Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-31
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)
It is argued that due to globalization many people's lives has been influenced and individuals trying to imitate the global fashion trends. This essay leans towards to the both positive and negative sides.
Firstly, due to global trends our country has undergone many developments. In the fashion field, we can appreciate the another nation's clothes and they can also do the same. We can also promote our countries traditions and cultures in the form of clothes. It is believed that ones nature can be reflected through the way they dress. For instance, we can learn about other people's fashion sense and also know about their personality.Culturally, it is a medium of self expression that reflects history and cultures. Consequently, it will be lot more easier to promote our country.
On the other hand, because of globalization we are losing our identity. Many individuals are being influenced and are forgetting their roots. It has affected in the loss of our cultures and traditions. For instance, people are forgetting about their traditional clothes and are starting to wear the clothes that are completely opposites of their cultures.It encourages a consumerist culture where people are pressured to buy new items to fit in. People are also spending far too much on their clothing than needed which also cause financial problems. Therefore, the global trends are affecting a lot of people.
In conclusion, it has both merits and demerits. So if we spend wisely then we can negative into positive. Despite the valid concern regarding the sustainability, the economic and expressive value of global fashion trends cannot be overlooked.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for the influence of global fashion and the evaluation of whether this is positive or negative. The position is clear from the introduction. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the argument about 'promoting traditions' is mentioned but not clearly explained or linked to how global fashion facilitates this. The points regarding identity loss and consumerism are relevant but could be supported with more specific, concrete examples to reach a higher band. The conclusion is a bit abrupt and slightly repetitive in its phrasing.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Firstly', 'Consequently', and 'On the other hand', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel mechanical or slightly forced. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'It has affected in the loss of our cultures', where the pronoun 'it' lacks a precise antecedent. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the positive and negative aspects, contributing to the overall coherence of the piece.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'globalization', 'consumerist culture', and 'self expression'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of awkward phrasing or minor word-choice errors, such as 'leans towards to the both' and 'it will be lot more easier'. The repetition of basic words like 'clothes' and 'fashion' suggests a need for more varied synonyms to demonstrate a wider lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('people's lives has been influenced') and prepositional errors ('affected in the loss'). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are some missing spaces after periods. The control over complex structures is inconsistent, and while the errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score in this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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