This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of copying famous people from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Essay: Copying Famous People

Some young people like to copy the behaviour and clothes of famous people today.

Why might this be the case? 

What problems can it cause?

It has become increasingly common for many younger individuals to imitate the fashion sense and general behavior of celebrities. In my opinion, this is because of the commercialization of celebrity lifestyles and can result in polarization in society.

Many younger people now can follow influencers in a way that was not possible in the past. This increased influence has been made possible by the growth of social media, whereby celebrities can post without a traditional media filter and keep their fans informed about their opinions, fashion choices, and lifestyle. Companies have exploited their pervasive media presence to sell their products and services. For instance, the Kardashians are famous for promoting various products and incorporating corporate interests seamlessly into their daily lives. The imitation of these influencers is therefore a direct consequence of a natural human attraction to the advice of successful, attractive individuals coupled with a global consumerist society.

The problems caused relate to divides in society. In past generations, citizens were more influenced by people in their general vicinity and less by individuals from other countries or in popular media. Today, there is a greater chance that within any given community there will be individuals attracted to sports stars, K-Pop idols, American movie stars, well-known entrepreneurs, and so on. Though this diversity has its benefits, it can also lead to fractures in the social fabric. For instance, a young person who struggles to make friends may be attracted to extremist views online. They may at some point become alienated from mainstream or traditional society if they find acceptance in racist, prejudiced or controversial groups, and imitate the famous individuals taking advantage of their vulnerabilities.

In conclusion, the rise of media and corporate globalization allows the general citizenry to imitate famous people easily these days. Though this is not always a negative, it can lead to dangerous and polarizing behavior among younger generations.

Analysis

1. It has become increasingly common for many younger individuals to imitate the fashion sense and general behavior of celebrities. 2. In my opinion, this is because of the commercialization of celebrity lifestyles and can result in polarization in society.

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

1. Many younger people now can follow influencers in a way that was not possible in the past. 2. This increased influence has been made possible by the growth of social media, whereby celebrities can post without a traditional media filter and keep their fans informed about their opinions, fashion choices, and lifestyle. 3. Companies have exploited their pervasive media presence to sell their products and services. 4. For instance, the Kardashians are famous for promoting various products and incorporating corporate interests seamlessly into their daily lives. 5. The imitation of these influencers is therefore a direct consequence of a natural human attraction to the advice of successful, attractive individuals coupled with a global consumerist society.

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.
5. You might add a counterpoint here.

1. The problems caused relate to divides in society. 2. In past generations, citizens were more influenced by people in their general vicinity and less by individuals from other countries or in popular media. 3. Today, there is a greater chance that within any given community there will be individuals attracted to sports stars, K-Pop idols, American movie stars, well-known entrepreneurs, and so on. 4. Though this diversity has its benefits, it can also lead to fractures in the social fabric. 5. For instance, a young person who struggles to make friends may be attracted to extremist views online. 6. They may at some point become alienated from mainstream or traditional society if they find acceptance in racist, prejudiced or controversial groups, and imitate the famous individuals taking advantage of their vulnerabilities.

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. Continue your development.
6. Finish the paragraph strong.

1. In conclusion, the rise of media and corporate globalization allows the general citizenry to imitate famous people easily these days. 2. Though this is not always a negative, it can lead to dangerous and polarizing behavior among younger generations.

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.

It has become increasingly common for many younger individuals to imitate the fashion sense and general behavior of celebrities. In my opinion, this is because of the commercialization of celebrity lifestyles and can result in polarization in society.

Many younger people now can follow influencers in a way that was not possible in the past. This increased influence has been made possible by the growth of social media, whereby celebrities can post without a traditional media filter and keep their fans informed about their opinions, fashion choices, and lifestyle. Companies have exploited their pervasive media presence to sell their products and services. For instance, the Kardashians are famous for promoting various products and incorporating corporate interests seamlessly into their daily lives. The imitation of these influencers is therefore a direct consequence of a natural human attraction to the advice of successful, attractive individuals coupled with a global consumerist society.

