This is an IELTS Writing Task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of international sporting events from real IELTS exam/test.

I found this one a challenge because it is such a complex issue and I know so little about it.

It depends on so many factors and I’m not a politician.

That means I had to speculate a lot but also try to keep it grounded and specific.

See what I decided to do below!

Please consider signing up for my Patreon here in order to support my efforts and receive exclusive Ebooks and materials related to IELTS!

Dave

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: International Sporting Events

One good way to promote world peace is through international sporting events.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Recent IELTS Exams/Tests

Some today feel that international sporting events are an opportunity to encourage world peace between traditionally opposed nations. In my opinion, the shared comradery is marginal enough as to be largely meaningless.

Proponents would argue that these events strengthen national bonds, particularly for the host country. Take the recent Olympics in Brasil as an example. Brasilian citizens and the government may have harboured animosity and prejudices towards various other countries where they have political, geographic, or economic ties. These predispositions might soften in citizens as they replace their generalised impressions with the real people now staying in their hotels, eating in their restaurants and passing them on the street. Governments will also have the opportunity to meet with foreign leaders in a spirit of friendly competition and without the tension of trade or military talks.

Nonetheless, only a very small percentage of people will be influenced in this way relative to the global interactions that actually impact world peace. A good example of this would be the complex civil war taking place in Syria. Very few citizens in a war-torn nation care about sporting events, if they have any representatives, and the leaders may not even make the trip. They will be more concerned about which sides Russia and the United States are supporting and the outstanding problems that led to conflict in the first place. World peace is further imperiled by other Middle Eastern countries with a religious affiliation who are unlikely to be pacified through a football match. Competitions like the Olympics and World Cup cannot in any way alter these underlying sources of conflict.

In conclusion, sports tournaments have very little role to play in a more peaceful world. Countries should take part in them to stir up national pride and achieve glory, not as a means to an unachievable political end.

Analysis

1. Some today feel that international sporting events are an opportunity to encourage world peace between traditionally opposed nations. 2. In my opinion, the shared comradery is marginal enough as to be largely meaningless.

Rewrite the overall topic for the whole essay.
Include your opinion and make it very clear – never sit in the middle!

1. Proponents would argue that these events strengthen national bonds, particularly for the host country. 2. Take the recent Olympics in Brasil as an example. 3. Brasilian citizens and the government may have harboured animosity and prejudices towards various other countries where they have political, geographic, or economic ties. 4. These predispositions might soften in citizens as they replace their generalised impressions with the real people now staying in their hotels, eating in their restaurants and passing them on the street. 5. Governments will also have the opportunity to meet with foreign leaders in a spirit of friendly competition and without the tension of trade or military talks.

Write a topic sentence with a main idea at the end.
Begin an example.
Develop the example with specific details.
Continue developing it – notice how specific my support is.
Finish developing your main idea and conclude the paragraph.

1. Nonetheless, only a very small percentage of people will be influenced in this way relative to the global interactions that actually impact world peace. 2. A good example of this would be the complex civil war taking place in Syria. 3. Very few citizens in a war-torn nation care about sporting events, if they have any representatives, and the leaders may not even make the trip. 4. They will be more concerned about which sides Russia and the United States are supporting and the outstanding problems that led to conflict in the first place. 5. World peace is further imperiled by other Middle Eastern countries with a religious affiliation who are unlikely to be pacified through a football match. 6. Competitions like the Olympics and World Cup cannot in any way alter these underlying sources of conflict.

Write another topic sentence with a new clear main idea.
Start your example right away – don’t waste time!
Develop it as specifically as you can.
The more support, the higher your task achievement score!
Use specific countries and relate them to your main idea.
You last sentence can be more general and answer the overall question for the essay directly.

1. In conclusion, sports tournaments have very little role to play in a more peaceful world. 2. Countries should take part in them to stir up national pride and achieve glory, not as a means to an unachievable political end.

Repeat your opinion.
Add in an extra detail/final thought.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

Some today feel that international sporting events are an opportunity to encourage world peace between traditionally opposed nations. In my opinion, the shared comradery is marginal enough as to be largely meaningless.

Proponents would argue that these events strengthen national bonds, particularly for the host country. Take the recent Olympics in Brasil as an example. Brasilian citizens and the government may have harboured animosity and prejudices towards various other countries where they have political, geographic, or economic ties. These predispositions might soften in citizens as they replace their generalised impressions with the real people now staying in their hotels, eating in their restaurants and passing them on the street. Governments will also have the opportunity to meet with foreign leaders in a spirit of friendly competition and without the tension of trade or military talks.

Nonetheless, only a very small percentage of people will be influenced in this way relative to the global interactions that actually impact world peace. A good example of this would be the complex civil war taking place in Syria. Very few citizens in a war-torn nation care about sporting events, if they have any representatives, and the leaders may not even make the trip. They will be more concerned about which sides Russia and the United States are supporting and the outstanding problems that led to conflict in the first place. World peace is further imperiled by other Middle Eastern countries with a religious affiliation who are unlikely to be pacified through a football match. Competitions like the Olympics and World Cup cannot in any way alter these underlying sources of conflict.

In conclusion, sports tournaments have very little role to play in a more peaceful world. Countries should take part in them to stir up national pride and achieve glory, not as a means to an unachievable political end.

