This is an IELTS Writing Task 2 sample answer essay from the real past IELTS test/exam on the topic of social media and face-to-face interaction.
Topics like this come up a lot, just a few weeks ago there was a question on social media and there is another one on spoken communication that I wrote a PDF about (that you can access through my Patreon).
Read below to see how I handled it and remember to keep checking out the recent writing topics here!
Dave
Before reading, do some listening practice by taking notes on vocabulary/ideas with the audio of my essay:
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Face to Face Interaction (Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams)
The use of social media is replacing face-to-face interaction among many people in society.
Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Real Past IELTS Test/Exam
Many people today believe that social media has largely supplanted traditional face-to-face interpersonal relationships, leading to worsening communication skills. I fully agree with this point of view though I concede the advantages of social media for entrepreneurs.
Social media has been a boon for anyone interested in starting their own business. In the past, if someone wanted to start a business the avenues were more limited and likely presupposed some inherited capital. Social media, beginning with Facebook and now being brought to fruition with apps like Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, opens up possibilities for content creators to communicate with their audience around the world. This applies to larger than life success stories like Justin Bieber, who went viral and rose from relative obscurity to global stardom, as well as more modest examples like the various Instagram artists and models who interact and generate income and publicity from their loyal fan bases.
Despite the aforementioned advantages, social media has degraded the general quality of communication. Those most affected are young users. In school, children and teenagers must develop their interpersonal skills by telling jokes, engaging in playful banter, and arguing about personal and political topics. Over time, some people distinguish themselves as great storytellers or compelling speakers while others at least improve their communication skills. In contrast, young people today are more likely to communicate by texting and interacting through fleeting comments as they impatiently scroll through their various feeds. They do not get quality feedback on their output and so develop haphazardly, not knowing whether or not their jokes and points ever really connect.
In conclusion, social media has hurt communication, overshadowing all its economic utility. Parents ought to limit phone use for children and themselves in order to fight the rising influence of technology that humanity is not evolved enough to deal with responsibly.
Word count: 298
Analysis
1. Many people today believe that social media has largely supplanted traditional face-to-face interpersonal relationships, leading to worsening communication skills. 2. I fully agree with this point of view though I concede the advantages of social media for entrepreneurs.
Paraphrase the overall topic for the essay. Show off a bit if you are confident, if not keep it simple and fast!
State your opinion clearly. I included my main ideas here but you don’t have to.
1. Social media has been a boon for anyone interested in starting their own business. 2. In the past, if someone wanted to start a business the avenues were more limited and likely presupposed some inherited capital. 3. Social media, beginning with Facebook and now being brought to fruition with apps like Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, opens up possibilities for content creators to communicate with their audience around the world. 4. This applies to larger than life success stories like Justin Bieber, who went viral and rose from relative obscurity to global stardom, as well as more modest examples like the various Instagram artists and models who interact and generate income and publicity from their loyal fan bases.
Write a topic sentence with a clear, single main idea at the end.
Begin to develop it. I start by comparing now to the past to strengthen my point.
Here I write specifially about the apps people use and how they can help people start a business.
I add in some more specific examples and finish developing my main idea fully. This is a really long sentence – only write sentences this long if you can do it clearly and your grammar is really strong.
1. Despite the aforementioned advantages, social media has degraded the general quality of communication. 2. Those most affected are young users. 3. In school, children and teenagers must develop their interpersonal skills by telling jokes, engaging in playful banter, and arguing about personal and political topics. 4. Over time, some people distinguish themselves as great storytellers or compelling speakers while others at least improve their communication skills. 5. In contrast, young people today are more likely to communicate by texting and interacting through fleeting comments as they impatiently scroll through their various feeds. 6. They do not get quality feedback on their output and so develop haphazardly, not knowing whether or not their jokes and points ever really connect.
A new topic sentence with a new main idea related to communication. Read more about topic sentences here.
Start to develop and focus your main idea. Use a variety of short and long sentences to give the reader a breath.
Develop your idea as specifically as possible – avoid being general!
You can describe the result or how this changes over time as I do here.
Again, keep it specific – this will help your cohesion and coherence, task achievement and vocabulary scores!
Finish developing your point – don’t worry about summarising, it’s not important.
1. In conclusion, social media has hurt communication, overshadowing all its economic utility. 2. Parents ought to limit phone use for children and themselves in order to fight the rising influence of technology that humanity is not evolved enough to deal with responsibly.
Repeat your opinion.
Add in an extra detail/final thought for full points for task achievement.
Vocabulary
What do the words in below mean?
Many people today believe that social media has largely supplanted traditional face-to-face interpersonal relationships, leading to worsening communication skills. I fully agree with this point of view though I concede the advantages of social media for entrepreneurs.
Social media has been a boon for anyone interested in starting their own business. In the past, if someone wanted to start a business the avenues were more limited and likely presupposed some inherited capital. Social media, beginning with Facebook and now being brought to fruition with apps like Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, opens up possibilities for content creators to communicate with their audience around the world. This applies to larger than life success stories like Justin Bieber, who went viral and rose from relative obscurity to global stardom, as well as more modest examples like the various Instagram artists and models who interact and generate income and publicity from their loyal fan bases.
