Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-06

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In some parts of the world, people buy far too many clothes.

What are the reasons for this?
How can people be persuaded to reduce the number of clothes they buy?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.5)

There is an ongoing debate about people who like to purchase a lot of clothes in different parts of the world. This increasing trend is based on a number of factors like growing fashion sense and how social media influences people in making choices regarding clothing.

The use of money on unnecessary buying is a serious concern of the modern world. In an era of inflation, people are striving hard to make ends meet; spending a huge amount on clothing only for the sake of fashion is unjustified. Nowadays, people are familiar with the latest fashion trends due to globalization of the fashion industry. Moreover, massive online shopping platforms like Temu and Shein offer people with market competitive prices which results in bulk buying.

Famous personalities, celebrities and influencers actively update their lifestyle on social media which inspires many followers to copy their dressing sense. Additionally people on social platforms are either rich or get paid to wear brands but it influences ordinary people into purchasing more and more just to look like them. Moreover, clothing brands strategically attract people by puTting their items on sale which compels buyers into wholesale purchasing. Although this approach leads to temporary satisfaction, it can cause long term anxiety and stress.

Governments and social workers must work together to highlight the effects of this trend on mental health. People must understand that clothing is just a need and not an obsession. There should be certain limitations on brands or social media marketing which is promoting materialism. Another way to persuade people is to emotionally and religiously enlighten them on the effects of spending money on things they do not need.

In conclusion, a balanceD approach is required where people must understand what are their clothing needs and how much should be spenT on them.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource6.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.5
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying reasons for excessive clothing consumption (social media, fashion trends, online shopping, and sales) and suggesting solutions (education, government regulation, and awareness). The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed. However, the development is slightly uneven; while the reasons are explored with specific examples like 'Temu' and 'Shein', the solutions section is somewhat brief and could benefit from more concrete examples or deeper explanation. The position is clear throughout, and the response maintains a consistent focus on the topic, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Additionally', and 'Although' are used effectively to link ideas. However, the transition between the reasons and the solutions could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is clear. There is some minor repetition in phrasing, but the overall structure is coherent and easy to follow, justifying a Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning with some precision. You use terms like 'globalization of the fashion industry', 'market competitive prices', and 'materialism' effectively. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'wholesale purchasing' (which usually refers to B2B transactions rather than bulk consumer buying) and 'religiously enlighten'. While the range is adequate, it lacks the consistent sophistication required for a higher band. The spelling is generally accurate, though there are some random capitalization errors (e.g., 'puTting', 'spenT', 'balanceD').

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, and communication is never impeded. However, there are occasional errors in article usage and prepositional phrases (e.g., 'offer people with market competitive prices' should be 'offer people market competitive prices'). The punctuation is generally correct, but the random capitalization of letters within words is a recurring distraction. While you demonstrate the ability to use complex structures, the frequency of minor errors prevents the response from reaching the Band 8 level.

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