Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-06
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)
The growing influence of global fashion in modern society has sparked various debates. This is mainly because of social media and celebrities. Although fashion can have some positive impacts. In this essay, I will discuss about this view and give my opinion with some suitable examples.
Nowadays mostly people see the new clothes on social media because it is easy way to explore things. I think everyone in the modern time use phone and watch videos on TikTok and see that famous people wear beautiful clothes. All these ways people used for showing their brands.
Talking about some positive point, when people wear brands clothes then they show their personality easily. Moreover, beautiful and clean clothes are very important for working in good departments. For example, when people give jobs interview then they wear shirts and jeans and show that they are eligible for job.
On the other hand, when people buying modern clothes then they spend large amount of money on clothes and face problems for managing other financial thing. Mostly young people spend more money on clothes and do not invest in business. This is also evident from the fact that when people spend money on wrong thing then they create an issue for their business. For instance, when a person has a pair of shoes and then he buys another new shoe then he definitely wastes their money.
In conclusion, some people watch new clothes and shoes on social media and other celebrities. Although there many benefits but I think disadvantages are more advantages.
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 influence of global fashion and the evaluation of whether this is positive or negative. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For example, the explanation of why fashion is influential relies on general statements about social media rather than a deeper analysis of consumer psychology or globalization. The argument regarding the negative impact is repetitive, focusing mainly on financial issues without exploring broader societal or environmental consequences. To reach a higher band, you should provide more nuanced arguments and ensure that your opinion is clearly maintained throughout the essay, rather than just stated in the introduction and conclusion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive (e.g., 'Moreover', 'On the other hand', 'For instance'). Some transitions between sentences feel abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the connection between 'all these ways' and the preceding sentence is weak. While there is an overall progression, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the somewhat simplistic sentence structure limit the flow of ideas. Improving the variety of cohesive devices would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You frequently use simple terms like 'good', 'beautiful', and 'clothes'. There is an attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary (e.g., 'personality', 'financial', 'invest'), but the range is limited. Collocations are sometimes unnatural, such as 'managing other financial thing' or 'wrong thing'. To improve, you should aim to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and idiomatic expressions related to the topic of fashion and consumerism. Expanding your range of synonyms and focusing on correct word forms will help you achieve a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are some attempts at complex sentences, they often contain grammatical errors, such as 'Although there many benefits but I think disadvantages are more advantages.' There are frequent errors in articles, subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'everyone... use phone'), and pluralization (e.g., 'jobs interview'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction lacks the variety and control required for higher bands. To improve, focus on mastering complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses and conditional forms, while ensuring that basic grammatical rules are applied consistently.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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