This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of large supermarkets and smaller shops from the real IELTS exam.
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Dave
Many large supermarkets are being built today while the number of small shops is decreasing.
Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
The increasing number of large supermarkets has called into question their value for locals relative to smaller shops. In my opinion, though supermarkets are more convenient, local people benefit more from supporting their community rather than large conglomerates.
The obvious benefits to supermarkets relates to their convenience. They allow consumers to select from a wide variety of products that are consistently available, clearly labelled, fresh, and reasonably priced, depending on the supermarket in question. This contrasts with local shops which are necessarily smaller and therefore cannot stock as many products. These smaller stores are also more likely to run out of goods and charge higher prices. A supermarket can typically operate on smaller profit margins because of the volume of shoppers, which then allows them to offer discounts and special deals. All these factors combine to explain the inevitable dominance of large chain supermarkets over local retailers.
Regardless, by contributing to small shops, consumers fund those in their immediate community and deprive large companies of outsized profits. The money spent at a supermarket barely trickles down to the local area, through subsistence wages for employees, while the majority of the profits go to distant corporate executives and shareholders. Over time, these large companies have amassed considerable capital, as in the case of a company like Walmart, and now generate disproportionately large sums of money for a handful of individuals while paying minimum wage to most workers and leveraging their distribution power to slash rates with their suppliers. In effect, this means that the people producing and selling the food are not reaping the rewards of their efforts.
In conclusion, the modern conveniences of supermarkets do not outweigh their pernicious economic impact. Buying from a local shop is one way to better disperse power within a community.
Analysis
1. The increasing number of large supermarkets has called into question their value for locals relative to smaller shops. 2. In my opinion, though supermarkets are more convenient, local people benefit more from supporting their community rather than large conglomerates.
- Here I paraphrased the overall essay topic.
- Then I added my overall opinion and included my main ideas. Read more about introductions here.
1. The obvious benefits to supermarkets relates to their convenience. 2. They allow consumers to select from a wide variety of products that are consistently available, clearly labelled, fresh, and reasonably priced, depending on the supermarket in question. 3. This contrasts with local shops which are necessarily smaller and therefore cannot stock as many products. 4. These smaller stores are also more likely to run out of goods and charge higher prices. 5. A supermarket can typically operate on smaller profit margins because of the volume of shoppers, which then allows them to offer discounts and special deals. 6. All these factors combine to explain the inevitable dominance of large chain supermarkets over local retailers.
- I wrote a clear topic sentence with my main idea at the end.
- Then I explained it with specific examples.
- I contract with local shops to make my argument strong.
- Next, I wrote a shorter sentence and developed the comparison.
- Here I keep developing the comparison.
- I conclude the paragraph with a strong statement.
1. Regardless, by contributing to small shops, consumers fund those in their immediate community and deprive large companies of outsized profits. 2. The money spent at a supermarket barely trickles down to the local area, through subsistence wages for employees, while the majority of the profits go to distant corporate executives and shareholders. 3. Over time, these large companies have amassed considerable capital, as in the case of a company like Walmart, and now generate disproportionately large sums of money for a handful of individuals while paying minimum wage to most workers and leveraging their distribution power to slash rates with their suppliers. 4. In effect, this means that the people producing and selling the food are not reaping the rewards of their efforts.
- I wrote another clear topic sentence with a new main idea.
- Then I explain and begin to develop my idea.
- Here I wrote a long sentence fully developing why people should not contribute to large supermarket companies.
- I state the full results at the end of the paragraph.
1. In conclusion, the modern conveniences of supermarkets do not outweigh their pernicious economic impact. 2. Buying from a local shop is one way to better disperse power within a community.
- I repeat my opinion and include my main ideas.
- Finally, I include a final thought/extra detail. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean?
The increasing number of large supermarkets has called into question their value for locals relative to smaller shops. In my opinion, though supermarkets are more convenient, local people benefit more from supporting their community rather than large conglomerates.
