This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of companies providing sports facilities for the local community from the real IELTS general training exam.

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IELTS Essay: Company Sports

Companies should provide sports facilities for local communities.

To what extent do you agree?

There have been recent calls for businesses to contribute more to the local community in the form of investing in public sports facilities. In my opinion, despite the good this would do for public health, it should be primarily a governmental responsibility.

The argument in favor of this policy involves the benefits it would have for public fitness levels. Companies naturally gain from the communities where they operate in terms of sales supporting their products and services. If they were to contribute to the building of sports facilities, it would have a major impact on the health of their customers, particularly in areas where it is difficult to be active such as inner cities. For instance, in certain cities in the United States it is rare for less affluent urban residents to have the opportunity to exercise and therefore chronic health conditions such as obesity are on the rise.

However, there should be no obligation for businesses to address this particular pressing social issue. Corporations should be focused on being profitable and delivering results for shareholders. Governments, in contrast, are tasked by definition with safeguarding public interests. Citizens pay taxes and that money should deservedly return in various forms, one of which includes public health. Governments have not only the funding but also the ability to undertake large scale projects. They will be able to more efficiently identify potential locations and circumvent bureaucratic obstacles.

In conclusion, though companies could help their communities by building these facilities, the duty of public health falls mainly to the relevant governmental authorities. Companies should only pursue such investments out of their own initiative.

Analysis

1. There have been recent calls for businesses to contribute more to the local community in the form of investing in public sports facilities. 2. In my opinion, despite the good this would do for public health, it should be primarily a governmental responsibility.

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

1. The argument in favor of this policy involves the benefits it would have for public fitness levels. 2. Companies naturally gain from the communities where they operate in terms of sales supporting their products and services. 3. If they were to contribute to the building of sports facilities, it would have a major impact on the health of their customers, particularly in areas where it is difficult to be active such as inner cities. 4. For instance, in certain cities in the United States it is rare for less affluent urban residents to have the opportunity to exercise and therefore chronic health conditions such as obesity are on the rise.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
4. Keep developing it fully.

1. However, there should be no obligation for businesses to address this particular pressing social issue. 2. Corporations should be focused on being profitable and delivering results for shareholders. 3. Governments, in contrast, are tasked by definition with safeguarding public interests. 4. Citizens pay taxes and that money should deservedly return in various forms, one of which includes public health. 5. Governments have not only the funding but also the ability to undertake large scale projects. 6. They will be able to more efficiently identify potential locations and circumvent bureaucratic obstacles.

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. Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
5. Develop the example fully.
6. This paragraph can be longer.

1. In conclusion, though companies could help their communities by building these facilities, the duty of public health falls mainly to the relevant governmental authorities. 2. Companies should only pursue such investments out of their own initiative.

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 have been recent calls for businesses to contribute more to the local community in the form of investing in public sports facilities. In my opinion, despite the good this would do for public health, it should be primarily a governmental responsibility.

The argument in favor of this policy involves the benefits it would have for public fitness levels. Companies naturally gain from the communities where they operate in terms of sales supporting their products and services. If they were to contribute to the building of sports facilities, it would have a major impact on the health of their customers, particularly in areas where it is difficult to be active such as inner cities. For instance, in certain cities in the United States it is rare for less affluent urban residents to have the opportunity to exercise and therefore chronic health conditions such as obesity are on the rise.

However, there should be no obligation for businesses to address this particular pressing social issue. Corporations should be focused on being profitable and delivering results for shareholders. Governments, in contrast, are tasked by definition with safeguarding public interests. Citizens pay taxes and that money should deservedly return in various forms, one of which includes public health. Governments have not only the funding but also the ability to undertake large scale projects. They will be able to more efficiently identify potential locations and circumvent bureaucratic obstacles.

In conclusion, though companies could help their communities by building these facilities, the duty of public health falls mainly to the relevant governmental authorities. Companies should only pursue such investments out of their own initiative.

Answers

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

recent calls people now asking for

businesses companies, corporations

contribute more give more

local community where they are

in the form of as

investing in giving money to

public sports facilities places to play sports, stadiums, etc.

despite regardless of

public health healthcare for people

primarily mostly

governmental responsibility duty of the authorities

The argument in favor of this policy involves the rationale for this is

benefits helps

public fitness levels how healthy people are

naturally gain of course add

operate work in

in terms of concerning

sales selling things

supporting helping

products and services what companies produce, do

contribute help

major impact big effect

particularly in areas especially in places

active not passive

inner cities middle of the city

certain cities some urban areas

rare not common

less affluent poor

urban residents people living in cities

opportunity chance

exercise working out

chronic health conditions persistent problems

obesity overweight

on the rise increasing

no obligation don’t have to

address this particular pressing social issue dealing with this big problem

focused on concerning

profitable making money

delivering results for shareholders the company doing well for the people that own it

