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

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IELTS Essay: Creativity

Doing an enjoyable activity with a child can is better for their overall skills development and creativity than reading.

To what extent do you agree?

Some today have argued that in order to best facilitate a child’s skills and imagination they should participate in engaging activities instead of spending time reading. In my opinion, though reading is beneficial to imagination to an extent, it is better to take part in a more active pastime.

Those who argue in favor of reading maintain that it stimulates creativity. For generations, parents have read stories to children not only to impart moral lessons but also inspire. One of the most famous children’s authors, Dr. Seuss, is well-known for his imaginative drawings, creative rhymes, and socially conscious plotlines. Children who read his stories are then likely to imitate this example in their own writing and artwork. As kids grow older, they can discover other creative writers and use reading as a way to imagine diverse worlds and characters. By doing so, they will implicitly have more examples to creatively rely on in their studies and future work.

However, a fun activity requires greater levels of engagement. This is broadly true for a number of pastimes ranging from playing sports and making art to socializing and going on holiday. For instance, if a parent decides to teach painting, then their children will have to learn how to employ different kinds of paints and papers, choose subjects to portray, and learn the techniques to achieve any given effect. They will also have to develop resilience and dedication as their first paintings are unlikely to be successes. If this activity is done in a group, then they can develop social skills at the same time. Depending on the activity, a child will have to push themselves outside their comfort zone far beyond what is required when passively reading a book alone.

In conclusion, despite the legitimate benefits of reading for imagination, I would argue that a more active undertaking has more concrete and memorable advantages. Parents should encourage a balance but prioritize active engagement over passivity.

Analysis

1. Some today have argued that in order to best facilitate a child’s skills and imagination they should participate in engaging activities instead of spending time reading. 2. In my opinion, though reading is beneficial to imagination to an extent, it is better to take part in a more active pastime.

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

1. Those who argue in favor of reading maintain that it stimulates creativity. 2. For generations, parents have read stories to children not only to impart moral lessons but also inspire. 3. One of the most famous children’s authors, Dr. Seuss, is well-known for his imaginative drawings, creative rhymes, and socially conscious plotlines. 4. Children who read his stories are then likely to imitate this example in their own writing and artwork. 5. As kids grow older, they can discover other creative writers and use reading as a way to imagine diverse worlds and characters. 6. By doing so, they will implicitly have more examples to creatively rely on in their studies and future work.

  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. Vary long and short sentences.
  6. You might add a counterpoint here.

1. However, a fun activity requires greater levels of engagement. 2. This is broadly true for a number of pastimes ranging from playing sports and making art to socializing and going on holiday. 3. For instance, if a parent decides to teach painting, then their children will have to learn how to employ different kinds of paints and papers, choose subjects to portray, and learn the techniques to achieve any given effect. 4. They will also have to develop resilience and dedication as their first paintings are unlikely to be successes. 5. If this activity is done in a group, then they can develop social skills at the same time. 6. Depending on the activity, a child will have to push themselves outside their comfort zone far beyond what is required when passively reading a book alone.

  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, despite the legitimate benefits of reading for imagination, I would argue that a more active undertaking has more concrete and memorable advantages. 2. Parents should encourage a balance but prioritize active engagement over passivity.

  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.

Some today have argued that in order to best facilitate a child’s skills and imagination they should participate in engaging activities instead of spending time reading. In my opinion, though reading is beneficial to imagination to an extent, it is better to take part in a more active pastime.

Those who argue in favor of reading maintain that it stimulates creativity. For generations, parents have read stories to children not only to impart moral lessons but also inspire. One of the most famous children’s authors, Dr. Seuss, is well-known for his imaginative drawings, creative rhymes, and socially conscious plotlines. Children who read his stories are then likely to imitate this example in their own writing and artwork. As kids grow older, they can discover other creative writers and use reading as a way to imagine diverse worlds and characters. By doing so, they will implicitly have more examples to creatively rely on in their studies and future work.

However, a fun activity requires greater levels of engagement. This is broadly true for a number of pastimes ranging from playing sports and making art to socializing and going on holiday. For instance, if a parent decides to teach painting, then their children will have to learn how to employ different kinds of paints and papers, choose subjects to portray, and learn the techniques to achieve any given effect. They will also have to develop resilience and dedication as their first paintings are unlikely to be successes. If this activity is done in a group, then they can develop social skills at the same time. Depending on the activity, a child will have to push themselves outside their comfort zone far beyond what is required when passively reading a book alone.

In conclusion, despite the legitimate benefits of reading for imagination, I would argue that a more active undertaking has more concrete and memorable advantages. Parents should encourage a balance but prioritize active engagement over passivity.

Answers

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

facilitate make it possible to, allow for

imagination creativity, thinking of lots of ideas

participate in engaging activities instead of spending time reading do fun stuff rather than reading books

beneficial to imagination to an extent helps you be more creative somewhat

take part in a more active pastime do more active activities

Those who argue in favor of people who support

maintain argue

stimulates creativity makes you more imaginative

not only to impart moral lessons more than just telling you ethical stories

inspire encourage

well-known for his imaginative drawings famous for creative pictures

creative rhymes interesting words that sound the same

socially conscious plotlines stories that show you care about the world

imitate copy

As kids grow older when children grow up

discover other creative writers find different imaginative authors

imagine diverse worlds and characters think of varied places and people

By doing so in this way

implicitly not explicitly

rely on depend on

studies schoolwork

future work job later

requires greater levels of engagement need more interaction

This is broadly true for mostly the case for

ranging from playing sports and making art to socializing and going on holiday including…

decides chooses

employ use

subjects what you choose to draw about

portray how it is shown

learn the techniques to achieve any given effect know how to make different kinds of images

develop resilience become grittier

dedication commitment

unlikely to be successes not much chance of it working out

social skills at the same time interacting with others also

Depending on relying on

push themselves outside their comfort zone far beyond challenge yourself

passively reading a book alone buried in a book on your own

despite the legitimate benefits of regardless of the real advantages of

active undertaking not a passive activity

concrete real, tangible

memorable advantages easy to remember benefits

encourage a balance promote equality

prioritize active engagement over passivity focus more on activity rather than doing nothing

