Some people think that politicians have the greatest influence on the world. Other people, however, believe that scientists have the greatest influence. Discuss both of these views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
The question of who holds the most significant influence in the world - politicians or scientists, is a matter of debate. Some argue that politicians wield the most significant power, while others contend that scientists have the greatest influence. In this essay, I will explore both perspectives and provide an opinion that reflects that scientists have the greatest influence on the world.
Politicians are often seen as influential figures due to their ability to shape policies, enact laws, and make decisions that impact societies. They have the power to lead countries, negotiate international agreements, and address pressing global issues. Through their positions, politicians can bring about significant changes in areas such as economics, social welfare, and international relations. For example, political leaders play a crucial role in implementing environmental policies to combat climate change, formulating economic strategies to promote growth, and addressing social inequalities through legislative reforms.
On the other hand, scientists are revered for their contributions to knowledge and advancements in various fields. Their research, discoveries, and innovations have the potential to revolutionize industries, improve human lives, and address complex global challenges. Scientists explore the mysteries of the universe, develop life-saving medications, pioneer groundbreaking technologies, and contribute to our understanding of the natural world. For instance, breakthroughs in medical research and the development of vaccines have significantly impacted public health and saved countless lives.
In my opinion, while politicians and scientists both hold significant influence, I believe that scientists have the greatest long-term impact on the world. While politicians are responsible for implementing policies and making decisions, their influence can be subject to political biases, short-term goals, and the changing dynamics of the political landscape. On the other hand, scientific discoveries and advancements have the potential to shape societies, economies, and the overall trajectory of human progress for generations to come.
In conclusion, the long-term impact of scientific discoveries and innovations makes scientists the greatest influencers. Their contributions transcend political boundaries and have the potential to shape the future of humanity.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Close parenthetical phrase Original: world - politicians or scientists, Suggested revision: world—politicians or scientists— Why it matters: The parenthetical alternative should be enclosed by matching dashes without a comma before the main verb.
- 2. State claim directly Original: provide an opinion that reflects that Suggested revision: argue that Why it matters: The shorter verb states the writer's position directly and avoids an awkward repeated “that” construction.
- 3. Name social domain Original: areas such as economics Suggested revision: areas such as the economy Why it matters: “The economy” refers to the social domain being changed, whereas “economics” usually names the academic discipline.
- 4. Moderate word choice Original: are revered for Suggested revision: are recognised for Why it matters: “Recognised” expresses acknowledged contributions more neutrally and precisely than “revered”.
- 5. Improve parallel wording Original: contributions to knowledge and advancements Suggested revision: contributions to knowledge and advances Why it matters: The shorter noun creates a more balanced pairing with “knowledge”.
- 6. Use natural collocation Original: both hold significant influence Suggested revision: both wield significant influence Why it matters: “Wield influence” is the established collocation for exercising power.
- 7. Clarify limitation Original: their influence can be subject to Suggested revision: their influence can be constrained by Why it matters: “Constrained by” more clearly expresses the limiting effect of the factors that follow.
- 8. Refine local contrast Original: On the other hand, scientific discoveries Suggested revision: By contrast, scientific discoveries Why it matters: This linker distinguishes the local comparison from the earlier main two-sided structure and avoids repetition.
- 9. Remove redundancy Original: the overall trajectory Suggested revision: the trajectory Why it matters: “Trajectory” already refers to the overall direction, so “overall” is unnecessary.
- 10. Use formal noun phrase Original: the greatest influencers Suggested revision: the most influential group Why it matters: The revised phrase is more precise and formal in this comparison of two groups.
- 11. Tighten final claim Original: have the potential to shape the future of humanity Suggested revision: can shape the future of humanity Why it matters: The modal verb expresses the same possibility more concisely.
Suggested Rewrites
- world - politicians or scientists, world—politicians or scientists—
- provide an opinion that reflects that argue that
- areas such as economics areas such as the economy
- are revered for are recognised for
- contributions to knowledge and advancements contributions to knowledge and advances
- both hold significant influence both wield significant influence
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response fully addresses both views, maintains a clear preference for scientists, and develops each side with relevant examples before offering a persuasive long-term comparison. Its principal limitation is that some support is broad and list-like, so the contrast between political implementation and scientific innovation could be analysed more deeply. The best refinement would be one concrete case showing how scientific influence persists across changing governments or enables political action.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Response
Both perspectives are developed in depth, the writer's view is explicit throughout, and the final judgement is supported by a relevant distinction between short- and long-term influence.
Strengthen the comparison with one specific case demonstrating why a scientific advance has a wider or more enduring effect than a political decision.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is purposefully paragraphed, logically sequenced, and smoothly cohesive from the two views to the comparative opinion and conclusion.
Reduce slight repetition between the opinion paragraph and conclusion by using the final paragraph for synthesis rather than restatement.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise vocabulary is used flexibly across politics, science, public policy, and innovation, with only minor repetition and occasional awkwardness.
Vary repeated expressions such as significant influence and greatest influence while keeping the comparative meaning exact.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentence forms are varied and consistently well controlled, with only rare minor punctuation or phrasing lapses that do not impede meaning.
Polish punctuation around parenthetical alternatives and streamline awkward constructions such as provide an opinion that reflects that.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people think that politicians have the greatest influence on the world. Other people, however, believe that scientists have the greatest influence. Discuss both of these views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.