Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-21

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 5.5)

There are different types of fashions in clothing and some fashions have become global trends. As a result of globalization, some designs, fabrics, and brands have been popular in many countries. I believe that it is a positive development because it provides better clothing styles that are appropriate for the current society. In addition, I think that new fashions can improve the personality of an individual.

In the past, antient people used limited amount of clothing which were made by using some natural materials. Although they were suitable for that society, those fashions are not updated without mixing with new trends of other countries. To move with the developing word, it tis important to make some differences in fashion designing. For instance, when conducting some meetings, competition or any other special events, people need to wear appropriate clothing that can provide a good impression of the person. Because, our dress code is the first measurement of a person when making some important agreements. If people wear traditional clothes for international events, it would not be suitable.

On the other hand, to maintain a strong personality, people tend to follow some global fashions. For a party or wedding ceremony, especially women wear very fashionable clothing. Furthermore, both men and women want to show their confidence by wearing some branded clothe. Nowadays, people match the colour of clothing according to the skin types, time of the day and occasions. All these trends are helpful for people to maintain their personality with a high confidence. For example, people can perform well in some job interviews, when they are confident enough with their appearance. Because, some people judge our selves using our cloth and fashions.

In conclusion, I think global fashion trends are helpful to stay at the updated society with a proper personality. However, if the fashions are compatible with the culture, every fashion may become popular and provide a positive impact on the society.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: explaining the influence of global fashion and providing an opinion on whether it is a positive or negative development. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument that fashion improves personality is mentioned several times but lacks specific, deep analysis or concrete examples beyond general statements about job interviews or weddings. To reach a higher band, the student should expand on the 'why' and 'how' behind these trends, perhaps discussing the role of social media or economic factors in more detail.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'For instance', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, the flow between some sentences is occasionally mechanical, and the referencing is sometimes slightly unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the transition from 'antient people' to 'international events' feels abrupt. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is generally easy to follow, though it lacks the sophisticated, seamless transitions found in higher bands.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'globalization', 'appropriate', and 'compatible'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice and spelling, such as 'antient' (ancient), 'developing word' (developing world), 'tis' (it is), and 'clothe' (clothes). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over word forms and spelling. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning but lacks the variety and precision required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'some fashions have become global trends' (tense usage), 'limited amount of clothing which were' (subject-verb agreement), and 'judge our selves' (reflexive pronoun usage). While these errors are frequent, they rarely impede the reader's understanding. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and proofreading for minor slips. The range of structures is sufficient for the task, but the frequency of errors prevents a higher score.

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.