Reading stories from a book Vs watching TV or playing computer games for children. Agree or disagree?: IELTS Writing Task 2 essay
Bhargavee Sisodia16 Oct 2024
If you appear for the IELTS test, you will have to sit for four categories: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. This blog will examine and discuss everything about the IELTS writing section. So what does the IELTS writing test focus on? The IELTS writing test aims to assess the test taker's ability to write with clarity, proper grammar, and vocabulary.
While taking the IELTS writing part, you will write two parts, Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2. For Task 2, you might come across any type of prompt question on which you will write an essay. Since it will have to be completed within 40 minutes, you have to be very adept in allocating and managing time to write a well-articulated essay which will give you a good IELTS writing band score.
In IELTS, a test taker is supposed to know about all the six types of essays even if they will only receive one. The essay topic that is assigned to the candidate determines the essay's approach and structure and fulfills the criteria of task achievement. Before going to the assessment criteria, let’s skim through the basics of various kinds of essays.
Discussion: For such essays, upon being allotted a statement or argument, you will discuss both sides. It might be that you can be asked to share your ideas on a specific stance with which you agree or disagree. Other than such specifications, don't go the extra mile to put forth any opinion.
Advantage and Disadvantage: In the advantage and disadvantage essay type, you will describe and reflect on both the benefits and drawbacks of a specific issue. One exception is that if there are essays that ask you to state based on general observation if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages or vice versa, you will mention it in the introduction and conclusion. Such essays are known as outweigh essays.
Balanced opinion: In these essays, you must discuss an argument and demonstrate that you agree with some of it but do not disagree with others. Even when you have a bias towards one choice while justifying both sides, be careful to write in a way that does not contradict your standpoint while presenting your opinion in the introduction and conclusion.
Two Questions or Direct Question: In this essay, the goal is to produce a straightforward essay with appropriate examples. The question will include one or more questions for which you must supply direct answers.
Opinion-based: These essays allow you to express your opinions or perspectives on a particular issue by either supporting or opposing it. If you choose to agree with the argument, your focus should be solely on that viewpoint, without addressing any opposing perspectives.
Problem-Solution or Cause-and-Effect Essay: This type of essay needs you to discover the root cause of the problem stated in the question and provide effective solutions. At times, you will identify the problems or causes and suggest some viable solutions that possess practical applicability.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Assessment Criteria
To achieve a high IELTS writing band score, you must be conversant with the content that is entailed in these four assessment criteria:
Task achievement: For this, you will be assessed if you have understood and responded to the essay question appropriately. It must have relevant, extended, and developed answers with no less than an essay consisting of 250 words.
Coherence and Cohesion: While writing the essay, if you have put separate and structured paragraphs, and employ necessary cohesive devices such as connectors and conjunctions to make the flow sophisticated and smooth, your essay will bear coherence and cohesion.
Lexical Resource: When assigning marks, the word structure, spelling, high-level vocabulary, spellings, and relevant collocations are considered in articulating the writing. On top of that, you should also acquaint yourself with attempting a variety of synonyms which is a remarkable ability that indicates your flexibility in being aware of a wide range of vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: While crafting the essay, your prowess in using tenses, implementing proper punctuation, and grammatical structures, including complex and simple sentences will be observed and marked accordingly.
Identifying the essay type
The aforementioned prompt includes the instruction keywords “Agree or Disagree” which suggests that you will have to give your opinion by either favoring or disfavoring one side of the argument. Based on the prompt where the extent of agreement or disagreement is asked, it is best suited to be an Opinion or what is alternatively known as an Agree/ Disagree essay.
Note: This question prompt can also be attempted as a balanced opinion essay if one intends to partially agree or partially disagree with the given statements bearing contradictory standpoints.
However, in this blog, we will be addressing it as an opinion essay due to the positioning of one statement as too strong or beneficial over the other.
Structure of an Agree/ Disagree Essay
Introduction: Paraphrase the given information and state if you agree or disagree.
Body Paragraph 1: Present your reasons for supporting it and explain with examples.
Body Paragraph 2: Justify your opinion and add more instances to make it reasonable.
Body Paragraph 3(optional): You can write the opposing view and mention why you do not agree with it.
Conclusion: Restate your viewpoint and wrap it up.
General Mistakes to Avoid While Writing Agree Disagree Essays
Even with careful preparation, several common errors can detract from the effectiveness of your Agree/Disagree essay. Identifying and avoiding these pitfalls will help ensure that your essay is well-argued, focused, and clear. Here are some key mistakes to watch out for:
Be clear in your stance: Do not be indecisive in your opinion while attempting an agree/ disagree essay. Rather try choosing a side and stick to it by providing supporting reasons and evidence.
Avoid overgeneralization: Always incorporate specific examples and explanations, even from personal experiences, rather than just overextending the statements.
Do not ignore the opposite viewpoint: Whether you agree or disagree with a particular statement, acknowledging the contradictory argument and countering it can make your essay strong.
Useful Phrases for Agree Disagree Essays
Given below is a list of phrases that can be used for Agree/ Disagree Essays in IELTS writing task 2:
1. “I am of the same opinion…”
Meaning: to denote if your opinion is the same to that of the given opinion
Example: I am of the same opinion that the internet has benefited people.
2. “I could not agree more…”
Meaning: Agreeing to something
Example: I could not agree more that their efforts in using technology were negligible.
3. “I am not sure about that. I agree up to a point, but…”
Meaning: used to show if you are unsure about something.
