This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer on the topic of crime TV shows from the real past IELTS exam/test.

It is a really interesting, really tough question.

I honestly don’t know why crime shows are so popular today. There are a lot of possible reasons and some of them may be true.

I just chose one reason and supported it full.

The real answer is fit for a book so just choose a simple reason and support it fully.

Read it below and check out my exclusive Patreon essays here!

Dave

Listen to the audio file before reading and take notes on the key vocabulary:

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Crime TV Shows (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)

Watching TV shows and movies about crime is becoming more and more popular.

Why is this?

What effect does that have on society?

Real Past IELTS Exam/Test

The frenzy over crime shows in recent years has led many to question both the origins of this morbid interest and its impact. In my opinion, people watch these shows to dispel or safely confirm psychological similarities with killers and the result for society will be negligible in most cases.

The reason people watch crime shows is to understand and compare the psychology of killers. The mystery of these shows goes deeper than figuring out which suspect is the real perpetrator. Audiences are chiefly concerned with motive and the best shows analyse compelling, complex personality archetypes. People can then try to parse out whether or not these individuals are driven by human nature and are just expressing their desires differently from law-abiding citizens or if they are qualitatively different from the average person. Some watch to try to unequivocally differentiate themselves while others experience a guilty, unconscious pleasure in identification and vicarious living.

The end result of all these shows related to crime will amount to nothing in the final analysis. There will be some exceptions where individuals develop an unhealthy obsession that isolates them from normal society or claim them as excuses for their own crimes but this is just as likely to occur with any form of entertainment. The majority of people watch these shows, think about them and talk about them just as they discuss a book or a sports team. Research has been unable to show any direct link between watching crime shows and committing crimes or altering one’s outlook towards others. Similarly, they will not have a positive impact since most people do not watch them to get tips to avoid criminals and the sample sizes for the crimes taking place are too small relative to the knowledge gained.

In conclusion, people watch crime shows to exonerate or convict themselves and it is a benign obsession. It is more important for psychologists to examine the drive to fascination than its object.

Analysis

1. The frenzy over crime shows in recent years has led many to question both the origins of this morbid interest and its impact. 2. In my opinion, people watch these shows to dispel or safely confirm psychological similarities with killers and the result for society will be negligible in most cases.

  1. Paraphrase the overall topic for the whole essay.
  2. Answer both questions directly.

1. The reason people watch crime shows is to understand and compare the psychology of killers. 2. The mystery of these shows goes deeper than figuring out which suspect is the real perpetrator. 3. Audiences are chiefly concerned with motive and the best shows analyse compelling, complex personality archetypes. 4. People can then try to parse out whether or not these individuals are driven by human nature and are just expressing their desires differently from law-abiding citizens or if they are qualitatively different from the average person. 5. Some watch to try to unequivocally differentiate themselves while others experience a guilty, unconscious pleasure in identification and vicarious living.

  1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
  2. Explain your main idea.
  3. Begin developing your main idea with specific details.
  4. Keep supporting your argument. Make sure your ideas are logical and link to the previous sentence.
  5. Conclude your argument – you don’t have to summarise the paragraph!

1. The end result of all these shows related to crime will amount to nothing in the final analysis. 2. There will be some exceptions where individuals develop an unhealthy obsession that isolates them from normal society or claim them as excuses for their own crimes but this is just as likely to occur with any form of entertainment. 3. The majority of people watch these shows, think about them and talk about them just as they discuss a book or a sports team. 4. Research has been unable to show any direct link between watching crime shows and committing crimes or altering one’s outlook towards others. 5. Similarly, they will not have a positive impact since most people do not watch them to get tips to avoid criminals and the sample sizes for the crimes taking place are too small relative to the knowledge gained.

  1. Write another clear and simple topic sentence.
  2. Again begin to develop it. I start here with a concession.
  3. Here I use an analogy to make my argument stronger.
  4. I also quote research which is a good way to add in support.
  5. I conclude by covering whether or not there is any positive impact.

1. In conclusion, people watch crime shows to exonerate or convict themselves and it is a benign obsession. 2. It is more important for psychologists to examine the drive to fascination than its object.

  1. Repeat your answer to both questions to be 100% sure you get above band 5 for task achievement by fully answering the topic.
  2. Add in an extra detail/final thought.

Vocabulary

The frenzy over crime shows in recent years has led many to question both the origins of this morbid interest and its impact. In my opinion, people watch these shows to dispel or safely confirm psychological similarities with killers and the result for society will be negligible in most cases.

The reason people watch crime shows is to understand and compare the psychology of killers. The mystery of these shows goes deeper than figuring out which suspect is the real perpetrator. Audiences are chiefly concerned with motive and the best shows analyse compelling, complex personality archetypes. People can then try to parse out whether or not these individuals are driven by human nature and are just expressing their desires differently from law-abiding citizens or if they are qualitatively different from the average person. Some watch to try to unequivocally differentiate themselves while others experience a guilty, unconscious pleasure in identification and vicarious living.

The end result of all these shows related to crime will amount to nothing in the final analysis. There will be some exceptions where individuals develop an unhealthy obsession that isolates them from normal society or claim them as excuses for their own crimes but this is just as likely to occur with any form of entertainment. The majority of people watch these shows, think about them and talk about them just as they discuss a book or a sports team. Research has been unable to show any direct link between watching crime shows and committing crimes or altering one’s outlook towards others. Similarly, they will not have a positive impact since most people do not watch them to get tips to avoid criminals and the sample sizes for the crimes taking place are too small relative to the knowledge gained.

In conclusion, people watch crime shows to exonerate or convict themselves and it is a benign obsession. It is more important for psychologists to examine the drive to fascination than its object.

