In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Sample Response
The popularity of physical newspapers and books is in steep decline, nearing irrelevance. In my opinion, although select segments of the population still value books, the move towards free online media is inevitable.
The argument against this is that certain individuals continue to pay for print versions. These tend to be older people and only applies to the most well-known books and newspapers. For example, The New York Times still generates sizeable revenue from subscriptions and is one of the only magazines in the United States currently publishing a daily, physical edition. Moreover, hard copies of books are still popular. The vast majority of middle-aged and older people relish the texture and character of actual books and lack the technological know-how to download E-Books. Even many younger people prefer reading paperbacks and hardcovers to reduce eye strain.
Nonetheless, someday nearly everyone will read solely online. The clearest evidence for this can be seen in the number of publishers resigned to discontinue printing such as The Boston Globe, The Atlantic, and The Independent. Those still in print have seen circulation drop precipitously as individuals access the same news for free, more conveniently on their mobile devices. This same trend is occurring slowly with E-Books due to the rise of Amazon’s online platforms. Companies charging for online subscriptions have found their readership is trending towards obsolescence as competitors are willing to post free content and earn profits through targeted advertising. These are entrenched habits for young people and it is only a matter of time until print media disappears entirely.
In conclusion, a rapid decline in publishing cannot be halted as reading habits have changed irrevocably. This means websites will have to become as reliable and responsible as newspapers.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Fix collocation Original: in steep decline Suggested revision: declining steeply Why it matters: The adverb naturally modifies the verb 'declining' in this context.
- 2. Use precise category Original: one of the only magazines Suggested revision: one of the few publications Why it matters: 'One of the few publications' avoids the awkward 'one of the only' construction.
- 3. Remove needless comma Original: a daily, physical edition Suggested revision: a daily physical edition Why it matters: The cumulative adjectives should not be separated by a comma here.
- 4. Standardize spelling Original: download E-Books Suggested revision: download e-books Why it matters: The common noun 'e-books' does not require capital letters.
- 5. Fix word choice Original: publishers resigned to discontinue printing Suggested revision: publishers that have decided to discontinue print publication Why it matters: 'Resigned to' implies reluctant acceptance rather than an active publishing decision.
- 6. Coordinate the advantages Original: for free, more conveniently Suggested revision: more conveniently and free of charge Why it matters: The revision coordinates the two advantages clearly and removes the interrupting comma.
- 7. Standardize spelling Original: with E-Books Suggested revision: with e-books Why it matters: Use lower case for this common noun.
- 8. Correct the meaning Original: readership is trending towards obsolescence Suggested revision: subscription model is becoming obsolete Why it matters: A readership can decline, but a commercial model can become obsolete.
- 9. Narrow the claim Original: a rapid decline in publishing Suggested revision: a rapid decline in print publishing Why it matters: The argument concerns printed material rather than publishing in every form.
- 10. Sentence rewrite Original: These tend to be older people and only applies to the most well-known books and newspapers. Suggested revision: These individuals tend to be older, and this preference applies only to the best-known books and newspapers. Why it matters: The original sentence joins a plural subject to a singular verb and leaves the second subject unclear.
- 11. Sentence rewrite Original: These are entrenched habits for young people and it is only a matter of time until print media disappears entirely. Suggested revision: Reading online and choosing free content are entrenched habits among young people, so it is only a matter of time until print media disappears entirely. Why it matters: Naming the habits resolves the vague reference of 'These' and clarifies the causal link.
- 12. Connect final idea Suggested revision: Link the claim about website reliability more explicitly to the preceding prediction about the disappearance of print media. Why it matters: The final sentence introduces a new consequence without showing how it follows from the paragraph's first sentence.
Suggested Rewrites
- in steep decline declining steeply
- one of the only magazines one of the few publications
- a daily, physical edition a daily physical edition
- download E-Books download e-books
- publishers resigned to discontinue printing publishers that have decided to discontinue print publication
- for free, more conveniently more conveniently and free of charge
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response presents a clear, nuanced position and develops both the continuing appeal of print and the long-term shift online with specific, logically connected support. Its main limitation is occasional overstatement and imprecise evidence, including broad claims about publishers and the disappearance of print. The highest priority is to qualify predictions and verify examples while preserving the essay's strong progression, precise vocabulary, and varied sentence control.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response directly answers the question with a clear degree of agreement and develops both the remaining demand for print and the predicted online transition in depth.
Qualify absolute predictions and ensure that every publication example precisely supports the claim being made.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through a clear introduction, counter-position, main argument, and conclusion, with cohesion managed smoothly throughout.
Make the final sentence connect more directly to the central prediction rather than introducing a secondary point about website responsibility.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise vocabulary conveys nuanced arguments effectively, with only occasional strained expressions or inaccurate labels.
Replace overextended phrases such as readership becoming obsolete with more exact descriptions of declining paid circulation or subscriptions.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response uses a wide range of complex structures with strong control, and the few grammatical slips do not impede communication.
Proofread agreement and reference carefully, particularly in sentences where a plural subject is followed by a singular verb.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.