The problems caused relate to divides in society. In past generations, citizens were more influenced by people in their general vicinity and less by individuals from other countries or in popular media. Today, there is a greater chance that within any given community there will be individuals attracted to sports stars, K-Pop idols, American movie stars, well-known entrepreneurs, and so on. Though this diversity has its benefits, it can also lead to fractures in the social fabric. For instance, a young person who struggles to make friends may be attracted to extremist views online. They may at some point become alienated from mainstream or traditional society if they find acceptance in racist, prejudiced or controversial groups, and imitate the famous individuals taking advantage of their vulnerabilities.

In conclusion, the rise of media and corporate globalization allows the general citizenry to imitate famous people easily these days. Though this is not always a negative, it can lead to dangerous and polarizing behavior among younger generations.

Answers

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

It has become increasingly common for more and more people now do

imitate copy

fashion sense what clothes you wear

general behavior how people act overall

celebrities famous people

commercialization making money from selling things

celebrity lifestyles how famous people live

polarization taking extreme views or positions

follow influencers in a way that was not possible in the past learn about celebrities in a new way

has been made possible by can now happen because

growth of social media more people using Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc.

post put up online

traditional media filter through newspapers, the news, etc.

keep their fans informed about let people who follow them now about

exploited taken advantage of

pervasive media presence all over the news, TV, etc.

sell their products and services promote or endorse products

Kardashians famous Americans on social media

famous for promoting various products well-known for endorsing companies

incorporating corporate interests seamlessly into their daily lives adding products into their lives without much effort

imitation copying

therefore thus

direct consequence natural result of

natural human attraction to the advice of successful normal human inclination to listen to famous people

attractive individuals coupled with good-looking people combined with

global consumerist society people buying things all around the world

relate to divides in society concern how society is fractured

In past generations before

citizens people, residents

general vicinity around where you are

in popular media on TV, online, websites

there is a greater chance that within any given community it is more likely in any neighborhood

K-Pop idols Korean singers

well-known entrepreneurs famous founders

and so on etc.

diversity different groups of people

fractures divisions

social fabric how society is held together

struggles attempts

attracted to extremist views online vulnerable to strong opinions on the internet

alienated feeling separate from

mainstream or traditional society normal society

acceptance feeling welcomed

racist against other races

prejudiced judging others based on their group, ethnicity

controversial unpopular opinions

imitate the famous individuals taking advantage of their vulnerabilities copy people who are exploiting their weaknesses

corporate globalization companies around the world

the general citizenry people

polarizing behavior among younger generations younger people becoming more extreme in their views

