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
The widespread availability of international food in supermarkets has sparked considerable debate Deletein recent times. While it may seem like a positive development, I believe this trend is detrimental for several reasons. The reliance on imported goods undermines local agriculture and causespromotes environmental harm, making it a negative development.
Firstly, the influx of imported food productsglobally sourced food items threatens local agriculture. When supermarkets stock products from distant countries, they make it difficult for local farmers to compete withcreate unfair competition for local farmers who struggle to compete with cheaper, mass-produced imports. For instance, local fruit and vegetable growers may find it difficult to sell their produce when importedforeign alternatives flood the market at lower prices. This competition resultsThis results in reduced income for domestic farmers and a loss of agricultural diversity. Moreover, the growth of supermarket chains that rely heavily on imports can contribute to the declineoften leads to the decline of smaller local food marketssmaller, local food markets, which are vital for preserving traditional farming methods.
Secondly, the environmental impact of transporting food across long distances is significant. The carbon footprint associated with importing food is substantial, as products often travel by plane or ship, emitting large amounts of greenhouse gases. This global food distributionThis widespread distribution of food from different parts of the world contributes to global warming and environmental degradation. For example, fruits and vegetables from countries with warmer climates are frequently flown to colder regions, consuming considerable energy and resources. Dependence on global supply chainsThis reliance on global supply chains increases pollution and has long-term consequences for the planet.
In conclusion, while the availability of international food might offer convenience, it is a negative development due to its harmful effects on local agriculture and the environment.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response takes a clear position and supports it with two logically developed arguments, using relevant examples and consistently precise language. Its main limitation is that some points, particularly the effects on agricultural diversity and traditional farming, are asserted rather than explored in depth. The highest-priority improvement is to deepen the causal explanation within each main idea while maintaining the current concision and control.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The position is direct and both reasons are relevant, well developed, and supported with appropriate examples.
Develop the longer-term consequences for local farming more fully to add greater depth to the argument.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through focused paragraphs, with cohesive devices used clearly and unobtrusively.
Strengthen the internal progression of each body paragraph by making every final consequence explicitly follow from the preceding example.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is flexible and precise, with effective topic-specific choices such as carbon footprint, agricultural diversity, and global supply chains.
Reduce minor repetition of words such as local, food, and imports by using carefully chosen reference or paraphrase.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex sentence structures is used accurately, with consistently clear punctuation and control.
Refine sentence rhythm by varying the openings of explanatory sentences while preserving the high level of grammatical accuracy.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
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.