purchasing one costly outfit as they usually get bored by wearing it again and again. However, if they utilise the same amount of money for buying more outfits, they can easily avoid repetition and groom their personality. For example, youngsters love to create unique looks by reusing old clothes on various occasions. Therefore, it can lead to saving as they do not go for shopping on every occasion.

In addition, branded clothes are usually considered over-priced. Although these clothes have best quality and long durability, customers get charged a lot more than what they should be charged. As the products from renowed brands have several hidden charges such as brand cost, premium packaging, advertisement and many more, consumers have to pay a lot more than the actual value. For instance, there could be a huge difference in the prices of two different t-shirts only because one has a branded logo while other is just a regular t-shirt. As a result, expending money on expensive clothes is wastage of money as shoppers pay for the unnecessary services arather than just paying the price of their needed item.

In conclusion, I opine that a person should not rely on just a few expensive attires as allocatingh funds towards cheaper clothes is a pragmatic approach in the modern era. This is because, people could create more outfits by expending less money and avoiding the hidden costs of branded clothes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have clearly addressed the prompt and maintained a consistent position throughout the essay. Your arguments regarding styling versatility and the hidden costs of branding are logical and well-supported with relevant examples, such as the comparison between branded and regular t-shirts. The ideas are extended sufficiently to meet the requirements of the task. To reach a higher band, ensure that your introduction clearly outlines the main points you intend to discuss, and consider exploring the counter-argument (the benefits of quality/durability) more deeply before refuting it, which would add further depth to your analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'The most compelling reason', 'In addition', and 'As a result' to guide the reader through your arguments. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the paragraphing could be improved by ensuring each paragraph focuses strictly on one central theme. The referencing is generally clear, though some sentences could be linked more fluidly to improve the overall flow of the text. Overall, the progression of ideas is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'pragmatic approach', 'renowed' (noting the spelling error), and 'versatility'. You attempt to use less common items, which is positive. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'overly-priced' (should be 'overpriced') and 'expending money' (where 'spending' or 'allocating' would be more natural). Spelling errors like 'renowed' and 'allocatingh' also occur. To improve, focus on refining your use of collocations and ensuring precise word choice to convey your ideas more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'if they have more variety' and the concessive 'Although these clothes have best quality'. While your meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as the sentence fragment in the introduction ('While it is widely believed...'), missing articles ('while other is just a regular t-shirt'), and minor punctuation errors. The majority of your sentences are understandable, but the frequency of these small errors prevents a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will help improve your accuracy.

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

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