Buying things on the Internet such as books- IELTS Writing Task 2

Buying things on the Internet such as books, air tickets and groceries is becoming more and more popular. Do the advantages of shopping in this way outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

Outline

Essay Type

Advantages/Disadvantages essay

Introduction

Paraphrase the topic of the essay and mention that it has its merits and demerits.

Body paragraphs

Paragraph 1 – Talk about the advantages of buying products online.

Paragraph 2 – Implore the drawbacks.

Conclusion

Restate your opinions.

Sample Essay

Today, shopping online is becoming more popular in the modern world than ever. People use it to buy many things such as books, clothes, shoes, tickets and even groceries. I am of the opinion that this method of buying has both advantages and disadvantages, and it is hard to say whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

On the bright side, shopping from online portals is highly convenient. Many people these days have hectic schedules, and due to that, they get hardly any time to buy things in store. As a result, online shopping is a boon for them. It eliminates the need to visit the stores to place the order physically. One can get whatever one needs with just a few mouse clicks on the screen. It saves both time, effort and money. Also, most online stores offer huge discounts on their products most of the year. Consequently, customers don’t have to travel a long distance or wait in a long queue to pay their bills or buy products they want.

Talking about the drawbacks of virtual shopping, identity theft and digital scams are the most common. Careless use of credit or debit cards during the payment step or sharing sensitive personal information can often invite spammers and hackers to hamper their privacy. Finally, remote shopping doesn’t have the facility to physically inspect a product before buying it, which often leads to customer dissatisfaction. However, one can easily avoid these demerits by being cautious and trusting well-known brands and websites.

In conclusion, the overwhelming benefits that online shopping offer far outweigh a few demerits it has. Depending on what kind of products you buy, you can look for the most sensible way of buying them.

Vocabulary

• Groceries

Meaning – a grocer’s shop or business.
Example – My mother told me to buy some groceries on my way back from school.

• Outweigh

Meaning – be heavier, greater, or more significant than.
Example – The costs of these branded clothes outweigh their supposed value.

• Convenient

Meaning – fitting in well with a person’s needs, activities, and plans.
Example – The elevators and lifts are convenient for most people compared to stairs.

• Hectic

Meaning – full of incessant or frantic activity.
Example – Mrs. Sharma was exhausted after a long, hectic day.

1. Boon

Meaning – a thing that is helpful or beneficial.
Example – It felt like an enormous boon for the locality kids when the park was maintained for the first time in 5 years.

• Queue

Meaning – a line or sequence of people or vehicles awaiting their turn to be attended to or to proceed.
Example – Season ticket holders need not stand in the long queue.

• Theft

Meaning – the action or crime of stealing.
Example – The people were alerted when a case of theft took place in their society.

• Scams

Meaning – a dishonest scheme; a fraud.
Example – Tourists can be vulnerable to scams and con schemes of all kinds.

• Hamper

Meaning – hinder or impede the movement or progress of.
Example – The teacher warned her students not to hamper the normal functioning of the class or else they would be taken to the Principal.

• Cautious

Meaning – (of a person) careful to avoid potential problems or dangers.
Example – Parents often tell their children to always be cautious of their money.