This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of banning advertising completely from the real IELTS exam.

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Dave

IELTS Essay: Ban Advertising

Some people think that there should be a complete ban on all forms of advertising.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

There are those who have suggested the possibility of totally banning all advertising. In my opinion, though this would seemingly improve society, the actual impact would be to imperil the global economy.

Supporters of a prohibition argue the injurious impact of advertising on human society and health. On the most superficial level, advertising is distracting. Individuals must strive to avoid ads on television, online, on billboards, and in magazines. All this can contribute to the anxiety and declining mental health that characterizes modern man. Beyond this, advertising has a pernicious impact on how the world operates. Corporations and entire national economies are structured around an ideal of continual consumption that not only harms the environment but also transforms individuals into a means for a financial end.

Nonetheless, actually banning advertising would disrupt the global financial system. Nearly every nation and economy depends on advertising as the foundation of a capitalist system. Some of the largest companies in the world, including Facebook and Google, generate the vast majority of their revenue from targeted marketing and their dissolution would have ramifications across a range of industries. The implications could also become deeper. If individuals and companies no longer had the ability to advertise products and services, they would likely lose the motivation to innovate. Over time, this could result in stifling progress in major fields ranging from medicine and internet technology to entertainment and the sciences more generally.

In conclusion, despite the negative effects of advertising on human society, it is an important catalyst for growth in the modern world. Advertisements should be regulated but not eliminated entirely.

Analysis

1. There are those who have suggested the possibility of totally banning all advertising. 2. In my opinion, though this would seemingly improve society, the actual impact would be to imperil the global economy.

1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
2. Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. Supporters of a prohibition argue the injurious impact of advertising on human society and health. 2. On the most superficial level, advertising is distracting. 3. Individuals must strive to avoid ads on television, online, on billboards, and in magazines. 4. All this can contribute to the anxiety and declining mental health that characterizes modern man. 5. Beyond this, advertising has a pernicious impact on how the world operates. 6. Corporations and entire national economies are structured around an ideal of continual consumption that not only harms the environment but also transforms individuals into a means for a financial end.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it with specific examples.
4. Keep developing it fully.
5. You can have some long sentences like this to really argue your point.
6. State the fullest possible result.

1. Nonetheless, actually banning advertising would disrupt the global financial system. 2. Nearly every nation and economy depends on advertising as the foundation of a capitalist system. 3. Some of the largest companies in the world, including Facebook and Google, generate the vast majority of their revenue from targeted marketing and their dissolution would have ramifications across a range of industries. 4. The implications could also become deeper. 5. If individuals and companies no longer had the ability to advertise products and services, they would likely lose the motivation to innovate. 6. Over time, this could result in stifling progress in major fields ranging from medicine and internet technology to entertainment and the sciences more generally.

1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
2. Explain your new main idea.
3. Include specific details and examples.
4. Continue developing it…
5. as fully as possible!
6. Conclude with a strong statement.

1. In conclusion, despite the negative effects of advertising on human society, it is an important catalyst for growth in the modern world. 2. Advertisements should be regulated but not eliminated entirely.

1. Summarise your main ideas.
2. Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

There are those who have suggested the possibility of totally banning all advertising. In my opinion, though this would seemingly improve society, the actual impact would be to imperil the global economy.

Supporters of a prohibition argue the injurious impact of advertising on human society and health. On the most superficial level, advertising is distracting. Individuals must strive to avoid ads on television, online, on billboards, and in magazines. All this can contribute to the anxiety and declining mental health that characterizes modern man. Beyond this, advertising has a pernicious impact on how the world operates. Corporations and entire national economies are structured around an ideal of continual consumption that not only harms the environment but also transforms individuals into a means for a financial end.

Nonetheless, actually banning advertising would disrupt the global financial system. Nearly every nation and economy depends on advertising as the foundation of a capitalist system. Some of the largest companies in the world, including Facebook and Google, generate the vast majority of their revenue from targeted marketing and their dissolution would have ramifications across a range of industries. The implications could also become deeper. If individuals and companies no longer had the ability to advertise products and services, they would likely lose the motivation to innovate. Over time, this could result in stifling progress in major fields ranging from medicine and internet technology to entertainment and the sciences more generally.

In conclusion, despite the negative effects of advertising on human society, it is an important catalyst for growth in the modern world. Advertisements should be regulated but not eliminated entirely.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

suggested advised

possibility chance

totally banning completely stopping

advertising marketing, ads, commercials, etc.

seemingly it appears to be

improve society make the world better

actual impact real effect

imperil put in danger

global economy how the world makes money, jobs, etc.

supporters those in favor of

prohibition banning

argue say

injurious impact hurts

human society all people in a country

health wellness

on the most superficial level the first impact

distracting lose focus

strive try hard

avoid stay away from

anxiety feeling nervous

declining mental health less mentally healthy, more anxious

characterizes modern man defines people today

beyond this outside of this

pernicious harmful

operates works

entire national economies the whole system in a country

structured around the foundation of

ideal perfect

continual consumption always making and using more

not only harms the environment doesn’t just hurt nature

transforms changes

means method

financial end final product related to money

nonetheless regardless

disrupt impair

global financial system economies around the world

nearly almost

depends on has to do with

foundation basis

capitalist system exhanging money for goods and having companies

generate earn

vast majority most of

revenue money made

targeted marketing advertising looking at certain groups of people

dissolution disappearing

ramifications effects

across a range of industries many different sectors

implications effects

no longer not anymore

services streaming platforms, delivery, etc.

