This is an IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample answer from the real IELTS test/exam about the topic of plagiarism (stealing others’ work).

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Dave

Before reading the answer below, you can listen to the audio to practice your listening (take some notes as well on the vocabulary or ideas):

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Plagiarism (Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams)

Plagiarism in academics has become a pressing problem in many countries today.

What are the causes of this problem?

What are some possible solutions?

Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams

Plagiarism has become a serious issue in academic circles in recent decades. The main causes of this center around the dissemination of information to countries with varying attitudes to intellectual property rights and the solutions are strict censures of plagiarised works.

In many countries, plagiarism is not considered an offence or treated very lightly. For example, students in Vietnam grow up in an environment where copyright is largely just for show. It is common practice for photocopy shops to print or copy entire books with no legal repercussions. In school, many students are instructed to memorise and reproduce the works of others and prohibited from coming up with their own ideas. The rise of Facebook, which hardly polices IP rights, has led to further lawlessness. Altogether, theft is culturally permitted if not encouraged. Countries around the world all have differing standards based on their history, culture, and legal frameworks.

The best solutions for plagiarism are to implement degrees of punishments. Those who outright copy and paste works and pass them off as their own for commercial purposes should be subject to full criminal and civil prosecution. This will limit the most extreme cases. Sharing and posting materials on the internet is a thornier issue because the perpetrators do not always receive direct financial benefit and can be difficult to track down. In these cases, it is the websites, such as Facebook, that must police members and initiate warnings and bans to repeat offenders.

In conclusion, the pertinent threat of plagiarism means both companies and countries must work in tandem to limit any potential damage. In the future, this issue will only become more difficult to extricate so it is advisable that preventive measures be put in place now.

Analysis

1. Plagiarism has become a serious issue in academic circles in recent decades. 2. The main causes of this center around the dissemination of information to countries with varying attitudes to intellectual property rights and the solutions are strict censures of plagiarised works.

1. For your first sentence, just paraphrase what the whole topic is about – short and simple because it is not that important.
2. Now write your opinion – you don’t have to include your main ideas but if you do it will help your cohesion and coherence score.

1. In many countries, plagiarism is not considered an offence or treated very lightly. 2. For example, students in Vietnam grow up in an environment where copyright is largely just for show. 3. It is common practice for photocopy shops to print or copy entire books with no legal repercussions. 4. In school, many students are instructed to memorise and reproduce the works of others and prohibited from coming up with their own ideas. 5. The rise of Facebook, which hardly polices IP rights, has led to further lawlessness. 6. Altogether, theft is culturally permitted if not encouraged. 7. Countries around the world all have differing standards based on their history, culture, and legal frameworks.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea. This question asks for the reasonS, plural, so try to include two related reasons.
2. Begin your example right away – don’t waste any time.
3. Continue to develop the same example.
4. Try to pull out a second reason related to your example if you can.
5. Keep developing the same example.
6. The more specific, the better!
7. I conclude the paragraph by making it more general – this is good to do if you wrote a very specific example like I did. (7 sentences is a bit long – aim for about 5.)

1. The best solutions for plagiarism are to implement degrees of punishments. 2. Those who outright copy and paste works and pass them off as their own for commercial purposes should be subject to full criminal and civil prosecution. 3. This will limit the most extreme cases. 4. Sharing and posting materials on the internet is a thornier issue because the perpetrators do not always receive direct financial benefit and can be difficult to track down. 5. In these cases, it is the websites, such as Facebook, that must police members and initiate warnings and bans to repeat offenders.

1. Write a new, simple topic sentence with another main idea. This one also asks for more than 1 solution, so try to include a couple of related solutions.
2. Don’t waste time – write specifically about your first solution.
3. Develop it with at least one more sentence.
4. Switch over to another solution.
5. Develop that example as fully and specifically as possible.

1. In conclusion, the pertinent threat of plagiarism means both companies and countries must work in tandem to limit any potential damage. 2. In the future, this issue will only become more difficult to extricate so it is advisable that preventive measures be put in place now.

1. Repeat your solutions or the cause. This sentence isn’t that important.
2. Include an extra detail – this sentence is very important because some examiners will limit your task achievement score to band 7 without it!

Vocabulary

Try to figure out the words in bold below:

Plagiarism has become a serious issue in academic circles in recent decades. The main causes of this center around the dissemination of information to countries with varying attitudes to intellectual property rights and the solutions are strict censures of plagiarised works.

In many countries, plagiarism is not considered an offence or treated very lightly. For example, students in Vietnam grow up in an environment where copyright is largely just for show. It is common practice for photocopy shops to print or copy entire books with no legal repercussions. In school, many students are instructed to memorise and reproduce the works of others and prohibited from coming up with their own ideas. The rise of Facebook, which hardly polices IP rights, has led to further lawlessness. Altogether, theft is culturally permitted if not encouraged. Countries around the world all have differing standards based on their history, culture, and legal frameworks.

The best solutions for plagiarism are to implement degrees of punishments. Those who outright copy and paste works and pass them off as their own for commercial purposes should be subject to full criminal and civil prosecution. This will limit the most extreme cases. Sharing and posting materials on the internet is a thornier issue because the perpetrators do not always receive direct financial benefit and can be difficult to track down. In these cases, it is the websites, such as Facebook, that must police members and initiate warnings and bans to repeat offenders.

