Some say that sports play an important role in society. Others, however, think that it is nothing more than a leisure activity. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
While some people tend to think that playing sport is simply an activity people do for leisure, others would argue that it has a significant role to play inwithin society. Personally, I believe that sport does have an important function in society, but can also simply be enjoyed as a leisure activityas a leisure activity by people.
On the one hand, nobody can deny that sport is a great leisure activity. Millions of people all around the world participate in sporting activities everyday simply because of the sense of well-being and relaxation that it brings them. People play sport for numerous reasons, including, wanting to get fit or stay in shape, as a way to relax and take their mindsmind off the stresses of daily life, and as a way to socialise and spend time with friends. These reasons indicatewould indicate that people get involved in sporting activities as a form of leisure.
However, even though most people play sport for personal benefitsfor the personal benefits, it does also serve a number of usefulusual functions within society. Firstly, sport creates healthier societies. People who play sport are known to be happier and healthier, and less prone to certain mental and physical illnessessicknesses, which reduces the burdenburdens on healthcare systems. Secondly, sport brings people together and creates a sense of unity within societies. This can be witnessed when complete strangers join together to cheer on and support their country'scountries football team. Finally, sport teaches people many important life skills and lessons, which help people to function more effectively within their society, making it a better place to live.
In conclusion, even though people may only participate in sport for the purpose of leisure, it does also bring a number of important benefits to societies as well.
Why this response received Band 7.5
The essay’s strongest feature is its balanced, well-organised treatment of sport as both recreation and a social benefit, with a clear personal view maintained throughout. Its main limitation is that several societal claims remain general, while occasional awkward word choices and grammatical slips reduce precision. The highest-priority improvement is to support one major social benefit with a concrete example and then proofread collocations, punctuation, and possessive forms carefully.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are addressed fully, the writer’s opinion is clear, and the main ideas are relevant and substantially developed.
Add a specific example or deeper explanation for one societal benefit to make the argument more fully substantiated.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is logically sequenced, paragraphs have clear purposes, and linking expressions guide the reader effectively.
Reduce repeated framing around sport and society so progression feels even more economical and natural.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary range is strong and topic-appropriate, although a few choices such as usual functions are imprecise.
Check collocations and word forms carefully, replacing awkward phrases with more exact expressions such as useful social functions.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences are frequent and generally controlled, but several punctuation, agreement, and possessive errors remain noticeable.
Proofread for unnecessary commas, pronoun agreement, and apostrophes, especially in phrases such as their country’s football team.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some say that sports play an important role in society. Others, however, think that it is nothing more than a leisure activity. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.