Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-27

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)

Buying more clothes is one of the most common trends these days. Some people prefer to buy just a few expensive brands; however, some people buy cheaper clothes in large quantities. Having expensive branded clothes is better than big piles of low-priced clothes. This is due to the durability and the best fabric of high-priced apparel.

To begin with, a collection of cheaper clothing is better because it is affordable. Everyone can purchase according to their budget. For instance, if a person likes to change outfits regularly, they can have a good collection which they do not need to repeat and can be pocket-friendly. Additionally, cheaper clothes provide a variety of designs and colours. Therefore, more options are available for people who like to change their outfits according to the occasions. For example, girls are more inclined towards vibrant colours in dresses.

On the contrary, expensive brands are more durable. These do not fade after so many washes. The texture and shine last throughout the years. To exemplify, a leather jacket of the best brand does not get cranky as compared to one which is from a non-brand. In addition, highly expensive garments are made of organic fibres and natural dyes. These do not cause any kind of skin allergies. For instance, intimate garments should be purchased from a premium brand.

To conclude, buying affordable and designer outfits is a good choice. From my perspective, having a small quantity but the best quality is a great option to choose. It makes a person look more sophisticated while allowing them to minimize their wardrobe storage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task and presents a clear position throughout, although the paragraphing initially contains a slight contradiction in the introduction when the writer says 'Having expensive branded clothes is better' immediately after noting that people buy cheaper clothes. However, the main body paragraphs clearly explore both sides of the argument—the benefits of affordable clothes in paragraph two and the durability of expensive brands in paragraph three. Ideas are supported with relevant examples, such as mentioning leather jackets and skin allergies for expensive items, and color variety for cheaper clothes. The conclusion clearly restates the writer's perspective. It meets the Band 6 descriptor for addressing all parts of the task with relevant ideas, though some extension could be more fully developed to reach a higher level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to signal transitions between ideas, such as 'To begin with', 'Additionally', 'On the contrary', and 'To conclude'. However, some cohesive links and paragraph transitions are a bit mechanical or abrupt. For instance, the transition from paragraph one to paragraph two feels slightly disjointed since paragraph one introduces both perspectives, but paragraph two suddenly asserts that 'a collection of cheaper clothing is better', contradicting the thesis statement in the first paragraph which favored expensive clothes. Paragraphing is utilised, but logical flow between sentences occasionally suffers from referencing errors or sudden shifts in focus. This places the response firmly within the Band 6 descriptor for coherence and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including topic-specific terms such as 'apparel', 'durable', 'organic fibres', and 'sophisticated'. There are some attempts to use less common vocabulary, but these are sometimes accompanied by awkward collocations or slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'does not get cranky' when referring to a leather jacket, or 'intimate garments'. Spelling is generally accurate, and word-choice errors do not impede communication. The lexical range is sufficient for the writer to communicate their ideas clearly, matching the Band 6 criteria where vocabulary is adequate and attempts at less common items feature occasional inaccuracies.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'Everyone can purchase according to their budget' and 'if a person likes to change outfits regularly, they can have a good collection which they do not need to repeat'. There are several instances of good control over basic grammatical structures and punctuation. However, some minor grammatical inaccuracies and slightly awkward phrasing occur, such as 'so many washes' instead of 'multiple washes' or 'frequent washes'. Despite these errors, they rarely impede communication, and the overall grammatical control is steady. This aligns well with the Band 6 descriptor, reflecting a mix of sentence structures and some grammar errors that do not hinder understanding.

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

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