IELTS Writing Task 2: Fair Trade and Ethical Shopping
Fair trade and ethical shopping
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
How to Use This Lesson
• Guide students through this 55-minute lesson by covering Module 1 vocabulary and grammar first, followed by the essay task.
• Use the instant automated feedback in Module 1 to check answers in class, then review student essays submitted in Module 2.
• Complete the build-up practice in Module 1 to learn key vocabulary and grammar patterns before you start writing.
• Next, write your essay in Module 2 using the paragraph plan, then compare your work with the model essay in Module 3.
Build-Up Practice
Let's build your vocabulary and grammar before writing!
A Word Forms of Unit Words
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in brackets.
1. Many coffee ____ (grower) work long hours for very low pay in developing countries.
2. Some companies try to be ____ (deceive) about where their products come from.
3. Supermarkets should buy directly from an ethical ____ (supply) to protect workers.
4. The production journey of these clothes is fully ____ (trace) from farm to shop.
5. Customer ____ (loyal) increases when a store supports fair trade.
B Collocations with Unit Words
Choose the correct unit word that best fits each sentence.
6. Small farmers often join a fair-trade _____ to sell their crops together at better prices.
7. Selling directly to stores helps farmers eliminate the _____ and keep more profit.
8. Cheap clothing is sometimes produced in an unfair _____ with poor safety conditions.
9. Developing countries often rely on the _____ of agricultural goods to earn money.
10. Treating workers well will ensure _____ across the whole supply chain.
C Common Essay Linking Phrases
11. Fair-trade items protect workers. _____, ethical products are often more expensive than standard goods.
12. Supermarkets can support fair trade in simple ways. _____, they can display clear labels on their shelves.
13. _____, governments ought to give tax breaks to ethical businesses to encourage fair trading.
14. Fair-trade goods guarantee good wages. _____, workers can afford better healthcare for their children.
15. Ethical shopping helps local farming communities. _____, it protects the natural environment.
D Paraphrase Practice
Complete the rewording of each sentence using a unit word so that it keeps the same meaning.
E Grammar Practice: Adjective + That-Clause
💡 Target Grammar Patterns:
1. Person + be + adjective + that-clause (sure, certain, aware, glad, afraid, surprised)
2. It is + adjective + that-clause (important, essential, vital, clear, unlikely)
Choose the adjective that correctly fits the grammar and meaning of each sentence.
19. Many consumers are _____ that low prices often mean low wages for factory workers.
20. It is _____ that small farming families receive a stable income every season.
21. Local farmers were _____ that the new cooperative bought all their crops this season.
Writing Task & Planning
Now it's time to write your essay!
✍️ Official Task Prompt
"Some supermarkets now sell only products that have a fair-trade or other ethical label. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?"
📋 Writing Requirements & Outline Plan
Checklist Requirements:
- Include at least 3 sentences using the target grammar patterns.
- Include at least 5 Unit vocabulary words (grower, cooperative, middleman, sweatshop, supplier, export, traceable, fairness, loyalty, deceive).
4-Paragraph Essay Plan Starters:
"In this essay I will discuss ..."
"One advantage is ..."
"However, one disadvantage is ..."
"In conclusion, ..."
✅ Self-Check Checklist
Model Essay (B2 Level)
See how a strong student wrote this essay!
🌟 B2 Model Essay (262 words)
Open ReferenceIn recent years, some grocery stores have decided to offer only ethically certified products, such as fair-trade coffee and chocolate. It is clear that this decision brings significant benefits for food producers in developing countries. However, many shoppers are afraid that food prices will become too expensive for normal families. In this essay I will discuss why the positive impacts of this policy are greater than the negative ones.
One advantage is that ethical trading protects every small grower from unfair market conditions. In traditional supply chains, a middleman often takes most of the profit, leaving farm workers with very little income. When supermarkets buy directly from a local cooperative, workers receive fair pay and better working conditions. Furthermore, customers can check where their food comes from because the supply chain is completely traceable. It is essential that retail companies support these honest suppliers so that workers do not suffer in a sweatshop environment.
However, one disadvantage is that ethically sourced items usually cost more money. When a supermarket stops selling cheaper budget brands, low-income customers may find it difficult to afford basic groceries. Store owners are aware that high prices might cause some customers to shop elsewhere. Nevertheless, as demand for ethical goods grows, production costs will fall, making these items more affordable for everyone in the long term.
In conclusion, although stocking exclusively ethical goods can increase shopping costs for some consumers, it plays a vital role in protecting vulnerable workers and promoting fairness across the world. I am sure that more supermarkets will adopt this approach in the future.
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