Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-24

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 6.5)

It is argued that if individual's style of dressing gives an insight into their cultural background and moral character. In my view, people's choice of clothing might reflect their religious observance and cultural traditions, but should not be taken a symbol of their character.

The primary reason of this paradigm is that individual's dressing sense reflects their specific religious and cultural believes, which has been passed down by the progenitors and are kept alive by the modern practices. For instance, the Hijab practice in the muslim community and the Turban wearing trend in the sikh communities reflect their religious values. Furthermore, people wear traditional attires to demonstrate their native land of origin, which not only helps them to stay connected to their roots but also assists them in recognizing similar families in the foreign land. Consequently, such traditional costumes become a hallmark for their cultural backgrounds.

Conversely, a person's character cannot be accurately determined by their dressing style. Some think people wearing modern dresses might be sophisticated whereas those wearing the traditional clothing may be old-fashioned, however in modern world such thinking has been proved wrong. This is because many people who dress formal, which is appropriate as per the societal norms may possess immoral and negative personal values which are detrimental to the society, but those who wear casual and informal cheaper clothes might possess stronger ethical values and higher moral character.

In conclusion, although individual's choice of clothes has direct relationship with their religious believes and cultural backgrounds, I disgree with the part that it can predict their moral character.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the cultural aspect and the character aspect. You maintain a clear position throughout, arguing that clothing reflects culture but not character. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples such as the Hijab and Turban. However, the development is somewhat limited; the argument regarding character could be more deeply explored with more nuanced reasoning. The introduction is slightly awkward in its phrasing ('It is argued that if individual's style...'), which slightly impacts the clarity of your initial position. Overall, the task is well-addressed, but further elaboration would elevate the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. You use cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Consequently', and 'Conversely' to guide the reader through your argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing and sentence-level flow. For instance, the opening sentence is grammatically disjointed, which affects the initial coherence. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the cultural argument to the character argument, followed by a summary in the conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'progenitors', 'sophisticated', and 'detrimental'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'taken a symbol' (should be 'taken as a symbol') and 'religious believes' (should be 'religious beliefs'). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, some errors persist. The range is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score. Improving your control over word forms and collocations will help significantly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you successfully use complex sentences, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include 'if individual's style' (missing article), 'reason of this paradigm' (should be 'reason for'), and 'dress formal' (should be 'dress formally'). These errors are noticeable but do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, you need to increase the frequency of error-free sentences and improve your control over articles, prepositions, and adverbial usage.

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

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