The obvious benefits to supermarkets relates to their convenience. They allow consumers to select from a wide variety of products that are consistently available, clearly labelled, fresh, and reasonably priced, depending on the supermarket in question. This contrasts with local shops which are necessarily smaller and therefore cannot stock as many products. These smaller stores are also more likely to run out of goods and charge higher prices. A supermarket can typically operate on smaller profit margins because of the volume of shoppers, which then allows them to offer discounts and special deals. All these factors combine to explain the inevitable dominance of large chain supermarkets over local retailers.
Regardless, by contributing to small shops, consumers fund those in their immediate community and deprive large companies of outsized profits. The money spent at a supermarket barely trickles down to the local area, through subsistence wages for employees, while the majority of the profits go to distant corporate executives and shareholders. Over time, these large companies have amassed considerable capital, as in the case of a company like Walmart, and now generate disproportionately large sums of money for a handful of individuals while paying minimum wage to most workers and leveraging their distribution power to slash rates with their suppliers. In effect, this means that the people producing and selling the food are not reaping the rewards of their efforts.
In conclusion, the modern conveniences of supermarkets do not outweigh their pernicious economic impact. Buying from a local shop is one way to better disperse power within a community.
Answers
increasing number becoming more common
called into question questioned, dubious
value importance
locals relative to people who live around there related to
convenient easy
benefit more more advantageous
supporting their community help the local area
large conglomerates big companies
relates to has to do with
convenience ease
select from a wide variety choose from a lot of
consistently available can be found at any time
clearly labelled priced, clear ingredients
fresh not old
reasonably priced not too expensive
depending on hinging on
in question being discussed
contrasts differences
necessarily smaller must be not as large
stock products placed on shelves
more likely probably will happen
run out not have anymore
goods products
charge higher prices foods cost more
operate stay open
smaller profit margins making less money per product
volume of shoppers number of customers
offer discounts coupons, reduced prices
special deals discounts
factors combine elements add up to
explain show the reason how
inevitable dominance will be in control
large chain supermarkets big supermarkets owned by companies
local retailers neighborhood shops
regardless nonetheless
contributing to adding to
fund give money to
immediate community nearby area
deprive take away from
outsized profits disproportionate money
barely trickles down doesnt reach many people
local area local community
subsistence wages just enough money to survive
majority most
distant corporate executives far away rich guys
shareholders people invested in the company
over time over a long period
amassed considerable capital accumulated a lot of money
Walmart a big supermarket/department store in America
generate disproportionately large sums make too much money
handful of some
paying minimum wage low salaries
leveraging their distribution power exploiting their control of sales
slash rates reduce prices
suppliers people/companies that sell to supermarkets
in effect overall
reaping the rewards get the benefits
efforts attempts
outweigh stronger than
pernicious economic impact bad for the economy
better disperse spread out better
within a community in a local area
Pronunciation
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋˈnʌmbə
kɔːldˈɪntuːˈkwɛsʧən
ˈvæljuː
ˈləʊkəlzˈrɛlətɪvtuː
kənˈviːniənt
ˈbɛnɪfɪtmɔː
səˈpɔːtɪŋðeəkəˈmjuːnɪti
