Some people say that people remember special gifts or presents that they receive. Why do you think that is?
Sample Response
A gift is always special, but is there any special gifts one would remember? My answer would be a definite yes. Special gifts are always fondled and nurtured no matter how old it gets. An ideal exemplification supporting this context would be a gift from your loved ones.
Gifts always favour a better place for two hearts - the one gifting and the other being gifted, in my experience one gift I am going to nurture for the lifetime would be the birth of my daughter. Another would be a gift from my wife on an anniversary day. These are always remembered and cherished because these gifts made an indelible impact on my mind. Remembering things, though not unique to humans, we are only living creature which can distinguish and remember, human physiology explains it better. Anything special always procures a place in our brain, which can be retrieved when needed.
In some cases, it is not the person but the present itself that is valued more. For example, a student awarded as the best cadet of the year. Such gifts that one receives in childhood are most likely to influence him for future. Another case of influential gifts would be an object or living being that is going to stay with you for a long time. An example would be my case when the puppy that I got gifted from my mother at age of fifteen went on stay as my best friend further. Next category of gifts remembered would be one that was out of reach always; a mediocre person being gifted with an expensive car which he never dreamt of buying would serve an example. Though it is said that gifts should not be valued or weighed, some gifts like the expensive car reserve place in our memory mainly on its market value or price.
In general, people remember gifts that become special in their life, few examples are mentioned above. This process is a part of human nature as we are made of such complex emotional bindings with objects or things that could give us pleasure.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Fix question agreement Original: is Suggested revision: are Why it matters: The plural noun ‘gifts’ requires the plural verb ‘are’.
- 2. Choose suitable verbs Original: fondled and nurtured Suggested revision: treasured and cared for Why it matters: ‘Fondled’ and ‘nurtured’ are inappropriate collocations for valued gifts.
- 3. Match plural reference Original: how old it gets Suggested revision: how old they get Why it matters: The pronoun must agree with the plural subject ‘Special gifts’.
- 4. Use natural noun Original: exemplification Suggested revision: example Why it matters: ‘Example’ is the natural noun in this context.
- 5. Clarify the reference Original: context Suggested revision: idea Why it matters: An example supports an idea or claim rather than a context.
- 6. Use natural phrasing Original: on an anniversary day Suggested revision: on our anniversary Why it matters: ‘On our anniversary’ is the idiomatic way to identify the occasion.
- 7. Use present perfect Original: because these gifts made Suggested revision: because these gifts have made Why it matters: The present perfect connects the past impact with the writer's continuing memory.
- 8. Complete the example Original: a student awarded as Suggested revision: a student may be named Why it matters: The original is a fragment, while the revision supplies a finite verb and natural award phrasing.
- 9. Fix pronoun and phrase Original: influence him for future Suggested revision: influence their future Why it matters: The plural-neutral pronoun and direct object form are grammatically appropriate.
- 10. Use precise category Original: an object or living being Suggested revision: an object or animal Why it matters: ‘Animal’ identifies the intended type of living gift more precisely.
- 11. Use concise tense Original: that is going to stay with you Suggested revision: that stays with you Why it matters: The simple present expresses the general condition more directly.
- 12. Add the article Original: Next category of gifts Suggested revision: The next category of gifts Why it matters: The specific ordinal noun phrase requires the definite article ‘The’.
Suggested Rewrites
- is are
- fondled and nurtured treasured and cared for
- how old it gets how old they get
- exemplification example
- context idea
- on an anniversary day on our anniversary
Why this response received Band 5.5
The response offers several relevant explanations, especially emotional attachment, lasting influence, personal significance, and monetary value, supported by varied personal examples. However, the argument is loosely developed and frequent awkward wording, run-on sentences, and grammatical errors make parts of it difficult to follow. The highest-priority improvement is to organize two or three clear reasons and explain each in accurate, natural sentences before adding an example.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response addresses why gifts are remembered through several relevant reasons, but some examples are questionable and the explanations are often imprecise.
Select a few distinct reasons, such as emotional association, rarity, and lasting usefulness, and clearly explain how each strengthens memory.
Coherence and Cohesion
There is a recognizable introduction, body development, and conclusion, but ideas within paragraphs are loosely connected and progression is sometimes difficult to follow.
Give each body paragraph one controlling reason and use shorter linking sentences to connect the explanation to its example.
Lexical Resource
The writer attempts a reasonably broad vocabulary, but frequent inaccurate choices such as ‘fondled’, ‘procures a place’, and ‘emotional bindings’ impair natural expression.
Use familiar, precise collocations such as ‘cherished’, ‘remains in our memory’, and ‘emotional attachment’ instead of forcing uncommon words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Some complex structures are attempted, but frequent errors in agreement, articles, sentence boundaries, relative clauses, and verb forms reduce clarity.
Separate run-on sentences and check every clause for a complete subject-verb structure, correct articles, and consistent singular or plural agreement.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people say that people remember special gifts or presents that they receive. Why do you think that is?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.