Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-05

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)

Whether investing in a small wardrobe of high quality garments or purchasing a lot of inexpensive clothing has become a significant debate in today's world. I strongly agree that buying a few well made clothes is better than having a lot of cheaper clothes because it promotes environmental sustainability and durability. This essay will discuss all the reasons that support the agreement in detail.

First and foremost, high quality garments are built to last longer, offering better durability and lower long-term costs. Inexpensive clothes are mass produced using synthetic fibres and poor stitching quality, causing items to fade the colour, or lose the original shape, and sometimes wear off after a few significant washes. However, fabrics are made of premium materials such as wool, silk, cotton and leather. Though these cost more to produce a single piece of apparel, they endure over a decade and do not fade away even when used numerous times without degrading. Overall, the cost per wear can be considerably reduced over time compared to frequent purchase of poor quality apparel.

Furthermore, prioritizing quality over quantity is economically sustainable and avoids the impact on the environmental fast fashion. For instance, replacing clothes quite often can increase the landfill waste and rapidly raises the pollution level in the oceans where factories release their waste and synthetic dyes to create mass production of the clothes and suffice the needs of the people. Therefore, purchasing fewer well made clothes, makes consumers reject the overconsumption.

In conclusion, buying a few premium quality clothes rather than accumulating an excess of cheaper garments is a safer choice due to its super durability and promotes environmental safety.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have clearly stated your position in the introduction and maintained it throughout the essay. The arguments regarding durability and environmental impact are relevant and well-supported. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting examples are more specific. For instance, instead of mentioning 'factories' in general, you could briefly touch upon the concept of 'planned obsolescence' or specific consumer habits to add depth. The conclusion effectively summarizes your main points, and the task is addressed in its entirety with a clear, consistent viewpoint.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct central theme. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases further, as some transitions are quite standard. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the relationship between the arguments is easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, such as 'environmental sustainability', 'mass produced', and 'overconsumption'. However, there are some minor collocation issues, such as 'fade the colour' (should be 'lose their color') and 'wear off' (should be 'wear out'). While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning with precision, incorporating more sophisticated, less common lexical items would elevate the score. You have a solid foundation, but focus on refining word choices to sound more natural and academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'Whether investing... has become a significant debate' (this is a noun clause acting as a subject, but the structure is slightly awkward) and 'suffice the needs of the people' (should be 'meet the needs'). Despite these occasional errors, your control over grammar is generally good, and your meaning is never obscured by these slips.

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

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