This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of internet news from the real IELTS exam.
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IELTS Essay: Internet News
More and more people no longer read newspapers or watch TV programmes to get their news and instead read online.
Is this a positive or negative development?
Increasingly large segments of the population now receive their news online, rather than from the physical editions of newspapers. In my opinion, though the conveniences of technology are self-evident, this trend is a negative on the whole.
Proponents of modern habits of reading news argue it is more convenient. Examples of this abound. Consumers can search Google or Apple News and locate articles from thousands of online papers and websites, enabling them to access the news that matters the most to them more efficiently. Furthermore, they can do this while they are commuting to work or during various periods of inactivity throughout the day. It is even possible on most websites to listen to an audio version of the news, a tremendous advance for the visually impaired. All these modern features of online news only hint at the innovations to come and validate the decline of the publishing industry.
Nonetheless, the quality of online news is considerably lower on most websites. There are exceptions, such as websites that specialise in a given subject-area and employ intelligent contributors, however, the vast majority of the online news industry cynically pursues advertising revenue at any cost. Most stories are written hastily, the headlines are misleading, and the news articles themselves may be rife with unchecked facts and unprofessional prose. Retractions to reporting errors go unnoticed. The situation developing from this is that most individuals now read the news either to confirm their biases and gain a momentary burst of endorphins or out of outrage, so-called ‘hate-reading’, for the very same reason. It is therefore justified to claim that the relationship between publisher and audience is exploitive, not educational.
In conclusion, easier access to news does not outweigh the bad habits instilled by online news. Governments will likely never regulate this industry properly so it falls to individuals to make more informed choices when consuming media.
Analysis
1. Increasingly large segments of the population now receive their news online, rather than from the physical editions of newspapers. 2. In my opinion, though the conveniences of technology are self-evident, this trend is a negative on the whole.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. Proponents of modern habits of reading news argue it is more convenient. 2. Examples of this abound. 3. Consumers can search Google or Apple News and locate articles from thousands of online papers and websites, enabling them to access the news that matters the most to them more efficiently. 4. Furthermore, they can do this while they are commuting to work or during various periods of inactivity throughout the day. 5. It is even possible on most websites to listen to an audio version of the news, a tremendous advance for the visually impaired. 6. All these modern features of online news only hint at the innovations to come and validate the decline of the publishing industry.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific examples.
- Continue to develop it.
- State the result.
- Develop it even more fully if possible.
1. Nonetheless, the quality of online news is considerably lower on most websites. 2. There are exceptions, such as websites that specialise in a given subject-area and employ intelligent contributors, however, the vast majority of the online news industry cynically pursues advertising revenue at any cost. 3. Most stories are written hastily, the headlines are misleading, and the news articles themselves may be rife with unchecked facts and unprofessional prose. 4. Retractions to reporting errors go unnoticed. 5. The situation developing from this is that most individuals now read the news either to confirm their biases and gain a momentary burst of endorphins or out of outrage, so-called ‘hate-reading’, for the very same reason. 6. It is therefore justified to claim that the relationship between publisher and audience is exploitive, not educational.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your new main idea.
- Include specific details and examples.
- The more specific, the better.
- Continue your development.
- Add on any extra detail that you can that is related for a better task achievement score.
1. In conclusion, easier access to news does not outweigh the bad habits instilled by online news. 2. Governments will likely never regulate this industry properly so it falls to individuals to make more informed choices when consuming media.
- Summarise your main ideas.
- Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes and then check below.
Increasingly large segments of the population now receive their news online, rather than from the physical editions of newspapers. In my opinion, though the conveniences of technology are self-evident, this trend is a negative on the whole.
Proponents of modern habits of reading news argue it is more convenient. Examples of this abound. Consumers can search Google or Apple News and locate articles from thousands of online papers and websites, enabling them to access the news that matters the most to them more efficiently. Furthermore, they can do this while they are commuting to work or during various periods of inactivity throughout the day. It is even possible on most websites to listen to an audio version of the news, a tremendous advance for the visually impaired. All these modern features of online news only hint at the innovations to come and validate the decline of the publishing industry.
Nonetheless, the quality of online news is considerably lower on most websites. There are exceptions, such as websites that specialise in a given subject-area and employ intelligent contributors, however, the vast majority of the online news industry cynically pursues advertising revenue at any cost. Most stories are written hastily, the headlines are misleading, and the news articles themselves may be rife with unchecked facts and unprofessional prose. Retractions to reporting errors go unnoticed. The situation developing from this is that most individuals now read the news either to confirm their biases and gain a momentary burst of endorphins or out of outrage, so-called ‘hate-reading‘, for the very same reason. It is therefore justified to claim that the relationship between publisher and audience is exploitive, not educational.
In conclusion, easier access to news does not outweigh the bad habits instilled by online news. Governments will likely never regulate this industry properly so it falls to individuals to make more informed choices when consuming media.
Answers
increasingly large segments of the population more and more people
rather than instead of
physical editions real copies
conveniences easier to use
self-evident obvious
trend pattern
on the whole in general
proponents supporters
modern habits the way people act now
argue claim
convenient easy and simple to use
abound are common
consumers customers
locate articles find news
enabling allowing for
access get to
matters the most to them care about the most
efficiently without wasting energy
while at the same time
commuting travelling to work/school
during various periods of inactivity throughout the day when not doing something
possible could happen
audio version can be listened to
tremendous advance huge step forward
visually impaired hard to see
modern features new abilities
hint look forward to
innovations to come changes in the future
validate justify
decline decrease
publishing industry magazines, newspapers, books
nonetheless regardless
considerably lower much less
exceptions outliers
specialise focus on
subject-area field of work
employ intelligent contributors hire smart writers
vast majority most of
online news industry websites posting news
cynically pursues just trying to get
advertising revenue money from ads
at any cost unethically
written hastily written quickly
misleading not accurate
rife with unchecked facts full of mistakes
unprofessional prose badly written
retractions mistakes corrected later
reporting errors mistakes
unnoticed not seen
situation context
confirm their biases agree with their views
gain a momentary burst of endorphins feel happy for a minute
out of outrage in anger
so-called allegedly
‘hate-reading‘ reading just because you hate an article
very same reason exact same cause
therefore justified that’s why it should be so
claim argue
relationship interaction
publisher magazines, sites, etc.
