Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-18

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 7.0)

Some people believe that what a person wears says a lot about their culture and character, But I don’t agree. In today’s globalized world, popular fashion trends and practical dress codes make clothing an unreliable way to judge someone’s true background or personality.

First and foremost, Fast fashion and globalization have made clothing styles look pretty much the same across different regions, blurring distinct cultural identities. These days, people from all kinds of backgrounds in cities around the world often wear similar mass-produced outfits like jeans, suits, and Western-style casual wear. Because of this, everyday clothing rarely shows a person’s heritage or cultural traditions. For example, a professional in The United States of America , London, or Mumbai might all wear the same kind of formal suit to work, making it hard to tell their cultural background just by looking at them.

An individual’s daily attire is often influenced by practical considerations—such as workplace dress codes, financial constraints, or convenience—rather than personal character traits. Many choose their clothing out of necessity rather than preference. For example, an introverted and reserved person may wear bold uniforms or branded workwear solely due to job requirements. Likewise, someone dressed in high-end designer clothing may not inherently possess a refined or ambitious nature; they could simply be following a passing fashion trend or wearing affordable imitations. Therefore, forming assumptions about a person’s values or character based solely on their clothing often leads to inaccurate judgments.

In conclusion, I firmly maintain that clothing cannot accurately reveal a person's culture or character. The prevalence of global fashion trends and practical work requirements mean that attire reflects superficial circumstances rather than deep-seated identity or personal traits

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response7.0
Coherence and Cohesion7.0
Lexical Resource6.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy7.0
Overall7.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The student presents a clear and well-developed position on the prompt, directly addressing whether clothing reveals culture and character. The response is divided into logical body paragraphs, each providing supporting reasons and concrete examples. For instance, the mention of professionals in 'The United States of America, London, or Mumbai' wearing similar formal suits effectively supports the argument regarding globalization and fast fashion. Furthermore, the argument regarding practical constraints, such as workplace dress codes or financial limitations dictating attire rather than personal traits, is well-reasoned and extended throughout the second body paragraph. The position is maintained consistently from the introduction through to the conclusion. The task is fully addressed in line with Band 7 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay displays a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from the introduction to globalization, then to practical considerations, and finally to a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used appropriately, such as 'First and foremost', 'Because of this', 'Likewise', and 'Therefore', which guide the reader effectively through the writer's arguments. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating the distinct ideas neatly. Referencing is generally clear and straightforward, ensuring that the relationships between ideas remain transparent and easy to follow. The overall structure easily satisfies the Band 7 criteria for coherence and cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, suitable for Band 6.5 or 7.0. Words and phrases such as 'globalized world', 'distinct cultural identities', 'mass-produced outfits', and 'financial constraints' indicate a competent control of less common lexical items. There is an awareness of collocation and style, as seen in expressions like 'passing fashion trend' and 'deep-seated identity'. However, there are minor slips in capitalization, such as 'Fast fashion' starting with a capital letter unnecessarily in the middle of a sentence, and a minor punctuation slip in the introduction with a comma preceding a coordinating conjunction where a full stop or semicolon might have been better placed. Nonetheless, the vocabulary is adequate to convey precise meanings without impeding communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The student successfully incorporates subordinate clauses and participial phrases, such as 'In today’s globalized world, popular fashion trends and practical dress codes make clothing an unreliable way to judge...' and 'Many choose their clothing out of necessity rather than preference.' Control of grammar and punctuation is generally good, with frequent error-free sentences. There are occasional minor mechanical issues, such as the comma splice and lowercase letter in '...character, But I don’t agree', but these do not impede communication. Complex structures are handled with reasonable accuracy, placing the grammatical performance solidly at the Band 7 level.

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