Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-17

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)

In some countries, many people buy too many clothes which is largely associated with the desire to wear trendy outifits and maintain a perceived social image.

Nowadays, there is an increasing trend of consumerism especially for clothes among young people. Some individuals buy outfits not only for special occasions or when there is a particular need for it. Many designers produce new designs regularly to increase sales and attract more customers. To keep up with current fashion trends, some people buy trendy clothes very often regardless of whether they need it or not.

Also, some individuals now have the perception that people shouldn’t wear an outfit more than once especially for important events. As a result, people now feel the need to buy a new outfit for every occasion, especially celebrities who are often policed by the public on their choice of outfit. For instance, when a celebrity wears a particular dress to a red carpet, he or she is not expected to show up to another event with the same outfit. As a result, some celebrities may be forced to always buy a new dress for every occasion in order not to repeat clothes.

To reduce the amount of clothes bought by people, the government may need to put laws in place to regulate sales and purchase of clothing items. For instance, a law that only allows individuals to buy a maximum of three clothes per month can be considered by the government, with fines for those who break this rule.

Also, manufacturers may increase the quality and price of clothes. When the quality of a clothing item is very high, people may not be forced to buy new clothes very often because they are worn out or damaged. Additionally, when fabrics are expensive, people may also limit consumerism and buy clothes only when necessary.

In conclusion, many individuals now buy clothing items more than they need to because of fashion trends and the perceived need of not repeating outfits. To reduce cloth consumerism, the government need to make laws that prevent people from buying more clothes than they need.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both questions and maintain a clear focus on excessive clothing purchases. The reasons are relevant: keeping up with fashion and the expectation, particularly around public events, that outfits should not be repeated. The celebrity example helps illustrate the second point. You also offer two ways to reduce buying—government limits and higher-quality, more expensive clothing. However, these solutions are not equally convincing or fully developed. A strict monthly purchase limit and fines are proposed without considering how such a rule could be applied or whether it is practical; the conclusion then focuses only on government laws, leaving the manufacturing proposal less integrated. Explain the likely effectiveness and feasibility of each measure to make the response more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is organised into clear paragraphs, with the two reasons separated from the proposed solutions and a conclusion that restates the main points. The progression is generally easy to follow, and linking phrases such as “As a result,” “For instance,” and “Additionally” help show relationships between ideas. This already gives the essay a coherent overall structure. Some connections are nevertheless repetitive or slightly mechanical: “As a result” appears several times, and the final paragraph returns to government laws without summarising the earlier suggestion about manufacturers. Use a wider range of linking methods and make the conclusion reflect both solutions. Clearer references between sentences would also help the argument flow more naturally.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “consumerism,” “fashion trends,” “perceived social image,” “red carpet,” and “manufacturers.” These choices communicate the main ideas clearly, and some less common expressions show an effort to be precise. There are, however, several awkward or inaccurate choices that limit flexibility: “cloth consumerism” is not a natural phrase, “policed by the public” is stronger than the intended meaning, and “outifits” is misspelled. Repetition of “buy,” “clothes,” and “outfit” also makes parts of the response less varied. Aim for more natural collocations and precise alternatives, such as “clothing consumption,” “scrutinised by the public,” and “purchase” or “garments” where appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including subordinate clauses with “when” and “because,” and most sentences communicate their meaning clearly. For example, the sentence beginning “When the quality of a clothing item is very high” shows an effective conditional relationship. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with agreement and pronoun reference. In “the government need to make laws,” the singular subject requires “needs”; in “whether they need it,” the pronoun does not agree clearly with plural “outfits.” The phrase “a new outfit for every occasion” is clear, but the sentence about buying “a maximum of three clothes” would benefit from a more accurate plural noun construction. Check agreement and ensure pronouns refer unambiguously to their nouns.

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