This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of men’s and women’s sports shows from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Essay: Men’s and Women’s Sports Shows

Today, TV channels broadcast men’s sports shows more than women’s sport shows.

Why is this the case?

Should TV channels give equal showtime for each?

It is common practice for most TV networks to focus more on men’s athletics rather than women’s. In my opinion, this is a natural byproduct of the history of sports and there should be more equal emphasis depending on the sport in question.

Men’s sports are more popular because they have developed further. In the past, athletics was always the primary domain of men and women were relegated to more domestic roles. Modern society understands this was discriminatory but the result, higher quality of play among male sports, cannot be argued. A good example of this would be professional basketball where the male leagues, such as the NBA, feature some of the greatest athletes in the world, executing complex coaching schemes, and consistently showcasing high skill levels. Women’s basketball, while it has developed considerably in the last two decades, is not the same level of entertainment though this may change in the coming years.

As this situation may require time to remedy, only the ratings can justify equal programming time. There are sports where this is already the case essentially, such as tennis, where women receive equal prize money and the ratings are comparable. In the United States, this also applies for international football tournaments, where the female team regularly advances far beyond their male counterparts. In these examples, it is warranted to give female athletics at least, if not more, broadcast time. However, mandating this policy for all sports before they are ready and the audience exists is likely to produce a strong backlash and in fact hinder the progress of women’s sports.

In conclusion, there are institutional reasons for the disparity in the time television channels dedicate to men’s and women’s sports and this should be corrected on a case by case basis. Viewers will decide themselves which sports deserve the most attention, regardless of gender.

Analysis

1. It is common practice for most TV networks to focus more on men’s athletics rather than women’s. 2. In my opinion, this is a natural byproduct of the history of sports and there should be more equal emphasis depending on the sport in question.

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

1. Men’s sports are more popular because they have developed further. 2. In the past, athletics was always the primary domain of men and women were relegated to more domestic roles. 3. Modern society understands this was discriminatory but the result, higher quality of play among male sports, cannot be argued. 4. A good example of this would be professional basketball where the male leagues, such as the NBA, feature some of the greatest athletes in the world, executing complex coaching schemes, and consistently showcasing high skill levels. 5. Women’s basketball, while it has developed considerably in the last two decades, is not the same level of entertainment though this may change in the coming years.

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.

1. As this situation may require time to remedy, only the ratings can justify equal programming time. 2. There are sports where this is already the case essentially, such as tennis, where women receive equal prize money and the ratings are comparable. 3. In the United States, this also applies for international football tournaments, where the female team regularly advances far beyond their male counterparts. 4. In these examples, it is warranted to give female athletics at least, if not more, broadcast time. 5. However, mandating this policy for all sports before they are ready and the audience exists is likely to produce a strong backlash and in fact hinder the progress of women’s sports.

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.

1. In conclusion, there are institutional reasons for the disparity in the time television channels dedicate to men’s and women’s sports and this should be corrected on a case by case basis. 2. Viewers will decide themselves which sports deserve the most attention, regardless of gender.

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 is common practice for most TV networks to focus more on men’s athletics rather than women’s. In my opinion, this is a natural byproduct of the history of sports and there should be more equal emphasis depending on the sport in question.

Men’s sports are more popular because they have developed further. In the past, athletics was always the primary domain of men and women were relegated to more domestic roles. Modern society understands this was discriminatory but the result, higher quality of play among male sports, cannot be argued. A good example of this would be professional basketball where the male leagues, such as the NBA, feature some of the greatest athletes in the world, executing complex coaching schemes, and consistently showcasing high skill levels. Women’s basketball, while it has developed considerably in the last two decades, is not the same level of entertainment though this may change in the coming years.

As this situation may require time to remedy, only the ratings can justify equal programming time. There are sports where this is already the case essentially, such as tennis, where women receive equal prize money and the ratings are comparable. In the United States, this also applies for international football tournaments, where the female team regularly advances far beyond their male counterparts. In these examples, it is warranted to give female athletics at least, if not more, broadcast time. However, mandating this policy for all sports before they are ready and the audience exists is likely to produce a strong backlash and in fact hinder the progress of women’s sports.

In conclusion, there are institutional reasons for the disparity in the time television channels dedicate to men’s and women’s sports and this should be corrected on a case by case basis. Viewers will decide themselves which sports deserve the most attention, regardless of gender.

Answers

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

common practice normal

TV networks stations like Fox, ESPN, CNN, NBC, etc.

focus emphasize

men’s athletics male sports

rather than instead of

natural byproduct of happens organically

equal emphasis the same focus

depending on if

in question being discussed now

popular ubiquitous

developed further more advanced

in the past years before

primary domain usually just for

relegated to had to settle for

domestic roles jobs in the household

modern society the world today

discriminatory prejudiced

result consequence

higher quality of play better standards

argued debated

A good example of this would be one instance of this is

male leagues men’s sports

NBA national basketball association

feature showcase

greatest athletes best sportspeople

executing complex coaching schemes carry out complicated strategy

consistently showcasing high skill levels regularly showing off high quality play

developed considerably improved a lot

last two decades 20 years previously

level standard

in the coming years upcoming

as this situation may require time to remedy this context might need more time to fix

