This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of physical punishment from the real IELTS exam.
Be sure to check out some of my EBoooks here:
Dave
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.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- 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.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
- Keep developing it fully.
- 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.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your new main idea.
- Include specific details and examples.
- Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
- 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.
- Summarise your main ideas.
- Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
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
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
Reading Practice
https://www.verywellfamily.com/facts-about-corporal-punishment-1094806
Speaking Practice
Family
- Are you close with your family?
- Who do you talk to in your family the most?
- Do you have a large family?
- Are families becoming more distant in your country?
Writing Practice
In many situations, people who break the law should be warned instead of punished.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
it should be a historically ingrained privilege. not an historically ingrained privilege.
thank you for your great work
That’s a bit of a tricky one because it depends if the ‘h’ is pronounced or not – and because of the combo of the words there you wouldn’t normally pronounce the ‘h’ so that’s why I left the ‘n’ off – not 100% sure if it’s technically right though!
Why write about both sides when the question clearly asks either this or that?
Always best to write about both sides, Gaurav!
It is neither “both views”, nor “to what extent” type of essay. So isn’t it a mistake to provide two views when you are only asked to give a single opinion? Gaurav has a point imho/
The phrasing of the question isn’t that important – the best strategy is always to write about both sides in my experience, Yerzat.