Compare the advantages and disadvantages of three of the following as media for communicating information. State which three you consider the most effective. comics books radio television film theater
Sample Response
Communication media plays a vital role in today’s world. It enables us to stay informed of the happenings in the entire world, provides access to real-time information, and entertains us. There are different kinds of media in use today, namely comics, books, radio, television, film, theatre etc. out of these, the most effective are the television, radio and books.
Television, or TV for short, is an electronic device that enables us to see and listen at the same time to an act that has been recorded. These can be replayed any number of times. News on a TV enables us to view the current events occurring in different parts of the world. Video of an event can be telecasted live as it happens through remote satellite links. A TV can also be a source of education and entertainment. Educational channels, such as Discovery channel, telecast several interesting programs on topics such as wildlife or solar system. Other channels, such as Star movies, telecast movies throughout the day.
A radio is an electronic device that uses microwave communication to send and receive information. Unlike a TV, a radio cannot display an image or a video, and the communication is limited to voice only. Typically, a radio is used for access information such as news and live traffic updates. The information is conveyed on fixed bands of microwave frequency called channels. A user can set the frequency of the radio to access a particular channel.
Books are the one of the oldest kind of communication medium. A book typically consists of several pages, made from wood pulp bound together. A book is typically identified by a title and an author, and optionally an ISBN number which identifies a book uniquely. A book usually contains a material on a given topic, divided by sub-topics in form of chapters. Books are often classified by genre, which is a theme in which the topic can be classified. Examples of genres include fiction, non-fiction, science fiction, mystery etc.
Of all the communication media available today, television, radio and books are the most important and effective ones. These are also the most commonly used media in the world today and they are responsible for binding the world together. (Answer by Pankaj Kohli )
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Match the plural subject Original: plays Suggested revision: play Why it matters: The plural noun 'media' requires the plural verb 'play'.
- 2. Use a natural phrase Original: happenings in the entire world Suggested revision: events around the world Why it matters: The replacement is a more natural and concise way to describe worldwide events.
- 3. Start the sentence correctly Original: theatre etc. out Suggested revision: theatre, etc. Out Why it matters: The abbreviation needs a preceding comma, and the next sentence must begin with a capital letter.
- 4. Remove the unnecessary article Original: the television, radio and books Suggested revision: television, radio and books Why it matters: No definite article is needed when listing these media in general.
- 5. Name the recorded content Original: an act that has been recorded Suggested revision: a recorded event Why it matters: An 'event' more accurately describes the content that television records and shows.
- 6. Clarify the reference Original: These Suggested revision: Recordings Why it matters: The plural pronoun has no clear plural antecedent in the preceding sentence.
- 7. Use the standard phrase Original: News on a TV Suggested revision: Television news Why it matters: 'Television news' is the natural term for news delivered through this medium.
- 8. Remove the unnecessary article Original: view the current events Suggested revision: view current events Why it matters: Plural 'current events' is used generically here and does not take 'the'.
- 9. Use the standard participle Original: telecasted Suggested revision: broadcast Why it matters: 'Broadcast' is the standard past participle in this construction.
- 10. Format the channel name Original: Discovery channel Suggested revision: the Discovery Channel Why it matters: The proper channel name needs capitalization and the definite article in this sentence.
- 11. Add the definite article Original: wildlife or solar system Suggested revision: wildlife or the solar system Why it matters: 'Solar system' requires 'the' when referring to our solar system.
- 12. Use the infinitive form Original: for Suggested revision: to Why it matters: The construction 'used to' must be followed by the base form of the verb.
Suggested Rewrites
- plays play
- happenings in the entire world events around the world
- theatre etc. out theatre, etc. Out
- the television, radio and books television, radio and books
- an act that has been recorded a recorded event
- These Recordings
Why this response received Band 6.0
The response’s strongest feature is its clear organisation, with television, radio, and books each handled in a focused section and the selected media stated consistently. Its main limitation is that it mostly describes how the media work instead of comparing their advantages and disadvantages; the highest-priority improvement is to evaluate both strengths and weaknesses of all three using explicit comparative criteria such as reach, speed, detail, and accessibility.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response identifies three preferred media and describes them at length, but it largely omits the required comparison of their advantages and disadvantages.
Evaluate at least one clear strength and weakness for each medium, then compare them directly to justify the final selection.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information is logically separated by medium and progresses clearly from the introduction through three focused sections to the conclusion.
Create stronger links between sections by comparing each new medium directly with those already discussed.
Lexical Resource
The response uses adequate topic vocabulary for broadcasting, communication, and publishing, though repetition and several inaccurate combinations limit flexibility.
Vary repeated words such as “typically” and correct collocations including “used to access information” and “one of the oldest media.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A mix of simple and complex structures conveys meaning clearly, but article, agreement, word-form, and punctuation errors recur.
Review article use and singular–plural agreement, especially in noun phrases describing books and communication media.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of three of the following as media for communicating information. State which three you consider the most effective. comics books radio television film theater
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.