Plan this problem and solution essay about globalisation with the ideas and outline below, write it on a 40-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
International brands and chain stores are replacing small local shops in many towns.
What problems does this cause and what solutions can you suggest?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
Pick two or three points from one or both columns. You do not need all of them, and your own examples score better than memorised ones.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 250 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
In many towns, small independent shops are being replaced by international chains. This essay will examine the problems this causes and suggest some ways of dealing with it.
The shift has several causes. Large brands can buy in bulk and so offer lower prices, and they spend heavily on advertising, which makes their names familiar and trusted. Many shoppers choose them because they know what they will get. Local businesses, with limited budgets, cannot match this scale and are often forced to close.
The consequences are considerable. Firstly, towns lose their character, as high streets begin to look the same everywhere and local products disappear. Secondly, the loss of independent shops damages the community economy. A significant share of the money spent in a chain store goes to head office, often abroad, while money spent in a local shop is more likely to circulate in the area and support other local services. Jobs are also affected, since small business owners lose their livelihoods and the new positions offered by chains tend to be lower paid and less secure. Elderly people may lose the personal service of a shopkeeper they know.
Governments could take several steps to help. They could offer tax reductions or cheaper rents to small businesses, which would make it easier for them to survive. Planning rules could limit the number of chain stores in a town centre, as some French and Italian towns have done, to preserve variety. Finally, campaigns encouraging people to shop locally, for example through markets and loyalty schemes, could change consumer habits by reminding people what is lost when a neighbourhood shop closes.
In conclusion, global chains win through low prices and branding, but the cost to communities is high. Support for local traders and sensible limits on chains could protect both economies and character.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| multinational | company operating in many countries |
| chain store | one of many shops with the same name |
| local business | small firm in a community |
| unique character | special identity |
| drive out of business | force to close |
| consumer choice | variety of options for buyers |
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