This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of shops from the real IELTS general training exam.

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IELTS Essay: Shops

There is little difference in the shops now operating in various nations. Some people think this is positive development,while other believe it is negative.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Many people believe that increasing ubiquity in terms of the selection of products in shops is a positive trend. In my opinion, this is a advantageous for convenience, however its wider implications make it a negative overall.

On the positive side, this development guarantees a consistent customer experience. An individual who is traveling abroad, for example, can go into most major convenience stores and find the same basic necessities they would expect in their home country. The products themselves are also more consistent. Since they are manufactured and distributed globally, food products have the same safety standards and tastes and household items are similarly likely to be safe and effective. In contrast, a shop with completely different products, many of which may have been produced locally, complicates the decision-making process for shoppers.

Nonetheless, there is also the risk that corporations will become powerful monopolies. The first implication of this would be that many local shops are likely to go out of business. The local owners of such shops will then be forced to find less desirable work. Replicated globally, this means that profits that were previously directed towards millions of local shop owners are now being funneled to a select number of companies and their shareholders. As these companies become larger and more powerful, it is easier for them to enter new markets, lower prices to dominate the competition, and then establish an unhealthy monopoly.

In conclusion, despite the wide range of consistent options available for consumers, the rise of corporate power is damaging generally. It is therefore important for individual nations to curb this trend when possible.

Analysis

1. Many people believe that increasing ubiquity in terms of the selection of products in shops is a positive trend. 2. In my opinion, this is a advantageous for convenience, however its wider implications make it a negative overall.

  1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
  2. Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. On the positive side, this development guarantees a consistent customer experience. 2. An individual who is traveling abroad, for example, can go into most major convenience stores and find the same basic necessities they would expect in their home country. 3. The products themselves are also more consistent. 4. Since they are manufactured and distributed globally, food products have the same safety standards and tastes and household items are similarly likely to be safe and effective. 5. In contrast, a shop with completely different products, many of which may have been produced locally, complicates the decision-making process for shoppers.

  1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
  2. Explain your main idea.
  3. Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
  4. Keep developing it fully.
  5. State the results of your ideas.

1. Nonetheless, there is also the risk that corporations will become powerful monopolies. 2. The first implication of this would be that many local shops are likely to go out of business. 3. The local owners of such shops will then be forced to find less desirable work. 4. Replicated globally, this means that profits that were previously directed towards millions of local shop owners are now being funneled to a select number of companies and their shareholders. 5. As these companies become larger and more powerful, it is easier for them to enter new markets, lower prices to dominate the competition, and then establish an unhealthy monopoly.

  1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
  2. Explain your new main idea.
  3. Include specific details and examples.
  4. Continue developing it…
  5. as fully as possible!

1. In conclusion, despite the wide range of consistent options available for consumers, the rise of corporate power is damaging generally. 2. It is therefore important for individual nations to curb this trend when possible.

  1. Summarise your main ideas.
  2. Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

Many people believe that increasing ubiquity in terms of the selection of products in shops is a positive trend. In my opinion, this is a advantageous for convenience, however its wider implications make it a negative overall.

On the positive side, this development guarantees a consistent customer experience. An individual who is traveling abroad, for example, can go into most major convenience stores and find the same basic necessities they would expect in their home country. The products themselves are also more consistent. Since they are manufactured and distributed globally, food products have the same safety standards and tastes and household items are similarly likely to be safe and effective. In contrast, a shop with completely different products, many of which may have been produced locally, complicates the decision-making process for shoppers.

Nonetheless, there is also the risk that corporations will become powerful monopolies. The first implication of this would be that many local shops are likely to go out of business. The local owners of such shops will then be forced to find less desirable work. Replicated globally, this means that profits that were previously directed towards millions of local shop owners are now being funneled to a select number of companies and their shareholders. As these companies become larger and more powerful, it is easier for them to enter new markets, lower prices to dominate the competition, and then establish an unhealthy monopoly.

In conclusion, despite the wide range of consistent options available for consumers, the rise of corporate power is damaging generally. It is therefore important for individual nations to curb this trend when possible.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

increasing ubiquity more and more common

in terms of when it comes to

selection choice

products items in a shop

trend pattern

advantageous good

convenience easy

wider implications bigger results

negative overall bad in general

on the positive side the good part is that

development guarantees change makes sure that

consistent customer experience the same products, services available all the time

traveling abroad going to other countries

most major convenience stores 7-Eleven, Circle K, etc.

basic necessities normal items like toilet paper, toothpaste, etc.

