Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-27
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)
In this modern era, online shopping is increasing day by day. The growth will take place of all shops in towns and cities closing. I am partially agree with the given statement. This essay will elaborate the factors behind this circumstances in upcoming paragraphs.
To begin with, people are buying through online, rather than going to shops , so the cities will going to close one day. Because of people are giving preference to online buying over physical shopping . Now people are busy working as they do not have enough time to go for shopping in person, then online buying become a really easy alternative for them .Online shopping allows them to stay at home and deliver their order without going anywhere. For instance, people just having hectic schedule nowadays. That is why, people shop online because it allows them to stay at home.
However, some people will still use to buy from shops ,due to shopping is free time activity for few people . Which is enjoyable for them to see everything in person such as quality, material and preferences. People do not trust online shopping because they cannot feel material ,even they only have to trust reviews . But still the growth of online shopping will take place, due to it have lots benefits to people. Consumers can get everything at their doors such as vegetables, clothes and any other things. Even people use to buy their fresh groceries through online.
To conclude, the trend of online shopping is getting popular, that will cause to closing shops in cities. Online shopping is making easier ways for people to get everything at their doors . But few people will still buy from shops in towns.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the growth of online shopping and the potential closure of physical stores. You clearly state your position as 'partially agree' in the introduction. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive; for example, the point about convenience and 'staying at home' is mentioned multiple times without adding new depth. To improve, ensure each paragraph introduces a distinct supporting point rather than restating the same concept. While the main arguments are relevant, they lack specific, well-developed examples to fully support your claims, which limits the score to a 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For instance, 'That is why' and 'But still' are used frequently, sometimes creating awkward transitions between sentences. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'due to shopping is free time activity', where the connection between clauses is grammatically weak. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring they are used in the correct context would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'buying', 'shopping', and 'things'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'take place of all shops' (instead of 'replace') and 'due to it have lots benefits' (instead of 'due to its many benefits'). To reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that words are used in their correct grammatical form.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('online buying become', 'it have lots benefits'), incorrect verb tenses ('cities will going to close'), and missing articles. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be a great next step.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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