In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed - IELTS Writing Task 2

Kasturika Samanta

9 min read

Updated On Dec 12, 2025

Take a look at sample answers to the IELTS Writing Task 2 positive and negative essay ‘In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed’. Also, look at the detailed outline and vocabulary to write an essay that meets the standards of a Band 7 or higher.

In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed IELTS Writing Task 2

Essay Question for ‘In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed’
Outline for IELTS Positive & Negative Development Essay
Sample Answers for In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed IELTS Writing Task 2
Vocabulary to Use for In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed - IELTS Writing Task 2

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The rise of mega shopping complexes has dramatically reshaped consumer behaviour across many modern cities. Local shopping lanes that once bustled with familiar vendors are now overshadowed by massive retail hubs offering everything under one roof. As a result, purchasing habits evolve, and this shift is evident in the IELTS Writing Task 2 topic ‘In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed - IELTS Writing Task 2’.

This blog will help you analyse the topic ‘In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed’ effectively, write a strong argument-based essay, and master high-level vocabulary relevant to commerce and consumer trends.

Essay Question for ‘In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed’

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

In recent years, many small local shops have closed because customers travel to large shopping centers or malls to do their shipping. Is this a positive or negative development? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Outline for IELTS Positive & Negative Development Essay

Given below is an outline to help you understand how to write positive and negative development essays in IELTS, which are quite comparable to IELTS Advantages/Disadvantages essays.

Introduction

Paraphrase the statement
State your opinion (positive/negative/mixed)
Briefly mention your key arguments

Body Paragraph 1

Present the first main idea
Explain cause/effect
Provide real or hypothetical examples

Body Paragraph 2

Present the second main idea
Add supporting details, statistics, or illustrations
Link back to the overall opinion

Conclusion

Restate your opinion clearly
Summarise the main points logically
End with a strong final message

Sample Answers for In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed IELTS Writing Task 2

Here are three IELTS Band 9 essay samples on the topic ‘In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed’. You will be able to write your own essay and achieve a high band score.

In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed - Sample Answer 1

The closure of small local shops due to the popularity of large shopping centres has become a common trend worldwide. While big malls offer convenience and variety, I believe this shift is largely negative for communities and the overall economy. This essay will discuss the reasons behind this viewpoint.

Firstly, the decline of local shops weakens neighbourhood culture and social interaction. Small stores are often run by long-standing families who know their customers personally. They contribute to the sense of community, something large malls fail to replicate. For example, in many traditional towns, local grocers or tailors serve not only as service providers but also as informal meeting points where residents build relationships. When these establishments are lost, the resulting communities tend to be more impersonal.

Secondly, economically, the dominance of large malls harms local entrepreneurship and leads to monopolistic behaviour. Due to their ability to purchase in large quantities, large retail chains frequently have the advantage of offering lower prices, which puts smaller shops at a disadvantage when trying to compete. This reduces business diversity and leads to job losses, particularly among self-employed individuals. As a hypothetical example, if a local fruit vendor closes due to the arrival of a supermarket, the vendor loses income while the community becomes dependent on a single large retailer, reducing market competition.

In conclusion, the closure of small shops in favour of large malls is a negative development. It erodes community relationships and weakens local economic resilience. Therefore, protecting small businesses is essential for preserving social cohesion and supporting long-term economic stability.

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In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed - Sample Answer 2

In many regions, small local shops have closed as customers increasingly prefer large shopping centres. In my view, this is a largely positive development, as modern retail complexes offer efficiency, competitive pricing, and an improved shopping experience. This essay explains these benefits in detail.

To begin with, large shopping centres provide unparalleled convenience. Customers can purchase groceries, electronics, clothing, and household goods under one roof, which significantly reduces the time and effort required for everyday tasks. This is particularly beneficial for urban families with demanding schedules, who often struggle to balance work and domestic responsibilities. For example, a mall offering childcare facilities, pharmacies, restaurants, and supermarkets allows a parent to complete multiple tasks in a single trip rather than visiting several small shops scattered across town. The availability of ample parking, clean environments, and reliable customer service further enhances this convenience.

Furthermore, the rise of big shopping complexes often leads to better product quality and lower prices. Large retailers typically collaborate with established brands and adhere to strict quality control standards. Their bulk purchasing ability allows them to offer competitive prices, frequent discounts, and seasonal promotions, advantages that smaller businesses usually cannot match. Consequently, consumers gain access to a wider range of choices at more affordable rates, contributing to a higher overall standard of living. Additionally, modern malls frequently introduce international brands, giving customers access to global trends and innovations.

In conclusion, although small shops play an important cultural and community-based role, the shift towards large shopping centres is mostly positive because it enhances convenience, improves product quality, and reduces costs for consumers. Modern retail hubs reflect evolving lifestyles and economic expectations, offering a more efficient and enjoyable shopping experience.

