Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-12

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 5.0)

The topic illustrated that the 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? I think it's a positive or negative; both are development.

Firstly, social media creates a strong sense of ability regarding beauty standards and fashion; it creates a peaked level of hype of the beauty noms, and everyone should follow each other in the fashion. However, if someone can follow the one trendy cloth, then the other one should also recreate this trend. For example, if one actor should wear jeans and a shirt, then the other actor should do the same because they are influenced by her. In addition, it's a good way to change your style by influencing others with beauty, confidence, and communication skills, and other people learn about other cultures through clothes. For example, if we wear Pakistani clothes in the UK, then other people totally inspire your culture, and people can find their fashion creates jobs in fashion marketing.

Secondly, if someone cannot afford such fashion trends, then they mentally disturb, and sometimes it creates a problematic situation for others; they blame social media and other fashion actors. For instance, Japan is very famous for beauty and fashion concerns and also skin colors; if someone cannot afford such things and if they are skin tone black, then Japanese people tease and make fun of them.

In the conclusion, this is a positive or negative development in global fashion trends; sometimes it creates problems regarding skin tones, clothes, and beauty, and pressure to look perfect causes low self-esteem. Meanwhile, sometimes it produces a strong fashion sense, and other people should adapt and becoming a confidenet.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: how global fashion influences lives, and whether this development is positive or negative. However, the position in the introduction is unclear and somewhat contradictory, stating 'I think it's a positive or negative; both are development'. While the body paragraphs successfully discuss both sides—covering cultural exchange and job creation as positives, alongside social pressure and discrimination as negatives—the overall development is limited. Ideas tend to be stated rather than fully extended, and some arguments, such as the example regarding actors and clothing, lack clarity. The conclusion simply restates both viewpoints without providing a clear resolution. This performance aligns with Band 5.5 descriptors, as the task is addressed, but the stance is muddled and the supporting ideas remain somewhat under-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is divided into an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion, showing basic paragraphing awareness. However, progression is frequently hindered by awkward transitions and confusing logical links. For instance, the transition 'Firstly, social media creates a strong sense of ability...' uses unnatural phrasing and jumps abruptly into ideas about beauty norms. Cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'In the conclusion, this is a positive or negative development...' Additionally, pronoun referencing is occasionally unclear, as seen in sentences like 'if someone can follow the one trendy cloth, then the other one should also recreate this trend.' Overall organisation meets the criteria for Band 5.0, where there is some structural arrangement, but logical progression is weak and cohesion is frequently faulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is relatively limited and repetitive, with frequent lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations. Phrases like 'peaked level of hype', 'trendy cloth', and 'fashion actors' demonstrate strain in word choice. Furthermore, the writer confuses terms, such as 'mentally disturb' instead of 'become mentally disturbed' or 'experience psychological distress'. While the student attempts less common vocabulary, inaccuracies in collocation and word formation impede clarity at times. This lexical control corresponds to a Band 5.0, where the vocabulary is minimally adequate for the task, but noticeable errors and limited precision cause some difficulty for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The text displays a mix of simple and attempted complex sentence forms, but control over grammar is weak. There are frequent errors in verb forms, clause structures, and punctuation. Examples include 'The topic illustrated that the many aspects...', 'if one actor should wear jeans... then the other actor should do the same', and 'other people should adapt and becoming a confidenet.' Subject-verb agreement and word forms (e.g., 'confidenet' instead of 'confident') are recurring issues. The frequent grammatical errors can cause difficulty for the reader and prevent the text from reaching a higher band. This performance is consistent with Band 5.0, which features a limited range of structures and frequent errors that occasionally impede understanding.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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