Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-23
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)
People have different opinions about whether people can be identified by their culture based on their clothes. From my perspective, it is not true completely. People should not be judged by their clothes. This essay will discuss why this is not an ideal approach in the following paragraphs.
It is irrefutable that cloths are the symbol of several cultures. People belong to a particular tradition are wearing selective clothes. Therefore, They are judged by their looks. For example, In Punjab most of people are wearing turbans. Hence, Turban is an identity for Punjab people. Moreover, Turban also represents the Punjab's culture and tradition. Character can not be defined by people appearance.
On the other hand, It is not true all the time. Sometimes people avoid to carry their dresses. Instead of wearing local dresses, they prefer to dress up differently. In Simple terms, there are several types of dresses available on the market. People enable to wear whatever they have desire. Not only does it give freedom to look different bit it also allows to adopt different culture.
I believe, In past time, it was not difficult to tell about people's culture and tradition based on their clothes. However, In today's world. It is hard to understand individuals character from their appearance.
To conclude, although people judge based on their appearance, it is not genuine way to determine person character. People should respect each others cultures and traditions. Dressing should not be symbol of judgement of someone's character.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The essay addresses the prompt by discussing whether clothes reflect culture and character. However, the response is slightly under the 250-word minimum, which impacts the development of ideas. While you provide a clear position, the arguments are somewhat repetitive and lack depth. For instance, the point about Punjab is relevant, but the explanation of why character cannot be judged by appearance remains superficial. To improve, ensure you fully explore your arguments with more detailed examples or logical reasoning to meet the length requirement and provide a more comprehensive response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, 'In Simple terms' and 'In past time' are used awkwardly as transitions. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as the transition between the second and third paragraphs. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'nevertheless') and ensure they are used naturally to connect ideas within and between sentences.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'cloths' instead of 'clothes', 'people enable to wear' instead of 'people are able to wear', and 'not genuine way' instead of 'not a reliable way'. The repetition of basic words like 'people' and 'dresses' limits your score. Try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to sociology or fashion to demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede flow. Issues include incorrect article usage ('In Punjab most of people'), subject-verb agreement ('Turban is an identity'), and awkward phrasing ('Sometimes people avoid to carry their dresses'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary capitalisation after commas. To reach a higher band, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like articles and verb forms.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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