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In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed - Sample Answer 3

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Shopping has always been an integral part of our daily lives. Earlier, there were shops specialized in selling a specific type of product. For example, book stores sold only books or related supplies, grocery shops stocked different grocery items and apparel outlets dealt with clothes. Nowadays, this trend has been replaced by shopping malls which most people advocate. In this essay, I would put forward my opinion that small local shops are better than large shopping centers and so it is a negative development.

To begin with, small shops provide definitive goods that a customer requires. Thereby, a lot of confusion is avoided when one knows what he/she wants as they visit the shop. The material they keep ranges from the lowest to the highest, giving the person a scope to choose things according to the budget. The fruits and vegetables such shopkeepers sell are always fresh and grown using natural processes. One can even find traditional products made by native people. For example, special snacks or sweets that are used by people during ceratin festivities like naru (a sweet made mostly out of desiccated coconut) during pujas. But the advent of large shopping malls has attracted people due to its glitz and glamour. As a result, these shops are being closed, and people are losing their jobs. The rate of unemployment is increasing, and it leads to a rise in petty crimes like theft and blackmail.

As the small shops are being closed, the malls have a monopoly in the market. This results in an increase in the price of different commodities. The huge space and decorations used in the shops and the centralized air conditioning are appealing to the buyers. But one tends to forget that these factors are included in the amount that they pay, leading to the excessive cost. There is no option of bargaining in the shopping malls, and so even if he/she feels the price is unnecessarily high, the person is forced to buy it. Sometimes, the goods that one buys, especially food items and makeup, are stale. In order to sell them, these marketing chains offer huge discounts. Furthermore, most of the shopping malls tend to promote international brands and do not showcase the national heritage of the country. This preference towards global brands demotivates the local artisans, and in the process, many important crafts are lost.

Nonetheless, shopping malls provide a one-stop solution to all our marketing woes and save time. It also provides security through guards and CCTVs, and parking space. Unfortunately, just to avail of these few facilities, serious concerns like unemployment, extravagant prices, loss of ethnic identity, and use of expired goods are rising.

Thus, in conclusion, I would like to say that although shopping malls present a modern and developed aspect of our society, a huge amount of risks are also involved with it which we have to handle before letting it sink into our way of life.

Vocabulary to Use for In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed - IELTS Writing Task 2

The following list contains vocabulary for IELTS essay topic, ‘In Recent Years Many Small Local Shops Have Closed," and it is intended to help you improve your overall vocabulary, and also display your range of lexical resources.

Word/Phrase	Meaning	Example Sentence
Replicate	to copy or produce something exactly	The company tried to replicate the success of its first store by using the same design and branding.
Impersonal	not showing or involving personal feelings	Many customers felt the automated checkout made the shopping experience slightly impersonal.
Monopolistic	characterised by exclusive control over a market	Critics argued that the firm's monopolistic practices prevented smaller businesses from surviving.
Retail chains	a group of shops owned by the same company	Retail chains often offer standardised services across all their branches.
Resilience	the ability to recover quickly from difficulties	Small shop owners showed remarkable resilience despite heavy competition from malls.
Cohesion	the state of forming a united whole	The mall’s layout created a sense of cohesion between dining, entertainment, and shopping areas.
Unparalleled	having no equal; better than anything else	The new shopping complex offers an unparalleled variety of international brands.
Ample	more than enough	The mall provided ample seating areas for elderly shoppers to rest.
Bulk purchasing	buying large quantities of goods at one time	Through bulk purchasing, retail chains can offer discounts that small stores cannot match.
Apparel	clothes of a particular type sold in stores	One of my friends has started a chain of apparel stores.
Outlet	a shop that sells a particular type of product	These brands have outlets in almost all major shopping malls.
Definitive	considered the best of its kind; final	There are some definitive pieces of craft at the exhibition that you might appreciate.
Desiccated	dried to remove moisture	My grandmother used to make sweets using desiccated coconut and roasted nuts.
Glitz and glamour	an attractive but often superficial display of wealth	Many tourists are fascinated by the glitz and glamour of luxury shopping districts.
Petty	of little importance	“This is not a petty issue, so think before you act,” the manager advised.
Showcase	to show something in an attractive way	The event allowed new designers to showcase their most creative apparel pieces.
Stale	no longer fresh or interesting	The supervisor warned the staff not to serve stale food to customers.
Woes	great sorrows or troubles	Despite many personal woes, she continued running her boutique with determination.

To conclude, whether you view the development as positive or negative, the key is to present a clear stance, support it with logical reasoning, and use high-level vocabulary to convey your ideas effectively. This topic, which is part of recent IELTS Writing topics with answers, continues to be highly relevant as global retail landscapes evolve, making it an excellent practice for building argumentative writing skills.

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