Some people prefer to plan activities for their free time very carefully. Others choose not to make any plans at all for their free time. Compare the benefits of planning free-time activities with the benefits of not making plans. Which do you prefer planning or not planning for leisure time?
Sample Response
Planning free-time activities offers several advantages. Firstly, it provides structure and ensures that one makes the most of their leisure time. This organization can lead to increased productivity and a sense of accomplishment. For instance, scheduling a workout or a creative session allows individuals to cultivate healthy habits and pursue personal interests consistently.
Additionally, planning helps in avoiding boredom or indecision during free time. When activities are prearranged, there is less time wasted on deciding what to do, allowing for a smoother transition into enjoyable experiences. This premeditation minimizes the risk of spending leisure time passively, ensuring that individuals engage in fulfilling and stimulating activities.
On the other hand, there are merits to not making plans for free time. It fosters spontaneity and flexibility, allowing individuals to follow their instincts and explore new opportunities as they arise. This approach promotes relaxation and a break from the constraints of a structured routine, offering mental rejuvenation.
In conclusion, both planning and not planning for leisure time have their advantages. It boils down to personal preference and the balance one seeks between structure and spontaneity in their life.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use concise transition Original: Firstly Suggested revision: First Why it matters: The shorter transition is more natural in formal academic prose.
- 2. Clarify the reference Original: organization Suggested revision: structure Why it matters: “Structure” refers more precisely to the planned arrangement of leisure time.
- 3. Use natural complement Original: planning helps in avoiding Suggested revision: planning helps to avoid Why it matters: “Help to avoid” is the more natural verb-complement pattern here.
- 4. Choose natural wording Original: This premeditation Suggested revision: This advance planning Why it matters: “Advance planning” expresses the intended idea more naturally in this context.
- 5. Use formal phrasing Original: It boils down to Suggested revision: The choice depends on Why it matters: This replacement keeps the meaning while using a more formal academic register.
- 6. Use concise wording Original: Planning free-time activities Suggested revision: Planning leisure activities Why it matters: “Leisure activities” expresses the same idea more concisely.
- 7. Match task terminology Original: advantages Suggested revision: benefits Why it matters: “Benefits” aligns more directly with the comparison requested in the task.
- 8. Keep reference consistent Original: ensures that one makes the most of their leisure time Suggested revision: helps people make the most of their leisure time Why it matters: Using plural “people” avoids shifting from generic “one” to “their.”
- 9. Clarify leisure context Original: increased productivity Suggested revision: more productive use of time Why it matters: This wording makes clear that productivity refers to how leisure time is used.
- 10. Use natural phrasing Original: sense Suggested revision: feeling Why it matters: “A feeling of accomplishment” is a more natural expression for the emotional result described.
- 11. Use precise likelihood Original: minimizes the risk Suggested revision: reduces the likelihood Why it matters: “Likelihood” is more precise than “risk” for the neutral possibility of passive leisure.
- 12. Use natural collocation Original: spending Suggested revision: using Why it matters: “Using time” is the more natural collocation when discussing how leisure is allocated.
Suggested Rewrites
- Firstly First
- organization structure
- planning helps in avoiding planning helps to avoid
- This premeditation This advance planning
- It boils down to The choice depends on
- Planning free-time activities Planning leisure activities
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response is clearly organised and uses varied, generally accurate language to explain credible benefits on both sides. Its main limitation is task fulfilment: at 185 words, the discussion is too brief, and the conclusion avoids stating the writer's own preference. The priority is to add a clearly justified personal choice and develop the less-planned approach with a more specific supporting example.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both approaches are discussed, but the response is substantially under length and never clearly states which one the writer prefers.
State a definite personal preference and extend the discussion beyond 250 words with fuller support for each side.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader clearly without obscuring relationships.
Make the comparison more explicit by linking the relative benefits of the two approaches before the conclusion.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and precise overall, with effective choices such as 'spontaneity,' 'flexibility,' and 'mental rejuvenation.'
Refine a few slightly unnatural combinations, such as 'helps in avoiding,' to make the wording consistently idiomatic.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A flexible range of complex sentence structures is used with strong control and only minor, non-impeding awkwardness.
Maintain this accuracy while varying sentence openings to make the argument sound less formulaic.
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
Some people prefer to plan activities for their free time very carefully. Others choose not to make any plans at all for their free time. Compare the benefits of planning free-time activities with the benefits of not making plans. Which do you prefer planning or not planning for leisure time?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.