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 promotes 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

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for excessive clothing consumption and potential solutions. The ideas are relevant, such as the influence of social media, the role of fast-fashion platforms like Shein, and the psychological impact of sales. However, the development is somewhat uneven. While the reasons are well-explained, the solutions section is a bit general. For instance, suggesting that governments should 'religiously enlighten' people is vague and lacks practical detail. To reach a higher band, you should provide more concrete examples of how these solutions could be implemented in a real-world context, such as specific educational campaigns or legislative changes regarding sustainable fashion practices.

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, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Additionally', and 'Although' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. For example, starting two consecutive paragraphs with 'Moreover' limits the flow. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the progression between sentences is smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure supports the development of your argument effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'market competitive prices', 'bulk buying', and 'materialism' are used appropriately. There are some minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'use of money on unnecessary buying' (spending money on unnecessary items) and 'wholesale purchasing' (which usually refers to business-to-business transactions rather than consumer shopping). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more sophisticated collocations or topic-specific terminology related to sustainability or consumer behavior would elevate your score. The spelling is accurate throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is good. Most sentences are clear and easy to follow. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'offer people with market competitive prices' (should be 'offer people market competitive prices') and 'what are their clothing needs' (should be 'what their clothing needs are'). Punctuation is generally handled well, though there are occasional missing commas after introductory phrases. The errors present do not impede communication, but to move into the higher bands, you should aim for more consistent control over complex sentence structures and ensure that subject-verb agreement and word order are always precise.

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