Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-27
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)
Nowadays, international fashion trends have a significant influence on the way people choose their clothes according to their choice. this essay will explain why global fashion has become so influential and discuss whether this is a positive or negative development. there are several reasons and outcomes of these situations. both will be discuss in the following paragraphs.
To begin with, social media spreads fashion trends quickly and people followed this trend. celebrities and influencers affect people's clothing choices. IN addition international brand are available in many countries.
For example, online shopping makes fashionable clothes easy to access. while people want to look modern and attractive.
On the other hand ,positive effect on people can express their personality through clothes. fashion gives people more choices and styles. In contrast it can increase confidence and self-esteem. For example many country can share their fashion and traditions.
However, people may spend too much money behind on fashionable clothes. while fast fashion can create waste and environmental problems. Furthermore some people feel pressure to follow trends. For examples, traditional clothing may become less popular.
To conclude, i believe global fashion is a positive development because it provides more choices and helps people express themselves. However, people should avoid following every trend and should make responsible and affordable choices.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt, identifying reasons for the influence of global fashion and providing a balanced view on whether it is positive or negative. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of development. Ideas are presented in a list-like fashion rather than being fully extended with detailed examples or logical analysis. For instance, the point about environmental problems is mentioned but not explored. To reach a higher band, you must expand your arguments with specific examples and ensure the essay meets the required length to allow for a more comprehensive discussion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'To begin with', 'On the other hand', 'However', 'To conclude'). There are also issues with sentence-level cohesion, such as the fragment 'while people want to look modern and attractive', which lacks a clear connection to the preceding sentence. The progression of ideas is present but feels disjointed due to the brevity of the paragraphs and the lack of sophisticated linking words to connect complex thoughts.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You use words like 'fashion', 'trends', and 'people' frequently. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic language. While the meaning is generally clear, the range is limited, and there are minor errors in collocation, such as 'spend too much money behind on fashionable clothes'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'consumerism', 'cultural homogenisation', or 'aesthetic appeal', and focus on using more varied synonyms to avoid repetition.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Common issues include missing capital letters at the start of sentences (e.g., 'this essay', 'there are', 'many country'), subject-verb agreement errors ('international brand are'), and incorrect preposition usage. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas and periods. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for punctuation and capitalization would significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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