Fashion trends are difficult to follow these days and it’s widely believed that they primarily exist just to sell clothes. Some people believe that we shouldn’t follow them and that we should dress in what we like and feel comfortable in. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Same question Compare 2 different answersSample Response
The fashion industry is thriving like never before, and the fashion trends change very frequently these days. What was in vogue yesterday becomes obsolete today. I believe sometimes it is good to buy things which are in fashion but otherwise, people should dress in clothes that they are comfortable in. Firstly, following fashion trends is very expensive and a waste of money for the people who do not belong to fashion and film industry. Apparels and accessories which are in trend are generally very costly and sometimes pinch a hole in one’s pocket. Moreover, they go out of fashion very quickly and are not wearable after a certain point. For instance, in India silk sarees were in fashion in mid 90’s and they would range from Rs. 5000 – 50000; but now they are out of fashion and different material like brocade, chiffon or net are in vogue. Secondly, I think it is more important to feel comfortable and confident in what you wear. It is not necessary that the clothes in fashion will suit your body type. For instance, Indian actress, Vidya Balan garnered a lot of criticism when she tried to follow the trends and dressing up in the western outfit which did not suit her body, culture and style. But then she went back to her roots and started dressing up in traditional Indian wears and now she always looks stunning and critics do not through fire on her. In a nutshell, it is of utmost important that people buy clothes which are more wearable and in-line with their lifestyle. Fashion trends change in every season and it is merely a tactic to sell clothes. If one wears clothes they are confident and comfortable in, they will automatically look good.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Remove unnecessary article Original: the fashion trends Suggested revision: fashion trends Why it matters: The plural noun refers to fashion trends generally, so the definite article is unnecessary.
- 2. Use natural phrasing Original: the people who do not belong to fashion and film industry Suggested revision: people outside the fashion and film industries Why it matters: People do not normally 'belong to' an industry, and both industry names need plural reference here.
- 3. Use uncountable noun Original: Apparels Suggested revision: Clothing Why it matters: 'Apparel' is normally uncountable, and 'clothing' is the natural choice in this sentence.
- 4. Fix fashion collocation Original: which are in trend Suggested revision: that are fashionable Why it matters: 'In trend' is not the standard collocation for describing fashionable items.
- 5. Correct the idiom Original: pinch Suggested revision: burn Why it matters: The established idiom is 'burn a hole in one's pocket.'
- 6. Clarify the meaning Original: not wearable after a certain point Suggested revision: no longer considered fashionable Why it matters: The original wording implies the clothes become physically impossible to wear rather than unfashionable.
- 7. Format the decade Original: in mid 90’s Suggested revision: in the mid-1990s Why it matters: This time expression requires 'the' and a plural decade without an apostrophe.
- 8. Use simple past Original: would range Suggested revision: ranged Why it matters: A completed price range in a past period is expressed with the simple past.
- 9. Format the number range Original: Rs. 5000 – 50000 Suggested revision: Rs. 5,000–50,000 Why it matters: Commas and a closed en dash make the numerical range clear and conventional.
- 10. Use plural examples Original: different material like Suggested revision: different materials such as Why it matters: Several materials are listed, so the head noun must be plural.
- 11. Remove the comma Original: actress, Vidya Balan Suggested revision: actress Vidya Balan Why it matters: A person's name that identifies the preceding noun should not be separated from it by a comma.
- 12. Match verb forms Original: dressing Suggested revision: dressed Why it matters: The coordinated verbs after 'tried to' need parallel past-tense structure in this clause.
Suggested Rewrites
- the fashion trends fashion trends
- the people who do not belong to fashion and film industry people outside the fashion and film industries
- Apparels Clothing
- which are in trend that are fashionable
- pinch burn
- not wearable after a certain point no longer considered fashionable
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response presents a clear, consistent position and supports it with relevant examples about cost and personal suitability. Its main limitation is uneven language control, with awkward collocations and grammatical slips, while the lack of visible paragraphing weakens organisation despite clear progression. The highest priority is to organise the two main reasons into distinct paragraphs and revise imprecise phrases so that each point is expressed naturally and accurately.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
A clear, qualified agreement is maintained and supported by two relevant reasons and specific examples.
Develop the link between rapidly changing trends and unnecessary consumption more analytically rather than relying mainly on illustrative cases.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through two distinct reasons, but presenting the entire response as one paragraph weakens the organisation.
Separate the introduction, each main reason, and the conclusion into clear paragraphs while using less mechanical sequencing.
Lexical Resource
The response shows a good range of topic vocabulary, although several collocations and word choices are inaccurate or unnatural.
Replace expressions such as "pinch a hole" and "traditional Indian wears" with natural, precise collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A mix of simple and complex structures communicates meaning clearly, but errors in articles, word forms, and clause construction recur.
Proofread complex sentences for article use, agreement, and accurate verb forms, especially around examples.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Fashion trends are difficult to follow these days and it’s widely believed that they primarily exist just to sell clothes. Some people believe that we shouldn’t follow them and that we should dress in what we like and feel comfortable in. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Your response
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