The 21st century has begun. What changes do you think this new century will bring? Use examples and details in your answer.
Sample Response
Man, through the ages, has undergone many changes from the time when he depicted a herd of mammoths on the walls of his cave to these days when he can create beautiful pictures and even make coffee by use of computer technologies without leaving his favourite chair. The 20th century made huge steps in developing computer technologies and reached many goals that made our life much easier. What should we expect in the 21st century?
First of all, I think that the pace of our life will speed up: we will move faster from one place to another, from one continent to another using high-speed jet aeroplanes. Second of all, I believe that we will be able to do many things that take much time now without leaving our house. Computers will be everywhere including out clothes. Many people will have chips and mini computers inserted in their heads to hold a huge amount of information and have a quick access to it.
But what will be the most amazing thing in the 21st century is the flights to the outer space and Mars that will be available to all people. Scientists say that Mars has many things similar to the Earth's. Moreover, they say that with the help of modern technology people can artificially create conditions that will allow people to live there on the constant basis.
Apart from that, Computers would become more powerful and they will have superior artificial intelligence. We will have robots to do the hazardous works like mining and outer space research. Surprisingly, e-commerce would be in more convenient form and most of the people will purchase online rather than going to shops in person. In the field of education and jobs, dramatic changes would happen. Online learning and freelancing would be very popular and people would be able to earn almost all of their desired degree and diploma staying at home. Finally, the cure for many deadly diseases would be invented and yet new diseases may spread to cause some deadly catastrophic results. To sum up, I am sure that many amazing changes will be brought by the 21st century. Furthermore, I think that with the help of the contemporary technologies people can do many things that were even difficult to imagine a century ago. So, nowadays it is rather difficult and even impossible to imagine all changes that will happen in the next decades.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use natural progress phrase Original: made huge steps Suggested revision: made great strides Why it matters: ‘Make great strides’ is the established collocation for major progress.
- 2. Use noun phrase Original: in developing computer technologies Suggested revision: in the development of computer technologies Why it matters: The noun phrase clearly identifies the area in which progress occurred.
- 3. Use precise achievement verb Original: reached many goals Suggested revision: achieved many advances Why it matters: Technological progress is more naturally described as advances being achieved.
- 4. Use plural lives Original: life Suggested revision: lives Why it matters: The possessive ‘our’ refers to multiple people's lives.
- 5. Use plural lives Original: life Suggested revision: lives Why it matters: The shared experience of many people requires the plural noun.
- 6. Use standard sequence marker Original: Second of all Suggested revision: Secondly Why it matters: ‘Secondly’ is the standard formal transition after ‘First of all’.
- 7. Use distributive plural Original: house Suggested revision: homes Why it matters: The plural noun reflects different people living in different homes.
- 8. Correct possessive typo Original: out Suggested revision: our Why it matters: ‘Out’ is a typo for the possessive determiner ‘our’.
- 9. Use data storage verb Original: hold a huge amount of information Suggested revision: store a large amount of information Why it matters: Computers ‘store’ information, and ‘large’ is more measured than ‘huge’.
- 10. Remove access article Original: have a quick access to it Suggested revision: have quick access to it Why it matters: ‘Access’ is uncountable here and does not take ‘a’.
- 11. Clarify the comparison Original: many things similar to the Earth's Suggested revision: many features similar to Earth's Why it matters: ‘Features’ identifies what is similar, while the possessive form refers clearly to Earth.
- 12. Add introductory comma Original: modern technology people can Suggested revision: modern technology, people can Why it matters: A comma is required after the introductory prepositional phrase.
Suggested Rewrites
- made huge steps made great strides
- in developing computer technologies in the development of computer technologies
- reached many goals achieved many advances
- life lives
- life lives
- Second of all Secondly
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response offers an imaginative range of predictions and gives its clearest development to faster travel, embedded computers, and space settlement. Its main limitation is that the later discussion becomes a rapid list of technology, commerce, education, work, and health changes, leaving several claims thinly supported. Prioritise selecting fewer predictions and developing each through a concrete example and clearer explanation of its likely impact.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The task is directly addressed with numerous relevant predictions and some detailed support, although later ideas are underdeveloped.
Choose fewer major changes and extend each one with a specific example and a clear consequence for everyday life.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response has a discernible progression and useful paragraphing, but the final body paragraph becomes crowded and list-like.
Divide the later predictions into related themes and place the conclusion in its own paragraph.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and often topic-specific, though several collocations and word forms are unnatural.
Refine phrases such as 'made huge steps', 'hazardous works', and 'earn a degree' to improve lexical precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A range of complex structures is attempted successfully, but recurring article, preposition, agreement, and tense inconsistencies reduce control.
Keep predictions consistently in the future form and proofread countable nouns and articles, especially 'access', 'work', and 'space'.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
The 21st century has begun. What changes do you think this new century will bring? Use examples and details in your answer.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.