Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-08

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 6.5)

All shops in towns and cities will close one day because of the increase in online shopping. Some online platforms promise to deliver products that match their descriptions; however, some are fake and cannot be trusted as a result, people waste their time and money on them. I believe that in the modern world and technology-driven era, people will choose online shopping considering their busy schedules and hectic lives.

On the one hand, many people choose convenience over effort. Despite the many products available in the local market, people choose home delivery even if food is ordered because purchasing that particular product will require spending money on vehicle fuel, as well as collecting it in person, whereas purchasing online allows them to receive the product directly at home. Furthermore, because many people work from home due to their fast-paced lives, they prefer getting items online to reduce the stress of visiting local stores and wondering whether the product will be in stock or not.

In contrast, many websites appear legitimate; however, that appearance can be fake. This is because some platforms make themselves famous and promise to sell products at lower prices than market value; however, product quality is compromised, and as a result, their money goes to waste. For example, some platforms fail to provide the items that are shown in the images and descriptions, which creates dissatisfaction among customers and motivates them to go to the nearest store rather than trusting fake websites. However, since not all products are available on trusted websites, people still believe and waste their money on purchasing something useless, regretting it later.

In conclusion, in my opinion, people are more inclined to buy items that are easily available and avoid going to the market. Hence, this growing dependency on ordering products at the touch of a button will eventually lead to the closure of all shops in towns and cities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout, arguing that online shopping will lead to the closure of physical stores. The ideas are relevant, such as the convenience of home delivery and the risks of online fraud. However, the development is somewhat uneven. The second paragraph focuses well on convenience, but the third paragraph, while discussing the downsides of online shopping, does not fully connect back to the central argument of whether physical shops will close. To reach a higher band, you should ensure every paragraph directly supports your thesis. The conclusion effectively summarizes your stance, though the argument could be more nuanced by acknowledging why some physical shops might survive (e.g., for experiences or immediate needs).

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 distinct ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'Furthermore,' and 'In contrast' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow between the third paragraph and the conclusion could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, though some sentences are slightly repetitive in their structure. Overall, the progression of ideas is easy to follow, and the essay maintains a consistent focus on the topic throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'technology-driven era,' 'compromised,' and 'dissatisfaction.' There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some word choices are slightly imprecise, such as 'useless' to describe products that do not match descriptions. The spelling is accurate throughout. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific terminology related to retail and consumer behavior. While the current range is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several error-free sentences, such as 'Despite the many products available in the local market, people choose home delivery.' However, there are occasional grammatical slips, such as the run-on sentence in the introduction ('...cannot be trusted as a result, people waste...') and minor punctuation issues. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on using more varied complex structures, such as conditional sentences or relative clauses, and ensure that punctuation is used correctly to separate independent clauses.

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

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