Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-20

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 debates on the choices of people in dresses they wear is due to influence of the changings in the world's fashion trends is ongoing everywhere. From my perspective, it can have either positive or negative impacts. This essay will show the effects of changings in trends on everyone's life and whether, it has merits or demerits.

On the one hand, Social media has a huge impact on the thinking of the current generation. Everyone is utilizing the facility of internet for different purposes. Watching different nation's culture and trying to adopt them is very common in which most of the younger generation is involved. If we spend a significant time on social media exploring the way others dress then, it will influence us to adopt that also. For example, one of my friends is obsessed with Korea. All time involvement in watching their culture attracted her and she started to try different types of clothes wasting a large number of money on it.

On the other hand, even though it has many benefits such as, exploring different styles, enhancing the dresses varieties of a country but, it still has some demerits that include, we started to neglect our own culture and trying to adopt other's culture. We are focusing more on how to be presented fashionable. For instance, the developing countries like Asian countries are getting attracted towards the European culture and as a result of this they forget their own unique culture.

In conclusion, the way of thinking and increase use of social media has a huge impact on people's life. Moreover, it has negative effects but if we use it considerably and appropriately its positive effects outweigh its demerits.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the causes of global fashion influence and giving an opinion on whether this development is positive or negative. The writer presents a clear position throughout the essay, introducing ideas such as the role of social media, cultural exchange, and the risk of losing local identity. However, some ideas lack deep extension. For example, the point about Asian countries adopting European culture is stated generally without a robust example. The conclusion successfully synthesises the main arguments. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, fitting the Band 6 descriptor well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is arranged coherently with a recognizable introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different arguments, with body paragraphs divided into causes and mixed evaluations. However, cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or awkward, as seen in phrases like 'On the one hand... On the other hand, even though it has many benefits such as... but, it still has some demerits'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and transitions can be clunky, which prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Overall, the organizational structure is clear enough to follow without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting less common items such as 'obsession', 'significant', and 'outweigh'. However, there are frequent noticeable errors in word choice, collocation, and phrasing, such as 'choices of people in dresses they wear', 'changings in the world's fashion trends', and 'wasting a large number of money'. While these inaccuracies do not completely impede communication, they highlight limitations in lexical precision and word formation. Spelling is generally accurate, but the restricted control over collocations keeps the score at Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, though attempts at complex structures are frequently marred by grammatical errors. For instance, the opening sentence contains structural awkwardness: 'The debates on the choices of people in dresses they wear is due to influence of the changings in the world's fashion trends is ongoing everywhere.' There are also issues with subject-verb agreement ('changings... is ongoing') and punctuation errors, particularly comma splices and incorrect comma placements before conjunctions ('then, it will influence'). Despite these frequent errors, the meaning is mostly clear and communication is rarely completely impeded.

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

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