It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance, for sport or music, and others are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to become a good sports person or musician. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
From a traditional viewpoint, some people believepeople opine that inborn abilities vary among individuals, while an opposing viewa contending outlook suggests that training can transform any child into a skilled performer in a particular fielda proficient individual in specific domains. I align with the former viewthe conventional approach, as I believe that genetics determineunderpin the upper limit of one’s potential, even though training can enhance one’s performance to some extent. In essence, innate abilities, rooted in genetics, set a fundamental boundary that training can approachaugment but not surpass. In the followingupcoming discussion, both perspectives will be critically examined.
From one perspective, the evidence supporting innatespontaneous talent is exemplified by numerous renowned personalities, like Shakespeare, Einstein, and Pele, drawn from different fieldswhether musicians or professional athletes, who never received formal training or specialized instruction during their formative years. Moreover, many of these individuals emerged from impoverished backgrounds with limited resources. This raises questions about the influence of talent on success, given that well-resourcedendowed students with superior resources should logically outperform their less fortunate peers if inherent talent is not a pivotal factor.
HoweverOn the contrary, talent, in isolation, does not guarantee success. It must be coupled with diligent practice and unwavering effort. Even the most naturally gifted individuals, like Leonardo da Vinci and Newton, must continually nurture and enhance their abilities through relentless practice and learning. As a result, celebrated singers and sports personalities invest hours daily in specific exercises to maintain and refine their natural abilitiespreserve the quality of their intrinsic talent.
To sum up, while a combination of self-development, resolute commitment, hard work, and meticulous nurturing enables the preservation and maximization of ingrained talents, I firmly believe that talent is undeniably a pivotal factor in achieving success. (268 words)
Why this response received Band 7.5
The response states a clear opinion, follows a controlled structure, and demonstrates strong command of complex sentences and ambitious vocabulary. Its main limitation is task development: the second view is reframed as the need for gifted people to practise, rather than examining whether any child can be trained to become good at music or sport. The priority is to address that claim directly with balanced, logically sound support.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both perspectives and a clear opinion are presented, but the training paragraph does not directly examine the claim that any child can become proficient.
Explain directly how far training can develop an ordinary child's ability, then weigh that against innate limits.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is clearly organized and progresses smoothly, though the introduction repeats the central position and some examples do not connect cleanly.
Condense the introduction and make each example explicitly support the paragraph's controlling claim.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a broad and sophisticated vocabulary, although some choices such as 'spontaneous talent' and 'contending outlook' sound unnatural.
Use precise, idiomatic wording instead of elevated expressions whose meaning or collocation is uncertain.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences are varied, controlled, and mostly error-free, with only isolated agreement or modifier problems.
Refine long sentences so every modifier has an unambiguous referent and number agreement remains consistent.
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
It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance, for sport or music, and others are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to become a good sports person or musician. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.