Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-11
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 6.0)
Many people prefer to buy a few expensive clothes over lots of cheaper clothes. I do not agree to this as it seems to be hypothetical. I will try to explain my opinion through the help of this essay.
Firstly, there are lots of people who does not afford to buy expensive clothes. Furthermore, these expensive clothes require maintenance and that is not everyone's cup of coffee. On the other hand, clothes available at cheaper rates offers variations. Variation refers to choices that can be made during the purchase. It might be in terms of color, pattern, or fit size. For example, if you have only a few expensive clothes, which you prefer to wear occasionally, you will get bored at some point of time. However, the cheaper clothes provide you options to choose depending upon the event, thus providing you variation. So, one must have a certain collection of cheaper clothes and not just a pair of expensive clothes.
Secondly, expensive clothes may seem to be flashy but if it gets damaged accidentally the you will have to struggle with a minimal collection of clothes. On the other hand if you have a variety of cheaper clothes, it may save your day. Ultimately, it is not always about the status symbol but also the feasibility that matters.
To conclude, one must have a balanced combination of both the expensive and cheaper clothed thus providing a wide range of collection and options to wear. Just keeping a few expensive clothes may not help you in a long run.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The essay addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout, arguing for a balanced approach rather than exclusively buying expensive clothes. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the need for variety in different social contexts and the practical issue of maintenance. However, the development is somewhat limited; the argument could be strengthened by exploring the environmental impact of 'fast fashion' or the long-term durability of quality items. The response is balanced, but the reasoning remains at a fairly superficial level, which prevents it from reaching the higher bands.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', 'On the other hand', and 'To conclude', which help guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is generally clear, though the link between the idea of 'hypothetical' in the introduction and the subsequent arguments is not fully articulated, making the opening slightly confusing.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express their opinions clearly. There are some attempts at idiomatic language, such as 'not everyone's cup of coffee' (though this is a slight misuse of the idiom 'cup of tea') and 'save your day'. While the range is sufficient, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Some word choices are slightly awkward, such as 'fit size' instead of 'fit' or 'size', and 'clothed' instead of 'clothes' in the conclusion. More precise terminology regarding consumer habits would improve the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('people who does not afford'), incorrect preposition usage ('through the help of'), and minor punctuation errors ('accidentally the you'). While these errors do not impede overall communication, they are persistent enough to prevent a higher score. The student demonstrates an attempt at complex structures, but the control over these structures is inconsistent, leading to errors in tense and word form.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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