Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-23

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)

The growing online shopping trend has significantly increased, especially after the pandemic, people's culture on how to shop in the urban areas has changed drastically. However, I do not agree that all shops in towns and cities will lead to closure someday because brick-and-mortar is still what most people are comfortable with.

To begin with, even though e-commerce is fast-growing, a lot of people value going shopping downtown instead of shopping online. The experience of buying it for yourself seems better; for example, when you buy online, the downside is that when you receive your product, the fit is not perfect, whereas when we visit the store, we are allowed to try on the apparel we pick, and the exchange is faster than online. Although online shopping has benefits for people who have no time to travel, e-commerce platforms give customers a fast and smooth checkout process, and they deliver your order in two to fifteen days.

Moreover, shops will not be completely closed because people living and working in the area are bringing foot traffic. It is really impossible to assume that establishments will be completely abolished. For instance, the demand for food and services around those bustling cities or any location is growing. A lot of shops keep on opening even though other stores are closing; another one will occupy the commercial building in no time.

To conclude, regarding the statement that online shopping will lead, overall, I disagree, even with its rising popularity. Many, people choose to shop in physical store as it gave them traditional feeling of shopping experience. Both online and offline stores exist nowadays; they have the option to choose which is convenient for the shoppers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear: you disagree that online shopping will eventually close all physical shops, and both body paragraphs give relevant reasons. The examples about trying on clothes and the continuing demand for food and services help address the question. This meets the task well overall, but the support is uneven: the point about replacement businesses occupying commercial buildings is asserted rather than explained, and the conclusion’s claim that shoppers value a “traditional feeling” is not developed. To strengthen the response further, explain more specifically why some services or purchases require in-person contact, and connect each example directly to why shops are unlikely to disappear entirely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, two reason-based paragraphs and a conclusion. Sequencing phrases such as “To begin with,” “Moreover” and “To conclude” make the progression easy to follow. However, some links are mechanical, and a few sentences combine ideas without a clear relationship. For example, the first body paragraph moves from trying on clothes to the benefits of online checkout and delivery, which weakens the focus on the main reason. The opening sentence is also difficult to follow because several ideas are compressed together. Group related points more tightly, and use clearer references and transitions to show how each example supports your argument.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “e-commerce,” “foot traffic,” “commercial building” and “checkout process,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more specific expressions, such as “brick-and-mortar,” though the phrase is used without “shops” and sounds incomplete in context. Some word choices and collocations are awkward: “people’s culture on how to shop” and “the experience of buying it for yourself” do not express the intended ideas naturally. “Abolished” is also too strong for shops closing. Aim for more precise, natural combinations and avoid repeating “online shopping” and “shops” when suitable alternatives such as “digital retail” or “physical stores” would fit.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including concessive clauses with “even though” and “although,” and most sentences remain understandable. Some grammatical errors and awkward constructions persist. The opening sentence lacks a clear structure: “has significantly increased” does not connect smoothly to “people’s culture … has changed.” In the conclusion, “Many, people” has incorrect punctuation, “shop in physical store” needs an article or plural form, and “as it gave them” shifts tense unnecessarily. The phrase “the statement that online shopping will lead” is also left incomplete. Check sentence boundaries and ensure subjects, verbs and articles are consistent; clearer sentence construction would improve accuracy without sacrificing complexity.

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