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?
Sample Response
This is the news caster's duty whether to broadcast or print any particular news. There are various factors behind these decisions. Although people are seriously disturbed by watching the bad news, I believe that there should be a balance between bad and good news. There are numbers of factors from which news editors seemed to be influenced prior to deciding the type of information to be placed as news. Firstly, news corporations are much more obsessed with popularity, competency and profitability amongst their news agencies counterparts. Because, before they are able to earn a stupendous amount of money, they would have to be competitive in the news market. This is the reason why they sometimes tend to show the most drastic, exaggerating and spicy news in order to attract more audiences. Secondly, there are a huge variety of elite industries that are willing to sponsor news agencies.In this way, news editors may have to present the biased, and impartial information solely to promote the attractive reputation of these high-profile industries. Finally, some news firms are perhaps politically, religiously or culturally prejudiced just to make extravagant money. It is deniable that bad news does not have any negative impact on people's lives. Most of the time people are being bombarded with the vulnerable news. This has led to a greater level of depression, anxiety, phobia and uncertainty in many people. Also, I tend to believe that news publishers should not be thinking too short-sighted. Rather they should put a greater emphasis on broadcasting the truth and reality as well as maintaining the balance between devastating news and good news. It would be a lot more productive for the nations if they are informed of good news such as improvements in health or scientific matters or any new invention on top of getting the truth about critical global or local matters equally. In conclusion, people cannot become immune to the bad news. While there are some crucial factors involved in making news, I would argue that news editors should maintain the balance between both types of news before presenting to the nation.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Complete the construction Original: news caster's duty whether to Suggested revision: news editor's duty to decide whether to Why it matters: The noun 'duty' needs an infinitive that states what the duty involves.
- 2. Fix quantity phrase Original: There are numbers of factors Suggested revision: There are a number of factors Why it matters: Use 'a number of' to mean several factors.
- 3. Correct clause structure Original: from which news editors seemed to be influenced Suggested revision: that seem to influence news editors Why it matters: The revised relative clause gives 'factors' an active and grammatically clear role.
- 4. Use natural phrasing Original: the type of information to be placed as news Suggested revision: what information to publish Why it matters: This is a more natural way to describe an editor's selection decision.
- 5. Fix noun modifier Original: agencies Suggested revision: agency Why it matters: The singular noun 'agency' should modify 'counterparts'.
- 6. Choose precise adjectives Original: drastic, exaggerating and spicy news Suggested revision: dramatic, exaggerated and sensational news Why it matters: These adjectives accurately describe news presented to attract attention.
- 7. Use countable form Original: more audiences Suggested revision: a larger audience Why it matters: In this context, 'audience' is normally treated as one collective group.
- 8. Clarify the sponsor Original: a huge variety of elite industries Suggested revision: many major companies Why it matters: Companies, rather than industries themselves, sponsor news agencies.
- 9. Remove contradiction Original: the biased, and impartial information Suggested revision: biased information Why it matters: 'Biased' and 'impartial' have opposing meanings and cannot describe the same information here.
- 10. Use natural collocation Original: promote the attractive reputation Suggested revision: enhance the reputation Why it matters: English normally uses 'enhance a reputation' for improving public perception.
- 11. Use precise term Original: are perhaps politically, religiously or culturally prejudiced Suggested revision: may be politically, religiously or culturally biased Why it matters: 'Biased' more precisely describes slanted editorial perspectives.
- 12. Correct money expression Original: just to make extravagant money Suggested revision: simply to make excessive profits Why it matters: 'Extravagant money' is not a natural collocation for unusually large earnings.
Suggested Rewrites
- news caster's duty whether to news editor's duty to decide whether to
- There are numbers of factors There are a number of factors
- from which news editors seemed to be influenced that seem to influence news editors
- the type of information to be placed as news what information to publish
- agencies agency
- drastic, exaggerating and spicy news dramatic, exaggerated and sensational news
Why this response received Band 6.0
The response has a clear position and offers several relevant influences on editorial decisions, with some useful discussion of balancing negative and positive coverage. Its main limitation is uneven development of whether audiences become accustomed to bad news, compounded by imprecise language that sometimes obscures the intended point. Prioritise a direct, fully explained answer to each question, supported by precise examples and clearer phrasing.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response addresses all parts and maintains a relevant position, but the discussion of becoming accustomed to bad news is only partially developed.
Explain directly whether repeated exposure creates habituation and support that answer with a specific cause-and-effect example.
Coherence and Cohesion
The ideas follow a recognisable sequence through signposting, but the single-block presentation and some abrupt links weaken overall cohesion.
Separate the response into purposeful paragraphs and use clearer logical connections between each claim and its explanation.
Lexical Resource
There is a reasonably wide vocabulary for media and social effects, although frequent inaccurate collocations and word choices reduce precision.
Choose natural, exact combinations such as sensational news and commercial competition, and avoid ambitious words whose meaning does not fit the context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A mix of simple and complex structures communicates the main ideas, but recurring agreement, article, clause, and punctuation errors reduce control.
Proofread complex sentences for complete clauses, accurate agreement, and punctuation, especially after linking expressions and subordinate clauses.
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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.