Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-28

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 6.5)

In the recent times shopping has become a matter of discussion around the globe. This brings along the selection of areas people are more attracted to choose from. Nowadays, people are more fascinated towards shopping in large shopping centers or malls rather than small local shops. This essay will explain why this situation is occurring and whether it is a positive or negative development.

There are several reasons why this trend is taking place so rapidly. The main reason for people to choose shopping centers or malls is because of the huge collection of shops that they can access under one roof. Moreover, it also saves their time to commute from one place to the other to find a particular product they are after. Another important factor is the choice of options they get for the same product from different stores at affordable prices.

In my opinion, this is a positive development. The main reason to support my view is that if you go to local shops you lack varieties as they are small local shops with limited stock availabilities. In addition to that some products are overpriced, as there are no shops nearby competing on their prices. However, in large shopping malls, you can find a desired product at many different stores with comparatively low prices. Also, you have access to all the shops, from everyday use to designer products, under the same roof.

In conclusion, customers travelling to large shopping malls is a positive development as it saves commuting times and everything can be done under one roof with a plenty of alternatives available.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The essay addresses the prompt by discussing the shift toward large shopping malls and clearly states a position that this is a positive development. The ideas are relevant, focusing on convenience, variety, and price competition. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat repetitive; for instance, the points about 'under one roof' and 'variety' are mentioned in both the second and third paragraphs. To reach a higher band, you should aim to explore the implications of this trend more deeply, perhaps by briefly acknowledging the negative impact on local communities to provide a more balanced and nuanced argument, which would demonstrate a more sophisticated level of task response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the reasons for the trend from your personal opinion. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Another important factor', and 'In addition to that' are used to link ideas. However, the flow between some sentences feels slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the transition between the explanation of the trend and your personal evaluation is smoother. The referencing is generally clear, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fascinated', 'commute', and 'competing'. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, particularly the phrase 'small local shops' and 'shopping centers or malls', which appear multiple times. There are also minor issues with word choice, such as 'stock availabilities' (which is slightly unnatural; 'limited stock' is better) and 'In the recent times' (which should be 'In recent times'). To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise synonyms and collocations to avoid repetition and add sophistication to your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are some grammatical inaccuracies. For example, 'In the recent times' is an unnecessary use of the article, and 'there are no shops nearby competing on their prices' could be phrased more naturally as 'competing on price'. You show a good grasp of basic grammar, but the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of subordinate clauses and ensure that your subject-verb agreement and article usage are consistently accurate throughout the text.

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

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