Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Today, global fashion trends have become a major influence on the way people dress around the world. The main reason for this strong influence is social media, which allows people to see the clothing styles of celebrities and influencers every day. I believe this is a negative development because of its impact on young people and the financial pressure it can create for families.

Social media has made global fashion trends highly influential because people are constantly exposed to new styles online. When they see public figures and actors wearing particular clothes, they may develop the belief that dressing attractively will help them gain attention and appear fashionable. As a result, a large section of society begins to follow the same trends. For example, when a music artist becomes popular online, many of their followers may imitate the artist’s dressing style in an attempt to look fashionable and gain social recognition. Therefore, social media allows the clothing choices of a few popular figures to become trends among millions of people.

However, I believe this influence has more serious disadvantages. One major problem is that it can place a financial burden on parents. Children who are strongly influenced by fashion trends may insist on buying expensive or new clothes to keep up with current styles. This can be particularly difficult for families whose income is barely enough to meet their basic needs. Moreover, some young people may adopt unhealthy behaviours while trying to copy the appearance and lifestyle associated with certain fashion trends. For instance, teenagers who imitate the style of celebrities may also copy behaviours such as smoking if they believe these behaviours make them look more attractive or fashionable. Consequently, excessive exposure to fashion can create both financial difficulties and negative influences on young people.

In conclusion, social media and online advertising have made global fashion trends a powerful influence on people's clothing choices. Nevertheless, the financial pressure on families and the negative behaviours that some young people may adopt make this a negative development.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt, exploring both the causes of global fashion's strong influence and evaluating whether this development is positive or negative. The student takes a clear position throughout the essay, stating early on that the trend is negative primarily due to financial pressures on families and the impact on young people. Ideas are generally extended and supported with relevant examples, such as the influence of music artists and social media exposure. However, the response demonstrates a tendency to over-generalise slightly and some ideas, such as the specific connection between fashion and unhealthy behaviours like smoking, could have been more fully integrated into the overall argument to reach the highest standards. Overall, the task is addressed with clear relevance, meeting the criteria for a solid performance at this level while showing some characteristics of higher bands through its clear position and structured arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, starting with an introduction that outlines the writer's stance, followed by body paragraphs dedicated to the causes and the negative consequences, and concluding with a concise summary. Cohesive devices are used effectively and flexibly, such as transitions like 'As a result', 'For example', 'However', and 'Consequently'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately to separate the distinct strands of the argument. Referencing is generally clear, allowing the reader to follow the flow of ideas easily. To push into higher bands, the essay could employ even more subtle and varied cohesive phrasing rather than standard connective markers, but the overall structural control is well managed and creates a coherent reading experience.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items with general precision. Phrases such as 'financial burden', 'social recognition', and 'excessive exposure' demonstrate a good awareness of style and collocation appropriate for academic writing. There are occasional inaccuracies in word choice or phrasing, but these do not impede communication. Spelling and word forms are handled accurately throughout. To move towards a wider and more sophisticated lexical range, the writer could incorporate more nuanced, less common lexical items and idiomatic academic collocations, avoiding slight repetitions of basic descriptive words like 'influence', 'trend', and 'fashion' across the paragraphs.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response displays a good variety of complex structures alongside simpler sentence forms, resulting in frequent error-free sentences. The writer demonstrates strong control of grammar and punctuation, successfully handling complex clauses, such as in the sentence 'When they see public figures and actors wearing particular clothes, they may develop the belief that dressing attractively will help them gain attention...' Verb forms, tenses, articles, and prepositions are generally well managed with a high degree of accuracy. A few minor slips might persist, but they do not interfere with understanding. This strong grammatical foundation and variety of sentence patterns underpin the high level of accuracy observed throughout the text.

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