Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-18

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 7.5)

In some parts of the world, people purchase far more clothes than they actually need. This trend is mainly caused by the influence of fashion and advertising, as well as the increasing availability of inexpensive clothing. However, people can be encouraged to buy fewer clothes through greater awareness of environmental problems and changes in consumer behaviour.

One major reason for excessive clothing consumption is the rapid development of the fashion industry. New styles and trends appear frequently, encouraging consumers to replace perfectly usable clothes with newer ones. Social media also contributes to this problem because people are constantly exposed to celebrities and influencers wearing different outfits. As a result, some individuals may feel pressure to keep up with current trends in order to appear fashionable. Another important factor is the low price of many garments. Online retailers and fast-fashion companies often sell clothes at prices that make it easy for consumers to purchase items impulsively rather than considering whether they really need them.

There are several ways to persuade people to reduce their clothing consumption. Firstly, schools, governments and environmental organisations could educate the public about the environmental consequences of excessive clothing production, such as water consumption, pollution and textile waste. If consumers understand that buying unnecessary clothes contributes to these problems, they may become more responsible shoppers. Secondly, governments could introduce measures that encourage sustainable fashion, such as requiring clothing companies to provide information about the environmental impact of their products. Discounts or incentives for repairing, recycling or donating unwanted clothes could also encourage people to make better use of what they already own.

For example, many people now use online platforms to sell or exchange clothes they no longer wear. This allows garments to have a longer useful life and reduces the need to purchase new items. Similarly, repairing a damaged jacket or having clothes altered can be considerably cheaper and more environmentally friendly than replacing them.

In conclusion, people buy excessive amounts of clothing largely because of fashion trends, social pressure and the availability of cheap garments. Better education, greater transparency from clothing companies and incentives for reusing and repairing clothes could help consumers make more sustainable purchasing decisions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by clearly identifying both the reasons why people buy excessive clothes, such as the rapid development of fashion trends, social media influence, and low prices, and offering practical ways to reduce consumption, including education, government regulations, and sustainable habits. A clear position is maintained throughout the essay. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as online platforms for selling or exchanging clothes and repairing damaged items. The content is logical and entirely relevant to the prompt, reflecting a strong performance that aligns well with the Band 8 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting with an introduction that outlines the scope of the response, followed by well-structured body paragraphs exploring reasons and solutions, and finishing with a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'For example', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader through the arguments without being overly mechanical. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the overall progression of ideas is smooth and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student uses a sufficient and generally natural range of vocabulary suitable for a general task. Less common lexical items and collocations are successfully employed throughout the text, such as 'excessive clothing consumption', 'impulsively', 'textile waste', and 'sustainable fashion'. Word choices are precise, and spelling is accurate. While there is occasional use of standard phrasing rather than highly sophisticated or rare idiomatic language, the lexical range allows for flexibility and precision, easily meeting the requirements for a Band 7 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response exhibits a wide variety of complex sentence structures, including conditional sentences ('If consumers understand...') and relative clauses ('garments that make it easy...'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and the writer demonstrates good control over grammar and punctuation. There are only very occasional minor slips or awkward constructions, but these do not impede communication. The control over complex syntax is strong and consistent, warranting a solid Band 8 score for grammatical range and accuracy.

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