Plan this problem and solution essay about economy with the ideas and outline below, write it on a 40-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
People buy more clothes than ever before and throw them away after a few wears, creating enormous waste.
What are the causes of this problem and what measures could be taken to solve it?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
Pick two or three points from one or both columns. You do not need all of them, and your own examples score better than memorised ones.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 250 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
People buy more clothes than ever and discard them after only a few wears, creating enormous amounts of waste. This essay will discuss the causes of this problem and suggest measures to address it.
The main cause is the rise of fast fashion. Retailers produce cheap garments in huge quantities and introduce new collections almost weekly, so clothes are affordable enough to treat as disposable. Aggressive advertising and social media reinforce the idea that wearing the same outfit twice is unfashionable, and influencers promote constant shopping through hauls and discounts. Poor quality also plays a role: garments made from cheap materials lose their shape or fall apart after a few washes, so there is little incentive to keep or repair them. Online shopping and easy returns make impulse buying even simpler. The result is that millions of tonnes of textiles end up in landfill or are burned each year, and the industry consumes vast amounts of water and energy.
There are several ways to tackle this. Governments could oblige producers to pay for the collection and recycling of unsold and discarded clothing, introduce standards for durability and ban the destruction of unsold goods; France has already adopted measures of this kind. Retailers can offer repair services, take-back schemes and clothing made from recycled fibres, and advertisers should be encouraged to avoid promoting excessive consumption. Consumers can buy fewer but better items, choose second-hand shops and online resale platforms, swap clothes with friends and learn basic mending skills. Schools could also teach pupils about the environmental impact of fashion.
In conclusion, textile waste is driven by cheap production, advertising and low quality, but legislation, responsible business practices and more thoughtful buying habits can reduce it. Changing attitudes is essential if the clothing industry is to become sustainable.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| fast fashion | cheap, quickly produced clothes |
| consumerism | culture of buying |
| second-hand | previously owned |
| textile waste | discarded fabric |
| disposable culture | habit of throwing away |
| clothing industry | business of clothes |
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