It is often said that education is more important these days than it ever had been. Is the ability to read and write more important today than in the past? Why or why not?
Sample Response
The ability to read and write has always been advantageous for people living in a civilised society. In order to fully interact with others, it is essential that we have the necessary tools for communicating our thoughts and ideas with each other. Besides vocalising, the skills of reading and writing remain the best methods of accomplishing the basic task of communication with our fellow human beings. In addition to making communication possible, reading and writing are also vital because they allow us to process information from a myriad of sources, such as books, newspapers, magazines, letters, journals, instructional guides, menus, bus schedules and of course, the Internet. Although the ability to read and write has always been of prime importance, I believe that it is even more so today than it was in times past. Long ago, reading and writing were extremely important because people had no other way to communicate with each other from a distance besides the written word. However, in the more recent past, people gained the ability to easily communicate with others via the telephone. One drawback resulting from the invention of the telephone was the decline in written communication. People eventually stopped writing letters to one another because it was simpler -- not to mention much faster -- to just ring someone up on the phone. Talking replaced writing as the preferred method of communication. The telephone completely changed the entire world, and it reigned supreme for approximately sixty years, from about 1935 until 1995. Since the latter date, the Internet suddenly exploded upon the scene and radically changed the world yet again. Email became the quickest and most effective way to communicate. Most people began using their smartphones to text instead of talking on them. Consequently, social media erupted and took hold of people all over the planet. Communication on a global scale became common, with the advent of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Reddit, Pinterest, Yelp and Tumblr. These developments have led to a new era, in which the need to read and write has become more important than ever. In conclusion, I think it is safe to say that people who lack the ability to write in a clear and coherent manner are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to actively participating in modern society. Reading comprehension is equally relevant, as people who are unable to process the written word cannot grasp the meaning of what others are attempting to convey to them. There can be no understanding between individuals when the barrier of illiteracy prevents the act of communication. It is my belief that reading and writing are more important in today's world than at any other point during the past one hundred years.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use direct phrasing Original: the necessary tools for communicating our thoughts and ideas with each other Suggested revision: the necessary means to communicate our thoughts and ideas to one another Why it matters: The replacement removes an abstract metaphor and uses the natural direction “to” for communication.
- 2. Use familiar term Original: vocalising Suggested revision: speaking Why it matters: “Speaking” is the direct counterpart to reading and writing in this context.
- 3. Reduce wordiness Original: the best methods of accomplishing the basic task of communication Suggested revision: the most effective ways to communicate Why it matters: The replacement conveys the same idea without unnecessary abstract nouns.
- 4. Set off parenthetical Original: bus schedules and of course, the Internet Suggested revision: bus schedules and, of course, the Internet Why it matters: The parenthetical phrase “of course” requires commas on both sides.
- 5. Use concise phrase Original: times Suggested revision: the Why it matters: The shorter phrase is equally precise and more natural.
- 6. Avoid awkward time phrase Original: in the more recent past Suggested revision: in more recent times Why it matters: This is the more natural expression for a later historical period.
- 7. Use standard dashes Original: -- not to mention much faster -- Suggested revision: —not to mention much faster— Why it matters: Em dashes present the parenthetical interruption more cleanly than spaced double hyphens.
- 8. Use formal wording Original: just ring someone up on the phone Suggested revision: simply call someone Why it matters: The replacement is more concise and appropriate for formal writing.
- 9. Remove redundancy Original: completely changed the entire world Suggested revision: changed the world Why it matters: “Completely” and “entire” unnecessarily intensify the same idea.
- 10. Clarify time reference Original: Since the latter date Suggested revision: Since that time Why it matters: This reference is more direct and easier to connect to the preceding date range.
- 11. Use neutral description Original: suddenly exploded upon the scene Suggested revision: rapidly became widespread Why it matters: The replacement avoids an overly dramatic metaphor while preserving the rapid change.
Suggested Rewrites
- the necessary tools for communicating our thoughts and ideas with each other the necessary means to communicate our thoughts and ideas to one another
- vocalising speaking
- the best methods of accomplishing the basic task of communication the most effective ways to communicate
- bus schedules and of course, the Internet bus schedules and, of course, the Internet
- times the
- in the more recent past in more recent times
Why this response received Band 7.5
The response presents a clear position and a persuasive chronological explanation of why digital communication has increased the importance of literacy, using fluent and precise language throughout. Its main limitation is that the entire argument appears as one dense paragraph and includes an overextended historical sequence; the highest-priority improvement is to divide the reasoning into focused paragraphs and condense illustrative details that do not advance the comparison.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response fully answers both questions with a clear position and a well-developed historical-to-digital explanation, though some supporting detail is unnecessarily extensive.
Condense the telephone chronology and platform list so more space is devoted to analysing why modern literacy demands are greater.
Coherence and Cohesion
The argument has clear internal progression and effective linking, but presenting all 453 words as one paragraph substantially weakens organisation and readability.
Separate the introduction, historical comparison, digital-era explanation, and conclusion into distinct paragraphs with clear central purposes.
Lexical Resource
A broad and precise vocabulary conveys abstract ideas naturally, with strong control of collocation and only occasional rhetorical overstatement.
Prefer more measured wording in places, replacing claims such as completely changed the entire world with precise descriptions of communication change.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex and simple sentence forms are varied and controlled with a high degree of accuracy throughout the response.
Maintain this grammatical range while shortening a few heavily extended sentences to sharpen emphasis and readability.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
It is often said that education is more important these days than it ever had been. Is the ability to read and write more important today than in the past? Why or why not?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.