Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-28

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)

Many parts of the world are dealing with the issue of overconsumption especially when it comes to clothing. People now buy more clothes than they need and this could be as a result of fast fashion. Fast fashion allows individuals to purchase clothing that are cheap but not durable. Within a year, some of these items become unsuitable to wear as a result of its poor quality and this cycle keeps repeating itself.

Also, social media has contributed negatively to this issue. People are now being influenced to buy items that are not needed by "Instagram models". Nowadays, companies advertise their products through influencers that have massive followings on the internet. This encourages followers to purchase items even when they have no need for them.

Fast fashion must be discouraged. One way this can be done is for countries to ban the import of low quality clothing, and encourage companies within these parts to produce pieces of high quality at affordable prices. Of course, incentives should be given to encourage production which will include the reduction of the cost of getting raw materials.

Additionally, eople should be educated about he effects of buying unnecessary clothing and disposing them soon after. Landfills are overflowing with such items and one of the ways in which they are desrtroyed is through burning. The consequence of this is that harmful carbon is dissipated in the environment which can be harmful.

It is understandable that people want to appear fashionable, however, if overconsumption is not reduced, it can caiuse undesirable effect to the environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses both parts of the task by identifying the reasons behind excessive clothing consumption, such as fast fashion and social media influence, and proposing actionable ways to reduce this trend through import bans, subsidies, and public education. The position is clear throughout the essay, and the ideas are extended and supported with relevant explanations regarding environmental impacts, such as overflowing landfills and carbon emissions. Although some points could be explored with further depth or specific personal examples, the overall coverage of the prompt is strong. Therefore, this performance meets the criteria for Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are coherently arranged into distinct paragraphs, starting with the causes and smoothly transitioning to solutions and a conclusion. Transitional markers such as 'Also', 'One way this can be done', and 'Additionally' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument, although a few cohesive devices are slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a single, well-defined sub-topic. Referencing is generally clear, resulting in a solid performance that fits the Band 7 descriptor well.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision, incorporating topic-specific terms such as 'overconsumption', 'fast fashion', 'durable', 'influencers', and 'landfills'. There are attempts to use less common items with an awareness of style and collocation, though some minor errors in word choice and spelling occur, such as 'eople' instead of 'people' and 'desrtroyed' instead of 'destroyed'. Furthermore, phrases like 'dissipated in the environment' show slight lexical awkwardness. However, these inaccuracies do not impede communication, and the vocabulary remains adequate for a Band 6.5, rounded to 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional structures such as 'if overconsumption is not reduced, it can caiuse undesirable effect'. There are several grammatical errors and typos present, including 'clothing that are cheap' (agreement error), 'result of its poor quality' (plural/singular mismatch with 'items'), and 'caiuse undesirable effect'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but minor errors persist. Because simple sentences tend to be error-free while complex structures contain occasional flaws that do not impede communication, this response comfortably secures a Band 6.0.

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