E-mail is now the easiest way to communicate with families and friends all over the world. Some people say that it does not have the sincerity of handwritten letters. Do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
In the digital world these days, modern technologies have revolutionized human life in many aspects, especially in people’s daily communication. It is undeniable that with the advent of email, people nowadays can easily keep in contact with their family members and friends worldwide. However, it is argued that compared with writing letters, sending emails seems to fail to express the writers’ affection. In my opinion, I totally disagree with this view because of several reasons below.
First of all, it is unjustifiable to assert the view that emails cannot reflect sincerity as handwritten letters. Some people hold an argument that letters can give more personal touch to receivers since they think that some features of a person’s handwriting such as the size of words or the space between characters can reflect the feelings of writers at that moment. However, I am more convinced that the main factors which play a decisive role in showing people’s emotions are not the format and the characteristic calligraphy, yet through the way that people choose words or express their own thoughts. An email for a job application, for instance, not only shows the professionalism and politeness of a candidate, but it also reflects the writer’s interests and sincerity for the vacancy if he or she puts serious efforts into choosing the suitable writing style.
In addition, thanks to the developments of new technology, email users are now able to detach images or audio files. Such things can make great contributions in conveying writers’ emotions and thoughts. For example, grandparents who live far away from their grandchildren can feel the affection of their loving children through emails which are sent along with some photos taken about children’s daily life. These old people can also be happy and excited when they can hear the voice of their family members via audios just in a second rather than waiting for a few days or even weeks to receive letters that can only show words.
In conclusion, due to the aforementioned reasons, I am not convinced by the view that emails are not as sincere as handwritten letters since I strongly believe that emails can fulfil the roles of keeping connections among people as well as conveying their emotions and sincerity.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use concise phrasing Original: In the digital world these days Suggested revision: In today’s digital world Why it matters: This is a more concise and natural introductory phrase.
- 2. Choose natural collocation Original: aspects Suggested revision: ways Why it matters: “In many ways” is the idiomatic expression for describing broad effects on life.
- 3. Use common collocation Original: keep Suggested revision: stay Why it matters: “Stay in contact” is the more natural collocation in this context.
- 4. Use broader meaning Original: the writers’ affection Suggested revision: writers’ feelings Why it matters: “Feelings” better matches the full range of emotions conveyed in personal messages.
- 5. Use formal emphasis Original: totally Suggested revision: strongly Why it matters: “Strongly disagree” is a more natural formal collocation.
- 6. Fix reason phrase Original: because of several reasons below Suggested revision: for the following reasons Why it matters: The original phrase is awkward because “because of” should not introduce “reasons” in this structure.
- 7. Fix verb collocation Original: assert the view Suggested revision: make the claim Why it matters: “Make the claim” is a natural collocation for presenting this proposition.
- 8. Complete comparison Original: reflect sincerity as handwritten letters Suggested revision: convey as much sincerity as handwritten letters Why it matters: The comparison needs the complete “as much ... as” structure.
- 9. Use correct collocation Original: hold an argument Suggested revision: argue Why it matters: English speakers “make an argument” or simply “argue,” rather than “hold an argument” in this sense.
- 10. Add article Original: give more personal touch Suggested revision: give a more personal touch Why it matters: The singular countable phrase “personal touch” requires the article “a”.
- 11. Use message term Original: receivers Suggested revision: recipients Why it matters: “Recipients” is the standard term for people receiving letters or emails.
- 12. Make phrasing concise Original: the feelings of writers Suggested revision: writers’ feelings Why it matters: The possessive form is more concise and natural here.
Suggested Rewrites
- In the digital world these days In today’s digital world
- aspects ways
- keep stay
- the writers’ affection writers’ feelings
- totally strongly
- because of several reasons below for the following reasons
Why this response received Band 7.5
The response maintains a clear position and supports it with two well-developed reasons, especially the explanation of how multimedia can convey affection across distance. The main weakness is recurring lexical and grammatical awkwardness, including inaccurate word choices and strained comparative structures, which reduces precision despite consistently clear meaning. Prioritise natural collocations and cleaner sentence construction while retaining the focused argument and relevant examples.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The position is direct and consistent, and both main reasons are relevant and substantially developed with examples.
Use examples drawn more directly from communication with family and friends, particularly when discussing sincerity.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is logically organised and easy to follow, though some linking expressions and sentence connections feel formulaic.
Use more implicit logical progression within paragraphs and reduce reliance on stock signposting phrases.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and ambitious, but recurring inaccurate collocations and word choices noticeably reduce precision.
Replace unnatural phrases such as those involving attaching files, expressing sincerity, and describing audio with standard collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A broad range of complex structures is used successfully, although article, preposition, agreement, and sentence-construction errors recur.
Simplify overloaded comparative sentences and check articles, prepositions, and parallel structures for consistent accuracy.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
E-mail is now the easiest way to communicate with families and friends all over the world. Some people say that it does not have the sincerity of handwritten letters. Do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.