Many companies use popular sports events to promote their products. Some people think it promotes sports in a positive way while others think that it has a negative effect on sports. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Sample Response

1

In recent years, numerous companies have seized the opportunity to use popular sporting events as platformsleverage popular sports events as platforms to promote their products. While some argue that this practice contributes positively to sportthe world of sports, others contend that it has harmfuldetrimental effects. This essay will explore both perspectives and present my view that while sponsorship can provide benefits, the over-commercialization and branding associated with thesesuch promotions can have negative consequences.

2

On the one hand, corporate sponsorship of sports eventsthe involvement of companies in sponsoring sports events providesbrings substantial financial support, which can enhance the quality of competitionsquality of sports competitions, facilities, and training programs. For instance, major corporations that sponsormajor corporations sponsoring the Olympics or the FIFA World Cup provide significant funds that contribute to the success of these events, helping to develop infrastructurefacilitating infrastructure development and ensuring the participation of athletes from various nations. Furthermore, corporate partnerships can increase the global reach of sporting eventsglobal reach of sports, making them more accessible and engaging to a broader audience.

3

On the other hand, the intense commercialization and branding that often accompany such sponsorships can undermine the essence of sports, turning them into profit-driven enterprises rather than celebrations of skill and athleticism. This can lead to an undue emphasis on commercial interests, with events becoming overshadowed by advertising campaigns and product endorsements. Additionally, excessive branding can create a disconnect between athletes and fans, as the focus shifts from sportsmanship to marketing strategies.

4

In conclusion, the relationship between companies and sports events is multifaceted. While sponsorship can infuse financial support and global exposure into sports, the risk of over-commercialization and branding should not be overlooked. Perhaps a regulated approach that limits the extent of branding and emphasizes the purity of sportsmanship would be an ideal solution in this context.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 8.0

The response’s strongest feature is its balanced, logically developed treatment of the benefits and risks of corporate sports sponsorship, supported by a clear position throughout. The main limitation is that some consequences, especially the claimed disconnect between athletes and fans, are stated rather than fully demonstrated. To improve further, deepen one key negative point with a concrete causal example while preserving the essay’s precise, controlled style.

Band score breakdown

IELTS Writing Criteria Scores

TR

Task Response

8.0
Scoring rule

Both views are directly addressed with a clear opinion and relevant, well-developed support, though one negative consequence remains somewhat general.

Next step

Extend the athlete-fan disconnect point with a concrete example showing exactly how excessive promotion produces that effect.

CC

Coherence and Cohesion

8.0
Scoring rule

Ideas progress clearly through well-focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader smoothly without becoming mechanical.

Next step

Strengthen the connection between the final proposed regulation and the preceding negative argument for an even tighter conclusion.

LR

Lexical Resource

8.0
Scoring rule

Vocabulary is wide, precise, and appropriately academic, with effective control of topic-specific expressions and collocations.

Next step

Reduce the slight repetition of commercialisation and branding by using more precise references to their distinct effects.

GRA

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

8.5
Scoring rule

A wide range of complex structures is used flexibly and with consistently high accuracy throughout the response.

Next step

Maintain this strong control while varying a few sentence openings to make the prose still more stylistically fluid.

Put the feedback to work

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

Many companies use popular sports events to promote their products. Some people think it promotes sports in a positive way while others think that it has a negative effect on sports. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Your response

Words0
40:00

Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.