Despite the aforementioned advantages, social media has degraded the general quality of communication. Those most affected are young users. In school, children and teenagers must develop their interpersonal skills by telling jokes, engaging in playful banter, and arguing about personal and political topics. Over time, some people distinguish themselves as great storytellers or compelling speakers while others at least improve their communication skills. In contrast, young people today are more likely to communicate by texting and interacting through fleeting comments as they impatiently scroll through their various feeds. They do not get quality feedback on their output and so develop haphazardly, not knowing whether or not their jokes and points ever really connect.
In conclusion, social media has hurt communication, overshadowing all its economic utility. Parents ought to limit phone use for children and themselves in order to fight the rising influence of technology that humanity is not evolved enough to deal with responsibly.
Answers
largely mostly
supplanted taken the place of
traditional face-to-face interpersonal relationships talking and interacting normally with people
worsening becoming bad
concede admit
entrepreneurs people who start their own businesses
boon lift
avenues pathways
limited not many ways
presupposed had to have/prerequisite
inherited capital money you get from your parents/relatives
brought to fruition become the finished product
opens up possibilities allows for lots of different methods
content creators people who make videos, music, podcasts, etc.
applies is true for
larger than life success stories famous stories of wildy successful people
viral all over the internet
relative obscurity not widely known
global stardom superstar
modest examples humble stories
generate create/make
publicity attention
loyal fan bases devoted fans
aforementioned just talked about
degraded getting worse
general quality overall level
engaging in playful banter chatting/joking with each other
Many people today believe that social media has ____________ ____________, leading to ____________ communication skills. I fully agree with this point of view though I ____________ the advantages of social media for ____________.
Social media has been a ____________ for anyone interested in starting their own business. In the past, if someone wanted to start a business the ____________ were more ____________ and likely ____________ some ____________. Social media, beginning with Facebook and now being ____________ with apps like Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, ____________ for ____________ to communicate with their audience around the world. This ____________ to ____________ like Justin Bieber, who went ____________ and rose from ____________ to ____________, as well as more ____________ like the various Instagram artists and models who interact with and ____________ income and ____________ from their ____________.
Despite the ____________ advantages, social media has ____________ the ____________ of communication. Those most affected are young users. In school, children and teenagers must develop their interpersonal skills by telling jokes, ____________, and arguing about personal and political topics. Over time, some people ____________ themselves as great ____________ or ____________ while others ____________ improve their communication skills. In contrast, young people today are more likely to communicate by texting and interacting through ____________ as they ____________ through their various ____________. They do not get ____________ on their ____________ and so ____________, not knowing whether or not their jokes and points ever really ____________.
In conclusion, social media has hurt communication, ____________ all its ____________. Parents ought to limit phone use for children and themselves in order to fight the ____________ of technology that humanity is ____________ to ____________.
Listen and check:
Listening Practice
Listen to the former Facebook executive below on how social media is ripping society apart:
Before reading you can listen to the audio of my answer and take some notes:
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Tourism and Culture (Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams)
Some believe that tourism does more to create tension between countries rather than helping individuals better understand other cultures.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Reported IELTS Exam on February 8th
Many people are of the belief that rather than easing tensions, tourism actually further strains relations between countries. In my opinion, despite some newsworthy incidents, the vast majority of tourist interactions are positive.
The reason that many have turned against tourism as a means of soft power is the memorable disputes that naturally arise. A good example of this would be the recent outbreak of Coronavirus in China and the resultant worldwide panic. Chinese tourists have since reported on social media channels increased harassment and chilly treatment abroad. Such reactions are irrational because Coronovirus is a tame threat relative to normal strains of influenza, various diseases and other fatalities over the period including vehicular deaths. This psychological bias applies to small-scale tourist interactions as well: people are more likely to remember recent, negative events even if their actual impact is marginal.
The overwhelming majority of interactions between tourist and local are friendly and conducive to increased understanding. The average person taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly customs officials, chat amiably with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very accommodating. The negative interactions are rare though they may stick out and make memorable stories. The more common scenario is that a tourist’s curiosity will be matched by local enthusiasm to make a good impression of themselves and their country. These complimentary human drives from the tourist and local, re-enacted in millions of micro-interactions daily, may not make headlines but they foster empathy and understanding between otherwise diverse cultures.
In conclusion, the cumulative impact of friendly encounters engendered by tourism far outweigh exaggerated slights. People should keep this in perspective when travelling and rise above prejudice and confirmation bias.
Analysis
1. Many people are of the belief that rather than easing tensions, tourism actually further strains relations between countries. 2. In my opinion, despite some newsworthy incidents, the vast majority of tourist interactions are positive.
Paraphrase the overall topic – write this quickly and keep it simple.
Give your opinion. You can also write this quickly but be sure that you choose a clear overall side.
