Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

In todays culture, it is often argue by individuals to buy a few clothes, which are higher in rates instead of buying lots of low price cloths. After careful consideration, I agree with the idea because higher durability and quality of material.

Firstly, expensive cloths have long durability of live compare to cheaper cloths. This means that when an individual buys branded pair of cloths, it often long last compare to cheapest pair of cloths. For example, one of my closest friend bought a good material sweat pants for $80 from Uniqlo brand, which is still having same condition after 2 years, which is totally not comparable with one which I bought at same year but from different store. Therefore, many individuals prefer best material to wear even its expensive as it is more durable than cheaper options.

Secondly, many individual due to society recommendation, forced to buy expensive garment. In other words, to appear rich and wealthy, many people prefer to buy expensive cloths from well-known brands like zara, H. To cite an example, individual who wears expensive cloths are more often well recognize in society as compare to on how prefer low brand attire. As a result, many individuals buys expensive cloths to appear upper class than others who prefer to wear cheaper cloths.

To conclusion, although cheaper cloths gives varieties of option and affordability, people prefer to buy expensive and luxury cloths for using it for longer period and have recommendation in the society.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of buying fewer, more expensive clothes. However, the essay falls slightly short of the 250-word minimum requirement, which impacts the overall development of ideas. While the arguments regarding durability and social status are relevant, the second body paragraph relies on generalizations about 'appearing rich' that could be more deeply explored. The conclusion is brief and summarizes the main points, but the overall development is limited by the length constraint. To improve, ensure you expand on your examples and provide a more thorough analysis of the implications of your arguments to meet the word count and fully develop your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central topic. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'To conclude' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. For instance, the transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph is somewhat abrupt. While the logical progression is generally easy to follow, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your sentences flow more naturally into one another to enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of incorrect word forms and collocations, such as 'higher in rates' instead of 'more expensive' and 'long durability of live' instead of 'longevity'. The spelling of 'cloths' (referring to fabric) instead of 'clothes' (garments) is a consistent error. While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'durability' and 'attire', the overall range is limited. To improve, focus on learning correct collocations and word forms, and try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary to express your ideas with greater precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('it is often argue', 'many individuals buys'), article usage, and awkward phrasing ('which is still having same condition'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure is often repetitive. While the meaning is usually clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and proofreading for common grammatical slips, such as the correct use of articles and pluralization.

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

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