News editors decide what to broadcast on television and what to print in newspapers. What factors do you think influence these decisions? Do we become used to bad news? Would it be better if more good news was reported?
Same question Compare all 2 answers See different approaches and band scores for this IELTS task.Sample Response
At the present time, editors decide what kind of news should be shown on television and what kind of news should be printed in newspapers and magazines. It doesn’t matter for them what sort of news, bad or good, their sole wish to make sensation even from bad news. Therefore, there is a lot of bad news which became popular and they have an impact on people. Maybe we have to announce only good news and hide bad ones. If we look at today’s world, news sources like newspapers, magazines, television news etc. play very important role in our society. These sources give us information about the world. Firstly it's noticeable that you can see all types of information on TV or newspaper, beginning with the opening of new car factories and culminating with disasters. But you can’t decide what kind of news you want to read on your morning routine, it is decided by the news editors. They will choose which news to publish. Secondly, editors need your attention so they publish the most interesting news, like Death of Laden or flood in Japan. Thus, people made familiar with that kind of news. In addition, news has the big influence on people, one bad news can affect thousands of people and the same if it would be a good one. To sum up, although some people believe that only good news should be shown or published, in my view, everybody has to know what’s going on in the world and must feel the reality of the life.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use concise opener Original: At the present time Suggested revision: At present Why it matters: The shorter phrase conveys the same time reference more naturally.
- 2. Use precise news verb Original: shown Suggested revision: broadcast Why it matters: News is conventionally “broadcast” on television.
- 3. Use reporting verb Original: announce Suggested revision: report Why it matters: News organisations “report” news rather than “announce” it in this context.
- 4. Clarify the action Original: hide bad ones Suggested revision: suppress bad news Why it matters: This phrase states the intended action more precisely.
- 5. Punctuate etcetera Original: television news etc. play Suggested revision: television news, etc., play Why it matters: “Etc.” needs separating commas within this list.
- 6. Punctuate transition Original: Firstly it's Suggested revision: Firstly, it is Why it matters: The introductory transition needs a comma, and the full form is more appropriate in formal writing.
- 7. Clarify the range Original: beginning with the opening of new car factories and culminating with disasters Suggested revision: ranging from the opening of new car factories to disasters Why it matters: The “from ... to ...” structure expresses the range more clearly.
- 8. Keep present tense Original: will choose which news Suggested revision: choose which news Why it matters: The present simple matches the surrounding description of editors’ usual decisions.
- 9. Use correct expression Original: need your attention Suggested revision: need to attract your attention Why it matters: Editors seek to attract attention rather than possess it as a need.
- 10. Add missing article Original: or flood in Japan Suggested revision: or a flood in Japan Why it matters: The singular countable noun “flood” requires an article.
- 11. Fix passive construction Original: made Suggested revision: become Why it matters: “Become familiar with” correctly describes people gradually getting used to this news.
- 12. Use natural collocation Original: news has the big influence Suggested revision: news has a significant influence Why it matters: “A significant influence” is the natural expression for a strong effect.
Suggested Rewrites
- At the present time At present
- shown broadcast
- announce report
- hide bad ones suppress bad news
- television news etc. play television news, etc., play
- Firstly it's Firstly, it is
Why this response received Band 5.0
The response identifies audience attention and sensational value as influences on editorial choices and reaches a discernible view about reporting reality. However, the three questions are covered unevenly: habituation to bad news is barely explained, and the case for or against reporting more good news remains unclear. The highest priority is to organise the response around each question and develop a direct, supported answer to all three.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Response
The response addresses editorial influence most clearly, but gives only minimal treatment to habituation and an ambiguous answer about reporting more good news.
Give each question a direct answer followed by a distinct explanation or example, especially the two questions about bad and good news.
Coherence and Cohesion
A basic line of thought is visible, but the single-paragraph presentation, abrupt shifts, and weak sentence connections limit progression.
Divide the essay into purposeful paragraphs and use each paragraph to develop one question before moving to the next.
Lexical Resource
There is some topic-appropriate vocabulary and an attempt at less common wording, but frequent inaccurate collocations and word choices reduce clarity.
Practise natural combinations such as attract attention, sensational news, become accustomed to, and influence public attitudes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response uses both simple and complex forms, but frequent errors in articles, agreement, clause structure, and sentence boundaries weaken control.
Revise run-on sentences into complete units and check articles, countability, and verb forms systematically.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
News editors decide what to broadcast on television and what to print in newspapers. What factors do you think influence these decisions? Do we become used to bad news? Would it be better if more good news was reported?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.