1. The reason that many have turned against tourism as a means of soft power is the memorable disputes that naturally arise. 2. A good example of this would be the recent outbreak of Coronavirus in China and the resultant worldwide panic. 3. Chinese tourists have since reported on social media channels increased harassment and chilly treatment abroad. 4. Such reactions are irrational because Coronovirus is a tame threat relative to normal strains of influenza, various diseases and other fatalities over the period including vehicular deaths. 5. This psychological bias applies to small-scale tourist interactions as well: people are more likely to remember recent, negative events even if their actual impact is marginal.
Write a clear topic sentence with your main idea at the end. Focus on a single main idea not a list of reasons.
Begin your example as fast as possible and make sure it is relevant.
Develop that example – don’t run away from it!
Be specific – notice how I describe other diseases and types of deaths.
Draw conclusions or results or make your specific more general at the end of the paragraph.
1. The overwhelming majority of interactions between tourist and local are friendly and conducive to increased understanding. 2. The average person taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly customs officials, chat amiably with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very accommodating. 3. The negative interactions are rare though they may stick out and make memorable stories. 4. The more common scenario is that a tourist’s curiosity will be matched by local enthusiasm to make a good impression of themselves and their country. 5. These complimentary human drives from the tourist and local, re-enacted in millions of micro-interactions daily, may not make headlines but they foster empathy and understanding between otherwise diverse cultures.
Write another clear topic sentence with your main idea at the end again – single main ideas!
For this one, I use a hypothetical example but it is still very specific.
Continue developing your main idea. Here I use contrast to strengthen my point.
Keep focusing on the same example with specfic detail.
Conclude the paragraph by extending your support.
1. In conclusion, the cumulative impact of friendly encounters engendered by tourism far outweigh exaggerated slights. 2. People should keep this in perspective when travelling and rise above prejudice and confirmation bias.
Repeat your opinion.
Add an extra detail/final thought to get full marks from the examiner for your task achievement score.
Vocabulary
Try to figure out what the key academic vocabulary in bold means:
Many people are of the belief that rather than easing tensions, tourism actually further strainsrelations between countries. In my opinion, despite some newsworthy incidents, the vast majority of tourist interactions are positive.
The reason that many have turned against tourism as a means of soft power is the memorable disputes that naturally arise. A good example of this would be the recent outbreak of Coronavirus in China and the resultant worldwide panic. Chinese tourists have since reported on social media channels increased harassment and chilly treatment abroad. Such reactions are irrational because Coronovirus is a tame threat relative to normal strains of influenza, various diseases and other fatalities over the period including vehicular deaths. This psychological bias applies to small-scale tourist interactions as well: people are more likely to remember recent, negative events even if their actual impact is marginal.
The overwhelming majority of interactions between tourist and local are friendly and conducive to increased understanding. The average person taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly customs officials, chat amiably with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very accommodating. The negative interactions are rare though they may stick out and make memorable stories. The more common scenario is that a tourist’s curiosity will be matched by local enthusiasm to make a good impression of themselves and their country. These complimentary human drives from the tourist and local, re-enacted in millions of micro-interactions daily, may not make headlines but they foster empathy and understanding between otherwise diverse cultures.
In conclusion, the cumulative impact of friendly encounters engendered by tourism far outweigh exaggerated slights. People should keep this in perspective when travelling and rise above prejudice and confirmation bias.
Answers
of the belief feel that
easing tensions being friendlier
further strainsrelations make relationships worse
newsworthy incidents stories that make the news
vast majority most of
interactions back and forth
turned against no longer agree with
soft power influence without force
memorable disputes easy to remember arguments/fights
naturally arise bound to come up
recent outbreak new pandemic
Coronavirus virus emerging in Wuhan, China
resultant worldwide panic people all of the world scared
social media channels online through Facebook, Instagram, etc.
harassment bothering
chilly treatment abroad not friendly when they travel to other countries
reactions receptions
irrational no logic to it
tame threat not that dangerous
relative to compared to
strains of influenza different kinds of flu
fatalities deaths
vehicular deaths dying from car accidents
psychological bias prejudice
small-scale tourist interactions everyday communication between locals and tourists
marginal unimportant
overwhelming majority most of
local residents
conducive allows for/encourages
increased understanding getting along better
average person anyone
customs officials people in charge of goods/people at airports
amiably friendly
accommodating easy-going, helpful
stick out stand out/be memorable
make memorable stories make good anecdotes
common scenario happens a lot
curiosity wonder about
matched met
enthusiasm energy
good impression get off on the right foot
complimentary human drives desires that go hand in hand
re-enacted happens over and over
micro-interactions little moments between people
make headlines become news
foster empathy encourages understanding
otherwise diverse cultures contrasting national identities
cumulative impact overall effect
engendered provokes
outweigh exaggerated slights more important than little insults
keep this in perspective not over-react
rise above prejudice overcome biases
confirmation bias favouring what confirms what you already believe
Many people are ___________ that rather than ___________, tourism actually ___________ between countries. In my opinion, despite some ___________, the ___________ of tourist ___________ are positive.
