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)

Nowadays, global fashion trends have a significant influence on the way people dress. This influence has become particularly strong because of social media, international brands and the increasing connection between different cultures. In my view, although global fashion has some disadvantages, it is largely a positive development.

One major reason why fashion trends have become so influential is the rapid growth of social media. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok allow people to see the clothes worn by celebrities, influencers and ordinary users from around the world. As a result, a particular style can become popular internationally within a very short period of time. In addition, international clothing brands have expanded their businesses across many countries, making similar styles easily available to consumers. Global travel and cultural exchange have also encouraged people to adopt clothing styles from other societies.

I believe this trend is generally positive because it gives people greater freedom to express themselves. They can explore different styles and combine international trends with traditional clothing. For example, young people in Pakistan may wear Western-style jeans and shirts while still wearing traditional clothes such as shalwar kameez on cultural or religious occasions. This creates greater variety and encourages cultural exchange.

However, global fashion can also encourage excessive consumerism. Some people constantly purchase new clothes simply to keep up with changing trends, which can be expensive and environmentally harmful. Nevertheless, I believe these problems can be reduced if consumers choose durable clothing and avoid unnecessary purchases.

In conclusion, global fashion has become powerful mainly because of social media, international businesses and cultural exchange. Despite some negative effects, I consider its influence largely beneficial because it provides greater choice and promotes cultural interaction.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by explaining why global fashion has become influential and presenting a clear position that it is a positive development. The ideas are well extended and supported, such as when the writer discusses the role of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, alongside international brand expansion and cultural exchange. The third paragraph provides a clear example regarding young people in Pakistan blending Western-style jeans with traditional shalwar kameez. While the ideas are generally well developed, there is a slight tendency to over-generalise in the discussion on consumerism, though this does not detract from the overall solid delivery. The position is maintained clearly from the introduction through to the conclusion, meeting all the requirements for this level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving smoothly from the introduction to the causes of fashion influence, the positive aspects, the counter-argument regarding consumerism, and finally a succinct conclusion. Cohesive devices are used flexibly and appropriately, such as 'One major reason why', 'As a result', 'In addition', and 'Nevertheless'. Paragraphing is managed effectively, ensuring that each new sub-topic is introduced cleanly. Reference and substitution are well handled, maintaining clarity and connection across sentences without feeling mechanical or repetitive, resulting in a cohesive overall arrangement.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The vocabulary used is sufficiently wide to allow for flexibility and precision. The writer successfully incorporates less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation, such as 'rapid growth', 'excessive consumerism', 'cultural exchange', and 'durable clothing'. Word choice is generally appropriate, and terms like 'international businesses' and 'promotes cultural interaction' fit the academic context well. There are occasional slight limitations in range, but spelling and word choice are accurate throughout, and minor slips are absent, ensuring that communication flows smoothly without any ambiguity for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response demonstrates good control of grammar and punctuation, featuring a variety of complex sentence structures alongside simple forms. Frequent error-free sentences are present, particularly in the multi-clause sentences used for explaining causes and effects, such as 'Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok allow people to see the clothes worn by celebrities...' and 'Some people constantly purchase new clothes simply to keep up with changing trends, which can be expensive and environmentally harmful.' Verb tenses, articles, prepositions, and subject-verb agreement are handled with a high degree of accuracy. Although a few minor structural limitations persist, grammatical errors are virtually non-existent.

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