motivation encouragement

innovate creating new things

over time in the future

stifling progress slowing down

major fields big industries

ranging from including

the sciences more generally areas of science like biology, physics, etc.

despite regardless of

catalyst cause of

regulated restricted

eliminated entirely completely gone

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

səˈʤɛstɪd 
ˌpɒsəˈbɪlɪti 
ˈtəʊtli ˈbænɪŋ 
ˈædvətaɪzɪŋ
ˈsiːmɪŋli 
ɪmˈpruːv səˈsaɪəti
ˈækʧʊəl ˈɪmpækt 
ɪmˈpɛrɪl 
ˈgləʊbəl i(ː)ˈkɒnəmi
səˈpɔːtəz 
ˌprəʊɪˈbɪʃən 
ˈɑːgjuː 
ɪnˈʤʊərɪəs ˈɪmpækt 
ˈhjuːmən səˈsaɪəti 
hɛlθ
ɒn ðə məʊst ˌsjuːpəˈfɪʃəl ˈlɛvl
dɪsˈtræktɪŋ
straɪv 
əˈvɔɪd 
æŋˈzaɪəti 
dɪˈklaɪnɪŋ ˈmɛntl hɛlθ 
ˈkærɪktəraɪzɪz ˈmɒdən mæn
bɪˈjɒnd ðɪs
pɜːˈnɪʃəs 
ˈɒpəreɪts
ɪnˈtaɪə ˈnæʃənl i(ː)ˈkɒnəmiz 
ˈstrʌkʧəd əˈraʊnd 
aɪˈdɪəl 
kənˈtɪnjʊəl kənˈsʌm(p)ʃən 
nɒt ˈəʊnli hɑːmz ði ɪnˈvaɪərənmənt 
trænsˈfɔːmz 
miːnz 
faɪˈnænʃəl ɛnd
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
dɪsˈrʌpt 
ˈgləʊbəl faɪˈnænʃəl ˈsɪstɪm
ˈnɪəli 
dɪˈpɛndz ɒn 
faʊnˈdeɪʃən 
ˈkæpɪtəlɪst ˈsɪstɪm
ˈʤɛnəreɪt 
vɑːst məˈʤɒrɪti 
ˈrɛvɪnjuː 
ˈtɑːgɪtɪd ˈmɑːkɪtɪŋ 
ˌdɪsəˈluːʃən 
ˌræmɪfɪˈkeɪʃənz 
əˈkrɒs ə reɪnʤ ɒv ˈɪndəstriz
ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪʃənz 
nəʊ ˈlɒŋgə 
ˈsɜːvɪsɪz
ˌməʊtɪˈveɪʃən 
ˈɪnəʊveɪt
ˈəʊvə taɪm
ˈstaɪflɪŋ ˈprəʊgrəs 
ˈmeɪʤə fiːldz 
ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frɒm 
ðə ˈsaɪənsɪz mɔː ˈʤɛnərəli
dɪsˈpaɪt 
ˈkætəlɪst 
ˈrɛgjʊleɪtɪd 
ɪˈlɪmɪneɪtɪd ɪnˈtaɪəli

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

There are those who have s_____________d the p_____________y of t_________________g all a_____________g. In my opinion, though this would s______________y i_________________y, the a__________________t would be to i__________l the g__________________y.

S_______________s of a p______________n a_________e the i______________________t of advertising on h________________y and h________h. O_____________________________l, advertising is d____________g. Individuals must s_______e to a_________d ads on television, online, on billboards, and in magazines. All this can contribute to the a_________y and d____________________h that c__________________________n. B______________s, advertising has a p______________s impact on how the world o__________s. Corporations and e___________________________s are s__________________d an i________l of c________________________n that n__________________________________t but also t______________s individuals into a m_________s for a f____________________d.

N_______________s, actually banning advertising would d___________t the g_______________________m. N_______y every nation and economy d____________n advertising as the f______________n of a c____________________m. Some of the largest companies in the world, including Facebook and Google, g____________e the v____________y of their r___________e from t_____________________g and their d___________n would have r_______________________________________________s. The i______________s could also become deeper. If individuals and companies n_____________r had the ability to advertise products and s____________s, they would likely lose the m____________n to i______________e. O____________e, this could result in s__________________s in m____________s r______________m medicine and internet technology to entertainment and t____________________________y.

In conclusion, d_________e the negative effects of advertising on human society, it is an important c________t for growth in the modern world. Advertisements should be r__________d but not e______________________y.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/20/business/tokyo-olympics-dentsu.html

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Describe and advertisement you have seen. Include

Where it was

What it advertised

Why you remember it

If you bought the product in question.

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:

Some believe that people will purchase a product based on their needs and advertising is not needed.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Advertisements & Needs (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)