Pronunciation

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

ɪt hæz bɪˈkʌm ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈkɒmən fɔː 
ˈɪmɪteɪt 
ˈfæʃən sɛns 
ˈʤɛnərəl bɪˈheɪvjə 
sɪˈlɛbrɪtiz.
kəˌmɜːʃəlaɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n 
sɪˈlɛbrɪti ˈlaɪfˌstaɪlz 
ˌpəʊləraɪˈzeɪʃən 
ˈfɒləʊ ˈɪnflʊənsəz ɪn ə weɪ ðæt wɒz nɒt ˈpɒsəbl ɪn ðə pɑːst
hæz biːn meɪd ˈpɒsəbl baɪ 
grəʊθ ɒv ˈsəʊʃəl ˈmiːdiə
pəʊst 
trəˈdɪʃənl ˈmiːdiə ˈfɪltə 
kiːp ðeə fænz ɪnˈfɔːmd əˈbaʊt 
ɪksˈplɔɪtɪd 
pɜːˈveɪsɪv ˈmiːdiə ˈprɛzns 
sɛl ðeə ˈprɒdʌkts ænd ˈsɜːvɪsɪz
ka:dæʃi:en 
ˈfeɪməs fɔː prəˈməʊtɪŋ ˈveərɪəs ˈprɒdʌkts 
ɪnˈkɔːpəreɪtɪŋ ˈkɔːpərɪt ˈɪntrɪsts ˈsiːmlɪsli ˈɪntuː ðeə ˈdeɪli lɪvz
ˌɪmɪˈteɪʃən 
ˈðeəfɔː 
dɪˈrɛkt ˈkɒnsɪkwəns 
ˈnæʧrəl ˈhjuːmən əˈtrækʃ(ə)n tuː ði ədˈvaɪs ɒv səkˈsɛsfʊl
əˈtræktɪv ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəlz ˈkʌpld wɪð 
ˈgləʊbəl kənˈsjuːmərɪst səˈsaɪəti
rɪˈleɪt tuː dɪˈvaɪdz ɪn səˈsaɪəti
ɪn pɑːst ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃənz
ˈsɪtɪznz 
ˈʤɛnərəl vɪˈsɪnɪti 
ɪn ˈpɒpjʊlə ˈmiːdiə
ðeər ɪz ə ˈgreɪtə ʧɑːns ðæt wɪˈðɪn ˈɛni ˈgɪvn kəˈmjuːnɪti 
keɪ-pɒp ˈaɪdlz
wɛl-nəʊn ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜːz
ænd səʊ ɒn
daɪˈvɜːsɪti 
ˈfrækʧəz 
ˈsəʊʃəl ˈfæbrɪk
ˈstrʌglz 
əˈtræktɪd tuː ɪksˈtriːmɪst vjuːz ˈɒnˌlaɪn
ˈeɪliəneɪtɪd 
ˈmeɪnstriːm səˈsaɪəti 
əkˈsɛptəns 
ˈreɪsɪst
ˈprɛʤʊdɪst 
ˌkɒntrəˈvɜːʃəl 
ˈɪmɪteɪt ðə ˈfeɪməs ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəlz ˈteɪkɪŋ ədˈvɑːntɪʤ ɒv ðeə ˌvʌlnərəˈbɪlɪtiz
ˈkɔːpərɪt ˌgləʊb(ə)laɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n 
ðə ˈʤɛnərəl ˈsɪtɪznri 
ˈpəʊləraɪzɪŋ bɪˈheɪvjər əˈmʌŋ ˈjʌŋə ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃənz

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:

I_______________________________________________r many younger individuals to i________e the f____________e and g______________r of c___________s. In my opinion, this is because of the c___________________n of c__________________s and can result in p_______________n in society.

Many younger people now can f________________________________________________t. This increased influence h__________________________y the g________________________a, whereby celebrities can p____t without a t__________________________r and k_____________________________t their opinions, fashion choices, and lifestyle. Companies have e____________d their p______________________________e to s____________________________s. For instance, the K___________s are f____________________________________s and i________________________________________________________s. The i___________n of these influencers is t__________e a d__________________e of a n______________________________________________l, a________________________________________h a g__________________________y.

The problems caused r____________________________y. I_________________s, c___________s were more influenced by people in their g______________________y and less by individuals from other countries or i___________________a. Today, t______________________________________________y there will be individuals attracted to sports stars, K________s, American movie stars, w________________________________s, a___________n. Though this d__________y has its benefits, it can also lead to f__________s in the s__________c. For instance, a young person who s_________s to make friends may be a_____________________________e. They may at some point become a________d from m____________________________y if they find a___________e in r______t, p__________d or c______________l groups, and i_________________________________________________________________s.

In conclusion, the rise of media and c_____________________n allows t_________________y to imitate famous people easily these days. Though this is not always a negative, it can lead to dangerous and p__________________________________________s.

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.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563221002338

Speaking Practice

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

Celebrities

1. Do you know any celebrities?
2. Which celebrity do you know the most about?
3. Are there are any celebrities you would like to meet?
4. Who is the most famous person in your country?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topics below:

Many young people today spend too much time following the latest fashion trends in areas such as clothing and technology.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Essay: Fashion Trends