The reason that many have ___________ tourism as a means of ___________ is the ___________ that ___________. A good example of this would be the ___________ of ___________ in China and the ___________. Chinese tourists have since reported on ___________ increased ___________ and ___________. Such ___________ are ___________ because Coronovirus is a ___________ normal ___________, various diseases and other ___________ over the period including ___________. This ___________ applies to ___________ as well: people are more likely to remember recent, negative events even if their actual impact is ___________.
The ___________ of interactions between tourist and ___________ are friendly and ___________ to ___________. The ___________ taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly ___________, chat ___________ with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very ___________. The negative interactions are rare though they may ___________ and ___________. The more ___________ is that a tourist’s ___________ will be ___________ by local ___________ to make a ___________ of themselves and their country. These ___________ from the tourist and local, ___________ in millions of ___________ daily, may not ___________ but they ___________ and understanding between ___________.
In conclusion, the ___________ of friendly encounters ___________ by tourism far ___________. People should ___________ when travelling and ___________ and ___________.
Listen and check:
Listening Practice
Listen and review the topic (use these ideas to practice):
Reading Practice
Read and further review the topic in case if it comes up on your test:
Before reading, take a minute to listen to the audio for my sample answer to improve your listening skills:
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Old Buildings (Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams)
Too much money is wasted on repairing old buildings that should be used to knock them down and build new ones.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Real Past IELTS Tests
Many people today claim that too much money is being allocated to the upkeep of older buildings that would be better utilised on modern infrastructure. In my opinion, though new buildings are more practical, old buildings are indispensable cultural relics.
Progressive supporters of modernity rationally point out the actual utility of a building should be the priority. A good example of this would be in cities that have developed substantially in the last half century such as Kolkata, India. Rapid economic development there has overtaken sentimentality over both pre and post-Colonial architecture. It is commonplace for old buildings that no longer meet today’s safety standards to be bulldozed to build hospitals, hotels, restaurants, and offices. All these new buildings serve vital functions in a 21st century metropolis and are not merely for show, as the buildings relegated for demolition are.
Despite the above justifications, old buildings serve to maintain the irreplaceable cultural identity of a city. While cities like Kolkata and Beijing have ruthlessly swept aside the past in favour of an inevitable future, smaller cities like Chiang Mai in Thailand have managed to protect the majority of their historic buildings. The result is more than just tourist attractions like classic homes, old city walls and ancient pagodas. The residents of Chiang Mai, and other citizens of Thailand, can visit and be reminded of the beauty and resilience of their ancestors. In Beijing, the disdain for history encourages the nation at large to imitate the stubborn pursuit of progress characteristic of the 21st century.
In conclusion, old buildings ought to be preserved as they are important for a nation’s cultural identity. The governments that adopt this long-term, multifaceted view will reap the rewards of a more unified national citizenry.
Word count: 285
Analysis
1. Many people today claim that too much money is being allocated to the upkeep of older buildings that would be better utilised on modern infrastructure. 2. In my opinion, though new buildings are more practical, old buildings are indispensable cultural relics.
Paraphrase the main topic for this essay. This sentence can be long or short – don’t waste much time on it.
Give a clear opinion. I use the word ‘indispensible’ to make my opinion clear enough but I will also repeat it even more clearly in my conclusion.
1. Progressive supporters of modernity rationally point out the actual utility of a building should be the priority. 2. A good example of this would be in cities that have developed substantially in the last half century such as Kolkata, India. 3. Rapid economic development there has overtaken sentimentality over both pre and post-Colonial architecture. 4. It is commonplace for old buildings that no longer meet today’s safety standards to be bulldozed to build hospitals, hotels, restaurants, and offices. 5. All these new buildings serve vital functions in a 21st century metropolis and are not merely for show, as the buildings relegated for demolition are.
Write a topic sentence with a main ideas at the end of the sentence. Just 1 main idea so that you can develop it fully.
Start your example right away if possible – don’t waste any time!
Be specific and continue developing the same example.
Include specific lists and detail to bump up your task achievement, cohesion/coherence, and vocabulary.
Relate the last sentence back to your main idea or finish developing your example.
1. Despite the above justifications, old buildings serve to maintain the irreplaceable cultural identity of a city. 2. While cities like Kolkata and Beijing have ruthlessly swept aside the past in favour of an inevitable future, smaller cities like Chiang Mai in Thailand have managed to protect the majority of their historic buildings. 3. The result is more than just tourist attractions like classic homes, old city walls and ancient pagodas. 4. The residents of Chiang Mai, and other citizens of Thailand, can visit and be reminded of the beauty and resilience of their ancestors. 5. In Beijing, the disdain for history encourages the nation at large to imitate the stubborn pursuit of progress characteristic of the 21st century.
Another topic sentence, with another single main idea that you can fully develop.