exploitive taking advantage of
educational making your smarter
outweigh stronger than
instilled encouraged
regulate make laws about
properly well
falls to lies with
make more informed choices make better choices
consuming media reading/listening to news
Pronunciation
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli lɑːʤ ˈsɛgmənts ɒv ðə ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃən
ˈrɑːðə ðæn
ˈfɪzɪkəl ɪˈdɪʃənz
kənˈviːniənsɪz
sɛlf-ˈɛvɪdənt
trɛnd
ɒn ðə həʊl
prəˈpəʊnənts
ˈmɒdən ˈhæbɪts
ˈɑːgjuː
kənˈviːniənt
əˈbaʊnd
kənˈsjuːməz
ləʊˈkeɪt ˈɑːtɪklz
ɪˈneɪblɪŋ
ˈæksɛs
ˈmætəz ðə məʊst tuː ðɛm
ɪˈfɪʃəntli
waɪl
kəˈmjuːtɪŋ
ˈdjʊərɪŋ ˈveərɪəs ˈpɪərɪədz ɒv ˌɪnækˈtɪvɪti θru(ː)ˈaʊt ðə deɪ
ˈpɒsəbl
ˈɔːdɪˌəʊ ˈvɜːʃən
trɪˈmɛndəs ədˈvɑːns
ˈvɪzjʊəli ɪmˈpeəd
ˈmɒdən ˈfiːʧəz
hɪnt
ˌɪnəʊˈveɪʃənz tuː kʌm
ˈvælɪdeɪt
dɪˈklaɪn
ˈpʌblɪʃɪŋ ˈɪndəstri
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
kənˈsɪdərəbli ˈləʊə
ɪkˈsɛpʃənz
ˈspɛʃ(ə)laɪz
ˈsʌbʤɪkt-ˈeərɪə
ɪmˈplɔɪ ɪnˈtɛlɪʤənt kənˈtrɪbjʊtəz
vɑːst məˈʤɒrɪti
ˈɒnˌlaɪn njuːz ˈɪndəstri
ˈsɪnɪkəli pəˈsjuːz
ˈædvətaɪzɪŋ ˈrɛvɪnjuː
æt ˈɛni kɒst
ˈrɪtn ˈheɪstɪli
mɪsˈliːdɪŋ
raɪf wɪð ʌnˈʧɛkt fækts
ˌʌnprəˈfɛʃənl prəʊz
rɪˈtrækʃənz
rɪˈpɔːtɪŋ ˈɛrəz
ʌnˈnəʊtɪst
ˌsɪtjʊˈeɪʃən
kənˈfɜːm ðeə ˈbaɪəsɪz
geɪn ə ˈməʊməntəri bɜːst ɒv endəʊfins
aʊt ɒv ˈaʊtreɪʤ
ˈsəʊˈkɔːld
heɪt-ˈriːdɪŋ
ˈvɛri seɪm ˈriːzn
ˈðeəfɔː ˈʤʌstɪfaɪd
kleɪm
rɪˈleɪʃənʃɪp
ˈpʌblɪʃə
ˈɛksplɔɪtɪv
ˌɛdju(ː)ˈkeɪʃənl
aʊtˈweɪ
ɪnˈstɪld
ˈrɛgjʊleɪt
ˈprɒpəli
fɔːlz tuː
meɪk mɔːr ɪnˈfɔːmd ˈʧɔɪsɪz
kənˈsjuːmɪŋ ˈmiːdiə
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________________________________________n now receive their news online, r_______________n from the p__________________s of newspapers. In my opinion, though the c________________s of technology are s____________t, this t______d is a negative o______________e.
P________________s of m_____________s of reading news a_____e it is more c_______________t. Examples of this a__________d. C__________s can search Google or Apple News and l______________s from thousands of online papers and websites, e__________g them to a_______s the news that m_______________________m more e______________y. Furthermore, they can do this w_______e they are c_____________g to work or d___________________________________________________y. It is even p__________e on most websites to listen to an a______________n of the news, a t____________________e for the v__________________d. All these m__________________s of online news only h____t at the i_______________________e and v____________e the d_________e of the p______________________y.
N____________s, the quality of online news is c____________________r on most websites. There are e_____________s, such as websites that s____________e in a given s________________a and e_________________________s, however, the v___________________y of the o_____________________y c_________________________s a______________________e a______________t. Most stories are w_______________y, the headlines are m_____________g, and the news articles themselves may be r____________________s and u_______________________e. R____________s to r__________________s go u_______________d. The s_____________n developing from this is that most individuals now read the news either to c________________s and g__________________________________s or o________________e, s__________________________g‘, for the v_________________n. It is t____________________d to c_____m that the r_______________p between p_________________r and audience is e______________e, not e_________________l.
In conclusion, easier access to news does not o_______________h the bad habits i___________d by online news. Governments will likely never r____________e this industry p____________y so it f________o individuals to m________________s when c___________________a.
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/2021/01/13/business/media/ny-post-aggregation-fake-news.html
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Newspapers/Magazines
- Do you prefer to read newspapers or magazines?
- Do you like reading the news online?
- Is it more convenient nowadays to read the news online?
Writing Practice
Practice with the related topic below and then check with my sample answer:
In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
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