Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-20

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 5.5)

The growth of online shopping has changed the way people buy products, and some people believe that it will eventually cause all shops in towns and cities to close. I disagree with this view because although online shopping is becoming increasingly popular physical shops still provide several important benefits.

First of all, many people prefer to see and try products before buying them. For example, customers may want to try on cloths check the quality of furniture or test electronic devices. Physical shops also allow people to receive products immediately instead of customers enjoy going shopping with their friends or family because it is a social and enjoyable activity.

Another reason why physical shops will continue to exist is that not all products are suitable for online shopping. Fresh food medicines and certain personal items are often easier to purchase from local stores. Moreover, shops provide employment for local people and contribute to the economy of towns and cities. Many businesses are also combin

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 164 words long. This significantly impacts the development of ideas, as the essay is incomplete and ends abruptly mid-sentence. While you clearly state your position and provide some relevant arguments regarding the benefits of physical shops, the lack of development and the unfinished nature of the response mean that the task is only partially addressed. To improve, you must ensure you have enough time to fully expand on your points and provide a proper conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay shows a basic level of organization. You use some cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Another reason', and 'Moreover' to signal the progression of your ideas. However, the abrupt ending of the text disrupts the overall flow and coherence. Paragraphing is attempted, but the final paragraph is incomplete, which hinders the logical structure of the argument. To achieve a higher score, ensure that your ideas are fully developed within complete paragraphs and that you include a clear concluding summary.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally appropriate for the topic, such as 'increasingly popular', 'social and enjoyable activity', and 'contribute to the economy'. However, there are some minor errors, such as 'try on cloths' (should be 'clothes') and a missing conjunction in the sentence 'instead of customers enjoy going shopping'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited due to the short length of the response. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and ensure accurate spelling throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are a few grammatical errors, such as the run-on sentence 'Physical shops also allow people to receive products immediately instead of customers enjoy going shopping' and the lack of punctuation in lists like 'Fresh food medicines and certain personal items'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are noticeable. To improve, focus on sentence boundary punctuation and ensuring that your verb forms are consistent and grammatically correct.

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

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