Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-06
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 4.0)
It is irrefutably true that people hold conflicting perception about every societal issue. It is generally acknowledged by some individuals that . in contrast , others oppose this by saying that . both notion are figurative in nature, and so a critical evaluation is required before framing a rational conclusion .
to commence with , there are several practical factors that support the former of new notion. another important reason is that it means if / when
taken together the explanation vividly illustrates why this line of thinking exists .
on the contrary , those in the favour of other view point put forward there own reasons
the strongest arguments that it can effect students overall study
apart from this
on the whole , the discussion makes it clear why this opinion is firmly held by many
from what has been discussed it can be concluded that both viewpoints have their own justifications which neither can be overlooked nor underestimated. however , I think the arguments supporting the former view points are more significant and considerable
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 3.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 3.0
The response fails to address the prompt entirely. The content consists of generic templates and placeholders (e.g., 'in contrast, others oppose this by saying that .') rather than discussing the growth of online shopping or the future of physical shops. Furthermore, the response is significantly under the 250-word minimum, reaching only 176 words. Because the essay does not engage with the specific topic of online shopping versus physical retail, it fails to develop any relevant ideas or present a clear position. Consequently, the task is not addressed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
While the essay uses some basic cohesive devices such as 'to commence with', 'on the contrary', and 'on the whole', these are used mechanically to link empty placeholders rather than actual ideas. There is no logical progression of thought because the content is missing. Paragraphing is present, but the lack of meaningful content makes the structure ineffective. The response relies heavily on formulaic phrases that do not contribute to the flow of an argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.0
The vocabulary used is limited and repetitive, consisting mostly of academic-sounding filler phrases like 'irrefutably true', 'figurative in nature', and 'rational conclusion'. There is no attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary related to retail, e-commerce, or urban planning. The reliance on templates prevents the demonstration of a sufficient range of vocabulary to express complex ideas, resulting in a very restricted lexical profile.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The grammatical structures are basic and often repetitive. While there are some attempts at complex sentences, they are marred by punctuation errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'both notion are figurative in nature' (should be 'notions') and 'those in the favour of other view point' (should be 'viewpoints'). The frequent use of placeholders and incomplete sentences indicates a lack of control over complex structures, and the overall accuracy is low due to the fragmented nature of the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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