Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-14

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many countries nowadays, consumers can go to a supermarket and buy food produced all over the world.

Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 7.0)

This development presents both opportunities and challenges as in many countries consumers buy food produced in different parts of the world from their local supermarkets. I believe this is a positive development because it provides people with more choices and allows them to enjoy a wider variety of food.

Perhaps the most significant benefit is that people can easily access different types of food throughout the year. For example, supermarkets can sell fruits such as mangoes, oranges and grapes from countries with different climates. This means consumers do not have to wait for local products to be in season. Moreover, people can try traditional foods from other cultures without travelling abroad. This can make their diets more interesting and diverse.

Another benefit is that international food trade can support the economies of developing countries. Farmers and food producers can sell their products to customers in foreign markets, which can increase their income and create more jobs. In addition, competition between international producers may encourage companies to improve the quality of their products and keep prices reasonable.

Despite these merits, several drawbacks cannot be overlooked . Transporting food over long distances can increase pollution because trucks, ships and planes are used to deliver these products. Also, local farmers may face difficulties competing with cheaper imported food, which could negatively affect local agriculture.

Overall the positive implications appear to surpass the negative ones. Although selling food from around the world can cause environmental problems and create competition for local farmers, I believe it is mainly a positive development because it gives consumers greater choice and supports international trade.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the development is positive. The ideas are relevant and well-supported, particularly the points regarding seasonal availability and economic benefits for developing nations. The counter-argument regarding environmental impact and local competition is also well-integrated, showing a balanced perspective. The development of ideas is logical and sufficient for the task requirements, demonstrating a clear understanding of the topic throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the benefits and the drawbacks is handled smoothly using cohesive devices like 'Despite these merits' and 'Moreover'. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate distinct points. While the cohesive devices are generally used well, the flow is occasionally slightly mechanical, but it remains clear and easy to follow throughout the entire response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate and appropriate for the task. The student uses topic-specific terms such as 'international food trade', 'developing countries', and 'environmental problems'. While the range is sufficient to convey ideas clearly, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or 'less common' lexical items that would push the score into the 8.0+ range. However, there are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a good command of both simple and complex sentence structures. There is a variety of grammatical forms, such as the use of conditional-like structures ('This means consumers do not have to wait...') and passive voice ('cannot be overlooked'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is generally accurate. While there are no major grammatical errors, the range of complex structures could be slightly more ambitious to reach the highest bands.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.