Public libraries will soon no longer be housed in a building as all facilities and books will be available online for all to access. What are the advantages and disadvantages of public libraries existing online?
Sample Response
The public library of the future may become entirely digitalturn into an e-library as all books and other resourcesall resources and books will be accessible online tofor everyone. A major advantageThe distinct advantage of public online libraries is that individuals have access to a wide range of books and resources. However, a major disadvantagethe disadvantage is that this shift can widen the digital divideit can cause the digital divide.
One benefit of an online public librarythe public online library is that it provides individuals with a vast array of books and other resourcesresources and books. Conventional public libraries do not have the flexibility to holdinclude a wide variety of content because of physical space constraints, whereas online libraries can store a diverse range of content in the cloud storagespace, including e-books, audiobooks, magazines, blogs, articles, academic journals, research papers, podcasts, and videos, among othersto mention but a few. Moreover, digital libraries allow individuals to accessgain instant access to all this contentall the contents wherever they have an Internet connectionfrom anywhere with an Internet connection. This is because digital contentcontents are stored on remote servers and can be accessedremote servers and accessible through the Internet. For example, people can access their favourite e-books from any place at any time.
On the other hand, the main drawback ofto public digital libraries is that they can cause the digital divide. That is to say that not everyone has equal access to technology, such as computers, smartphones, or a reliable Internet connectionreliable Internet connection, thereby limiting access to books and library serviceslimiting the accessibility of books and facilities for people from lower-income households or underservedbackward areas with limited Internet infrastructure. For instance, an individual living in a rural area without Internet access may not be able to benefit fromreap advantages from the facilities provided by public online libraries.
To conclude, while the benefit of public digital libraries is that they allow people to get immediate access to a diverse range of digital content, the drawback is that they can widen the digital dividebring forth digital divides.
Why this response received Band 7.5
The response gives a clear, well-organised account of one major advantage and one major disadvantage, with relevant explanations and examples that make both ideas easy to follow. Its main limitation is lexical repetition and a few imprecise or unnatural forms around content, access, and the digital divide. The best improvement would be to broaden the discussion slightly while editing repeated wording and collocations for greater precision.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both sides of the task are addressed directly through clearly developed central ideas and relevant illustrative examples.
Add a second distinct implication on each side to make the evaluation broader without sacrificing depth.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response has clear paragraph purposes, strong logical sequencing, and cohesive links that rarely draw attention to themselves.
Trim repeated references to online libraries and digital content so cohesion relies less on lexical repetition.
Lexical Resource
A good range of topic-specific vocabulary conveys meaning precisely overall, despite several awkward collocations and repeated terms.
Refine expressions such as cloud space, reap advantages, and bring forth digital divides while varying content and access.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences are varied and generally well controlled, with only occasional errors involving articles and countability.
Check uncountable nouns such as content and supply missing articles in phrases such as a reliable Internet connection.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Public libraries will soon no longer be housed in a building as all facilities and books will be available online for all to access. What are the advantages and disadvantages of public libraries existing online?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.