Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-08

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)

Many people now depend on others' ideas for their fashion and how they dress. The styling sense of the majority has been changed because of following the culture of other's. People are now addicted to global fashion trends and this impacts their lives significantly as well. I believe that going with the world fashion flow has both advantages and disadvantages.

In today's world, people tend to follow others whenever its come to fashion; it's become incredibly unseemly. When a new fashion trend arises throughout the world, some people follow it blindly, and they try to look similar. They focus only on trends instead of the cultural values of the trend itself. Positively, it can motivate people by following the same trend. For example, if someone tries a trendy dress, it gives them more confidence and motivation, as they feel they are in the flow. They think they are updated as the world. In contrast, every society has individual norms and values regarding fashion culture, and sometimes following fashion trends can be harmful or create negative impacts on that specific society. For example, in Bhutan, people have a dress code; they need to maintain it throughout their life for a specific region. If somebody breaks the rules and follows some global fashion trends, it can break their hierarchy. Sometimes it can cause conflict for individuals. And loss their peace. So following some trend blindly is not idle. People should be more specific what they

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You give a general position—that global fashion has both advantages and disadvantages—and include relevant points about confidence and cultural expectations. The Bhutan example also helps illustrate how trends may conflict with local dress norms. However, the task asks how global fashion became such a strong influence, and this part is barely explained: saying people follow others does not identify the drivers, such as social media, advertising, celebrities, or international brands. The positive and negative effects are mentioned but not developed, and the response ends mid-sentence, leaving your conclusion and final point incomplete. The response is also 7 words below the required minimum. To strengthen the answer, explain the causes directly and develop each effect with a clear example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an identifiable introduction and a body paragraph, and signposts such as “Positively” and “In contrast” show an attempt to organise contrasting views. The ideas are not yet developed in a clear overall progression, however: the paragraph moves from people copying trends to confidence, then cultural norms, without fully explaining the links between these points. Some connections are unclear, as in “it can break their hierarchy,” and the final sentence stops at “People should be more specific what they,” so the ending feels unfinished. Use separate paragraphs for the causes, benefits, and drawbacks, and connect each example explicitly to the point it supports. Complete the response with a concise conclusion that restates your view.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt some topic-related vocabulary, including “global fashion trends,” “cultural values,” “dress code,” and “individual norms.” These choices make the subject clear, and phrases such as “follow it blindly” communicate a relevant concern. However, several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, which limits clarity: “the styling sense of the majority,” “updated as the world,” and “break their hierarchy” do not convey your intended meaning precisely. “Unseemly” also seems unsuitable for describing people following fashion. There is some repetition of “fashion,” “trend,” and “follow.” Aim for more natural collocations and precise terms, such as “fashion sense,” “keep up with global trends,” and “undermine local traditions.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use both simple sentences and some attempts at longer structures, including “When a new fashion trend arises throughout the world, some people follow it blindly” and the conditional example beginning “If somebody breaks the rules.” However, the range is limited, and errors occur often enough to make some sentences difficult to follow. Examples include “whenever its come” instead of “whenever it comes,” “They think they are updated as the world,” and the incomplete construction “People should be more specific what they.” The fragment “And loss their peace” also disrupts the sentence structure. Practise accurate verb forms, complete clauses, and joining related ideas with clear punctuation. Proofread each sentence to ensure it has a subject and a complete main verb.

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