Begin another specific example. This time I use a comparative example because it suits this question.
Again, give specific details.
Continue with the same example – don’t switch to a new one.
Finish developing the example. Here I bring it back to Beijing to strengthen my support.
1. In conclusion, old buildings ought to be preserved as they are important for a nation’s cultural identity. 2. The governments that adopt this long-term, multifaceted view will reap the rewards of a more unified national citizenry.
Repeat your opinion and make sure it is totally clear at this point or you risk a band 5 for task achievement.
Add an extra detail/final thought to the end. Read more about your conclusion here.
Vocabulary
Take some notes on what the words in bold below mean:
Many people today claim that too much money is being allocated to the upkeep of older buildings that would be better utilised on modern infrastructure. In my opinion, though new buildings are more practical, old buildings are indispensable cultural relics.
Progressive supporters of modernity rationally point out the actual utility of a building should be the priority. A good example of this would be in cities that have developed substantially in the last half century such as Kolkata, India. Rapid economic development there has overtaken sentimentality over both pre and post-Colonial architecture. It is commonplace for old buildings that no longer meet today’s safety standards to be bulldozed to build hospitals, hotels, restaurants, and offices. All these new buildings serve vital functions in a 21st century metropolis and are not merely for show, as the buildings relegated for demolition are.
Despite the above justifications, old buildings serve to maintain the irreplaceable cultural identity of a city. While cities like Kolkata and Beijing have ruthlessly swept aside the past in favour of an inevitable future, smaller cities like Chiang Mai in Thailand have managed to protect the majority of their historic buildings. The result is more than just tourist attractions like classic homes, old city walls and ancient pagodas. The residents of Chiang Mai, and other citizens of Thailand, can visit and be reminded of the beauty and resilience of their ancestors. In Beijing, the disdain for history encourages the nation at large to imitate the stubborn pursuit of progress characteristic of the 21st century.
In conclusion, old buildings ought to be preserved as they are important for a nation’s cultural identity. The governments that adopt this long-term, multifaceted view will reap the rewards of a more unified national citizenry.
Answers
allocated assigned to
upkeep maintanence
better utilised used for a better purpose
modern infrastructure new buildings
practical useful
indispensable cultural relics cannot be replaced historic artefacts
progressive supporters those in favour of modern thinking
modernity the present moment
rationally logically/makes sense
point out argue
actual utility can be used in the real world
priority more important
developed substantially made a lot of progress
last half century last 50 years
Kolkata a city in India, also known as Calcutta
rapid economic development the economy developing quickly
overtaken sentimentality become more important than feelings
pre and post-Colonial architecture buildings before and after English occupation
commonplace ubiquitous
no longer meet today’s safety standards unsafe
bulldozed destroyed
serve vital functions provide essential services
21st century metropolis modern city
not merely for show actually useful
relegated dismissed, diminished
demolition destruction
despite in spite of, notwithstanding
justifications reasons/excuses
serve to maintain are used to preserve
irreplaceable cultural identity cannot be replaced sense of a culture/society
ruthlessly swept aside unfeelingly dismissed
in favour of preferring
inevitable future cannot be escaped
managed to protect were able to preserve
majority most of
ancient pagodas old temples
reminded make people remember
resilience strength
ancestors previous generations
disdain look down on
encourages reinforces
nation at large all of the country
imitate copy
stubborn pursuit single-minded, thoughless search
progress characteristic of the 21st century the advancing nature of the world
preserved protected
nation’s cultural identity the qualities that make countries unique
long-term over a long period of time
multifaceted view many perspectives
reap the rewards gain benefits from
more unified national citizenry united, patriotic country
Many people today claim that too much money is being _____________ to the _____________ of older buildings that would be _____________ on _____________. In my opinion, though new buildings are more _____________, old buildings are _____________.
_____________ of _______________________________________ the _____________ of a building should be the _____________. A good example of this would be in cities that have _____________ in the _____________ such as _____________ , India. _____________ there has _____________ over both _____________ . It is _____________ for old buildings that _____________ to be _____________ to build hospitals, hotels, restaurants, and offices. All these new buildings _____________ in a _____________ and are _____________, as the buildings _____________ for _____________ are.
_____________ the above _____________, old buildings _____________ the _____________ of a city. While cities like Kolkata and Beijing have _____________ the past _____________ an _____________, smaller cities like Chiang Mai in Thailand have _____________ the _____________ of their historic buildings. The result is more than just tourist attractions like classic homes, old city walls and _____________. The residents of Chiang Mai, and other citizens of Thailand, can visit and be _____________ of the beauty and _____________ of their _____________. In Beijing, the _____________ for history _____________ the _____________ to _____________ the _____________ of _____________.
In conclusion, old buildings ought to be _____________ as they are important for a _____________. The governments that adopt this _____________, _____________ will _____________ of a _____________.
Listen and check:
Listening Practice
Learn about another possible example for this topic, Karachi in Pakistan:
Reading Practice
Read the article below and if you are from India or Kolkata please let me know in the comments if it is accurate or not!