Pronunciation

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

fəˈsɪlɪteɪt 
ɪˌmæʤɪˈneɪʃən 
pɑːˈtɪsɪpeɪt ɪn ɪnˈgeɪʤɪŋ ækˈtɪvɪtiz ɪnˈstɛd ɒv ˈspɛndɪŋ taɪm ˈriːdɪŋ
ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəl tuː ɪˌmæʤɪˈneɪʃən tuː ən ɪksˈtɛnt
teɪk pɑːt ɪn ə mɔːr ˈæktɪv ˈpɑːstaɪm
ðəʊz huː ˈɑːgjuː ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv 
meɪnˈteɪn 
ˈstɪmjʊleɪts ˌkriːeɪˈtɪvɪti
nɒt ˈəʊnli tuː ɪmˈpɑːt ˈmɒrəl ˈlɛsnz 
ɪnˈspaɪə
wɛl-nəʊn fɔː hɪz ɪˈmæʤɪnətɪv ˈdrɔːɪŋz
kri(ː)ˈeɪtɪv raɪmz
ˈsəʊʃəli ˈkɒnʃəs plɒt laɪnz
ˈɪmɪteɪt 
æz kɪdz grəʊ ˈəʊldə
dɪsˈkʌvər ˈʌðə kri(ː)ˈeɪtɪv ˈraɪtəz 
ɪˈmæʤɪn daɪˈvɜːs wɜːldz ænd ˈkærɪktəz
baɪ ˈdu(ː)ɪŋ səʊ
ɪmˈplɪsɪtli 
rɪˈlaɪ ɒn 
ˈstʌdiz 
ˈfjuːʧə wɜːk
rɪˈkwaɪəz ˈgreɪtə ˈlɛvlz ɒv ɪnˈgeɪʤmənt
ðɪs ɪz ˈbrɔːdli truː fɔː 
ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frɒm ˈpleɪɪŋ spɔːts ænd ˈmeɪkɪŋ ɑːt tuː ˈsəʊʃəlaɪzɪŋ ænd ˈgəʊɪŋ ɒn ˈhɒlədeɪ
dɪˈsaɪdz 
ɪmˈplɔɪ 
ˈsʌbʤɪkts 
pɔːˈtreɪ
lɜːn ðə tɛkˈniːks tuː əˈʧiːv ˈɛni ˈgɪvn ɪˈfɛkt
dɪˈvɛləp rɪˈzɪlɪəns 
ˌdɛdɪˈkeɪʃən 
ʌnˈlaɪkli tuː biː səkˈsɛsɪz
ˈsəʊʃəl skɪlz æt ðə seɪm taɪm
dɪˈpɛndɪŋ ɒn 
pʊʃ ðəmˈsɛlvz ˌaʊtˈsaɪd ðeə ˈkʌmfət zəʊn fɑː bɪˈjɒnd 
ˈpæsɪvli ˈriːdɪŋ ə bʊk əˈləʊn
dɪsˈpaɪt ðə lɪˈʤɪtɪmɪt ˈbɛnɪfɪts ɒv 
ˈæktɪv ˌʌndəˈteɪkɪŋ 
ˈkɒnkriːt 
ˈmɛmərəbl ədˈvɑːntɪʤɪz
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤ ə ˈbæləns 
praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz ˈæktɪv ɪnˈgeɪʤmənt ˈəʊvə pæˈsɪvɪti

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:

Some today have argued that in order to best f_________e a child’s skills and i______________n they should p_____________________________________________________g. In my opinion, though reading is b______________________________________t, it is better to t________________________________e.

T__________________________________f reading m______________n that it s________________y. For generations, parents have read stories to children n__________________________s but also i___________e. One of the most famous children’s authors, Dr. Seuss, is w____________________________________s, c__________________s, and s_____________________s. Children who read his stories are then likely to i_________e this example in their own writing and artwork. A___________________r, they can d_____________________________________s and use reading as a way to i___________________________________s. B_____________o, they will i_____________y have more examples to creatively r________n in their s___________s and f____________k.

However, a fun activity r_______________________________________t. T___________________________r a number of pastimes r_________________________________________________________________________y. For instance, if a parent d________s to teach painting, then their children will have to learn how to e_______y different kinds of paints and papers, choose s________s to p________y, and l_________________________________________________t. They will also have to d__________________e and d___________n as their first paintings are u______________________s. If this activity is done in a group, then they can develop s__________________________________e. D_________________n the activity, a child will have to p_________________________________________________________d what is required when p_________________________e.

In conclusion, d_______________________________f reading for imagination, I would argue that a more a___________________g has more c___________e and m_____________________________s. Parents should e__________________________e but p___________________________________________________y.

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:





Speaking Practice

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

Creativity

  1. Are you a creative person?
  2. What did you learn about creativity at school?
  3. Does anyone in your family have a good imagination?
  4. Are people in your country generally very creative?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topics below:

Some people believe that engaging in an active pastime does more to develop children’s life skills than time spent reading.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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