Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-01

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 7.5)

Many aspects of the way people dress today are influenced by fashion trends from around the world. This influence has become particularly strong because of social media, international brands and the increasing connection between different countries. Although global fashion can encourage people to express themselves and discover new styles, I believe that its negative effects, such as excessive consumerism and the loss of traditional clothing, are also significant.

One major reason why global fashion has become so influential is the rapid growth of social media. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube allow people to see how celebrities, influencers and other users dress on a daily basis. As a result, a fashion style can become popular among millions of people within a short period of time. In addition, international clothing companies advertise their products through these platforms and make them available in many countries. For example, a young person in Pakistan can easily follow fashion trends from Europe or the United States and buy similar clothes from an international or local online store.

There are some positive aspects to this development. Global fashion gives people more choices and allows them to express their personality through their appearance. It can also introduce people to different cultures and styles. For instance, traditional clothes from one country may become popular in another country, which can increase people's interest in foreign cultures. Moreover, competition between fashion companies can encourage them to produce more affordable and varied clothing.

However, I believe that the negative effects should not be ignored. One important problem is that people may buy clothes simply because they are fashionable, rather than because they need them. This can lead to excessive spending and unnecessary waste. Fast fashion is particularly problematic because many clothes are produced cheaply and discarded after a short period of use. Another concern is that global trends can reduce interest in traditional clothing, especially among younger generations. If people constantly follow international trends, traditional styles may gradually become less common.

In conclusion, global fashion has become a powerful influence mainly because of social media, international brands and easier access to products from other countries. While it provides greater choice and opportunities for self-expression, I believe that excessive consumption and the decline of traditional clothing make this development more negative than positive.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt, exploring both the reasons for the strong influence of global fashion and presenting a well-reasoned stance on whether this development is positive or negative. The position is clear throughout the essay, beginning in the introduction and maintained logically right through to the conclusion. Ideas are well-extended and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and how a young person in Pakistan can interact with trends from Europe or the United States. While the arguments are comprehensive and logically sustained, pushing towards an even higher band would require deeper exploration of the socio-economic implications of fast fashion rather than relying on standard over-generalised examples. Nevertheless, all prompt requirements are thoroughly met with a well-developed perspective.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

There is a clear logical organisation and progression throughout the essay. The writer makes effective use of paragraphing, ensuring each paragraph has a distinct central topic—such as the role of social media in paragraph two, the positive aspects in paragraph three, and the negative consequences in paragraph four. Cohesive devices are managed well, using phrases like 'In addition', 'For instance', and 'However' naturally to connect ideas without being overly mechanical. Referencing throughout the text is clear and precise, ensuring the reader easily follows the transitions from one argument to the next. To achieve an even higher level of cohesion, the writer could incorporate more subtle, advanced referencing techniques and tighter cross-paragraph links, but the current progression is robust and clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The vocabulary used provides a sufficient range to allow for flexibility and precision. The student successfully attempts less common lexical items with a general awareness of style and collocation, such as 'excessive consumerism', 'rapid growth', 'unnecessary waste', and 'self-expression'. Word choice is generally appropriate for an academic discussion on fashion trends. There are occasional slight limitations or predictable collocations rather than sophisticated, highly polished idiomatic or uncommon phrasing, which keeps the score at this band. Spelling and word forms are accurate throughout, ensuring that communication is never hindered by lexical inaccuracies. Incorporating more nuanced academic synonyms and precise terminology would elevate the lexical range further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The essay displays a good variety of complex structures alongside frequent error-free sentences. The writer demonstrates good control of grammar and punctuation, successfully handling complex noun phrases, conditional clauses, and subordinate structures like 'Although global fashion can encourage people to express themselves...'. Verb forms, tenses, articles, and prepositions are handled with a high degree of accuracy. While minor slips may occasionally persist in more intricate clauses, they do not impede communication. The majority of the sentences are well-constructed and grammatically sound. To reach the highest band, the writer would need to demonstrate even greater flexibility with highly sophisticated syntactic structures deployed consistently and flawlessly.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.