Answers

international sporting events the Olympics, World Cup, World Games, etc.

world peace no more wars

traditionally opposed nations countries usually fighting/in conflict

shared comradery the feeling of being together in an enterprise/sport

marginal enough as to be largely meaningless so little impact that it doesn’t matter

proponents supporter

strengthen national bonds bring countries closer together

host country nation where the games are held

harboured animosity resentments/grudges

prejudices judgments about others before meeting them/bigotry

political, geographic related to politics and geography

economic ties financial links

predispositions inclination towards

soften mature, take the edges off

generalised impressions first reactions, abstracted image of

passing walking by

in a spirit of friendly competition being a good sport

tension of trade or military talks anxiousness around important governmental discussions

relative to as it regards

global interactions times when countries come into contact

civil war fighting within a country

war-torn nation nation with a war devastating it

representatives elected officials

make the trip travel to

supporting in favour of

outstanding problems issues that still exist/are current

in the first place to begin with

imperiled put in danger

religious affiliation association with a religion

pacified make peace

alter make changes to

underlying sources of conflict problems that lead to fighting

very little role to play in no part in

take part in participate in

stir up national pride encourage nationalism

achieve glory win gold medals

means to an unachievable political end only to try and accomplish a national goal that can’t be accomplished anyway

Pronunciation

ˌɪntə(ː)ˈnæʃənl ˈspɔːtɪŋ ɪˈvɛnts
wɜːld piːs
trəˈdɪʃnəli əˈpəʊzd ˈneɪʃənz
ʃeəd ˈkɒmrɪdri
ˈmɑːʤɪnəl ɪˈnʌf æz tuː biː ˈlɑːʤli ˈmiːnɪŋlɪs
prəˈpəʊnənts
ˈstrɛŋθən ˈnæʃənl bɒndz
həʊst ˈkʌntri
ˈhɑːbəd ˌænɪˈmɒsɪti
ˈprɛʤʊdɪsɪz
pəˈlɪtɪkəl, ʤɪəˈgræfɪk
ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk taɪz
ˌpriːdɪspəˈzɪʃənz
ˈsɒfn
ˈʤɛnərəlaɪzd ɪmˈprɛʃənz
ˈpɑːsɪŋ
ɪn ə ˈspɪrɪt ɒv ˈfrɛndli ˌkɒmpɪˈtɪʃən
ˈtɛnʃən ɒv treɪd ɔː ˈmɪlɪtəri tɔːks
ˈrɛlətɪv tuː
ˈgləʊbəl ˌɪntərˈækʃənz
ˈsɪvl wɔː
wɔː-tɔːn ˈneɪʃən
ˌrɛprɪˈzɛntətɪvz
meɪk ðə trɪp
səˈpɔːtɪŋ
aʊtˈstændɪŋ ˈprɒbləmz
ɪn ðə fɜːst pleɪs
ɪmˈpɛrɪld
rɪˈlɪʤəs əˌfɪlɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n
ˈpæsɪfaɪd
ˈɔːltə
ˌʌndəˈlaɪɪŋ ˈsɔːsɪz ɒv ˈkɒnflɪkt
ˈvɛri ˈlɪtl rəʊl tuː pleɪ ɪn
teɪk pɑːt ɪn
stɜːr ʌp ˈnæʃənl praɪd
əˈʧiːv ˈglɔːri
miːnz tuː ən ˌʌnəˈʧiːvəbl pəˈlɪtɪkəl ɛnd

Listen and repeat:

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Some today feel that i_______________ are an opportunity to encourage w_______________ between t_______________. In my opinion, the s _______________ is m_______________.

P_______________ would argue that these events s_______________, particularly for the h_______________. Take the recent Olympics in Brasil as an example. Brasilian citizens and the government may have h_______________ and p_______________ towards various other countries where they have p_______________, g_______________, or e_______________. These p_______________ might s_______________ in citizens as they replace their g_______________ with the real people now staying in their hotels, eating in their restaurants and p_______________ them on the street. Governments will also have the opportunity to meet with foreign leaders i_______________ and without the t_______________.

Nonetheless, only a very small percentage of people will be influenced in this way r_______________ the g_______________ that actually impact world peace. A good example of this would be the complex c_______________ taking place in Syria. Very few citizens in a w_______________ care about sporting events, if they have any r_______________, and the leaders may not even m_______________. They will be more concerned about which sides Russia and the United States are s_______________ and the o_______________ that led to conflict i_______________. World peace is further i_______________ by other Middle Eastern countries with a r_______________ who are unlikely to be p_______________ through a football match. Competitions like the Olympics and World Cup cannot in any way a_______________ these u_______________.

In conclusion, sports tournaments have v_______________ a more peaceful world. Countries should t_______________ them to s_______________ and a _______________, not as a m_______________.

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

This video would make a great example for your essay!

Reading Practice

Here’s an interesting article on this topic:

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2010/03/war-and-peace-at-the-olympic-games/36868/

Speaking Practice

Answer the following part 3 speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Cycling

Do you own a bicycle?
When was the last time you went cycling?
Is cycling dangerous in your country?
Would you ever take a long cycling trip?

Writing Practice

Answer the related question below and then read my sample answer on it:

Some people think that it is a waste of money for countries to host big sporting events like the world cup, and that the money would be better spent on other things.

However, others think that hosting large sporting events has a clear, positive impact on a country.

Discuss both these views and give your opinion.
Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams