Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-06

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)

Currently, people prefer to buy many clothes. However, they have a considerable number of outfits. This essay will explain the reasons for buying many clothes and solutions to this problem.

There are many reasons why people consider buying clothes. Firstly, nowadays, new styles become very popular quickly. This happens because of social media. They follow celebrities and other popular politicians who wear attractive dresses. Apart from this, some popular designer make advertisements for their design. Everybody wants to look attractive and different from others. As a result, they buy new clothes, even though they already have them. Moreover, many clothes are inexpensive, for instance, online shopping. Sometimes, they offer buy-one-get-one. This is an easy platform to purchase things.

This problem can be tackled with a possible solution. The government should hold seminars and events to educate people about environmental impacts. If people buy overloaded clothes, it leads to producing more energy and water. After using them for a short time, they become waste again. These things have a bad impact on the environment. People should buy good quality clothes that are long-lasting. Also, another possible solution could be for the government to introduce campaigns for reusing, recycling and donating clothes. Therefore, people would be aware of buying fewer clothes.

In conclusion, people tend to buy too many clothes because of fashion trends, social media and the availability of cheap clothing. However, this problem can be reduced by educating people about the effects of overconsumption and encouraging them to buy fewer, better-quality clothes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the question and gives a clear account of causes and possible ways to reduce clothing purchases. The explanation of fashion trends is relevant and supported by the influence of social media and celebrities, while cheap online offers provide a second cause. The proposed education, campaigns, and preference for durable clothing are also appropriate. This meets the core requirements well, and the conclusion summarises the main points. However, some ideas are only briefly explained: for example, the effect of buying inexpensive clothes is asserted rather than explored, and the environmental consequences and campaigns could be linked more clearly to changing consumers’ behaviour. More specific examples or explanation would make the response more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph on causes, a paragraph on solutions, and a conclusion. Ideas generally progress in a logical order, and signposting such as “Firstly,” “Moreover,” and “In conclusion” helps the reader follow the argument. The cause-and-solution division is especially clear. However, some linking is mechanical, and a few connections between ideas are not fully explicit. For instance, “This is an easy platform to purchase things” does not clearly explain how online shopping contributes to excessive buying. The phrase “This problem can be tackled with a possible solution” is also awkward and does not smoothly introduce the several measures that follow. Clearer referencing and more natural transitions would strengthen the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for discussing fashion, consumer behaviour, and environmental effects, with relevant expressions such as “fashion trends,” “environmental impacts,” “long-lasting,” and “recycling and donating.” The meaning is generally clear, and the writer attempts some less common language. However, several choices or combinations are imprecise, including “popular designer,” “attractive dresses,” “buy overloaded clothes,” and “producing more energy and water.” These weaken naturalness and precision, even though they do not prevent understanding. Aim for more accurate collocations and a wider range of terms for overconsumption and clothing production. Checking singular and plural forms in vocabulary phrases will also help make the language more controlled.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses with “because,” “even though,” and “After using them for a short time.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, and punctuation is generally manageable. Some grammatical errors remain, however. For example, “some popular designer make advertisements” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “they become waste again” needs a more appropriate grammatical form for the noun. “If people buy overloaded clothes, it leads to producing more energy and water” also has an unclear pronoun reference and an awkward clause structure. Greater accuracy with agreement, articles, and sentence construction, alongside continued use of varied structures, would improve control.

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