Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-07

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 5.5)

In today's fast-paced life, shoping has become much easier through the use of technology. Therefore, people prefer to buy too many clother in many countries. Although this situation can be attributed to several interconnected factors, a range of practical measures can be adopted by authorities and the organizations to alleviate it. One primary reason of this problem is the social media influence . This is because people not only see new fashions on Instagram or TikTot, but also available discounts. People feel presure not to wear same outfit twice in photos. As a result, people tend to buy new clothes. Moreover, easy online shopping also makes people more excited to shop. People can buy clothes in just one click from their mobile phones anytime. Companies can deliver outfits on their sites which make incredibly easy to shop.

One effective remedy is for people to limit the time of social media. People should have to spend that time on healthy habits. It can be beneficial for both physically and financially. Furthermore, People should buy quality over quantity. It also helps people to save money and time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address both questions: social-media pressure and convenient online shopping are given as reasons, while limiting social-media use and choosing quality over quantity are proposed as responses. However, the ideas are only briefly explained. For example, you mention discounts and pressure not to repeat outfits, but do not show how these factors lead to excessive purchasing or give a relevant example. The solutions also need development: explain how people could limit their exposure, and how buying durable clothing would reduce consumption. The response is 65 words below the required minimum, so it does not meet the task’s length requirement; this leaves the discussion notably incomplete. Add a developed example and explain each main point more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph explaining causes, and a paragraph presenting solutions. Linking expressions such as “Therefore,” “Moreover,” and “Furthermore” help signal the relationships between points. However, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes abrupt. The move from social-media fashion to discounts, for instance, is not fully explained, and the final paragraph presents two solutions without showing how they connect to the problem. Some linking is also mechanical, with several points introduced in a list-like way. Develop each paragraph around a clear central idea, use pronouns or other referencing to connect sentences, and add a concluding sentence to bring the response together.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “social media influence,” “available discounts,” “online shopping,” and “quality over quantity.” These phrases make the main ideas understandable, and “interconnected factors” and “practical measures” show an attempt to use more formal language. However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “people feel pressure not to wear same outfit twice” and “companies can deliver outfits on their sites.” There are also spelling errors, including “shoping,” “clother,” “TikTot,” and “presure.” Check spelling carefully and choose more precise expressions, such as “feel pressured to avoid repeating outfits” and “order clothes through retailers’ websites.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple sentences and more complex forms, including the opening concession beginning “Although this situation…” and the cause-and-effect structure “As a result, people tend to buy new clothes.” Most sentences communicate their basic meaning, and errors rarely prevent understanding. Some grammatical problems remain, however. In “people not only see new fashions … but also available discounts,” the second part does not match the structure of the first; write “but also see discounts.” Articles and number are also inconsistent in “wear same outfit twice,” while “Companies can deliver outfits on their sites which make incredibly easy to shop” has an unclear relative clause and missing object. Practise parallel structures, articles, and clear clause construction.

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