Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-04

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

The growth of online shopping will one day lead to all shops in towns and cities closing.

Do you agree or disagree?

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

 

Student answer (Band 7.0)

The growth of online shopping has changed the way people purchase goods and many consumers now prefer shopping from home. Some people believe that this trend will eventually result in all shops in towns and cities closing. I disagree this view because physical stores offers experiences and services that online stores cannot replace completely.

One most important reason why traditional stores will continue to exist is that many people prefer to see and examine products before buying them. For example, when purchasing clothes, shoes and furniture, people often prefer to check the size, quality and comfort of the item personally. They can also receive immediate assistance from the shop employee and exchange the products more easily. Although online shopping is more convenient, it can not provide the same physical experience.

Another reason is that, Physical stores are very important for social interaction and local communities. Physical stores are not only places where people buy products but also places where people meet friends and spend their leisure time. For instance, Families may visit a shopping centre to shop, eat at the restaurant and watch a movie rather than staying at home and shopping online. These experiences encourage people to visit physical stores even when online shopping is available.

However, it is undeniable that online shopping will continue to grow because, it is convenient, often cheaper and available at any time. Therefore, some traditional stores will close if it fails to adapt to changing customer preferences. Nevertheless, many stores already started providing both online and offline services, allowing customers to order product online and collect or return in the store.

In Conclusion, Although the increasing popularity of online shopping may cause some traditional shops to close. I do not believe that all shops in towns and cities will disappear. Physical shops provide personal experience, immediate services and social opportunities which online shopping can not fully replace.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, maintaining a clear position throughout. You have provided relevant reasons to support your disagreement, such as the tactile nature of physical shopping and the social value of shopping centres. The ideas are well-developed and supported with clear examples, such as the mention of trying on clothes or visiting restaurants. The conclusion effectively summarizes your stance. To reach a higher band, ensure that your counter-argument in the third paragraph is balanced by a stronger rebuttal, as the current structure slightly leans towards acknowledging the strength of online shopping without fully neutralizing its impact on your main argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices such as 'For example', 'Another reason is that', and 'However' to link your points. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct arguments. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be improved by using more varied linking phrases. Overall, the information is easy to follow and the structure is coherent.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'immediate assistance', 'social interaction', and 'changing customer preferences'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some word choices are standard. You occasionally rely on simpler phrasing, such as 'many people prefer'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and topic-specific terminology related to retail and consumer behavior. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication, but increasing the variety and sophistication of your lexical choices would elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional-like structure in 'some traditional stores will close if it fails to adapt'. However, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'physical stores offers' (subject-verb agreement) and 'collect or return in the store' (missing object). Punctuation is generally correct, though there is an unnecessary comma in 'because, it is convenient'. While you show control over basic grammar, the frequency of minor errors prevents a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and refining the use of complex sentence structures will help improve your accuracy.

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