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 today's world, in which technology has brought us closer than ever, the news plays an essential role in shaping our knowledge and opinion about the world. However, the question of whether we can trust 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 responsibility for political pressure or corporate interest.
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.
Many journalists remain honest and professional in their work. They hold public interests and professional ethics before anything else. For example, renowned journalist Marie Colvin risked her life to cover conflicts worldwide, and her honesty and professional responsibility to report the truth ultimately cost her her life in Syria. However, there is plenty of evidence that many journalists, editors, and news 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 verify and cross-check the facts and use our common sense to judge the veracity of the news.
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 their motives for reporting the news. Hence, we should try to check the authenticity of news before we blindly trust them.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use plural opinions Original: opinion Suggested revision: opinions Why it matters: Opinions is countable here and refers to the multiple views shaped by news.
- 2. Use concise adverb Original: trust journalists without questioning Suggested revision: trust journalists unquestioningly Why it matters: The adverb expresses the idea more concisely and naturally.
- 3. Use plural responsibility Original: responsibility Suggested revision: responsibilities Why it matters: Journalists have multiple professional duties, matching the plural reference used elsewhere.
- 4. Express the cause Original: for political pressure or corporate interest Suggested revision: because of political pressure or corporate interests Why it matters: Because of correctly introduces the cause, and interests is normally plural in this context.
- 5. Use correct collocation Original: hold public interests Suggested revision: place the public interest Why it matters: Place the public interest above something is the natural collocation for prioritisation.
- 6. Use priority phrase Original: before anything else Suggested revision: above all else Why it matters: Above all else completes the prioritisation structure more naturally.
- 7. Refine the collocation Original: professional responsibility to report Suggested revision: professional commitment to reporting Why it matters: Commitment to reporting describes sustained dedication more naturally in this sentence.
- 8. Use neutral terminology Original: news moguls Suggested revision: media owners Why it matters: Media owners is a more neutral and precise term in an academic discussion.
- 9. Remove redundancy Original: verify and cross-check the facts Suggested revision: cross-check the facts Why it matters: Cross-check already means verifying information against another source.
- 10. Clarify hidden interests Original: their Suggested revision: ulterior Why it matters: Ulterior motives expresses the intended idea of undisclosed personal reasons.
- 11. Sentence rewrite Original: Hence, we should try to check the authenticity of news before we blindly trust them. Suggested revision: Hence, we should verify the accuracy of news reports before accepting them uncritically. Why it matters: The rewrite fixes the pronoun reference and uses more precise language for evaluating reports.
Suggested Rewrites
- opinion opinions
- trust journalists without questioning trust journalists unquestioningly
- responsibility responsibilities
- for political pressure or corporate interest because of political pressure or corporate interests
- hold public interests place the public interest
- before anything else above all else
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.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both questions are answered directly with a consistent qualified position, well-explained causes, relevant examples, and practical guidance on evaluating news.
Qualify the broad claim that there is 'plenty of evidence' by tying it more explicitly to the misinformation example already presented.
Coherence and Cohesion
The essay is logically organised around causes and degrees of trust, with clear paragraph purposes and well-managed progression.
Reduce repeated references to integrity and public trust so each paragraph advances the analysis more distinctly.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is flexible and precise across journalism, ethics, politics, and verification, with only occasional awkward collocations.
Refine phrases such as 'for political pressure', 'hold public interests', and 'have their motives' into more natural academic wording.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used with strong control, and the few errors do not impede communication.
Check prepositions and final pronoun reference, especially using 'due to political pressure' and referring to 'news' as singular.
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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.