With the rise in popularity of the internet, newspapers will soon become a thing of the past. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
A typical day of a person starts with a newspaper. The newspaper was and still is an important part of a family. Due to the popularity of the internet, the newspaper followers have reduced significantly. It is controversial whether the newspaper will become a history or not. I believe the digital newspaper would replace the printed newspapers in the future. Firstly, let us look at the advantages of using the printed newspapers over the e-newspapers. The feel of the paper will never be replaced by the internet. Moreover, the internet is expensive. A device and the internet connection is required to read the news on the internet. Whereas, for newspapers, someone just needs to buy a subscription. Another limitation on the internet is its coverage whereas newspapers can be used anywhere, for example, garden, beach or in the flight. The digital devices to read newspapers are harmful to the eyes as well. Many people, on the contrary, would agree that the popularity of the e-newspaper is a proof that people are accepting it over printed versions. Digital newspapers are eco-friendly. For instance, the reduction of the newspapers would definitely lower the paper production. Ultimately fewer trees would be chopped down. Another advantage of e-paper is unlimited news access. For example, with the internet, anyone can get up-to-date news. The internet also provides the benefit of various languages where the user can choose the language of his interest. For instance, if members of a family prefer to read the news in different languages, online news portals is their best option. I believe, as the world is moving ahead with technology, we would not be surprised if the printed newspapers become a thing of the past.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use natural possessive Original: A typical day of a person Suggested revision: A typical person's day Why it matters: The possessive phrase is the natural way to describe someone's daily routine.
- 2. Use continuing tense Original: The newspaper was and still is Suggested revision: The newspaper has long been Why it matters: The present perfect describes importance continuing from the past to the present.
- 3. Use family-life phrase Original: an important part of a family Suggested revision: an important part of family life Why it matters: Family life expresses the newspaper's role in household routines more naturally.
- 4. Describe readership decline Original: the newspaper followers have reduced Suggested revision: newspaper readership has declined Why it matters: Readership is the correct collective noun and declined is intransitive here.
- 5. Use fixed expression Original: become a history Suggested revision: become history Why it matters: Become history is the fixed expression and takes no article.
- 6. Use consistent plurals Original: the digital newspaper would replace the printed newspapers Suggested revision: digital newspapers will replace printed newspapers Why it matters: Plural nouns describe the two formats generally, and will matches the stated future prediction.
- 7. Use concise transition Original: Firstly, let us look Suggested revision: First, consider Why it matters: The concise transition is more direct and suitably academic.
- 8. Remove unnecessary words Original: using the printed newspapers Suggested revision: printed newspapers Why it matters: The phrase needs neither using nor the when referring to the format generally.
- 9. Use consistent terminology Original: the e-newspapers Suggested revision: online newspapers Why it matters: Online newspapers is clearer and matches the essay's discussion of internet news.
- 10. Fix contrast fragment Original: Whereas, for newspapers Suggested revision: By contrast, for printed newspapers Why it matters: Whereas cannot stand alone in this fragment, while by contrast can introduce the comparison.
- 11. Clarify the limitation Original: limitation on the internet Suggested revision: limitation of online news Why it matters: The limitation concerns access to online news rather than the internet itself.
- 12. Use participial modifier Original: The digital devices to read newspapers Suggested revision: Digital devices used to read newspapers Why it matters: Used to read correctly modifies devices, and the general plural needs no article.
Suggested Rewrites
- A typical day of a person A typical person's day
- The newspaper was and still is The newspaper has long been
- an important part of a family an important part of family life
- the newspaper followers have reduced newspaper readership has declined
- become a history become history
- the digital newspaper would replace the printed newspapers digital newspapers will replace printed newspapers
Why this response received Band 6.0
The essay states a clear view and supports it with a relevant comparison of printed and digital newspapers, including access, cost, environmental impact, and currency of news. Its main weakness is presentation as one uninterrupted paragraph, compounded by several inaccurate collocations and recurring agreement and article errors. Prioritise dividing the argument into logical paragraphs and editing sentences for accurate noun phrases and subject-verb agreement.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
A clear position is maintained and supported through relevant discussion of the practical advantages of both formats, with the digital case ultimately favoured.
Evaluate the competing points more directly by explaining why digital benefits outweigh the stated cost, portability, and eye-strain concerns.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas follow a discernible print-versus-digital sequence and linking is generally clear, but the entire essay is presented as one paragraph.
Separate the introduction, printed-newspaper case, digital-newspaper case, and conclusion into purposeful paragraphs.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary is sufficient to discuss the topic and includes some appropriate terms, but inaccurate collocations and word forms recur.
Use natural phrases such as 'newspaper readership has declined', 'become history', 'proof', and 'online news portal' consistently.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The essay uses both simple and complex structures, but agreement, article, punctuation, and sentence-fragment errors occur regularly while meaning remains clear.
Correct agreement in phrases such as 'a device and an internet connection are required' and 'online news portals are their best option'.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
With the rise in popularity of the internet, newspapers will soon become a thing of the past. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.