Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-25

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that it is possible to tell a lot about a person’s culture and character from their choice of clothes.

Do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 7.5)

Some people believe that clothing is more than a fashion statement as it often conveys meaningful aspects of a person’s identity, culture and beliefs. While clothing impact one’s appearance, I disagree that it is possible to judge someone based on what they wear.

Indicating a person’s character through clothing is a stereotype assumption. One can wear their choice of clothes based on preference, comfort and fashion trends. A person who is working hard and responsible may choose to dress up simply, while one who follows different fashion styles may be conscious about their looks and may not necessarily be honest towards their duties. Thus, these judgments of personality by appearance may lead to unfairness.

Furthermore, people buy clothes based on their budget, weather and restrictions made by working environments and academic institutions. For example, a student’s grades, manners, cultural backgrounds and religious beliefs cannot be justified if one is wearing a uniform. Also, the concept of uniforms has been made to show equality over affordability in society. Additionally, clothing may be considered a piece of protection for the skin to keep it protected from heat, cold and dust.

However, it is true that traditional garments such as the sari in India, the kimono in Japan and more statement pieces of clothes that belong to a specific nationality symbolize the national identity and are mostly worn by people who attend cultural events. For instance, native Canadians wear a traditional dress called regalia, mostly worn at events like powwow. The headwear of this garment is made of feathers, which is highly restricted, as only specific leaders who have earned respect can wear it.

Overall, it is not the correct way to judge a character from clothing as it could be someone’s personal choice but it is tough to neglect the meaning it holds for some cultures. Personality should be measured based on behavior, actions and treatments offered by people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, maintaining a clear position throughout. You effectively argue that while clothing can signify culture, it is an unreliable indicator of character. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the distinction between personal choice and cultural symbolism. You provide relevant examples, such as the sari, kimono, and regalia, which support your argument well. The conclusion reinforces your stance effectively. To reach a higher band, ensure that the link between 'character' and 'clothing' is explored with even more depth, perhaps by discussing how professional attire might influence perception versus reality in more detail.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'For instance', and 'Overall' to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different arguments. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between ideas is clear. To improve, you could vary your cohesive devices slightly more to avoid a somewhat mechanical feel in the transition between paragraphs, ensuring that the logical links between sentences are even more sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'stereotype assumption', 'statement pieces', and 'national identity' show an ability to use less common lexical items. There are occasional minor inaccuracies, such as 'clothing impact' (should be 'impacts') and 'justify' (which is slightly misused in the context of grades). However, these do not impede communication. To move higher, focus on more precise collocations and ensure that word forms are consistently accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are clear and error-free, though there are some grammatical slips, such as 'clothing impact' (subject-verb agreement) and 'the concept of uniforms has been made to show equality over affordability' (which is slightly awkward phrasing). Punctuation is generally accurate. To achieve a higher band, aim for a greater variety of complex structures, such as conditional sentences or more sophisticated relative clauses, and ensure that subject-verb agreement is consistently monitored.

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