Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-03

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)

In recent times, an increasing trend has been witnessed among people to spend large amounts of money on purchasing expensive clothes. While many people consider that it is better to buy a few expensive clothes rather than hoarding lots of cheaper clothes, others dispute this notion. I firmly believe that buying many budget-friendly clothes is much better than a few expensive ones. This essay will substantiate this assertion.

Proponents of this viewpoint contend that purchasing expensive clothes bound you to wear them on formall occasions only. People having fancy dresses tend to avoid wearing them in their daily routine, so that their colour does not fade after frequent washes. To illustrate, I also never wear my expensive clothes to college and keep them for special events only. All my fancy and costly dresses are kept in the closet and I wear them occasionally. So, buying expensive clothes bound you to use them on selected events only.

Conversely, having lots of cheaper clothes give people many options for the daily wear. However, few expensive clothes limit the choices for our daily use. For instance, I always prefer to buy many cheap clothes rather than expensive ones. This gives me the opportunity to wear different clothes everday instead of sticking to a few expensive ones. Moreover, I do not have to wait for special occasions to wear them.

In conclusion, I reaffirm my conviction that few expensive clothes narrow down our daily choices and bound us to wear them occasionally. So, its better to purchase more affordable clothes than a few costly ones.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear position and supporting it throughout with relevant ideas, demonstrating the qualities of the higher band. You successfully introduce your stance in the introduction and maintain it to the conclusion. However, the development of ideas remains slightly uneven, which places the response securely at the solid mid-band level. For instance, the second body paragraph relies heavily on personal anecdote and repetition rather than fully extending the arguments about the broader practical implications of clothing choices. To reach the next level, you would need to explore your main points with more extended explanations and broader supporting evidence rather than reiterating similar thoughts.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression from introduction to conclusion, fulfilling the core requirements of this band. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different arguments, such as the discussion on expensive clothes versus budget-friendly alternatives. Cohesive devices are employed to connect your ideas, with phrases like 'Conversely' and 'In conclusion' guiding the reader effectively. However, the use of referencing and cohesive ties can occasionally feel slightly mechanical, and some transitions between sentences lack the smooth, natural flow characteristic of higher bands. To progress further, aim for a more sophisticated and varied use of organizational tools without relying on repetitive transitional formulas.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using common terms related to shopping, fashion, and personal finance, such as 'budget-friendly', 'occasionally', and 'affordability'. There are several attempts to use less common items, although these are occasionally accompanied by minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as writing 'bound you to wear them' instead of 'bind you' or 'limit you'. Spelling and word-formation errors are minimal and do not impede communication, allowing the reader to follow your arguments easily. To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate a wider variety of precise lexical items and idiomatic phrases while ensuring strict control over collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The essay exhibits a successful mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating good overall control of sentence structures. You show competence in using subordinate clauses and introductory phrases, such as 'While many people consider that...' and 'This gives me the opportunity to...'. There are some errors in grammar, particularly with verb forms and subject-verb agreement, such as 'cheaper clothes give' and 'its better', alongside minor prepositional slips. Nevertheless, these errors are relatively infrequent and rarely impede communication, allowing the majority of your complex sentences to remain clear. To reach the next level, increase the frequency of error-free complex sentences and refine your control over tense consistency and article usage.

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