Some people say that your first impressions when you meet someone are always right. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Sample Response
First impressions, without a doubt, have great importance, but they do not always reveal the real characteristics of a person, and I believe that first impressions are not always accurate. This essay discusses why first impressions may often be deceptive and less important in judging someone.
To begin with, first impressions may reveal some information about a person, but this is not a solid testament to someone's personality and character. We can judge others from the way they dress, speak, start a conversation and express their views, but this can often be ambiguous or even deceptive. For instance, my experience has taught me that people who become friends very quickly are less serious about a long-term friendship though they give an opposite impression on their first meeting. I have also learned that people try to show compassion and helpfulness on their first counter with others even if they are truly not compassionate and helpful enough.
Moreover, people try to behave modestly, act friendly, show compassion and exhibit their positive sides when they meet someone for the first time. Only a long-term observation can express their true nature and intention. So, I would not agree with the view that my initial impressions about someone are always right. I believe we can learn about a person only when we spend time with the person and can understand their true colour when we observe them closely for a long time.
To conclude, people are one of the greatest mysteries in the world and judging someone at the first meeting is kind of irrational. No doubt some information about someone could be learned from the first encounter, but this is not always right, at least not in my experience.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use a natural collocation Original: have great importance Suggested revision: are highly important Why it matters: The replacement expresses importance more naturally and concisely.
- 2. Clarify the limitation Original: deceptive and less important in judging someone Suggested revision: deceptive and insufficient for judging someone Why it matters: 'Insufficient for' states clearly why first impressions should not determine a judgement.
- 3. Use an accurate noun Original: solid testament to Suggested revision: reliable indication of Why it matters: A first impression can indicate personality but cannot serve as a testament to it.
- 4. Use the correct preposition Original: from Suggested revision: by Why it matters: The standard construction is 'judge someone by' an observable feature.
- 5. Clarify the reference Original: but this can often be ambiguous or even deceptive Suggested revision: but these impressions can often be ambiguous or even deceptive Why it matters: The plural noun makes clear that the judgement formed from those behaviours may be misleading.
- 6. Use a precise adjective Original: less serious about a long-term friendship Suggested revision: less committed to a long-term friendship Why it matters: 'Committed to' describes willingness to sustain a friendship more precisely.
- 7. Use the definite article Original: an Suggested revision: the Why it matters: The phrase refers to the specific impression opposite to their true intentions.
- 8. Use the correct preposition Original: on Suggested revision: at Why it matters: Events occur 'at' a meeting rather than 'on' a meeting.
- 9. Correct the word choice Original: counter Suggested revision: encounter Why it matters: 'Encounter' means a first meeting, whereas 'counter' does not.
- 10. Coordinate the negatives Original: truly not compassionate and helpful enough Suggested revision: not genuinely compassionate or helpful Why it matters: 'Or' correctly links two qualities within a negative construction.
- 11. Use a natural phrase Original: exhibit their positive sides Suggested revision: display their positive qualities Why it matters: 'Positive qualities' is more precise and formal than 'positive sides'.
- 12. Remove the unnecessary article Original: Only a long-term observation Suggested revision: Only long-term observation Why it matters: 'Observation' is uncountable when it refers generally to watching someone over time.
Suggested Rewrites
- have great importance are highly important
- deceptive and less important in judging someone deceptive and insufficient for judging someone
- solid testament to reliable indication of
- from by
- but this can often be ambiguous or even deceptive but these impressions can often be ambiguous or even deceptive
- less serious about a long-term friendship less committed to a long-term friendship
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response maintains a clear disagreement and explains persuasively that people can manage their initial presentation, using personal experience and the value of long-term observation as support. Its main limitation is that the two body paragraphs substantially repeat the same deception argument, alongside a few awkward lexical choices; the priority is to develop a distinct second reason and refine collocations for greater precision.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
A clear position is maintained and supported with relevant explanation and personal experience, though the two main reasons overlap considerably.
Develop a distinct second reason, such as the effect of unusual circumstances or cultural differences on initial behaviour.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is organised into clear paragraphs and easy to follow, but repeated claims about deceptive behaviour limit progression between the body paragraphs.
Give each body paragraph a separate controlling idea and use referencing to avoid repeating first impressions and a person.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is sufficiently varied to discuss personality and judgement, although several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward.
Use natural phrases such as reliable evidence, judge by appearance, first encounter, and reveal their true character.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A range of complex sentences is generally controlled, with only occasional awkward clause construction and reference.
Tighten long sentences by checking that each pronoun has a clear referent and each contrast joins complete ideas.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people say that your first impressions when you meet someone are always right. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.