B2IELTS-style · Band 5.5–6.5Writing55 min

IELTS Writing Task 2: Fair Trade and Ethical Shopping

Fair trade and ethical shopping

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How to Use This Lesson

👨‍🏫 For the Teacher:

• 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.

🎓 For the Learner:

• 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.

Module 1

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.

____ a. middleman ____ b. cooperative ____ c. sweatshop ____ d. export

7. Selling directly to stores helps farmers eliminate the _____ and keep more profit.

____ a. grower ____ b. loyalty ____ c. supplier ____ d. middleman

8. Cheap clothing is sometimes produced in an unfair _____ with poor safety conditions.

____ a. sweatshop ____ b. cooperative ____ c. fairness ____ d. export

9. Developing countries often rely on the _____ of agricultural goods to earn money.

____ a. middleman ____ b. grower ____ c. export ____ d. deceive

10. Treating workers well will ensure _____ across the whole supply chain.

____ a. sweatshop ____ b. fairness ____ c. export ____ d. deceive

C Common Essay Linking Phrases

📦 Word Bank:
As a result For instance In my view On the other hand In addition

11. Fair-trade items protect workers. _____, ethical products are often more expensive than standard goods.

____ a. As a result ____ b. For instance ____ c. On the other hand ____ d. In addition

12. Supermarkets can support fair trade in simple ways. _____, they can display clear labels on their shelves.

____ a. For instance ____ b. On the other hand ____ c. In my view ____ d. As a result

13. _____, governments ought to give tax breaks to ethical businesses to encourage fair trading.

____ a. As a result ____ b. On the other hand ____ c. For instance ____ d. In my view

14. Fair-trade goods guarantee good wages. _____, workers can afford better healthcare for their children.

____ a. On the other hand ____ b. As a result ____ c. In my view ____ d. In addition

15. Ethical shopping helps local farming communities. _____, it protects the natural environment.

____ a. As a result ____ b. On the other hand ____ c. In addition ____ d. For instance

D Paraphrase Practice

Complete the rewording of each sentence using a unit word so that it keeps the same meaning.

Original: Supermarkets should stop buying goods from factories with bad working conditions.
Rewrite: Supermarkets should refuse to source products from any ____.
Original: It is easy to check where these organic items were produced.
Rewrite: The origin of these organic goods is completely ____.
Original: Buying directly from producers helps farmers earn a better income.
Rewrite: By cutting out the ____, small farmers can earn a fair wage.

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)

Example sentence: "Last week the manager of our shop was glad that the new supplier delivered the boxes on time."

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.

____ a. vital ____ b. essential ____ c. aware ____ d. clear

20. It is _____ that small farming families receive a stable income every season.

____ a. glad ____ b. essential ____ c. afraid ____ d. surprised

21. Local farmers were _____ that the new cooperative bought all their crops this season.

____ a. clear ____ b. unlikely ____ c. important ____ d. glad
Module 2

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?"
📏 Length: At least 250 words ⏱️ Recommended time: 40 minutes

📋 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:

1
Paragraph 1 - Introduction

"In this essay I will discuss ..."

2
Paragraph 2 - Advantage

"One advantage is ..."

3
Paragraph 3 - Disadvantage

"However, one disadvantage is ..."

4
Paragraph 4 - Conclusion

"In conclusion, ..."

✅ Self-Check Checklist

____ I wrote at least 250 words. ____ I used at least 3 target grammar sentences (adjective + that-clause or it is + adjective + that). ____ I included at least 5 Unit vocabulary words (grower, cooperative, middleman, sweatshop, supplier, export, traceable, fairness, loyalty, deceive). ____ I organised my essay into 4 clear paragraphs using the required starter phrases.
Write Your Essay Below: 🤖 Graded by AI
Evaluation Criteria: Task Response • Coherence and Cohesion • Lexical Resource • Grammatical Range and Accuracy
____ (Type your 250-word essay here...)
Module 3

Model Essay (B2 Level)

See how a strong student wrote this essay!

🌟 B2 Model Essay (262 words)

Open Reference

In 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.

📌 Why this works (It is + adjective + that): States a clear facts pattern. Example: It is clear that farmers need a fair price for their work.
📌 Why this works (Person + be + adjective + that): Expresses a consumer concern. Example: The shopkeeper was afraid that the delivery would arrive late.

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.

📌 Why this works (Paragraph Starter & Unit word): Opens Paragraph 2 cleanly and uses target word grower.
📌 Why this works (It is + adjective + that): Highlights an important requirement. Example: Last week the manager of our shop was glad that the new supplier delivered the boxes on time.

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.

📌 Why this works (Paragraph Starter): Opens Paragraph 3 to discuss the opposite side.
📌 Why this works (Person + be + adjective + that): Shows knowledge or understanding. Example: Shoppers are aware that prices are low during sales.

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.

📌 Why this works (Conclusion Starter & Unit word): Summarises the essay main points using target word fairness.
📌 Why this works (Person + be + adjective + that): Expresses a final strong prediction. Example: We are sure that quality will improve soon.

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