In many countries nowadays, consumers can go to a supermarket and buy food produced all over the world. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
Sample Response
In recent years, the increasing availability of food in supermarkets from around the world has become a prominent feature of modern shopping. While some may argue that this trend has negative implications, I believe that it is, on the whole, a positive development because the ability to access a diverse range of food items offers numerous benefits, including greater consumer choice, economic growth, and global cultural exchange.
One of the most significant advantages of having access to internationally sourced food is the increased variety it offers. Consumers are no longer limited to locally grown produce but can enjoy a wide selection of fruits, vegetables, and other goods from distant countries. This not only enhances meal options but also helps individuals explore different cuisines and develop new tastes, thus broadening their culinary experiences. For example, foods like tropical fruits and exotic spices, previously unavailable in certain regions, are now commonplace.
In addition, this global food supply has positive implications for the economy. The import and export of food products contribute to international trade, providing jobs and boosting the global economy. Countries that specialize in certain crops or food items can benefit from exporting these goods to foreign markets, leading to stronger economic ties and development.
Finally, this trend encourages cultural exchange. As people are introduced to international foods, they often learn more about the cultures from which these items originate. This helps foster a greater sense of global awareness and appreciation for diversity, which is particularly important in today’s interconnected world.
In conclusion, the ability to buy food from all over the world is undeniably a positive development, offering numerous benefits to consumers, economies, and societies alike.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Clarify phrase attachment Original: food in supermarkets from around the world Suggested revision: food from around the world in supermarkets Why it matters: The revised order makes it clear that the food, rather than the supermarkets, comes from around the world.
- 2. Use concise noun Original: negative implications Suggested revision: drawbacks Why it matters: Drawbacks conveys negative consequences more concisely.
- 3. Use concise noun phrase Original: the ability to access Suggested revision: access to Why it matters: Access to expresses the same meaning without the nominalized ability phrase.
- 4. Use concise noun Original: diverse range of food items Suggested revision: diverse range of foods Why it matters: Foods is shorter and equally precise in this context.
- 5. Simplify source phrase Original: having access to internationally sourced food Suggested revision: access to imported food Why it matters: Imported food conveys the international sourcing more directly.
- 6. Avoid repeated idea Original: the increased variety it offers Suggested revision: the greater variety available Why it matters: The revision avoids repeating access and offers in the same sentence.
- 7. Keep food category precise Original: goods Suggested revision: foods Why it matters: Foods maintains the paragraph's focus more precisely than the broad noun goods.
- 8. Use clear result marker Original: thus Suggested revision: thereby Why it matters: Thereby more explicitly links the broadened experience to the preceding actions.
- 9. Use formal example marker Original: foods like tropical fruits Suggested revision: foods such as tropical fruits Why it matters: Such as is more appropriate than like when introducing examples in formal writing.
- 10. Use natural collocation Original: providing Suggested revision: creating Why it matters: Creating jobs is the conventional collocation for generating employment.
Suggested Rewrites
- food in supermarkets from around the world food from around the world in supermarkets
- negative implications drawbacks
- the ability to access access to
- diverse range of food items diverse range of foods
- having access to internationally sourced food access to imported food
- the increased variety it offers the greater variety available
Why this response received Band 8.0
The essay gives a clear and consistently positive evaluation, developing consumer choice, trade, and cultural exchange through a logical, polished structure. Its strongest feature is precise, nearly error-free language; the main limitation is that the economic and cultural paragraphs are shorter and less concretely supported than the variety argument. The priority is to add a specific trade example and explain more directly how food access creates meaningful cultural understanding.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Response
A clear positive position is fully supported through three relevant benefits, with effective explanation and an appropriate example of expanded consumer variety.
Give the trade and cultural-exchange claims the same depth as consumer choice by adding a concrete exporting-country example and a clearer social mechanism.
Coherence and Cohesion
Paragraphing is purposeful, progression from consumer to economic and cultural benefits is logical, and cohesive devices are handled unobtrusively.
Strengthen the transition from trade to cultural exchange by showing how commercial availability leads consumers to engage with unfamiliar cuisines.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise range of vocabulary for food, trade, and culture is used naturally, with only minor repetition of benefit-related wording.
As a refinement, vary repeated terms such as 'benefit,' 'positive,' and 'global' while retaining the essay's concise style.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response uses varied complex structures with consistently high accuracy and flexibility, and errors are rare.
Maintain this control while adding more specific supporting detail, ensuring longer examples remain as cleanly structured as the current prose.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
In many countries nowadays, consumers can go to a supermarket and buy food produced all over the world. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.