Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

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

The primary reason for this paradigm is that an individual's dressing sense reflects their specific religious and cultural beliefs, which have 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 the modern world such thinking has been proved wrong. This is because many people who dress formally, 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 an individual's choice of clothes has a direct relationship with their religious beliefs and cultural backgrounds, I disagree with the part that it can predict their moral character.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have clearly addressed both parts of the prompt: the relationship between clothing and culture, and the relationship between clothing and character. Your position is consistent throughout the essay. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the distinction between cultural identity and moral character. You provide relevant examples, such as the Hijab and Turban, to support your arguments. To reach a higher band, you could further extend your analysis of why people might mistakenly associate clothing with character, perhaps by discussing the role of social media or professional dress codes in shaping these perceptions, which would add more depth to your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'The primary reason for this paradigm', 'Furthermore', 'Consequently', and 'Conversely' to link your points effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument. The referencing is generally clear, and the flow between the cultural argument and the character argument is smooth.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, including some sophisticated terms like 'progenitors', 'sophisticated', and 'detrimental'. Your word choice is generally precise and appropriate for an academic essay. There are a few minor collocations that could be improved, such as 'dressing sense' (which is more common in informal contexts) and 'Turban wearing trend' (which sounds slightly unnatural). However, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your ideas with precision and flexibility throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your control of grammar is strong. There are occasional minor slips, such as 'the Hijab practice' (which could be 'the practice of wearing a hijab') and 'the Turban wearing trend' (which could be 'the wearing of turbans'). Punctuation is generally accurate, and your use of complex structures, such as the conditional-like structure in the third paragraph, demonstrates a good command of English grammar.

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

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