Some believe that people should make efforts to fight climate change while others think it is better to learn to live with it. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
Many are of the opinion that individuals should accept the reality of climate change rather than try to combat it. In my opinion, certain levels of acceptance are pragmatic but it is still important to take meaningful steps.
Those who argue a passive approach point to the ineffectual impact of individuals. The vast majority of problems related to climate change cannot be countered by individual action because they primarily involve corporations and governments. For example, companies that produce packaged foods, such as potato chips and instant noodles, create far more plastic waste and industrial pollution in one day than a single person will in their entire life. Governments can make a greater different by enacting regulations to ensure that the methods of production and materials employed are more environmentally friendly. It thus follows that the average person is justified resigning themselves to the facts of climate change and living in an area that is not especially affected.
However, the combined impact of individuals highlighting climate change will influence key policy decisions. The best examples of this are in European countries such as France and Denmark where green parties hold tremendous sway in government. Individuals empower these political parties not only by voting but also through protests and consumer decisions. Even governmental bodies that are not as eco-friendly must take the environment into account when passing laws. Furthermore, corporations are now cognizant of changes in consumer behavior. Massive conglomerates such as Starbucks frequently advertise their environmental policies. This has only happened because individuals have demanded these reforms.
In conclusion, the seemingly marginal impact of individuals belies their true influence over more powerful authorities. Concerned citizens should therefore continue to vocally curb the hastening of climate change.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use singular quantity Original: certain levels of acceptance Suggested revision: a certain level of acceptance Why it matters: The singular form fits the general degree of acceptance being described.
- 2. Add clause comma Original: are pragmatic but Suggested revision: are pragmatic, but Why it matters: A comma should precede 'but' when it joins two independent clauses.
- 3. Add required preposition Original: argue a passive approach Suggested revision: argue for a passive approach Why it matters: The verb 'argue' needs 'for' when supporting an approach.
- 4. Fix awkward collocation Original: ineffectual Suggested revision: limited Why it matters: 'Limited impact' clearly expresses the claim that individual actions have little effect.
- 5. Use correct noun Original: different Suggested revision: difference Why it matters: The noun 'difference' is required after the comparative adjective 'greater'.
- 6. Add required preposition Original: is justified resigning Suggested revision: is justified in resigning Why it matters: The adjective 'justified' takes 'in' before a gerund in this construction.
- 7. Use natural expression Original: facts Suggested revision: realities Why it matters: 'Realities' more naturally refers to conditions that people may have to accept.
- 8. Clarify collective action Original: combined impact of individuals highlighting climate change Suggested revision: collective impact of individuals drawing attention to climate change Why it matters: This wording distinguishes the aggregate effect from the act of publicising the issue.
- 9. Avoid absolute prediction Original: will Suggested revision: can Why it matters: The modal 'can' accurately expresses potential influence rather than a guaranteed future result.
- 10. Fix verb collocation Original: vocally Suggested revision: actively Why it matters: People can act to curb a process, while 'vocally curb' is not a natural collocation.
- 11. Use concise noun Original: hastening Suggested revision: acceleration Why it matters: 'Acceleration' expresses the speeding up of climate change more concisely.
- 12. Strengthen final link Suggested revision: Make the final sentence explicitly connect individuals' limited direct impact with the proposed adaptive response. Why it matters: The paragraph moves abruptly from institutional responsibility to personal resignation without clearly signalling that logical step.
Suggested Rewrites
- certain levels of acceptance a certain level of acceptance
- are pragmatic but are pragmatic, but
- argue a passive approach argue for a passive approach
- ineffectual limited
- different difference
- is justified resigning is justified in resigning
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response presents a clear qualified position, develops both perspectives with specific causal reasoning, and sustains a persuasive line of argument. Its main limitation is a small number of imprecise or incorrect expressions, especially around individual acceptance and the final call to action, which slightly weaken otherwise strong precision. The highest priority is to refine these local word choices while preserving the essay's concise development and control.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are explored in depth, and the writer's qualified position is clear, relevant, and consistently supported.
Clarify how practical adaptation would work so the acceptance side is as concretely developed as the action side.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through focused paragraphs, with cohesive devices and referencing used smoothly and effectively.
Make the transition from individual limitations to personal adaptation slightly more explicit within the first body paragraph.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is wide-ranging, precise, and appropriately academic, with only isolated slips in word choice and formation.
Correct local expressions such as greater different and choose a more natural formulation for the final call to action.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is handled accurately, and most sentences are error-free.
Maintain this control while checking isolated noun-form and agreement slips during final proofreading.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some believe that people should make efforts to fight climate change while others think it is better to learn to live with it. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.