IELTS Writing Task 2 | Shopping Malls as Social Spaces: A Negative Development?

Task Prompt

Many people nowadays consider shopping malls to be ideal places for leisure activities and socialising, whereas in the past they were primarily visited for practical purposes.
To what extent do you think this change is a negative development?

In this lesson, we take a largely negative position and build the argument step by step.

Before developing ideas, we clarify the change described in the question. In the past, shopping malls were mainly used for practical purposes — people went there to buy what they needed and then left. Today, malls are often used as social and leisure spaces. From this understanding, we develop two focused reasons why this shift can be considered negative.

Body Paragraph 1: Social Interaction and Consumerism

The first paragraph argues that when malls become social spaces, leisure activities become closely connected to spending money.

Paragraph:

I believe that the transition of malls into social hubs is a negative development because it reinforces the idea that leisure time must involve spending money. Unlike traditional public spaces such as parks or town squares, almost every activity within a mall is commercialised, meaning individuals often feel pressured to make a purchase to justify their stay. This can lead to a society where leisure is measured by material consumption rather than genuine human interaction, which is a harmful shift in social values. Consequently, the commercialisation of our social lives represents a significant drawback of this modern trend.

This paragraph begins by clearly stating the main concern. It then explains how commercial environments encourage spending, shows the broader social impact, and ends by linking the argument directly back to the idea of negative development.

Body Paragraph 2: Impact on Local Communities

The second paragraph focuses on how the popularity of large shopping malls may weaken local neighborhoods and small businesses.

Paragraph:

Another reason this change is a negative development is that the popularity of large malls often comes at the expense of local neighbourhood businesses. When people spend their leisure time in a single centralised commercial centre, the foot traffic that once supported small local shops and community centres disappears. This leads to the decline of vibrant local streets, leaving behind empty storefronts and a weakened sense of community spirit. Therefore, while malls offer convenience, the resulting decay of local districts is a clear negative consequence for society.

This paragraph introduces a different concern, explains how shifting leisure activities to centralized shopping centres affects small businesses, describes the wider community impact, and concludes by reaffirming the negative position.

Writing Focus: One Idea at a Time

In this lesson, each paragraph follows a clear structure:

• A topic sentence that introduces one main reason
• An explanation of how the issue develops
• An impact that shows why it matters
• A concluding sentence that links back to the question

The key is not complicated vocabulary. It is clear logic.

Each paragraph develops one focused argument without mixing ideas or switching sides.

Your Turn

Use the same question and choose a position.

Think of two clear reasons that support your view.

When your ideas are clear and logically connected, the writing becomes much easier.