Popular hobbies and interests change over time and are more a reflection of trends and fashions than an indication of what individuals really want to do in their spare time. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
The popularity of hobbies and interests changes over time, seemingly shaped by trends rather than by individuals’ genuine desiresseemingly influenced by trends rather than reflecting individuals’ genuine desires. I believe that personal preferences play a larger role than societal trends in shaping people’s leisure choices. This essay examinesIn the following essay, I will explore this dynamic interaction between trends and individual desires.
Some people believe that hobbies are mostly influenced by external factors, such as popular trends. For example, the recent increase in the popularity of fitness activitiesthe recent increase in popularity of fitness activities is due to society’s focus on health and wellness. However, it is important to remember that these trends often emerge from people’s changing needs and preferenceswants. The rise of fitness activities may also be a collective response to growing awareness of health issues, showing that people genuinely want to live healthier lives.
On the other handHowever, on the other hand, hobbies can also be a true reflection of people’s inner interests and preferences. ConsiderThink about how classic hobbiespopular classic hobbies like reading and painting have been for generations. These activities remain popularare still popular today, which suggests that they have a timeless appeal that goes beyond passing trends. Additionally, people may express themselves through activitiesuse hobbies as a way to express themselves by choosing activities that align with their values and personal interests. For example, someone who is passionate about environmental conservation might choose to spend their free time pursuingdoing outdoor activities, not just because they are trendy, but because they align with their values.
In conclusion, popular hobbies may be influenced by trends and fashions to some extent, but they also reflect people’s true interests and goals. The relationship between societal influences and personal choices is complex and ever-changing. Therefore, we need to consider both external trends and people’s intrinsic desires to gainget a complete understanding of what shapes their leisure activities.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response is strongest in its clear, nuanced position that personal preferences outweigh trends, supported by coherent examples and consistently accurate sentence control. Its main limitation is that the comparison between external influence and genuine desire remains somewhat general; evaluating when trends actually override individual preference, and contrasting that directly with the stronger personal factors, would produce a more incisive argument.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
A clear position is maintained, and the relationship between trends and personal preferences is explored with relevant examples.
Develop a more explicit comparison showing the conditions under which either influence becomes dominant.
Coherence and Cohesion
The argument progresses clearly from external influences to enduring personal interests, with effective paragraphing and referencing.
Remove redundant signposting such as combining two contrast markers in the same transition.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a good range of relevant and precise vocabulary, though key terms and some general phrases recur.
Vary repeated references to trends, popularity, and personal interests with more context-specific wording.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide variety of complex structures is used accurately, with only minor stylistic awkwardness.
Maintain the same control while favouring more formal analytical constructions over conversational imperatives.
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
Popular hobbies and interests change over time and are more a reflection of trends and fashions than an indication of what individuals really want to do in their spare time. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.