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

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IELTS Essay: Physical Punishment

Although it is generally illegal, physical punishment continues in many countries. Some argue that parents should have the right to punish their children in this way.

Do you agree or disagree?

Some traditional parents argue that they should be allowed to punish their children physically. I am in strong disagreement with this contention despite the legitimacy of parental rights.

Those in favor of parents being permitted to punish their children physically point out this is an historically ingrained privilege. For thousands of years, parents have had the ability to raise their children according to their own beliefs and values. This includes choices related to culture, religion, diet, and lifestyle. Physical punishment can be theoretically added to this list as it has a massive impact on a child’s psychology and future identity. The support for this practice is that many successful individuals have anecdotally expressed gratitude to parents who hit them when they were younger, believing that it instilled a sense of discipline in them.

However, research has shown that the positive impact in select cases of corporal punishment is greatly outweighed by emotional and psychological abuse. The vast majority of children who were physically abused develop either temporary or lasting side-effects. The most common one is that children are not as confident and willing to express themselves because they consistently fear punishment from a loved one. As they get older, this can become a barrier both for interpersonal relationships and their public persona. Many children who have only learned discipline through physical punishment end up hitting their own children and this can create an ongoing cycle of abuse.

In conclusion, although parents should have the right to raise their children as they see fit, this prerogative must be limited in the case of physical abuse. In most nations, there are already laws banning corporal punishment.

Analysis

1. Some traditional parents argue that they should be allowed to punish their children physically. 2. I am in strong disagreement with this contention despite the legitimacy of parental rights.

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

1. Those in favor of parents being permitted to punish their children physically point out this is an historically ingrained privilege. 2. For thousands of years, parents have had the ability to raise their children according to their own beliefs and values. 3. This includes choices related to culture, religion, diet, and lifestyle. 4. Physical punishment can be theoretically added to this list as it has a massive impact on a child’s psychology and future identity. 5. The support for this practice is that many successful individuals have anecdotally expressed gratitude to parents who hit them when they were younger, believing that it instilled a sense of discipline in them.

  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. Short sentences can make your writing clearer.

1. However, research has shown that the positive impact in select cases of corporal punishment is greatly outweighed by emotional and psychological abuse. 2. The vast majority of children who were physically abused develop either temporary or lasting side-effects. 3. The most common one is that children are not as confident and willing to express themselves because they consistently fear punishment from a loved one. 4. As they get older, this can become a barrier both for interpersonal relationships and their public persona. 5. Many children who have only learned discipline through physical punishment end up hitting their own children and this can create an ongoing cycle of abuse.

  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. Finish the paragraph strong.

1. In conclusion, although parents should have the right to raise their children as they see fit, this prerogative must be limited in the case of physical abuse. 2. In most nations, there are already laws banning corporal punishment.

  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 traditional parents argue that they should be allowed to punish their children physically. I am in strong disagreement with this contention despite the legitimacy of parental rights.

Those in favor of parents being permitted to punish their children physically point out this is an historically ingrained privilege. For thousands of years, parents have had the ability to raise their children according to their own beliefs and values. This includes choices related to culture, religion, diet, and lifestyle. Physical punishment can be theoretically added to this list as it has a massive impact on a child’s psychology and future identity. The support for this practice is that many successful individuals have anecdotally expressed gratitude to parents who hit them when they were younger, believing that it instilled a sense of discipline in them.

However, research has shown that the positive impact in select cases of corporal punishment is greatly outweighed by emotional and psychological abuse. The vast majority of children who were physically abused develop either temporary or lasting side-effects. The most common one is that children are not as confident and willing to express themselves because they consistently fear punishment from a loved one. As they get older, this can become a barrier both for interpersonal relationships and their public persona. Many children who have only learned discipline through physical punishment end up hitting their own children and this can create an ongoing cycle of abuse.

In conclusion, although parents should have the right to raise their children as they see fit, this prerogative must be limited in the case of physical abuse. In most nations, there are already laws banning corporal punishment.

Answers

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

traditional parents conservative moms and dads

argue point out

allowed to permitted to

punish hurt

physically related to the body

I am in strong disagreement with this contention I greatly disagree with this idea

