Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-04

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 5.5)

There is an old saying that “ Do not judge the book by its cover” the same applies to this. People living in different parts of world have different norms, values, culture and characteristics. Taking the example of Pakistan, it is Muslim country and majority of the people are Muslims there. In spite of that, some people prefer traditional clothing while on the other hand some other people prefer western style clothing.

What my opinion on this is I completely disagree with this. It is quite a possibility that one with the traditional clothing never follows the religion or not interested in religious activities. You cannot simply judge anybody by choice of his/her clothing. Somebody’s culture and characteristics has nothing to do with his or her clothing. How can some piece of cloth allow you to judge someone’s culture. Parents or family are the ones who’s responsible for a person’s upbringing.

Many of relatives have moved to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and so many other places of the world. In spite of living in these countries, wearing clothes like them they also follow their values, traditions and ethics. Even their children born there but in spite of living away from their family, their country, children follow the same culture and characteristics. Furthermore, living away from family, country makes more difficult to stay with your roots. But still they are connected with their roots and trying to teach the same culture and characteristics to their next generation too. So, clothing has nothing to do with your culture and characteristics, it is you who is responsible for this.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have clearly stated your position of disagreement and maintained it throughout the essay. However, the development of your ideas is somewhat limited. While you provide a personal example regarding relatives living abroad, the argument remains a bit repetitive. To reach a higher band, you should aim to explore the nuances of the topic more deeply—for example, by acknowledging why some people might hold the opposing view before refuting it. The essay addresses the prompt, but the supporting arguments could be more varied and analytical to provide a more comprehensive response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For instance, you frequently use 'in spite of' and 'and' to connect ideas. Transitions between sentences could be smoother to improve the flow. While the progression of ideas is logical, the lack of a wider variety of linking words (such as 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' or 'conversely') makes the writing feel a bit disjointed at times. Improving the range of cohesive devices will significantly enhance the readability of your work.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to express your opinions clearly. However, the range is somewhat limited, and you rely on basic terms like 'good,' 'bad,' or 'things.' There are also some minor issues with word choice, such as 'somebody’s culture and characteristics has nothing to do with his or her clothing,' where 'has' should be 'have' to agree with the plural subjects. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to sociology or personal identity to demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include: 'It is Muslim country' (missing article 'a'), 'who’s responsible' (should be 'who is' or 'are'), and 'children born there but in spite of living away' (awkward phrasing). Additionally, there are punctuation errors, such as the missing period after the opening quote. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of subject-verb agreement and article usage.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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