Plagiarism in academics has become a pressing problem in many countries today.
What are the causes of this problem?
What are some possible solutions?
Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams
Plagiarism has become a serious issue in academic circles in recent decades. The main causes of this center around the dissemination of information to countries with varying attitudes to intellectual property rights and the solutions are strict censures of plagiarised works.
In many countries, plagiarism is not considered an offence or treated very lightly. For example, students in Vietnam grow up in an environment where copyright is largely just for show. It is common practice for photocopy shops to print or copy entire books with no legal repercussions. In school, many students are instructed to memorise and reproduce the works of others and prohibited from coming up with their own ideas. The rise of Facebook, which hardly polices IP rights, has led to further lawlessness. Altogether, theft is culturally permitted if not encouraged. Countries around the world all have differing standards based on their history, culture, and legal frameworks.
The best solutions for plagiarism are to implement degrees of punishments. Those who outright copy and paste works and pass them off as their own for commercial purposes should be subject to full criminal and civil prosecution. This will limit the most extreme cases. Sharing and posting materials on the internet is a thornier issue because the perpetrators do not always receive direct financial benefit and can be difficult to track down. In these cases, it is the websites, such as Facebook, that must police members and initiate warnings and bans to repeat offenders.
In conclusion, the pertinent threat of plagiarism means both companies and countries must work in tandem to limit any potential damage. In the future, this issue will only become more difficult to extricate so it is advisable that preventive measures be put in place now.
Analysis
1. Plagiarism has become a serious issue in academic circles in recent decades. 2. The main causes of this center around the dissemination of information to countries with varying attitudes to intellectual property rights and the solutions are strict censures of plagiarised works.
For your first sentence, just paraphrase what the whole topic is about – short and simple because it is not that important.
Now write your opinion – you don’t have to include your main ideas but if you do it will help your cohesion and coherence score.
1. In many countries, plagiarism is not considered an offence or treated very lightly. 2. For example, students in Vietnam grow up in an environment where copyright is largely just for show. 3. It is common practice for photocopy shops to print or copy entire books with no legal repercussions. 4. In school, many students are instructed to memorise and reproduce the works of others and prohibited from coming up with their own ideas. 5. The rise of Facebook, which hardly polices IP rights, has led to further lawlessness. 6. Altogether, theft is culturally permitted if not encouraged. 7. Countries around the world all have differing standards based on their history, culture, and legal frameworks.
Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea. This question asks for the reasonS, plural, so try to include two related reasons.
Begin your example right away – don’t waste any time.
Continue to develop the same example.
Try to pull out a second reason related to your example if you can.
Keep developing the same example.
The more specific, the better!
I conclude the paragraph by making it more general – this is good to do if you wrote a very specific example like I did. (7 sentences is a bit long – aim for about 5.)
1. The best solutions for plagiarism are to implement degrees of punishments. 2. Those who outright copy and paste works and pass them off as their own for commercial purposes should be subject to full criminal and civil prosecution. 3. This will limit the most extreme cases. 4. Sharing and posting materials on the internet is a thornier issue because the perpetrators do not always receive direct financial benefit and can be difficult to track down. 5. In these cases, it is the websites, such as Facebook, that must police members and initiate warnings and bans to repeat offenders.
Write a new, simple topic sentence with another main idea. This one also asks for more than 1 solution, so try to include a couple of related solutions.
Don’t waste time – write specifically about your first solution.
Develop it with at least one more sentence.
Switch over to another solution.
Develop that example as fully and specifically as possible.
1. In conclusion, the pertinent threat of plagiarism means both companies and countries must work in tandem to limit any potential damage. 2. In the future, this issue will only become more difficult to extricate so it is advisable that preventive measures be put in place now.
Repeat your solutions or the cause. This sentence isn’t that important.
Include an extra detail – this sentence is very important because some examiners will limit your task achievement score to band 7 without it!
Vocabulary
Try to figure out the words in bold below:
Plagiarism has become a serious issue in academic circles in recent decades. The main causes of this center around the dissemination of information to countries with varying attitudes to intellectual property rights and the solutions are strict censures of plagiarised works.
In many countries, plagiarism is not considered an offence or treated very lightly. For example, students in Vietnam grow up in an environment where copyright is largely just for show. It is common practice for photocopy shops to print or copy entire books with no legal repercussions. In school, many students are instructed to memorise and reproduce the works of others and prohibited from coming up with their own ideas. The rise of Facebook, which hardly polices IP rights, has led to further lawlessness. Altogether, theft is culturally permittedif not encouraged. Countries around the world all have differing standards based on their history, culture, and legal frameworks.
The best solutions for plagiarism are to implement degrees of punishments. Those who outright copy and paste works and pass them off as their own for commercial purposes should be subject to full criminal and civil prosecution. This will limit the most extreme cases. Sharing and posting materials on the internet is a thornier issue because the perpetrators do not always receive direct financial benefit and can be difficult to track down. In these cases, it is the websites, such as Facebook, that must police members and initiate warnings and bans to repeat offenders.
