Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should read only those books that are about real events, real people, and established facts. Use specific reasons and details to support your opinion.
Sample Response
Some people think that fiction books have no use at all. They claim that people should read about real events that took place, real people, and established facts. I have to totally disagree with this statement. From my everyday experience and observation, I can stand that fiction, miracles and fairy tails are required in our life. For several reasons, which I will mention below, I believe that fiction books play an essential role in our life. First of all, it is kind of difficult to imagine a six-year-old child reading about politics or history with the real facts that are not always pleasant. I think that children need miracles and Santa Claus because the real world is too complicated for them. They are too innocent and inexperienced to know the real facts and understand what is a real life about. In addition, I am sure that making a child read only non-fiction books can result in shock. Second of all, following this statement about refusing from reading books about fiction events we also should refuse from festivals, parades, and celebration such holidays as Halloween because most of the characters there are fictional. Moreover, comic books will disappear as well as animated films and fiction movies. The disadvantage of non-fiction lies in the facts that nothing happens to excite the mind and spirit. From the other side, fiction provides a great slope for a mind to think creatively. In conclusion, I think that people need miracles. We can not be satisfied with the only naked truth. Humankind must believe in something and this belief helps people break limits and make new inventions.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use works and value Original: fiction books have no use at all Suggested revision: works of fiction have no value Why it matters: Works of fiction is the natural term, and value is more appropriate than use for literature.
- 2. Use completely disagree Original: I have to totally disagree Suggested revision: I completely disagree Why it matters: Completely disagree states the position directly without the unnecessary have to.
- 3. Use concise signposting Original: For several reasons, which I will mention below Suggested revision: For the reasons outlined below Why it matters: The concise phrase signals the coming support without a loose relative clause.
- 4. Use works of fiction Original: fiction books play an essential role Suggested revision: works of fiction play an essential role Why it matters: Works of fiction is the conventional term for fictional literature.
- 5. Remove informal hedge Original: kind of difficult Suggested revision: difficult Why it matters: Kind of is an informal hedge that weakens the statement.
- 6. Use factual accounts Original: with the real facts Suggested revision: through factual accounts Why it matters: Children read about subjects through accounts, and real facts is redundant.
- 7. Use face harsh realities Original: know the real facts Suggested revision: face harsh realities Why it matters: The revised phrase expresses the unpleasant truths discussed in the paragraph more naturally.
- 8. Fix embedded question Original: understand what is a real life about Suggested revision: understand what real life is about Why it matters: An embedded question uses statement word order, and real life takes no article.
- 9. Use requiring a child Original: making a child read Suggested revision: requiring a child to read Why it matters: Require someone to do something is more precise than make in this formal context.
- 10. Use cause distress Original: result in shock Suggested revision: cause distress Why it matters: Cause distress is the natural expression for a harmful emotional effect.
- 11. Use conditional form Original: will disappear as well as Suggested revision: would disappear, along with Why it matters: The hypothetical consequence requires would, and along with coordinates the items clearly.
- 12. Use fictional films Original: fiction movies Suggested revision: fictional films Why it matters: Fictional is the adjective that modifies films.
Suggested Rewrites
- fiction books have no use at all works of fiction have no value
- I have to totally disagree I completely disagree
- For several reasons, which I will mention below For the reasons outlined below
- fiction books play an essential role works of fiction play an essential role
- kind of difficult difficult
- with the real facts through factual accounts
Why this response received Band 5.5
The response sustains a clear disagreement and offers relevant reasons involving children's emotional needs and fiction's capacity to stimulate creativity. Its strongest point is the accessible discussion of why young readers benefit from imaginative material, but the essay is unparagraphled, several analogies move away from books, and frequent awkward language reduces precision. The priority is to develop two book-focused benefits in separate paragraphs with specific reading examples and clearer causal explanation.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The opinion is clear and supported by relevant ideas about childhood and creativity, but the festival and film discussion is only indirectly related to reading and several claims are overstated.
Focus on how a children's story and an adult novel can build imagination, empathy, or problem-solving, using a specific example for each.
Coherence and Cohesion
The sequence from children to wider cultural fiction and a conclusion is understandable, but the absence of paragraphs and mechanical signposting weaken cohesion.
Use an introduction, one paragraph on child development, one on adult creativity, and a concise conclusion that synthesises both reasons.
Lexical Resource
There is enough vocabulary to discuss fiction, reality, and imagination, but spelling errors and many inaccurate collocations reduce naturalness.
Use precise expressions such as 'fairy tales', 'I maintain that', 'rejecting fictional works', and 'stimulate creative thinking'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response attempts varied structures, but frequent errors in articles, prepositions, word forms, agreement, and clause construction weaken control.
Check article and preposition use in noun phrases, then revise long sentences so each contains a clear subject, verb, and logical connection.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should read only those books that are about real events, real people, and established facts. Use specific reasons and details to support your opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.