Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-22
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In recent years, many small local shops have closed because customers travel to large shopping centres or malls to do their shopping.
Is this a positive or a negative development?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 6.0)
There is no doubt that malls attracting customers is becoming increasingly common nowadays. Although this development has several positives, it also has some negatives. This essay will discuss both sides of this issue.
On the one hand, one major negative of closing local shops is the effect on middle-class families. This is because many shopkeepers earn their bread and butter from their shops and support their children's education. For example, shopkeepers always sit at the workplace in order to attend to customers and provide good service. Therefore, because of shopping malls, local shopkeepers lose money even though they provide the same quality and fabrics at low prices.
On the other hand, one important positive impact of local shops is surpassing the impact of shopping centres is economics growth. This can lead to paying high taxes, which can help the needy and the government
provide all required amenities. For instance, the government can improve transportation facilities of everyone.
In conclusion, although small local shops have closed because of large shopping malls offer several negative impacts, such as the effect on middle-class families, it also has certain positives. Overall, I believe that it has a negative impact on society.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 197 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas, as the arguments remain superficial and lack sufficient supporting evidence or examples. While the essay attempts to address both sides of the issue, the lack of depth and the failure to reach the required length prevent a higher score. The position is stated, but the supporting points are under-developed, particularly the argument regarding economic growth, which is confusingly phrased and lacks a clear link to the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, and there is a basic attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'In conclusion'. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed. For example, the second body paragraph is confusing; the transition 'surpassing the impact of shopping centres is economics growth' is unclear and does not logically follow the previous point. Referencing is occasionally mechanical, and the overall flow is hindered by the brevity of the response, which prevents a more sophisticated development of logical arguments.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. Phrases like 'earn their bread and butter' are idiomatic but perhaps slightly informal for an academic essay. There are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'surpassing the impact of shopping centres is economics growth', which indicates a limited control over more complex lexical items. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but it does not demonstrate the flexibility or precision needed to move beyond a band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors and awkward constructions. For instance, 'because of large shopping malls offer several negative impacts' is grammatically incorrect. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. A wider range of error-free complex structures is needed to demonstrate better control.
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.