In conclusion, the pertinent threat of plagiarism means both companies and countries must work in tandem to limit any potential damage. In the future, this issue will only become more difficult to extricate so it is advisable that preventive measures be put in place now.
Answers
plagiarism stealing others work and pretending it is your own
serious issue important problem
center around relate to
dissemination spread
varying attitudes different opinions about
intellectual property rights copyright
strict censures severe disapproval
plagiarised works stolen writing
offence crime
treated very lightly not punished severely
copyright your ownership rights
largely just for show not actually enforced
common practice happens a lot
no legal repercussions get away with it
reproduce copy
works of others other people’s writing/words
prohibited not allowed
coming up with their own ideas think of their own concepts
hardly polices IP rights does not care about copyright
lawlessness no law
altogether taken as a whole
culturally permitted allowed in this society
if not encouraged actually kind of encouraged
differing standards not the same feelings towards
legal frameworks laws
implement put in place
outright copy and paste works brazenly steal
pass them off as their own pretend they wrote them
commercial purposes to make money for themselves
subject to full criminal and civil prosecution go to trial/court
most extreme cases very bad times
thornier complicated
perpetrators criminals
direct financial benefit actualy money from it
track down find
police verb for police/enforce
initiate warnings send out warning messages
repeat offenders those who do it repeatedly
pertinent threat pressing problem
work in tandem collaborate
potential damage possible hurt
extricate untangle
advisable good idea to
preventive measures methods to stop from happening
_____________ has become a _____________ in academic circles in recent decades. The main causes of this _____________ the _____________ of information to countries with _____________ to _____________ and the solutions are _____________ of _____________.
In many countries, plagiarism is not considered an _____________ or _____________. For example, students in Vietnam grow up in an environment where _____________ is _____________. It is _____________ for photocopy shops to print or copy entire books with _____________. In school, many students are instructed to memorise and _____________ the _____________ and _____________ from _____________. The rise of Facebook, which _____________, has led to further _____________. _____________, theft is __________________________. Countries around the world all have _____________ based on their history, culture, and _____________.
The best solutions for plagiarism are to _____________ degrees of punishments. Those who _____________ and _____________ for _____________ should be _____________. This will limit the _____________. Sharing and posting materials on the internet is a _____________ issue because the _____________ do not always receive _____________ and can be difficult to _____________. In these cases, it is the websites, such as Facebook, that must _____________ members and _____________ and bans to _____________.
In conclusion, the _____________ of plagiarism means both companies and countries must _____________ to limit any _____________. In the future, this issue will only become more difficult to _____________ so it is _____________ that _____________ be _____________ now.
Listen and check:
Listening Practice
Listen to the story below to review this topic and improve your listening:
Before you read my sample essay, you can take some time to practice your listening with the audio first – take some notes while you listen too:
Writing Task 2
The roads in major cities today are often difficult to travel on.
What are the causes of this?
What are some possible solutions?
Real Past IELTS Exam/Test
As world populations transition from rural to urban settings, there has been a resultant degradation of travel conditions within cities. The main causes of this are all related to overpopulation and the solution is for governments to incentivise living outside city limits.
The clearest source of crowded roads and degrading infrastructure is surging urban populations. Research has shown that now more than half the world is densely packed into cities built hundreds of years ago. Take Boston as an example. Boston was built for a population of under 100,000 people, who mainly travelled by walking or riding horses and carriages. Today the population is nearly a million and that means the narrow roads are gridlocked with traffic during rush hour. The relentless pounding of an overpopulated city also means that the roads suffer from greater wear and tear, which necessitates constant maintenance and exacerbates the average citizen’s daily commute.
In order to mitigate these issues, governments could encourage people to move outside cities. One half measure would be to lower taxes in neighboring districts. Many people could still commute to work from nearby suburbs, as is the case in most major cities already. Governments could also give special tax breaks and dispensations to companies that allow workers to work remotely. This would free people up to live outside of cities or, if they opt to remain in the city, they at least would not contribute to rush hour traffic.
In conclusion, worsening travel conditions for urban dwellers can be curbed through government intervention. The nations that take up this cause will be well placed to compete in a rapidly evolving 21st century.
Analysis
1. As world populations transition from rural to urban settings, there has been a resultant degradation of travel conditions within cities. 2. The main causes of this are all related to overpopulation and the solution is for governments to incentivise living outside city limits.
In your first sentence, you should paraphrase the overall topic for the essay.
Then answer the two questions – make sure your answers are 100% clear.
1. The clearest source of crowded roads and degrading infrastructure is surging urban populations. 2. Research has shown that now more than half the world is densely packed into cities built hundreds of years ago. 3. Take Boston as an example. 4. Boston was built for a population of under 100,000 people, who mainly travelled by walking or riding horses and carriages. 5. Today the population is nearly a million and that means the narrow roads are gridlocked with traffic during rush hour. 6. The relentless pounding of an overpopulated city also means that the roads suffer from greater wear and tear, which necessitates constant maintenance and exacerbates the average citizen’s daily commute.
