Some people feel that manufacturers and supermarkets have the responsibility to reduce the amount of packaging of goods. Others argue that customers should avoid buying goods with a lot of packaging. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Sample Response
Some people believe that the responsibility for minimizing packaging waste lies with manufacturers and supermarkets, while others argue that consumers should take action by choosing products with less packaging. In my opinion, a collective effort is required to mitigate the situation.
It is reasonable for producers and retail organizations to have the primary responsibility to alleviate the issue. Regarding the role of companies, they have the resources and expertise to develop more sustainable packaging solutions. For example, they could invest in researching how to make use of eco-friendly materials or re-design their products so that the least amount of packaging is required. Concerning the responsibilities of supermarkets, they can help educate customers on the importance of reducing waste resulting from consumer products and how they can make a difference. This could include providing information on how to recycle or dispose of packaging properly.
Alongside this, each consumer can also make certain contributions to this matter. Individuals can start with simple changes to their shopping habits, such as opting for products with minimal packaging materials or those with biodegradable alternatives, avoiding single-use plastics, and properly discarding packaging waste after use. Consumers also have the power to influence the market by supporting companies that prioritize sustainability and avoiding those that do not. This can put pressure on companies to be more environmentally responsible, as they may lose customers and revenue if they do not respond to consumer demands.
In conclusion, decreasing packaging waste is a complex issue that requires collaboration between manufacturers, retailers, and customers. All parties have a role to play in tackling this problem, and it is essential that we work together to create a more sustainable future.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use a precise object Original: mitigate the situation Suggested revision: address the problem Why it matters: Mitigate normally takes a harmful effect or problem rather than a situation.
- 2. Improve the collocation Original: alleviate Suggested revision: address Why it matters: Issues are more naturally addressed, while their harmful effects may be alleviated.
- 3. Make phrasing concise Original: invest in researching how to make use of Suggested revision: invest in research into using Why it matters: The revision removes an unnecessarily wordy sequence without changing the claim.
- 4. Use standard spelling Original: re-design Suggested revision: redesign Why it matters: The closed form redesign is the standard modern spelling.
- 5. Use formal wording Original: least Suggested revision: minimum Why it matters: Minimum is more concise and appropriately formal in this context.
- 6. Name the waste directly Original: waste resulting from consumer products Suggested revision: packaging waste Why it matters: The replacement identifies the specific waste under discussion more directly.
- 7. Clarify the reference Original: how they can make a difference Suggested revision: how they can reduce it Why it matters: The revision links the action explicitly to the packaging waste just mentioned.
- 8. Strengthen the transition Original: Alongside this Suggested revision: Alongside these corporate measures Why it matters: The expanded transition identifies exactly what the consumer actions complement.
- 9. Use direct wording Original: make certain contributions to this matter Suggested revision: contribute to this effort Why it matters: The revision is more concise while preserving the meaning.
- 10. Specify the cause Original: This can put pressure on companies Suggested revision: Such purchasing choices can put pressure on companies Why it matters: The replacement makes the antecedent of This explicit.
- 11. Sentence rewrite Original: Individuals can start with simple changes to their shopping habits, such as opting for products with minimal packaging materials or those with biodegradable alternatives, avoiding single-use plastics, and properly discarding packaging waste after use. Suggested revision: Individuals can start by making simple changes to their shopping habits, such as choosing products with minimal or biodegradable packaging, avoiding single-use plastics, and properly discarding packaging waste after use. Why it matters: The rewrite fixes the faulty comparison between products and biodegradable alternatives and keeps the list parallel.
Suggested Rewrites
- mitigate the situation address the problem
- alleviate address
- invest in researching how to make use of invest in research into using
- re-design redesign
- least minimum
- waste resulting from consumer products packaging waste
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response is strongest in its balanced organization and clear explanation of how producers, retailers, and consumers can influence packaging choices. Its main limitation is that some support remains general or shifts toward recycling and disposal rather than reducing packaging at the point of purchase. The highest-priority improvement is to make every example demonstrate a direct reduction in packaging and explain that causal link more fully.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views and a clear collaborative opinion are covered with relevant, generally well-developed support.
Keep all supporting details tightly focused on reducing packaging and extend the explanation of how each proposal achieves this.
Coherence and Cohesion
The essay has a clear overall progression, effective paragraphing, and well-managed links between the two perspectives.
Use more precise internal transitions instead of repeatedly announcing roles and responsibilities at the start of sentences.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and topic-appropriate, but a few expressions such as mitigating a situation and alleviating an issue are imprecise.
Choose more exact verb-noun collocations when describing waste reduction, corporate action, and consumer influence.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex sentence forms is used accurately, and errors are rare and non-impeding.
Refine occasional overloaded list structures so that relationships between actions and alternatives remain immediately clear.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people feel that manufacturers and supermarkets have the responsibility to reduce the amount of packaging of goods. Others argue that customers should avoid buying goods with a lot of packaging. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.