despite regardless of

legitimacy rightness

parental rights what parents should be allowed to do

those in favor of people who support

permitted allowed

point out argue

historically ingrained privilege a right that dates back a long time

raise how a parent nurtures a child

according to because of

beliefs ideas

values what you believe is important

includes choices what you decide

related to concerning

culture the traditions in your country

religion belief in God

diet what you eat

lifestyle how you live

theoretically in theory

added to combined with

list verb of list

massive impact lots of effect

psychology related to the mind

future identity who you are later in life

The support for this practice people who are in favor of this

anecdotally based on stories

expressed gratitude to given thanks to

hit beat

believing having faith in

instilled put into someone

sense of discipline feeling of controlling yourself

however despite

positive impact good effect

in select cases in certain situations

corporal punishment hurting the body, physical punishment

outweighed stronger than

emotional related to feelings

psychological abuse hurting the mind

vast majority most of

physically abused hurting the body

temporary not lasting

lasting side-effects the results last a long time

confident good self-esteem

willing to express can act how they want

consistently steadily

loved one parent

barrier obstacle

interpersonal relationships friends and partners

public persona at work, outside the home

learned discipline through became more strong-willed

end up finally

ongoing cycle continues in the future

raise how kids grow up

see fit what they want

prerogative their right

limited constrained

in the case of when it comes to

banning prohibiting

Pronunciation

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

trəˈdɪʃənl ˈpeərənts 
ˈɑːgjuː 
əˈlaʊd tuː 
ˈpʌnɪʃ 
ˈfɪzɪkəli
aɪ æm ɪn strɒŋ ˌdɪsəˈgriːmənt wɪð ðɪs kənˈtɛnʃən 
dɪsˈpaɪt 
lɪˈʤɪtɪməsi 
pəˈrɛntl raɪts
ðəʊz ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv 
pəˈmɪtɪd 
pɔɪnt aʊt 
hɪsˈtɒrɪkəli ɪnˈgreɪnd ˈprɪvɪlɪʤ
reɪz 
əˈkɔːdɪŋ tuː 
bɪˈliːfs 
ˈvæljuːz 
ɪnˈkluːdz ˈʧɔɪsɪz 
rɪˈleɪtɪd tuː 
ˈkʌlʧə
rɪˈlɪʤən
ˈdaɪət,
ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl
θɪəˈrɛtɪkəli 
ˈædɪd tuː 
lɪst 
ˈmæsɪv ˈɪmpækt 
saɪˈkɒləʤi 
ˈfjuːʧər aɪˈdɛntɪti
ðə səˈpɔːt fɔː ðɪs ˈpræktɪs 
ˌænɪkˈdəʊt(ə)li 
ɪksˈprɛst ˈgrætɪtjuːd tuː 
hɪt 
bɪˈliːvɪŋ 
ɪnˈstɪld 
sɛns ɒv ˈdɪsɪplɪn 
haʊˈɛvə
ˈpɒzətɪv ˈɪmpækt 
ɪn sɪˈlɛkt ˈkeɪsɪz 
ˈkɔːpərəl ˈpʌnɪʃmənt 
aʊtˈweɪd 
ɪˈməʊʃənl 
ˌsaɪkəˈlɒʤɪkəl əˈbjuːs 
vɑːst məˈʤɒrɪti 
ˈfɪzɪkəli əˈbjuːzd 
ˈtɛmpərəri 
ˈlɑːstɪŋ saɪd-ɪˈfɛkts
ˈkɒnfɪdənt 
ˈwɪlɪŋ tuː ɪksˈprɛs 
kənˈsɪstəntli 
lʌvd wʌn
bɪˈkʌm 
ˌɪntəˈpɜːsən(ə)l rɪˈleɪʃənʃɪps 
ˈpʌblɪk pɜːˈsəʊnə
lɜːnt ˈdɪsɪplɪn θruː 
ɛnd ʌp 
ˈɒŋˌgəʊɪŋ ˈsaɪkl 
reɪz 
siː fɪt,
prɪˈrɒgətɪv 
ˈlɪmɪtɪd 
ɪn ðə keɪs ɒv 
ˈbænɪŋ 

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 t________________________s a______e that they should be a______________o p_______h their children p__________y. I________________________________________________n d______e the l_____________y of p______________s.

T________________f parents being p__________d to punish their children physically p________t this is an h_______________________________________e. For thousands of years, parents have had the ability to r______e their children a______________o their own b_______s and v_______s. This i___________________________________e, r_________n, d____t, and l__________e. Physical punishment can be t___________________y a_________o this l___t as it has a m______________t on a child’s p_______________y and f____________y. T__________________________e is that many successful individuals have a_____________y e________________________o parents who h__t them when they were younger, b________g that it i_________d a s____________________e in them.

H__________r, research has shown that the p______________t i___________________s of c________________t is greatly o______________d by e______________l and p__________________e. The v_____________y of children who were p___________________d develop either t____________y or l____________________s. The most common one is that children are not as c__________t and w____________________s themselves because they c____________y fear punishment from a l_____________e. As they get older, this can become a b________r both for i________________________________s and their p________________a. Many children who have only l__________________________h physical punishment e________p hitting their own children and this can create an o_______________e of abuse.

In conclusion, although parents should have the right to r______e their children as they s_________t, this p____________e must be l_____________________________f physical abuse. In most nations, there are already laws b___________g corporal punishment.

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.verywellfamily.com/facts-about-corporal-punishment-1094806

Speaking Practice

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

Family

  1. Are you close with your family?
  2. Who do you talk to in your family the most?
  3. Do you have a large family?
  4. Are families becoming more distant in your country?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topics below:

In many situations, people who break the law should be warned instead of punished.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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