ratings how many people watch the shows on television

justify equal programming time are good reason to balance the programming

already the case essentially happens now basically

equal prize money same money for both

comparable about the same

applies for is the case for

regularly advances far beyond usually goes deeper in tournaments

male counterparts men’s team

warranted deserved, justified

at least at minimum

if not more maybe more than that

broadcast time time slots for a TV show

mandating ordering

policy rules

audience exists people watching the show are already there

strong backlash lots of people angry

in fact actually

hinder hold back

progress moving forward

institutional reasons causes related to history

disparity difference

dedicate give

corrected fixed

on a case by case basis depending on each example, sport

viewers people watching on television

decide choose

deserve the most attention should have the most focus

regardless of not paying attention to

gender male or female

Pronunciation

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

ˈkɒmən ˈpræktɪs 
ˌtiːˈviː ˈnɛtwɜːks 
ˈfəʊkəs 
mɛnz æθˈlɛtɪks 
ˈrɑːðə ðæn 
ˈnæʧrəl ˈbaɪˌprɒdʌkt ɒv 
ˈiːkwəl ˈɛmfəsɪs 
dɪˈpɛndɪŋ ɒn 
ɪn ˈkwɛsʧən
ˈpɒpjʊlə 
dɪˈvɛləpt ˈfɜːðə
ɪn ðə pɑːst
ˈpraɪməri dəʊˈmeɪn 
ˈrɛlɪgeɪtɪd tuː 
dəʊˈmɛstɪk rəʊlz
ˈmɒdən səˈsaɪəti 
dɪsˈkrɪmɪnətəri 
rɪˈzʌlt
ˈhaɪə ˈkwɒlɪti ɒv pleɪ 
ˈɑːgjuːd
ə gʊd ɪgˈzɑːmpl ɒv ðɪs wʊd biː 
meɪl liːgz
ɛn-biː-eɪ
ˈfiːʧə 
ˈgreɪtɪst ˈæθliːts 
ˈɛksɪkjuːtɪŋ ˈkɒmplɛks ˈkəʊʧɪŋ skiːmz
kənˈsɪstəntli ˈʃəʊkeɪsɪŋ haɪ skɪl ˈlɛvlz
dɪˈvɛləpt kənˈsɪdərəbli 
lɑːst tuː ˈdɛkeɪdz
ˈlɛvl 
ɪn ðə ˈkʌmɪŋ jɪəz
æz ðɪs ˌsɪtjʊˈeɪʃən meɪ rɪˈkwaɪə taɪm tuː ˈrɛmɪdi
ˈreɪtɪŋz 
ˈʤʌstɪfaɪ ˈiːkwəl ˈprəʊgræmɪŋ taɪm
ɔːlˈrɛdi ðə keɪs ɪˈsɛnʃəli
ˈiːkwəl praɪz ˈmʌni 
ˈkɒmpərəbl
əˈplaɪz fɔː 
ˈrɛgjʊləli ədˈvɑːnsɪz fɑː bɪˈjɒnd 
meɪl ˈkaʊntəpɑːts
ˈwɒrəntɪd 
æt liːst
ɪf nɒt mɔː
ˈbrɔːdkɑːst taɪm
ˈmændeɪtɪŋ 
ˈpɒlɪsi 
ˈɔːdiəns ɪgˈzɪsts 
strɒŋ ˈbæklæʃ 
ɪn fækt 
ˈhaɪndə 
ˈprəʊgrəs 
ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃən(ə)l ˈriːznz 
dɪsˈpærɪti 
ˈdɛdɪkeɪt 
kəˈrɛktɪd 
ɒn ə keɪs baɪ keɪs ˈbeɪsɪs
ˈvjuːəz 
dɪˈsaɪd 
dɪˈzɜːv ðə məʊst əˈtɛnʃ(ə)n
rɪˈgɑːdlɪs ɒv 
ˈʤɛndə

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:

It is c____________________e for most T________________s to f______s more on m_______________s r______________n women’s. In my opinion, this is a n___________________f the history of sports and there should be more e______________s d_____________n the sport i_______________n.

Men’s sports are more p_________r because they have d___________________r. I____________t, athletics was always the p________________n of men and women were r__________________o more d_________________s. M______________y understands this was d______________y but the r______t, h_____________________y among male sports, cannot be a______d. A____________________________e professional basketball where the m_________s, such as the N___A, f_____e some of the g____________s in the world, e______________________s, and c_________________________________s. Women’s basketball, while it has d___________________________y in the l____________________s, is not the same l______l of entertainment though this may change i________________s.

A______________________________________y, only the r_____s can j________y e________________________e. There are sports where this is a________________________y, such as tennis, where women receive e________________y and the ratings are c_____________e. In the United States, this also a_____________r international football tournaments, where the female team r_________________________d their m______________________s. In these examples, it is w___________d to give female athletics a__________t, i______________e, b_______________e. However, m___________g this p_______y for all sports before they are ready and the a__________________s is likely to produce a s_________________h and i_________t h_______r the p_________s of women’s sports.

In conclusion, there are i____________________s for the d_________y in the time television channels d________e to men’s and women’s sports and this should be c______________n a____________________s. V________s will d_______e themselves which sports d__________________________n, r________________f g________r.

Listening Practice

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

Reading Practice

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

https://theconversation.com/women-in-sport-are-winning-the-fight-for-equal-pay-slowly-167943

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:

Large companies use sports events to promote their products. Some people think this has a negative impact on sports.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Essays: Sports Events and Corporate Sponsorship