Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-04
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Many aspects of the way people dress today are influenced by global fashion trends.
How has global fashion become such a strong influence on people's lives? Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 7.5)
These days, people's dressing habits are influenced significantly by global fashion trends due to globalization and the development of advertising. Despite the fact that people are spending more money even on unnecessary items, it is an overall positive development.
Because of the use of the internet, countries are becoming increasingly interconnected as well as their citizens. Once a fashionable outfit is recorded and posted on social media, it may go viral within a few days and everybody starts imitating the same way of wearing clothes. In addition to that, the dominant Western culture plays an important role as the majority of people have been influenced by hip-hop culture heavily, leading them to dress up like celebrities they appreciate. Furthermore, a variety of advertisements are ubiquitous in the general public's everyday lives, which are designed to draw individuals' attention to purchasing costly items, especially those global brands.
In order to analyse this development thoroughly, we cannot overlook its drawbacks, such as over-consumption. An increasing number of people are spending money on clothes and other items that they do not really need. For example, on a second-hand market website called XianYun, there are numerous luxurious items on sale because their owners can only wear them on special occasions. That waste of resources, though, can still be made up as people at least can learn a life lesson after experiencing an impulsive purchase. Regarding the positive side of this development, we must realise the significance of the circulation of resources and personal growth. Firstly, while buyers are spending their money from different countries, the taxes produced from this process can be invested in optimizing infrastructure, namely education and healthcare. Secondly, while people are trying to catch up with the global trend, they naturally take in information and aesthetics from other countries, enabling them to see the big picture.
In conclusion, the reason why more people are following global fashion trends is that they are influenced by the internet and advertisements. Even though this trend might cause the general public to spend more money without realizing it, it is still a positive trend as it can generate substantial revenue for governments and help personal growth.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the influence of global fashion and the evaluation of whether this is positive or negative. The position is clear from the introduction and maintained throughout. Ideas are well-developed, particularly the explanation of social media and Western cultural influence. The discussion on the economic benefits of fashion consumption is a strong point, though the argument that 'waste can be made up' by 'learning a life lesson' is slightly weak and could have been more logically grounded. Overall, the response is well-structured and covers all requirements of the task effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the causes of fashion trends and the evaluation of their impact is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition to that', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. While some transitions are slightly formulaic, the overall flow is coherent and easy to follow throughout the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
The range of vocabulary is sufficient for the task. You demonstrate an ability to use topic-specific terminology such as 'globalization', 'interconnected', 'ubiquitous', and 'over-consumption'. There is some attempt to use less common lexical items, which adds precision to your arguments. While the word choice is generally accurate, there are occasional minor issues with collocation, such as 'spending their money from different countries', which is slightly awkward. However, these do not impede communication, and the vocabulary is generally well-suited to the academic tone required.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
You demonstrate a good command of complex sentence structures, such as the use of 'Despite the fact that...' and 'While people are trying to...'. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is generally good. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'the taxes produced from this process can be invested in optimizing infrastructure, namely education and healthcare', which is slightly imprecise in its phrasing. However, these errors are rare and do not interfere with the clarity of your message. The variety of structures used is sufficient for a high band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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