Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-22

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)

It is often argued that a person's dressing is enough to explain his culture and character. While some believe it is true, I strongly disagree with this view because it depends completely on situation and circumstances. It is an unreliable clue to define any person's personality and culture.

The primary reason for my viewpoint is that the following the cultural traditions is the valid reason for this. This is because numerous people follow their cultural dresses. It is due to their satisfaction and religious beliefs. They are bound to wear their designated clothing according to their culture or traditions. For example, in some religions, their outfits include jeans or shorts, that would be insufficient to explain their personality. Furthermore, if someone is wearing hijab, it does not mean she is pious. As a result, simply looking at dressing, we cannot judge the person character.

Another reason for my stance is that social inequality. In particular, underprivileged people cannot buy expensive clothing as they are not able to afford these valuable items. If someone's dressing is outdated due to the personal reasons, that is not a diagnostic sign to define someone's character. This can be illustrated by an example that low-income children adapt themselves to the things they can afford. Consequently, we cannot determine their personality or character by looking at them.

In conclusion, I completely disagree with the viewpoint that it is possible to tell a lot about a person’s culture and character from their choice of clothes, because it highly unpredictable to analyze people by looking at their dressings. It highly depends on their socio-economic status and cultural and traditional beliefs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. The arguments regarding cultural traditions and socio-economic status are relevant. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the example regarding jeans and shorts is slightly confusing in the context of cultural representation, and the point about social inequality is a bit repetitive. To reach a higher band, the student should provide more nuanced explanations and ensure that examples directly support the central argument rather than just stating them. The conclusion effectively restates the position, but the overall depth of the essay remains at a mid-level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'In particular', and 'Consequently' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions feel mechanical or slightly forced, such as 'The primary reason for my viewpoint is that the following the cultural traditions is the valid reason for this'. Additionally, there are some issues with referencing and flow, particularly in the second paragraph where the connection between the example and the main point is slightly disjointed. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to express their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'underprivileged', 'diagnostic sign', and 'socio-economic status'. However, there are instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'dressing is enough to explain' (should be 'clothing' or 'style of dress') and 'unpredictable to analyze people' (should be 'difficult to judge'). The range is sufficient for the task, but more precise and varied vocabulary would be needed for a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'the following the cultural traditions', 'define the person character', and 'due to the personal reasons'. Some sentences are slightly ungrammatical or awkward, such as 'it highly unpredictable to analyze'. Punctuation is generally fine, but the frequency of errors in basic grammar and article usage prevents the response from reaching a higher band. The student demonstrates an attempt at complex structures, but control over them is inconsistent.

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

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