in contrast however

tasked by definition with give the responsibility naturally

safeguarding public interests protecting the public

citizens people in a country

deservedly return rightly get back

various forms different kinds

funding money

ability capacity

undertake large scale projects do big projects

efficiently identify potential locations without wasting time find places

circumvent bureaucratic obstacles get around red tape

duty responsibility

falls mainly to is mostly for

relevant concerned here

pursue chase

investments money

initiative will

Pronunciation

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

ˈriːsnt kɔːlz 
ˈbɪznɪsɪz 
kənˈtrɪbju(ː)t mɔː 
ˈləʊkəl kəˈmjuːnɪti 
ɪn ðə fɔːm ɒv 
ɪnˈvɛstɪŋ ɪn 
ˈpʌblɪk spɔːts fəˈsɪlɪtiz
dɪsˈpaɪt 
ˈpʌblɪk hɛlθ
ˈpraɪmərɪli 
ˌgʌvənˈmɛntl rɪsˌpɒnsəˈbɪlɪti
ði ˈɑːgjʊmənt ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv ðɪs ˈpɒlɪsi ɪnˈvɒlvz 
ˈbɛnɪfɪts 
ˈpʌblɪk ˈfɪtnɪs ˈlɛvlz
ˈnæʧrəli geɪn 
ˈɒpəreɪt 
ɪn tɜːmz ɒv 
seɪlz 
səˈpɔːtɪŋ 
ˈprɒdʌkts ænd ˈsɜːvɪsɪz
kənˈtrɪbju(ː)t 
ˈmeɪʤər ˈɪmpækt 
pəˈtɪkjʊləli ɪn ˈeərɪəz 
ˈæktɪv 
ˈɪnə ˈsɪtiz
ˈsɜːtn ˈsɪtiz 
reə 
lɛs ˈæflʊənt 
ˈɜːbən ˈrɛzɪdənts 
ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪti 
ˈɛksəsaɪz 
ˈkrɒnɪk hɛlθ kənˈdɪʃənz 
əʊˈbiːsɪti 
ɒn ðə raɪz
nəʊ ˌɒblɪˈgeɪʃən 
əˈdrɛs ðɪs pəˈtɪkjʊlə ˈprɛsɪŋ ˈsəʊʃəl ˈɪʃuː
ˈfəʊkəst ɒn 
ˈprɒfɪtəbl 
dɪˈlɪvərɪŋ rɪˈzʌlts fɔː ˈʃeəˌhəʊldəz
ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst
tɑːskt baɪ ˌdɛfɪˈnɪʃən wɪð 
ˈseɪfgɑːdɪŋ ˈpʌblɪk ˈɪntrɪsts
ˈsɪtɪznz 
dɪˈzɜːvɪdli rɪˈtɜːn 
ˈveərɪəs fɔːmz
ˈfʌndɪŋ 
əˈbɪlɪti 
ˌʌndəˈteɪk lɑːʤ skeɪl ˈprɒʤɛkts
ɪˈfɪʃəntli aɪˈdɛntɪfaɪ pəʊˈtɛnʃəl ləʊˈkeɪʃənz 
ˌsɜːkəmˈvɛnt ˌbjʊərəʊˈkrætɪk ˈɒbstəklz
ˈdjuːti 
fɔːlz ˈmeɪnli tuː 
ˈrɛlɪvənt 
pəˈsjuː 
ɪnˈvɛstmənts 
ɪˈnɪʃɪətɪv

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 have been r_____________s for b___________s to c______________e to the l__________________y i______________________f i_______________n p____________________s. In my opinion, d________e the good this would do for p________________h, it should be p____________y a g__________________________y.

T____________________________________________s the b________s it would have for p____________________s. Companies n_______________n from the communities where they o_________e i____________f s_________________g their p___________________s. If they were to c_____________e to the building of sports facilities, it would have a m______________t on the health of their customers, p______________s where it is difficult to be a_____e such as i__________s. For instance, in c____________s in the United States it is r____e for l____________________t u________________s to have the o______________y to e_________e and therefore c______________________s such as o___________y are o_____________e.

However, there should be n___________n for businesses to a____________________________e. Corporations should be f_____________n being p_____________e and d______________________________s. Governments, i_______________t, are t____________________h s_________________________s. C__________s pay taxes and that money should d_______________n in v______________s, one of which includes public health. Governments have not only the f__________g but also the a________y to u________________________s. They will be able to more e_________________________________s and c______________________________s.

In conclusion, though companies could help their communities by building these facilities, the d_____y of public health f_______________o the r_________t governmental authorities. Companies should only p___________e such i___________s out of their own i_____________e.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching from YouTube below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

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

https://www.thecoolist.com/worlds-10-best-sports-facility-designs/

Speaking Practice

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

Sports and Games

1. What is your favorite sport?
2. What sport did you play when you were younger?
3. Which sports do you enjoy watching on TV?
4. What is most popular sport in your country?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:

Extreme sports such as sky diving and skiing are very dangerous and should be banned.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view?

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer: Extreme Sports (Real IELTS Test)