Example: I am not sure about that. I agree up to a point, but too many cars have led to traffic.
IELTS Writing Task 2 topic: Reading stories from a book Vs watching TV or playing computer games for children. Agree or disagree?
Sample Answers
Band 6
It is the common belive that reading of books is most benefit than watching TV and play computer games but, rest says that TV and games give big advantages. To be honest, personally I consider book reading as an advantage. In the next paras, I will speaking on the reasons of my opinion.
Reading story book help in increase a child's imagining power because they think the scenery in their mind and form a entire narative. With the use of such process, not only is promoting there creative mindset and also make them increase knowlege on vocabulary and improving focus and concentrate. Apart from that, the storybook that children reads help in mental development and encourage curious thoughts. Over regular reading, children can be able in developing strong reading and writing skills and understand speaking correct form of pronunciason and spellings.
And, while watching TV or playing computer game, a child can grow up to be distract. The varios visual and vibrant color affect young minds and distract there attention from tasks that they need to complet. Due to distraction from doing necesary work like home work or other daily thing, they will not be focussed or find it their responsible to involve in that. If a child give more screen time, it will become addiction which will cause problem for studying as they are gaming. The behavior may be changed too, and issue in vision can be common.
Therefore storybook, are a superior source of knowledge when comparison is done to games or television. So, I believe that students should read book and avoid random TV show and video games.
Views on the essay: The words that are in bold indicate a lack of coherence and cohesion as better transition devices and phrase formation could be incorporated. In italics, we have highlighted the wrong words, inappropriate words, and spelling mistakes that fall within the lexical resource. There can be synonyms used in place of certain words throughout the essay. Although it is readable, logical, and entails an opinion, there are some major grammatical errors, ranging from tense, singular/plural, subject-verb agreement, and even punctuation-related mistakes which come under the assessment criteria of grammatical range and accuracy. This is shown by italicizing and underlining.
Band 7
Reading storybooks is the major mean with which children acquire knowledge. While tV and computer games does help in learning, I believe that reading books provide good benefit compared to those other sources. In the essay, I will explain why I hold this view with supporting point.
Reading storiesbook play a crucial role in build of children’s language ability, which helps them grasp and store information that they read more effectiviously. While the TV shows and movies are known for teaching new vocabulary and grammar, the spoken language is not wide than that on written text. While computer games may require reading instruction or mission related updates, the information is very less and does not relate to everyday or real-life experiences that stories do. As a result, there is not a lot of words learning and knowledge gained which cover life experience and meet the demand of language exposing like books.
Entertainment is a present-day issue for children as it leading to difficulty in controlling the behavior of children. As children, it is hard for them to understand the good or bad effect which might often contribute to addiction. Busy scheduled parents find giving their children gadgets and phones as easy method of managing them. An example is during meals many child watch YouTube videos, and if they do not get access end up throw a tantrum and refusing to eat. Moreover, those who read books will be mindful, behave calm, and do their tasks responsibly and in time.
To conclude, I consider reading book to be a better alternative because it enhance character development and build good habits. Even if control in screen time for children can be difficult for parents, there should be efforts to limit it for stopping negative behaviors.
Views on the essay: This essay is well-written and well-structured as per the format of agree/ disagree essay. There can be an improvement in usage of connecting words at one or two places which comes under cohesion and is highlighted in bold. The coherence in this essay has been achieved well. There is a smooth progression of ideas without hampering the readability of the essay with accurate paragraphing. In lexical resource, that are highlighted in italics, there are certain incorrect word usages, and rich vocabulary can be employed. Similarly, in grammatical accuracy and range, there can be correct tenses used which are denoted with italics and underlined.
Band 9
In an era characterized by rapid technological progression, children increasingly gravitate towards interactive games, visually stimulating experiences, and other contemporary mediums for recreation and education. However, there is a prevailing argument that these modern entertainments may not yield the same cognitive and developmental benefits as traditional reading. I am unequivocally convinced that engaging with reading affords children superior advantages over passive activities such as television watching and gaming.
Engaging in reading books profoundly catalyzes the imaginative and intellectual maturation of children. The multifaceted and compelling narratives embedded within books immerse young readers in a realm of captivating concepts and stimulate their cognitive faculties with each page they turn. These narratives, in addition to their entertainment value, often possess substantial educational merit and yield beneficial psychological effects, such as bolstering empathy and emotional intelligence. There is valuable empirical research that elucidates how reading necessitates a more rigorous mental engagement compared to more passive forms of entertainment such as television viewing or video gaming. This intensive cognitive exercise promotes superior brain development and intellectual growth, highlighting the unparalleled significance of reading in fostering comprehensive cognitive advancement in children.
Conversely, engagement with television and video games can frequently precipitate addiction and behavioral disturbances. Children, due to their inherent susceptibility and limited awareness of the potential psychological impacts, may not fully comprehend the adverse consequences these media can exert on their cognitive and emotional well-being. Additionally, the vast and often unchecked availability of inappropriate films and games poses significant risks, with effects that can manifest as obesity, mental health disorders, and addictive tendencies. Empirical studies indicate a troubling correlation: children who consistently interact with violent or combative video games exhibit a heightened propensity for aggressive behaviors and delinquent actions relative to their peers who abstain from such content.
In conclusion, encouraging children to engage in reading profoundly enhances their intellectual and moral growth. In contrast, exposure to films and video games can result in harmful cognitive effects and health issues. Therefore, I advocate for prioritizing reading to promote children's well-being and development.
Conclusion
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