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?

Same questionCompare 3 different answers (Band 7–8)

Sample Response

1

In today's world, in which technology has brought us closer than ever, the news plays an essential role in shaping our knowledge and opinionsopinion about the world. However, the question of whether we can trust journalists unquestioninglytrust journalists without questioning remains a matter of concern. While many journalists maintain honesty and professional integrity, we cannot trust all of them as they may deviate from their responsibilitiesresponsibility because of political pressure or corporate interestsfor political pressure or corporate interest.

2

While journalism is regarded as a cornerstone of democracy, regrettably, there are instances where some journalists deviate from their responsibilities and ethical obligations. One reason for this is the influence of external pressures, such as corporate interests or political affiliations. In some cases, journalists may succumb to these pressures, compromising their objectivity and impartiality. For example, a journalist working for a media organization owned by a political figure might feel compelled to align their reporting with the owner's agenda, undermining the principles of fairness and accuracy. Such conflicts of interest can erode public trust and undermine the integrity of journalism as a whole.

3

Many journalists remain honest and professional in their work. They place the public interesthold public interests and professional ethics above all elsebefore anything else. For example, renowned journalist Marie Colvin risked her life to cover conflicts worldwide, and her honesty and professional commitment to reportingprofessional responsibility to report the truth ultimately cost her her life in Syria. However, there is plenty of evidence that many journalists, editors, and media ownersnews moguls use their platforms to mislead people for financial gain or political favour. The rise of fake news and misinformation campaigns in recent times has only added to this concern. As a result, we should not blindly trust every piece of information presented to us through the media. We must cross-check the factsverify and cross-check the facts and use our common sense to judge the veracity of the news.

4

In conclusion, while journalists play a crucial role in delivering the news to us, we cannot rely on them entirely for the truth. We must acknowledge that some journalists may not fulfil their professional responsibilities and may have ulteriortheir motives for reporting the news. Hence, we should try to check the authenticity of news before we blindly trust them.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 8.0

The essay gives a clear, nuanced answer to both questions: political and corporate pressure can compromise ethics, while journalists deserve conditional rather than automatic trust. Its ideas are well developed through relevant explanation and examples, and progression is consistently controlled. The main opportunity is precision: reduce repetition around trust and integrity, moderate broad claims about evidence, and refine a few collocations and pronoun references.

Band score breakdown

IELTS Writing Criteria Scores

TR

Task Response

8.5
Scoring rule

Both questions are answered directly with a consistent qualified position, well-explained causes, relevant examples, and practical guidance on evaluating news.

Next step

Qualify the broad claim that there is 'plenty of evidence' by tying it more explicitly to the misinformation example already presented.

CC

Coherence and Cohesion

8.0
Scoring rule

The essay is logically organised around causes and degrees of trust, with clear paragraph purposes and well-managed progression.

Next step

Reduce repeated references to integrity and public trust so each paragraph advances the analysis more distinctly.

LR

Lexical Resource

8.0
Scoring rule

Vocabulary is flexible and precise across journalism, ethics, politics, and verification, with only occasional awkward collocations.

Next step

Refine phrases such as 'for political pressure', 'hold public interests', and 'have their motives' into more natural academic wording.

GRA

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

8.0
Scoring rule

A wide range of complex structures is used with strong control, and the few errors do not impede communication.

Next step

Check prepositions and final pronoun reference, especially using 'due to political pressure' and referring to 'news' as singular.

Put the feedback to work

Write this task while it is fresh

Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.

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

Words0
40:00

Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.