The tendency of news reports in the media to focus more on problems and emergencies than on positive developments is harmful to the individuals and the society as a whole. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
It is believed by some that mainstream media channels focus most of their attention on problemsfocus most of their attention on the problems and urgent issues in society, rather than on positive news, and this trend is harmful to people. I partly agree with this ideaIdea because such a tendency involves both positive and negative impacts.
On the one hand, more frequent news stories abouta higher frequency of news stories focusing on negative aspects in society can be harmfulis not a good thing, and can have detrimental effects on people’s mental healthstate. For example, news about terrorism and war has become so common in the media that some people may hesitate to travel abroad for fear ofin fear of suffering from a terrorist attack. Secondly, it can also lead people to have a misunderstanding about many aspects within society, which should be given greater respect and recognition. For example, many tabloids, such as Dispatch of Korea or 14Channel of Vietnam, repeatedly report on scandalshave always reported on the scandals of celebrities, which can mislead the public into believing that show business is fundamentally flawedbelieving in the flaws of showbiz, whereas in reality, it is an industry where many people have made significant contributionsmany people have made many great contributions to society.
On the other hand, the focus on negative issues rather than positive developments can be justifiedis legitimate to some extent. Firstly, the media can be seen as an effective way to spread news, even to the most remote placesto even the most remote places, and this can help to bring people together in order to solve serious problems. The more people are informedThe more people that are informed about issues, the sooner they can be solved. Secondly, it can help to raise awareness amongst citizens. The more negative stories appear in the media, the greater the chancethe higher chance that people will become aware of these issuesaware of it and take action to address themtake action towards a solution. For instance, news coverage about cancer has now become a common topic in the media, and as a result, a large numberamount of people have switched to a healthier lifestyle.
In conclusion, the media has good reason to report on all issues, although the accompanying negative impacts need to be considered.
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response presents a clear, balanced partial-agreement position and uses relevant examples to explain both the harm and potential value of problem-focused reporting. Its main weakness is that several claims, especially the point about distorted views of society, become vague or loosely connected to the central question. The priority is to sharpen each argument's causal link to individual or societal harm and express it with more precise collocations.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
A clear partial-agreement position is sustained, and both harmful effects and legitimate benefits are addressed with relevant support.
Make the second harm argument more explicit by showing exactly how scandal-focused coverage damages individuals or society.
Coherence and Cohesion
The essay progresses logically through contrasting sides, with clear paragraphing and generally effective linking.
Use more referentially precise transitions and pronouns so links between claims are less mechanical or ambiguous.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and appropriately formal, although several collocations and quantity expressions are imprecise.
Replace awkward phrases such as 'believing in the flaws' and 'a large amount of people' with natural alternatives.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A good range of complex structures is used with generally secure control and only occasional non-impeding errors.
Improve article, agreement, and reference control in comparative patterns such as 'the higher the chance' and 'aware of them.'
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IELTS Writing Task 2
The tendency of news reports in the media to focus more on problems and emergencies than on positive developments is harmful to the individuals and the society as a whole. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.