Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-12

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 7.0)

With the rapid growth of social media, fashion awareness has expanded worldwide, influencing people's clothing choices more strongly than ever before. The idea of something "going viral" already implies global reach because the content spreads across international platforms like Instagram and X. Accordingly, global fashion is substantially influential in the way we dress on a daily basis. In my opinion, this increasing dominance of global fashion trends has negative impacts, which people may not be aware of, on the well-being of a person.

Despite its influence, global fashion trends can have a negative impact on people's lives, as they see various trends on social media and tend to buy branded clothes to make themselves appear up-to-date. Some people spend more than half of their income on branded clothing, which can put them under financial pressure and force them to borrow money. Consequently, if this type of behaviour continues for a long time, it can also lead to depression, as people may become obsessed with maintaining their appearance and impressing others. They may spend a large amount of money on branded clothing without realising that they are getting into debt.

On the positive side, following global fashion trends can help people enhance their appearance and feel more confident about themselves. When a person wears good-quality clothes and uses makeup, they may feel happier and more confident. Moreover, nowadays, people often judge others based on their appearance, so dressing well may help individuals receive better treatment from their peers. In this way, a person can leave a positive impression on others and feel happy and confident when they receive compliments from the people around them.

In conclusion, the overall impact on individuals is negative since the drawbacks are likely to outweigh the benefits. As a result, it is essential for individuals to critically assess these trends rather than adopt them blindly.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all parts of the prompt, providing reasons for the influence of global fashion and clearly stating your position on whether it is a positive or negative development. Your position is consistent throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant, though the development of the 'positive' side is somewhat brief compared to the 'negative' side. To reach a higher band, ensure that the arguments for both sides are balanced in depth and that you provide more specific, concrete examples rather than general statements about 'people' or 'individuals'. Overall, you have fulfilled the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'Accordingly', 'Despite its influence', 'Consequently', and 'Moreover' to guide the reader through your arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensure that the progression of ideas within paragraphs is smoother, particularly when transitioning between the negative and positive aspects of the topic.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'fashion awareness', 'international platforms', and 'critically assess' are used effectively. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some word choices could be more sophisticated. For instance, 'good-quality clothes' is a bit simplistic. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations and idiomatic expressions related to the fashion industry or social trends to show greater flexibility and control over your lexical choices.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free, which aids communication. There are occasional minor slips, such as 'the well-being of a person' (which could be more naturally phrased as 'individual well-being'). Your control of punctuation is generally good. To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice constructions, while maintaining the high level of accuracy you have already demonstrated.

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.