In conclusion, the pertinent threat of plagiarism means both companies and countries must work in tandem to limit any potential damage. In the future, this issue will only become more difficult to extricate so it is advisable that preventive measures be put in place now.

Answers

plagiarism stealing others work and pretending it is your own

serious issue important problem

center around relate to

dissemination spread

varying attitudes different opinions about

intellectual property rights copyright

strict censures severe disapproval

plagiarised works stolen writing

offence crime

treated very lightly not punished severely

copyright your ownership rights

largely just for show not actually enforced

common practice happens a lot

no legal repercussions get away with it

reproduce copy

works of others other people’s writing/words

prohibited not allowed

coming up with their own ideas think of their own concepts

hardly polices IP rights does not care about copyright

lawlessness no law

altogether taken as a whole

culturally permitted allowed in this society

if not encouraged actually kind of encouraged

differing standards not the same feelings towards

legal frameworks laws

implement put in place

outright copy and paste works brazenly steal

pass them off as their own pretend they wrote them

commercial purposes to make money for themselves

subject to full criminal and civil prosecution go to trial/court

most extreme cases very bad times

thornier complicated

perpetrators criminals

direct financial benefit actualy money from it

track down find

police verb for police/enforce

initiate warnings send out warning messages

repeat offenders those who do it repeatedly

pertinent threat pressing problem

work in tandem collaborate

potential damage possible hurt

extricate untangle

advisable good idea to

preventive measures methods to stop from happening

put in place implement

Pronunciation

ˈpleɪʤərɪz(ə)m 
ˈsɪərɪəs ˈɪʃuː 
ˈsɛntər əˈraʊnd 
dɪˌsɛmɪˈneɪʃən 
ˈveəriɪŋ ˈætɪtjuːdz 
ˌɪntɪˈlɛktjʊəl ˈprɒpəti raɪts 
strɪkt ˈsɛnʃəz 
ˈpleɪʤəraɪzd wɜːks
əˈfɛns 
ˈtriːtɪd ˈvɛri ˈlaɪtli
ˈkɒpɪraɪt 
ˈlɑːʤli ʤʌst fɔː ʃəʊ
ˈkɒmən ˈpræktɪs 
nəʊ ˈliːgəl ˌriːpɜːˈkʌʃənz
ˌriːprəˈdjuːs 
wɜːks ɒv ˈʌðəz 
prəˈhɪbɪtɪd 
ˈkʌmɪŋ ʌp wɪð ðeər əʊn aɪˈdɪəz
ˈhɑːdli pəˈliːsɪz aɪ-piː raɪts
ˈlɔːlɪsnəs
ˌɔːltəˈgɛðə
ˈkʌlʧərəli pəˈmɪtɪd 
ɪf nɒt ɪnˈkʌrɪʤd
ˈdɪfərɪŋ ˈstændədz 
ˈliːgəl ˈfreɪmwɜːks
ˈɪmplɪmənt 
ˈaʊtraɪt ˈkɒpi ænd peɪst wɜːks 
pɑːs ðɛm ɒf æz ðeər əʊn 
kəˈmɜːʃəl ˈpɜːpəsɪz 
ˈsʌbʤɪkt tuː fʊl ˈkrɪmɪnl ænd ˈsɪvl ˌprɒsɪˈkjuːʃən
məʊst ɪksˈtriːm ˈkeɪsɪz
ˈθɔːnɪə 
ˈpɜːpɪtreɪtəz 
dɪˈrɛkt faɪˈnænʃəl ˈbɛnɪfɪt 
træk daʊn
pəˈliːs 
ɪˈnɪʃɪɪt ˈwɔːnɪŋz 
rɪˈpiːt əˈfɛndəz
ˈpɜːtɪnənt θrɛt 
wɜːk ɪn ˈtændəm 
pəʊˈtɛnʃəl ˈdæmɪʤ
ˈɛkstrɪkeɪt 
ədˈvaɪzəbl 
prɪˈvɛntɪv ˈmɛʒəz 
pʊt ɪn pleɪs 

Listen and repeat:

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

_____________ has become a _____________ in academic circles in recent decades. The main causes of this _____________ the _____________ of information to countries with _____________ to _____________ and the solutions are _____________ of _____________.

In many countries, plagiarism is not considered an _____________ or _____________. For example, students in Vietnam grow up in an environment where _____________ is _____________. It is _____________ for photocopy shops to print or copy entire books with _____________. In school, many students are instructed to memorise and _____________ the _____________ and _____________ from _____________. The rise of Facebook, which _____________, has led to further _____________. _____________, theft is _____________ _____________. Countries around the world all have _____________ based on their history, culture, and _____________.

The best solutions for plagiarism are to _____________ degrees of punishments. Those who _____________ and _____________ for _____________ should be _____________. This will limit the _____________. Sharing and posting materials on the internet is a _____________ issue because the _____________ do not always receive _____________ and can be difficult to _____________. In these cases, it is the websites, such as Facebook, that must _____________ members and _____________ and bans to _____________.

In conclusion, the _____________ of plagiarism means both companies and countries must _____________ to limit any _____________. In the future, this issue will only become more difficult to _____________ so it is _____________ that _____________ be _____________ now.

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

Listen to the story below to review this topic and improve your listening: