Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-01

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)

Many people believe that purchasing a few expensive clothes is a better choice as compared to buying lots of cheaper clothes. However, I partly agree with this view, because not everyone can afford to buy expensive clothes, and buying a variety of low-budget clothes at the same price gives lots of options for daily clothing.

One major advantage of buying lots of cheaper clothes is that it gives a wide range of choices for dressing. Everyone wants to arrange their wardrobe with different types of clothes, and not all of them can afford it. So instead to buying one or two pairs of expensive clothes, they are more likely to buy four to five pairs of cheap clothes. It gives them a number of different choices on what to wear. Additionally, they can do some experiments in their clothing style as well.

However, on the other hand, expensive clothes gives immense comfort. The quality of the material is top notch. There are certain amount of people who perfer comfort and simplicity over style. People who work in a higher position always buy expensive clothes as their budget allows them. Even though it won't give a wide range of options; the clothes will last long. It won't get damaged easily.

In conclusion, buying high priced clothes offers comfort and a long life of the clothes but options are limited. Low-priced clothes gives a wide range of choices, but we have to compromise on the quality of the material. So, it is always advised to shop as per the need.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear position that partly agrees with the prompt. The main ideas are generally relevant, discussing both the benefits of affordable clothing options and the comfort associated with expensive items. However, some ideas remain slightly under-developed; for instance, the assertion that 'people who work in a higher position always buy expensive clothes' is stated without further elaboration or supporting evidence. To reach the next level, the writer needs to extend and support all arguments more thoroughly with specific examples, ensuring every point contributes fully to a well-rounded discussion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical organization throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, starting with an introduction containing a clear stance, followed by body paragraphs exploring opposing viewpoints, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However', 'Additionally', and 'In conclusion', though referencing and cohesion can sometimes feel a bit mechanical. For example, the transition between sentences within the second body paragraph could flow more naturally. To achieve a higher band, the writer must ensure that cohesive devices are employed with greater flexibility and that the progression of ideas from sentence to sentence feels entirely seamless.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to communicate their ideas effectively. There are successful attempts to use less common items and phrases, such as 'top notch', 'immense comfort', and 'wide range of choices'. However, some word choice and collocation inaccuracies occur, such as 'instead to buying' instead of 'instead of buying', and 'expensive clothes gives' where the verb number does not match. Additionally, some vocabulary is slightly repetitive, like 'cheap clothes' and 'expensive clothes'. To improve, the writer should focus on precise word choice, accurate collocations, and a wider variety of synonyms to avoid repetition.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an ability to construct compound and complex sentences such as 'Many people believe that purchasing a few expensive clothes is a better choice as compared to buying lots of cheaper clothes.' There are some errors in grammar, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('expensive clothes gives') and preposition misuse ('instead to buying'). However, these errors rarely impede communication and the meaning remains clear throughout. To move further up, the writer needs to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures with greater frequency and ensure a higher proportion of error-free sentences.

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