The news is an important source of knowledge for all of us about the world, especially in this era of technology. Journalists are mainly responsible to bring this news to us but not all of them are true to their responsibilities and ethics. Why are some journalists not true to their responsibilities and ethics? How much can we trust the journalists?
Sample Response
In this modern era, we can access the latest news and global events on our electronic devices - thanks to modern technology and the journalists who work tirelessly to bring this news to us. Although I believe many journalists are honest and have genuine integrity in their responsibility and ethics, we cannot blindly trust all of them. This essay will explore the reasons why many journalists do not adhere to their responsibilities and ethics and why we can not completely trust journalists.
While many journalists adhere to their responsibilities and ethical standards, there are instances where some may deviate from their professional obligations. One reason for this is the pressure to meet tight deadlines and deliver breaking news quickly. In the race to be the first to report a story, some journalists may prioritize speed over accuracy, leading to misinformation or sensationalism. For example, in the era of digital media, the demand for constant content creation and the temptation to generate clickbait headlines can compromise the integrity of journalism.
When it comes to trusting journalists, we need to keep in mind that in this digital age, competition in the journalism industry is fierce. In order to stay ahead in the business, some journalists may present news that they did not double-check or reports that lacks originality. It is also true that some journalists make clickbait news to attract attention from the public, which enables them to get payback from internet traffic. Therefore, how to distinguish reliable information is becoming increasingly vital for us because we cannot rely on every news or the reporter behind the news. For example, it is reported that five out of twenty pieces of news could be clickbait when we read news randomly from unverified news aggregation sites or social media.
In conclusion, we can do some cross-checking to make sure the news we read is reliable, because, in this day and age, fake news is ubiquitous. Numerous outstanding journalists are still working to reveal the fact to the ordinary public, but we should not trust every journalist as not all of them remain true to their duty and morality often due to the pressure of deadlines and sometimes for personal gains.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Clarify professional integrity Original: have genuine integrity in their responsibility and ethics Suggested revision: show integrity in fulfilling their responsibilities and upholding ethical standards Why it matters: The revision uses natural collocations for acting responsibly and ethically.
- 2. Use precise relative form Original: instances where some may Suggested revision: instances in which some may Why it matters: ‘In which’ more precisely links the behaviour to the instances described.
- 3. Use concise framing Original: we need to keep in mind that Suggested revision: we should recognize that Why it matters: The revision introduces the point more directly.
- 4. Use concise purpose phrase Original: In order to Suggested revision: To Why it matters: ‘To’ expresses purpose without the unnecessary words ‘in order’.
- 5. Use precise business term Original: stay ahead in the business Suggested revision: remain competitive in the industry Why it matters: The revision states the competitive aim in a more formal, precise way.
- 6. Use natural collocation Original: make clickbait news Suggested revision: produce clickbait stories Why it matters: Journalists ‘produce stories’; ‘make news’ has a different meaning.
- 7. Use concise collocation Original: attract attention from the public Suggested revision: attract public attention Why it matters: ‘Attract public attention’ is the natural and concise phrase.
- 8. Use accurate revenue term Original: get payback from internet traffic Suggested revision: earn revenue from internet traffic Why it matters: ‘Payback’ does not mean advertising or traffic income in this context.
- 9. Use a clear subject Original: how to distinguish reliable information is becoming increasingly vital for us Suggested revision: learning to distinguish reliable information is becoming increasingly important Why it matters: The gerund phrase provides a natural grammatical subject and avoids the awkward ‘vital for us’.
- 10. Use countable news item Original: rely on every news Suggested revision: rely on every news report Why it matters: ‘News’ is uncountable, so ‘every’ requires a countable noun such as ‘report’.
- 11. Clarify the reference Original: the reporter behind the news Suggested revision: the journalist who reported it Why it matters: The revision identifies the reporter's action and avoids repeating ‘news’.
- 12. Use natural news unit Original: pieces of news could be clickbait Suggested revision: news items may be clickbait Why it matters: ‘News items’ is the natural countable form, and ‘may’ suits the stated possibility.
Suggested Rewrites
- have genuine integrity in their responsibility and ethics show integrity in fulfilling their responsibilities and upholding ethical standards
- instances where some may instances in which some may
- we need to keep in mind that we should recognize that
- In order to To
- stay ahead in the business remain competitive in the industry
- make clickbait news produce clickbait stories
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response answers both questions with a clear, qualified position and develops plausible causes through a coherent progression of ideas. Its main weakness is that the discussion of how far journalists can be trusted partly repeats the causes of unethical reporting, while one numerical example is unsubstantiated. Prioritise a sharper evaluation of trustworthiness, supported by a credible and fully explained example.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both parts are addressed with a clear position, relevant causes, and generally developed support.
Develop the degree-of-trust answer more independently by explaining clear conditions under which journalism is or is not reliable.
Coherence and Cohesion
The essay is logically organised into focused paragraphs with clear progression, although some points and linking language recur.
Give the third paragraph a more distinct evaluative focus instead of revisiting deadline pressure and clickbait.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is sufficiently varied and topic-specific, with some imprecise or unnatural word combinations.
Replace awkward expressions such as 'make clickbait news', 'get payback', and 'every news' with natural collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A range of complex sentences is used with generally good control, and the remaining errors rarely impede meaning.
Check agreement and noun forms carefully, particularly in constructions such as 'reports that lacks originality'.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
The news is an important source of knowledge for all of us about the world, especially in this era of technology. Journalists are mainly responsible to bring this news to us but not all of them are true to their responsibilities and ethics. Why are some journalists not true to their responsibilities and ethics? How much can we trust the journalists?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.