Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-16

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 7.0)

It is considered prudent to purchase few costly clothes, instead of numerous inexpensive clothes. I strongly agree with this view because slow fashion is more economical than fast fashion. Since expensive clothes usually have better quality and lasts longer, they reduce the need to buy lots of cheaper clothes, which otherwise can contribute to higher amounts of environmental waste.

The primary reason is that slow fashion is more economical than fast fashion. Fashion trends change every day, and people who support fast fashion buy lots of cheaper clothes frequently, which get outdated within few months. Whereas, branded good quality clothing designs are classic and can be worn regularly without being worried about changing dressing styles. For example, a pair of Nike shoes are unlikely to go out of fashion and may also last longer than a pair of cheap trendy shoes. Therefore, investing in good quality products is promising and provide value for money by lasting longer.

Another important reason why expensive clothes should be prioritized is that they are more durable. This means they have better quality and can last considerably longer time in contrast to cheaper lower quality clothes. As a result, people do not need to buy again and again, which reduces manufacturing demand and therefore, reduces the overall pollution associated with manufacturing and transportation of clothing. For example, when a sportsperson buy an Adidas jacket, it may last him longer time compared to a locally manufactured cheap jacket. Thus, shopping branded good quality apparel can reduce demands for excessive cheaper low quality garments.

In conclusion, although buying expensive clothes requires more investment in the beginning, they do not get out of fashion and provide higher durability than cheaper clothes. Therefore, I agree with this view because of the economical and the environmental benefits of this trend.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response clearly addresses both parts of the task, taking a strong and consistent position that buying expensive, durable clothing is preferable due to economic and environmental benefits. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as comparing branded Nike or Adidas items to cheaper alternatives. The introduction clearly outlines the writer's stance, and this is maintained throughout the body paragraphs. While some points, such as the environmental impact, are slightly repetitive across paragraphs, the overall task response easily satisfies the criteria for Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression from introduction to body paragraphs and a concluding summary. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each body paragraph focusing on a distinct main point: economic viability in the second paragraph and environmental durability in the third. Cohesive devices such as 'The primary reason', 'Whereas', and 'In conclusion' are utilized to guide the reader. However, some referencing is slightly mechanical and transitional flow could be smoother, placing this securely at Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary suitable for the task. Phrases like 'slow fashion', 'fast fashion', 'value for money', and 'environmental waste' show a good grasp of topic-specific language. There are some minor lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'without being worried about changing dressing styles' instead of 'fashion styles', and 'when a sportsperson buy' (agreement slip). Nevertheless, the vocabulary is more than sufficient for clear communication, earning a Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over relative clauses and conditional structures. Examples like 'Since expensive clothes usually have better quality and lasts longer' show attempts at complex subordination, although there are minor agreement errors ('quality and lasts' instead of 'quality and last'). Other occasional punctuation or grammatical slips occur, such as missing articles ('a sportsperson buy an Adidas jacket' instead of 'buys'). However, the majority of sentences are clear and errors do not impede communication, matching the Band 6.5 descriptors.

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