Your first topic sentence should be simple and contain the main idea for the whole paragraph.
Begin to develop it. Here I use some fake research – that is fine to do as long as you don’t make it too specific.
Begin a specific example – a real place, person, city, etc.
Develop that example – be specific as possible.
Keep developing the example – don’t switch to a new one.
Draw your conclusions/the result of your example.
1. In order to mitigate these issues, governments could encourage people to move outside cities. 2. One half measure would be to lower taxes in neighboring districts. 3. Many people could still commute to work from nearby suburbs, as is the case in most major cities already. 4. Governments could also give special tax breaks and dispensations to companies that allow workers to work remotely. 5. This would free people up to live outside of cities or, if they opt to remain in the city, they at least would not contribute to rush hour traffic.
For the second topic sentence, include another main idea.
Give your first solution – be specific and clear.
Develop it as much as you can.
Give a second solution – it is good if they are related so that you can develop both.
Conclude the paragraph by stating the result of your solution.
1. In conclusion, worsening travel conditions for urban dwellers can be curbed through government intervention. 2. The nations that take up this cause will be well placed to compete in a rapidly evolving 21st century.
Repeat your solution or the causes.
Add in an extra detail/final thought for full points for task achievement.
Vocabulary
As world populations transition from rural to urban settings, there has been a resultant degradation of travel conditions within cities. The main causes of this are all related to overpopulation and the solution is for governments to incentivise living outside city limits.
The clearest source of crowded roads and degrading infrastructure is surging urban populations. Research has shown that now more than half the world is densely packed into cities built hundreds of years ago. Take Boston as an example. Boston was built for a population of under 100,000 people, who mainly travelled by walking or riding horses and carriages. Today the population is nearly a million and that means the narrow roads are gridlocked with traffic during rush hour. The relentless pounding of an overpopulated city also means that the roads suffer from greater wear and tear, which necessitates constant maintenance and exacerbates the average citizen’s daily commute.
In order to mitigate these issues, governments could encourage people to move outside cities. One half measure would be to lower taxes in neighboring districts. Many people could still commute to work from nearby suburbs, as is the case in most major cities already. Governments could also give special tax breaks and dispensations to companies that allow workers to work remotely. This would free people up to live outside of cities or, if they opt to remain in the city, they at least would not contribute to rush hour traffic.
In conclusion, worsening travel conditions for urban dwellers can be curbed through government intervention. The nations that take up this cause will be well placed to compete in a rapidly evolving 21st century.
Answers
transition change to
rural countryside
urban settings in cities
resultant degradation concomitant decline
overpopulation too many people
incentivise encourage
city limits the edge of the city
degrading infrastructure streets, buildings getting old
surging urban populations rising number of people in cities
densely packed filled/crowded/traffic jams
carriages old fashioned transport
nearly almost
narrow thin
gridlocked jam-packed
rush hour peak hours
relentless pounding constant wear and tear
suffer from are hurt by
greater wear and tear more degradations
necessitates requires
constant maintenance always must be cleaned, fixed, etc.
exacerbates makes worse
average citizen’s the normal person’s
daily commute getting to work everyday
mitigate lessen
half measure partial solution
neighboring districts nearby areas
commute travel to work
nearby suburbs towns outside the city
as is the case in so it is in
tax breaks reductions in taxes
dispensations special allowances
work remotely work from home
opt choose
contribute give to
worsening becoming worse
urban dwellers city residents
curbed mitigated
government intervention government regulation
take up this cause deal with this problem
well placed in a good position to
rapidly evolving 21st century the world as it is changing
As world populations _____________ from _____________ to _____________ , there has been a _____________ of travel conditions within cities. The main causes of this are all related to _____________ and the solution is for governments to _____________ living outside _____________.
The clearest source of crowded roads and _____________ is _____________. Research has shown that now more than half the world is _____________ into cities built hundreds of years ago. Take Boston as an example. Boston was built for a population of under 100,000 people, who mainly travelled by walking or riding horses and _____________. Today the population is _____________ a million and that means the _____________ roads are _____________ with traffic during _____________. The _____________ of an overpopulated city also means that the roads __________________________, which __________________________ and _____________ the __________________________.
In order to _____________ these issues, governments could encourage people to move outside cities. One _____________ would be to lower taxes in _____________. Many people could still _____________ to work from _____________, _____________ most major cities already. Governments could also give special _____________ and _____________ to companies that allow workers to _____________. This would free people up to live outside of cities or, if they _____________ to remain in the city, they at least would not _____________ to rush hour traffic.
In conclusion, _____________ travel conditions for _____________ can be _____________ through _____________ . The nations that _____________ will be _____________ to compete in a _____________.
Listening Practice
Watch the video below to learn about life in the ancient Indus civilisation:
Reading Practice
Learn more about the example in my essay, Boston, here:
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