Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-20

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)

It is often argued that when purchasing clothes, preference should be placed on buying a fewer pieces of costly garments instead of many inexpensive ones. I agree with this view, because the expensive clothing items are of superior quality and offer a long wear, being cost effective and an environmentally friendly option in the long-term.

Firstly, the reason for a clothing item to be more costly is the manufacturing cost. Sourcing the raw products for fabric and utilizing good tailors adds to the cost. However, the final product is of superior quality. People will be able to get a longer wear from the fabric. Therefore, in the long term individuals would not need to repurchase clothes as oftenly. For example, a plain white shirt is considered a staple in everyone's wardrobe. Just investing in one good quality item will mean an item that will last you longer without needing to waste the older one and repurchase a new shirt.

Secondly, buying the expensive clothes is like an investment to our own selves and environment. Clothes will offer a good wear and you can manage a capsule wardrobe, restyling and rewearing the same thing with different combinations. For instance, owning only one good black pant that can last them several washes is more economical than buying several different unique ones. This also means there is lesser waste in the environment as we are limiting our purchases to only what we actually need.

In conclusion, I agree that buying lesser but costlier garments is better in comparison to buying more of less expensive garments. The benefits of sustainability and eco-friendliness brought by purchasing the costly garments further strengthens my viewpoint.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response clearly addresses all parts of the task by presenting a well-developed position on whether to buy a few expensive clothes or many cheaper ones. The introduction clearly states your agreement with the statement, and this position is maintained throughout the essay. The body paragraphs provide relevant reasons and examples, such as manufacturing costs, longevity, and the concept of a capsule wardrobe, to extend and support your arguments. While the ideas are slightly generalized, they are thoroughly explored and directly answer the prompt. This meets the criteria for Band 7, as you have addressed all parts of the task with a clear, developed position and supporting ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

Your essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, introduced effectively with signposting language like 'Firstly' and 'Secondly'. Cohesive devices are used adequately to connect ideas, such as 'However', 'Therefore', and 'For example'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion clearly. Referencing is generally clear, though occasional awkward transitions prevent it from reaching a higher band. Overall, the essay flows logically from start to finish, reflecting the descriptors for a Band 7 performance.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, allowing for some flexibility and precision. You successfully attempt less common items and collocations with general awareness, such as 'capsule wardrobe', 'cost effective', and 'environmentally friendly'. However, there are some occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as writing 'a fewer pieces of costly garments' instead of 'fewer costly garments', and 'as oftenly' instead of 'as often'. Despite these minor lexical errors, the vocabulary is adequate to convey your message clearly without impeding communication, fitting the Band 6 descriptor well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms effectively throughout the response, incorporating relative clauses and conditional-like structures. There is good control of punctuation and basic sentence structures. However, several grammatical errors persist, such as 'expensive clothing items are of superior quality and offer a long wear, being cost effective' and 'buying the expensive clothes is like an investment to our own selves'. Additionally, articles are occasionally misused, as in 'owning only one good black pant'. These errors do not impede communication, but their frequency prevents the essay from achieving a higher band, placing it firmly at Band 6.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.