expect can predict

home country where you are from

consistent the same all the time

manufactured made

distributed globally sent around the world

safety standards how dangerous they are

tastes how a food product is

household items products you can use at home

similarly likely also probably

effective works well

in contrast however

completely totally

produced locally made in your country

complicates harder to decide

decision-making process thinking about what to buy

shoppers customers

nonetheless regardless

risk threat

powerful monopolies companies that control all of an industry

implication result

local shops shops in your country

go out of business can’t stay open

local owners small businesses

forced have to

less desirable work jobs that are not as good

replicated globallyreproduced around the world

profits money earned

previously directed towards in the past sent to

funneled directed toward

select number some people

shareholders people who own companies

enter new markets get into new countries

dominate take over

competition fighting between companies

establish build

unhealthy monopoly complete control

wide range lots of different types

consistent options available the same products on sale

rise increase

corporate power companies with sway

damaging generally hurts overall

individual nations countries

curb limit

when possible if they can

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ ju(ː)ˈbɪkwɪti 
ɪn tɜːmz ɒv 
sɪˈlɛkʃən 
ˈprɒdʌkts 
trɛnd
ˌædvənˈteɪʤəs 
kənˈviːniəns
ˈwaɪdər ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪʃənz 
ˈnɛgətɪv ˈəʊvərɔːl
ɒn ðə ˈpɒzətɪv saɪd
dɪˈvɛləpmənt ˌgærənˈtiːz 
kənˈsɪstənt ˈkʌstəmər ɪksˈpɪərɪəns
ˈtrævlɪŋ əˈbrɔːd
məʊst ˈmeɪʤə kənˈviːniəns stɔːz 
ˈbeɪsɪk nɪˈsɛsɪtiz 
ɪksˈpɛkt 
həʊm ˈkʌntri
kənˈsɪstənt
ˌmænjʊˈfækʧəd 
dɪsˈtrɪbju(ː)tɪd ˈgləʊbəli
ˈseɪfti ˈstændədz 
teɪsts 
ˈhaʊshəʊld ˈaɪtəmz 
ˈsɪmɪləli ˈlaɪkli 
ɪˈfɛktɪv
ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst
kəmˈpliːtli 
prəˈdjuːst ˈləʊkəli
ˈkɒmplɪkeɪts 
dɪˈsɪʒən-ˈmeɪkɪŋ ˈprəʊsɛs 
ˈʃɒpəz
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
rɪsk 
ˈpaʊəfʊl məˈnɒpəliz
ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪʃən 
ˈləʊkəl ʃɒps 
gəʊ aʊt ɒv ˈbɪznɪs
ˈləʊkəl ˈəʊnəz 
fɔːst 
lɛs dɪˈzaɪərəbl wɜːk
ˈrɛplɪkeɪtɪd ˈgləʊbəli
ˈprɒfɪts 
ˈpriːviəsli dɪˈrɛktɪd təˈwɔːdz 
ˈfʌnld 
sɪˈlɛkt ˈnʌmbə 
ˈʃeəˌhəʊldəz
ˈɛntə njuː ˈmɑːkɪts
ˈdɒmɪneɪt 
ˌkɒmpɪˈtɪʃən
ɪsˈtæblɪʃ 
ʌnˈhɛlθi məˈnɒpəli
waɪd reɪnʤ 
kənˈsɪstənt ˈɒpʃənz əˈveɪləbl 
raɪz 
ˈkɔːpərɪt ˈpaʊə 
ˈdæmɪʤɪŋ ˈʤɛnərəli
ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl ˈneɪʃənz 
kɜːb 
wɛn ˈpɒsəbl

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

Many people believe that i_______________________y i_______________f the s___________n of p____________s in shops is a positive t_______d. In my opinion, this is a a_______________s for c________________e, however its w____________________s make it a n_________________l.

O_______________________e, this d__________________________s a c_________________________________e. An individual who is t____________________d, for example, can go into m______________________________s and find the same b________________s they would e________t in their h______________y. The products themselves are also more c_____________t. Since they are m_______________d and d______________________y, food products have the same s___________________s and t_________s and h____________________s are s___________________y to be safe and e___________e. I_____________t, a shop with c_____________y different products, many of which may have been p___________________y, c_________________s the d_________________________s for s__________s.

N______________s, there is also the r____k that corporations will become p_______________________s. The first i_____________n of this would be that many l____________s are likely to g___________________s. The l_____________s of such shops will then be f________d to find l______________________k. R________________________y, this means that p_________s that were p____________________________s millions of local shop owners are now being f_____________d to a s_______________r of companies and their s______________s. As these companies become larger and more powerful, it is easier for them to e___________________s, lower prices to d___________e the c_______________n, and then e______________h an u____________________y.

In conclusion, despite the w____________e of c________________________e for consumers, the r____e of c__________________r is d____________________y. It is therefore important for i_____________________s to c____b this trend w________________e.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching videos from The New York Times YouTube channel below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://fooddigital.com/top-10/top-ten-convenience-stores-around-world

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Buying

  1. Which item do you buy the most?
  2. Do you care about the price when buying an item?
  3. What was the last thing you bought?
  4. Are good products always expensive?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:

Many large supermarkets are being built today while the number of small shops is decreasing.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

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