Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-10
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)
This essay will discuss the growing demand of online shopping which is leading towards the eradication of shops in town and cities. I will give my opinion with relevant examples.
A large section of society is getting captivated towards online shopping because people's needs are easily accessible on the web. Also, there is a diverse variety of collection of various clothing, home items, furniture and many more as compare in the store. There is a advantage of returning an item if its faulty or any other reason can be provided. Which makes the online shopping even more approachable.
Moreover, Majority of people have almost stopped going to stores because they think it's a waste of time and money because online shopping saves plethora of time and usually provide discounts, deals, and even coupons to the customers which make it even more attractive. Hence, the craze of web shopping is surging day by day. For instance, many food applications which delivers food provides hefty discounts on food ventures like Mc Donald's,KFC and many more. Numerous advantages of online shopping trend is leading to eradication of certain store in town and cities. This trend is resulting in closure of big shopping malls . Merchants are no longer interested in selling goods to the shopkeepers. The wave of online shopping is having a detrimental effect on various stores.
I largely agree with the above-mentioned statement because the advantages of online shopping outweigh in store shopping trend.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
Your position is clear in the final paragraph: you largely agree that online shopping threatens physical shops. You give relevant reasons, including convenience, wider choice, discounts and the effect on retailers, and the food-delivery example helps illustrate the appeal of online services. However, the response does not fully address the prediction that *all* shops will eventually close: it shifts between “certain” stores and shopping malls without explaining which shops may survive or why. Several claims, such as merchants no longer wanting to sell to shopkeepers, are asserted rather than explained. The response is also seven words below the required minimum. Develop the argument with a specific example and a more balanced explanation of the likely extent of closures.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph explaining the appeal of online shopping, and a concluding statement of agreement. Linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “Hence,” and “For instance” help show relationships between points. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the long second body paragraph moves from time and discounts to food apps, malls, merchants and store closures without separating or fully connecting these ideas. Some links are mechanical, and “Which makes the online shopping even more approachable” is an incomplete sentence that interrupts the flow. Use separate paragraphs for distinct arguments, connect each example directly to its claim, and make the conclusion summarise the reasoning rather than simply repeat your position.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
You use an adequate range of vocabulary and attempt some less common expressions, including “diverse variety,” “plethora of time,” “surging,” and “detrimental effect.” These choices show an effort to express the topic beyond basic terms, and the overall meaning remains understandable. However, several phrases are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “captivated towards,” “a diverse variety of collection,” and “eradication of certain store.” Some wording is also imprecise: “food ventures” does not clearly describe restaurants or food outlets. Aim for natural collocations and precise terms rather than elevated wording that does not fit the context. For example, describe online shopping as “increasingly popular” and say that it “may force some retailers to close.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a reason clause beginning “because” and a relative clause in “an item if its faulty.” The main ideas can generally be followed, but some grammatical errors and punctuation problems reduce accuracy. “Which makes the online shopping even more approachable” is a sentence fragment; attach it to the preceding sentence. There are agreement errors in “applications … delivers” and “advantages … is,” while “There is a advantage” has an article error. The sentence beginning “Majority of people” also needs an article, and several long sentences would be clearer if divided. Check subject–verb agreement, articles and sentence boundaries, while retaining a mix of sentence structures.
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