Answers

frenzy obsession with

question wonder about

origins source

morbid interest dark fascination

dispel dismiss

safely confirm without risk show the connection

psychological similarities same way of thinking

negligible not a major factor

mystery enigma/riddle

deeper not superficial

figuring out knowing

suspect who might have done it

real perpetrator actual guilty criminal

chiefly concerned mostly interested in

motive reason

compelling influential

complex personality archetypes complicated type of person

parse out break down

driven encouraged

human nature nature

expressing their desires differently sublimating

law-abiding citizens people who don’t break the law

qualitatively different a real distinction

average person common person

unequivocally differentiate definitely different

guilty did the crime

unconscious pleasure unacknowledged joy

identification relate to

vicarious living living through others

amount to adds up to

in the final analysis in the end

exceptions outside the norm

unhealthy obsession dark faschinations

isolates makes separate

claim say/think

excuses reasons

just as likely to occur equally possible it will happen

just as the same as

direct link clear cause/effect relationship

altering one’s outlook towards others being less empathetic

sample sizes a group representing a larger group

crimes taking place criminal acts happening

relative to in comparison to

exonerate clear of all wrong-doing

convict criminal

benign harmless

fascination interest in

object who/what is acted upon

Pronunciation

ˈfrɛnzi 
ˈkwɛsʧən 
ˈɒrɪʤɪnz 
ˈmɔːbɪd ˈɪntrɪst 
dɪsˈpɛl 
ˈseɪfli kənˈfɜːm 
ˌsaɪkəˈlɒʤɪkəl ˌsɪmɪˈlærɪtiz 
ˈnɛglɪʤəbl 
ˈmɪstəri 
ˈdiːpə 
ˈfɪgərɪŋ aʊt 
ˈsʌspɛkt 
rɪəl ˈpɜːpɪtreɪtə
ˈʧiːfli kənˈsɜːnd 
ˈməʊtɪv 
kəmˈpɛlɪŋ
ˈkɒmplɛks ˌpɜːsəˈnælɪti ˈɑːkɪtaɪps
pɑːz aʊt 
ˈdrɪvn 
ˈhjuːmən ˈneɪʧə 
ɪksˈprɛsɪŋ ðeə dɪˈzaɪəz ˈdɪfrəntli 
ˈlɔːəˌbaɪdɪŋ ˈsɪtɪznz 
ˈkwɒlɪtətɪvli ˈdɪfrənt 
ˈævərɪʤ ˈpɜːsn
ˌʌnɪˈkwɪvəkəli ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃɪeɪt
ˈgɪlti
ʌnˈkɒnʃəs ˈplɛʒə 
aɪˌdɛntɪfɪˈkeɪʃən 
vaɪˈkeərɪəs ˈlɪvɪŋ
əˈmaʊnt tuː 
ɪn ðə ˈfaɪnl əˈnæləsɪs
ɪkˈsɛpʃənz 
ʌnˈhɛlθi əbˈsɛʃənz 
ˈaɪsəleɪts 
kleɪm 
ɪksˈkjuːsɪz 
ʤʌst æz ˈlaɪkli tuː əˈkɜː 
ʤʌst æz 
dɪˈrɛkt lɪŋk 
ˈɔːltərɪŋ wʌnz ˈaʊtlʊk təˈwɔːdz ˈʌðəz
ˈsɑːmpl ˈsaɪzɪz 
kraɪmz ˈteɪkɪŋ pleɪs 
ˈrɛlətɪv tuː 
ɪgˈzɒnəreɪt 
ˈkɒnvɪkt 
bɪˈnaɪn 
ˌfæsɪˈneɪʃən 
ˈɒbʤɪkt

Listen and repeat:

Vocabulary Practice

The f______________ over crime shows in recent years has led many to q______________ both the o______________ of this m______________ and its impact. In my opinion, people watch these shows to d______________ or s______________ p______________ with killers and the result for society will be n______________ in most cases.

The reason people watch crime shows is to understand and compare the psychology of killers. The m______________ of these shows goes d______________ than f______________ which s______________ is the r______________. Audiences are c______________ with m______________ and the best shows analyse c______________, c______________. People can then try to p______________ whether or not these individuals are d______________ by h______________ and are just e______________ from l______________ or if they are q______________ from the a______________. Some watch to try to u______________ themselves while others experience a g______________, u______________ in i______________ and v______________.

The end result of all these shows related to crime will a______________ nothing i______________. There will be some e______________ where individuals develop an u______________ that i______________ them from normal society or c______________ them as e______________ for their own crimes but this is j______________ with any form of entertainment. The majority of people watch these shows, think about them and talk about them j______________ they discuss a book or a sports team. Research has been unable to show any d______________ between watching crime shows and committing crimes or a______________ . Similarly, they will not have a positive impact since most people do not watch them to get tips to avoid criminals and the s______________ for the c______________ are too small r______________ the knowledge gained.

In conclusion, people watch crime shows to e______________ or c______________ themselves and it is a b______________ obsession. It is more important for psychologists to examine the drive to f______________ than its o______________.

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

Watch the video below from some ideas from a real psychologist:

Reading Practice

Here is an article about its effect for your other paragraph:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47474996

Speaking Practice

Answer these questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Crime

  1. Why do people commit crimes?
  2. How can criminals be rehabilitated?
  3. What is the purpose of punishment?
  4. Are punishment and revenge the same?
  5. Will crime become less common in the future?

Writing Practice

Write about the following topic then read my sample answer below:

The crime rate nowadays is decreasing compared to the past due to advances in technology.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Real Past IELTS Exam/Test

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