Spoken communication is always more powerful than written communication. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
Whether written or oral is a more powerful form of communication has long been a subject of debate. Personally, I argue that neither of the forms could be said to be superior since there are nuances that can only be conveyed through either the spoken or written medium.
On the one hand, speeches have always been used as the primary method of addressing large masses of people, for they are more effective at conveying feelings of passion and excitement. Speakers, by lowering and increasing the volume of their voice, can alter the energy of an audience that writers cannot do as easily through the written word. It is no mistake that every political leader conveys their ideas and inspires their people through speeches: successful politicians of the past, such as Obama or Tony Blair, were also great orators who can excite a crowd?
On the other hand, the separation and impartiality of the written form allow the medium to paint more colorful and detailed worlds. The impersonal nature of writing also allows the written form to convey things that would be rejected through the spoken word, and engage in darker, more mature content that provokes the mind. This is why many people still read books since they help to paint a more vivid picture of the subject, they are trying to convey. Due to the added layer of engagement required in reading rather than listening, the reader can discover worlds more in-depth then we would the listener.
Overall, I argue that speeches and the written word have different uses for they have distinct strengths and weaknesses, and it cannot be said that one is more powerful than the other.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Supply comparison noun Original: Whether written or oral is Suggested revision: Whether written or oral communication is Why it matters: The adjectives “written” and “oral” need a noun to name the two forms being compared.
- 2. Use concise determiner Original: neither of the forms Suggested revision: neither form Why it matters: “Neither form” is the natural construction when referring to two previously identified forms.
- 3. Use consistent tense Original: could be said to be superior Suggested revision: can be considered superior Why it matters: The present-tense form matches the writer’s current argument more directly.
- 4. Use natural collocation Original: large masses of people Suggested revision: large audiences Why it matters: “Large audiences” is the standard expression for groups addressed by a speech.
- 5. Correct idiom Original: mistake Suggested revision: coincidence Why it matters: “It is no coincidence” is the idiomatic phrase for an outcome that is unsurprising.
- 6. Match verb tense Original: can Suggested revision: could Why it matters: The relative clause needs a past-tense modal to agree with “were.”
- 7. Use statement punctuation Original: crowd? Suggested revision: crowd. Why it matters: This sentence makes a statement, so it should end with a full stop rather than a question mark.
- 8. Clarify abstract qualities Original: separation Suggested revision: distance Why it matters: “Distance” more clearly describes the detachment associated with written communication.
- 9. Clarify causal link Original: for Suggested revision: because Why it matters: “Because” states the reason more directly than the literary conjunction “for.”
- 10. Balance paired structure Original: through either the spoken or written medium Suggested revision: through either the spoken or the written medium Why it matters: Repeating the article creates a balanced parallel structure after “either.”
- 11. Qualify broad claim Original: the Suggested revision: a Why it matters: The indefinite article preserves the point without presenting speeches as the sole primary method.
- 12. Remove unnecessary wording Original: feelings of passion and excitement Suggested revision: passion and excitement Why it matters: Passion and excitement already name feelings, so the longer phrase is redundant.
Suggested Rewrites
- Whether written or oral is Whether written or oral communication is
- neither of the forms neither form
- could be said to be superior can be considered superior
- large masses of people large audiences
- mistake coincidence
- can could
Why this response received Band 7.0
The essay offers a clear, nuanced answer and uses a balanced structure to explain the distinct strengths of spoken and written communication. The discussion of speech is more concrete than the abstract and occasionally unclear discussion of writing, and several malformed comparisons or punctuation choices interrupt accuracy. The highest-priority improvement is to support the written-medium argument with a specific example and express its comparisons more precisely.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
A clear position is maintained and both media are discussed relevantly, although the case for writing is less concretely developed.
Add a specific example showing when written communication has greater impact and connect it directly to the central comparison.
Coherence and Cohesion
The four-paragraph structure gives the argument clear progression, and the contrasting sides are easy to follow.
Improve the progression within the writing paragraph by separating its distinct claims and linking each one to communicative power.
Lexical Resource
The response demonstrates a broad, suitably academic vocabulary, though some word choices and comparative expressions are awkward or imprecise.
Use more natural collocations when describing impartiality, reader engagement, and the depth achieved through reading.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex structures are attempted frequently and meaning remains clear, but punctuation, clause control, and comparison errors recur.
Revise run-on sentences and malformed comparisons, checking punctuation and forms such as 'than' in comparative structures.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Spoken communication is always more powerful than written communication. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.