lɑːʤkənˈglɒmərɪts
rɪˈleɪtstuː
kənˈviːniəns
sɪˈlɛktfrɒməwaɪdvəˈraɪəti
kənˈsɪstəntliəˈveɪləbl
ˈklɪəliˈleɪbld
frɛʃ
ˈriːznəblipraɪst
dɪˈpɛndɪŋɒn
ɪnˈkwɛsʧən
ˈkɒntrɑːsts
ˈnɛsɪsərɪliˈsmɔːlə
stɒk
mɔːˈlaɪkli
rʌnaʊt
gʊdz
ʧɑːʤˈhaɪəˈpraɪsɪz
ˈɒpəreɪt
ˈsmɔːləˈprɒfɪtˈmɑːʤɪnz
ˈvɒljʊmɒvˈʃɒpəz
ˈɒfəˈdɪskaʊnts
ˈspɛʃəldiːlz
ˈfæktəzˈkɒmbaɪn
ɪksˈpleɪn
ɪnˈɛvɪtəblˈdɒmɪnəns
lɑːʤʧeɪnˈsjuːpəˌmɑːkɪts
ˈləʊkəlriːˈteɪləz
rɪˈgɑːdlɪs
kənˈtrɪbju[ː]tɪŋtuː
fʌnd
ɪˈmiːdiətkəˈmjuːnɪti
dɪˈpraɪv
ˈaʊtsaɪzdˈprɒfɪts
ˈbeəliˈtrɪklzdaʊn
ˈləʊkəlˈeərɪə
səbˈsɪstənsˈweɪʤɪz
məˈʤɒrɪti
ˈdɪstəntˈkɔːpərɪtɪgˈzɛkjʊtɪvz
ˈʃeəˌhəʊldəz
ˈəʊvətaɪm
əˈmæstkənˈsɪdərəblˈkæpɪtl
wɔːlmɑːt
ˈʤɛnəreɪtˌdɪsprəˈpɔːʃnɪtlilɑːʤsʌmz
ˈhændfʊlɒv
ˈpeɪɪŋˈmɪnɪməmweɪʤ
ˈliːvərɪʤɪŋðeəˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːʃənˈpaʊə
slæʃreɪts
səˈplaɪəz
ɪnɪˈfɛkt
ˈriːpɪŋðərɪˈwɔːdz
ˈɛfəts
aʊtˈweɪ
pɜːˈnɪʃəsˌiːkəˈnɒmɪkˈɪmpækt
ˈbɛtədɪsˈpɜːs
wɪˈðɪnəkəˈmjuːnɪti
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
The i______________________r of large supermarkets has c_____________________n their v_______e for l__________________o smaller shops. In my opinion, though supermarkets are more c______________t, local people b________________e from s_________________________y rather than l_________________________s.
The obvious benefits to supermarkets r___________o their c_______________e. They allow consumers to s_________________________y of products that are c__________________________e, c_________________d, f_______h, and r___________________d, d________________n the supermarket i______________n. This c______________s with local shops which are n____________________r and therefore cannot s_______k as many products. These smaller stores are also m___________y to r___________t of g_________s and c____________________s. A supermarket can typically o__________e on s______________________s because of the v______________________s, which then allows them to o_________________s and s_________________s. All these f_________________e to e____________n the i___________________e of l_________________________s over l__________________s.
R_____________s, by c____________________o small shops, consumers f_______d those in their i___________________y and d__________e large companies of o__________________s. The money spent at a supermarket b____________________n to the l____________a, through s__________________s for employees, while the m______________y of the profits go to d_______________________s and s_______________s. O____________e, these large companies have a_________________________________l, as in the case of a company like W_______________t, and now g_________________________________________s of money for a h_______________f individuals while p__________________________e to most workers and l_______________________________________r to s_____________s with their s______________s. I_________________t, this means that the people producing and selling the food are not r_________________________s of their e___________s.
In conclusion, the modern conveniences of supermarkets do not o___________h their p_____________________________t. Buying from a local shop is one way to b______________________e power w____________________y.
Listening Practice
Watch the difference between supermarkets and farmers markets below:
Reading Practice
Read about the death of supermarkets below:
//www.wired.com/2016/04/supermarket-must-die-app-fueled-services-can-kill/
Speaking Practice
Answer the following questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Food
- What kinds of foods do you like to eat?
- How different is food in your country today from when you were younger?
- Which foods do you dislike?
- What foods do people in your country buy at the market?
Writing Practice
Write about the following related topic then check with my sample answer below:
Some people think that it is better to build more public parks and sports facilities in new towns rather than shopping malls.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?