Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

In recent times, consumers travel to huge shopping malls to purchase all their goods which has led to the closure of numerous small shops in their neighbourhood. Although it provides a better shopping experience to the customers, I believe it is an undesirable development because it contributes to unemployment and environmental pollution, which has a more significant impact on the societies.

Many individuals prefer to shop at large shopping centres because they provide them with multiple shopping options under one roof. Since they can buy both personal and household goods at the same mall, without travelling to different shops in search of their goods, it improves their overall shopping experience. For instance, Square One shopping centre provides customers a one-stop place to buy all the items ranging from groceries to makeup as it has all kinds of shops within the complex.

On the contrary, this trend has negatively influenced small local shops which have limited varieties and can provide only a few items of interest. Consequently, it has resulted in a rise in unemployment by closure of such small businesses, which has created a formidable effect on local economies. Furthermore, since the giant malls heavily depend upon international trade, this practice is associated with higher plastic wastage, carbon footprints and transport emissions, which significantly escalate environmental pollution. Hence, this trend is negatively impacting both the local economies and the environment.

In conclusion, while such shopping practices offer convenience and riveting experiences to customers; to my belief, they are still unfavourable because they increase unemployment and thus afflict local economies, and are more damaging to the environment in the long run.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You have taken a clear position from the introduction and maintained it throughout the essay. The ideas regarding unemployment and environmental impact are relevant and well-developed. You provide a balanced view by acknowledging the convenience of malls before presenting your counter-argument. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting examples are slightly more detailed; for instance, while mentioning 'Square One' is good, explaining how its presence specifically led to the closure of a nearby shop would strengthen the argument further.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the benefits of malls and the negative consequences for local shops is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' and 'on the contrary' effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow of information is easy to follow. To improve, ensure that referencing is always precise; for example, in the second paragraph, ensure the link between the 'one-stop place' and the 'shopping experience' remains tight throughout the paragraph.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, including terms like 'formidable effect,' 'escalate,' and 'riveting experiences.' The language is generally precise and appropriate for the task. There are no significant spelling errors, and word choice is mostly accurate. To push into the higher bands, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic expressions that sound more natural in an academic context. For example, instead of 'riveting experiences,' consider 'unparalleled convenience' or 'a streamlined shopping experience' to better reflect the context of retail.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is solid. You use complex structures, such as conditional-like constructions and relative clauses, effectively to link ideas. There are very few grammatical slips, and those that exist do not impede communication. To achieve a higher score, try to vary your sentence beginnings even more and ensure that subject-verb agreement is consistently maintained, particularly in longer, more complex sentences where the subject might be separated from the verb by several clauses.

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