Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-26

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)

In this increasingly interconnected world, it is a topic of hot debate whether all the physical shops will close one day or whether people still love to do shopping in-person. I do not agree with this notion, as traditional shopping habits will not vanish. I will elaborate on my views in the upcoming paragraphs.

To begin with, people are getting more comfortable with online shopping these days due to its instant shipping and easy return policies; however, online purchases will not give you the freedom to try on and buy. In addition to this, online purchases will not guarantee authenticity. In-person purchases will always give you peace of mind, and you can save yourself from buying the wrong product.

Furthermore, shopping is a therapy for working professionals, as most people consider it a stress buster and a good motivation to go out and spend time with their family and friends. Buying products online puts stress and strain on the eyes and always gives the wrong idea of the color of the product due to the lighting effect of the app in which you buy products.

In my opinion, for buying everyday and basic household products, online shopping can be considered, but to buy expensive and luxury products, it is better to go to traditional shops. For instance, somebody simply cannot tell the authenticity of gold jewellery by looking at a screen, and they might end up buying a duplicate or first-copy product. Moreover, many retailers sell cheap and low-quality products on online sites with heavy discounts, such as beauty and wellness items, which can affect skin and body.

In conclusion, online shopping can give you comfort and ease in emergencies, but to buy original and authentic products, people should visit physical stores to preserve the sustainability of the products.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The candidate addresses all parts of the task by taking a clear, well-supported position against the notion that all physical shops will close. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as highlighting the limitations of online shopping regarding product authenticity, sizing, and tactile experiences. For instance, the discussion on gold jewellery and beauty products effectively grounds the argument in everyday examples. However, some arguments tend to over-generalise or remain slightly under-developed, placing the response solidly within the Band 7 descriptors where a clear position is maintained throughout and ideas are supported, though further extension of the broader economic implications of online retail could have elevated the task response even further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, transitioning smoothly from general arguments to specific examples and a concluding summary. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'In my opinion', although some linking devices feel slightly formulaic or mechanical, which is characteristic of a Band 6 heading towards 7. Paragraphing is utilised appropriately, and referencing throughout the text remains clear, ensuring the reader can easily follow the writer's line of thought from the introduction through to the final conclusion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The writer uses an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'interconnected world', 'authenticity', 'sustainability', and 'duplicate or first-copy product'. While there are some slight lexical inaccuracies or awkward collocations—such as 'shopping is a therapy' instead of 'retail therapy', or 'lighting effect of the app'—these do not impede communication. Spelling and word choice are generally accurate, showing enough flexibility and precision to meet the criteria for Band 6, with glimpses of higher-level vocabulary usage scattered across the paragraphs.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

A reasonable mix of simple and complex sentence structures is employed throughout the essay, including conditional and relative clauses (e.g., 'In this increasingly interconnected world, it is a topic of hot debate whether...'). There are frequent error-free sentences, demonstrating good general control over basic grammar and punctuation. However, minor errors and occasional awkward phrasing do occur, such as 'do shopping' instead of 'go shopping' or minor prepositional slips. These errors rarely impede communication and do not obscure the writer's meaning, aligning the response well with the Band 7 descriptor for grammatical control.

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