Many old buildings protected by law are part of a nation’s history. Some people think they should be knocked down and replaced by news ones. How important is it to maintain old buildings? Should history stand in the way of progress?
Sample Response
Most nations around the world have at least some, or possibly many, old buildings such as temples, churches and houses in their cities, villages and surrounding areas which have historical significance. In my opinion, it is very important to preserve themmaintain these, but this does not mean progress should stop.
Preserving certain old buildings is important for several reasons. Firstly, these structures provide an insight into the history of our countries, showing us how people many centuries ago lived their lives. Without them, we could only learn fromby books, and it would undoubtedly be sad if this were the only way to see them. Many of these buildings are also very beautiful. Take, for example,Take for example the many religious buildings such as churches and temples that we see around the world. MoreoverNot only this, but on a more practical level, many of these buildings generate significant income for a countryprovide important income to a country as many tourists visit them in largegreat numbers.
However, this certainly does not mean that modernization should be discouraged. I believe that old buildings can be protected in tandem with progress. For example, in many cases, we seein many circumstances we see historic buildingsold historic buildings being renovated whilst maintaining their original character and beingcharacter, and being used for modern purposes. Also, in no way does history hinder progress, and in fact it is the opposite. By studying and learning about our history, we understand more about the world we live in, and this helps us to build a better future.
To conclude, I believe that it is very important to protect and preserve old buildings as we can learn about our history as can peopleothers from other countries. Such knowledge can also help us to understand how to modernise our countries effectivelyin the best way.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The essay answers both questions directly, sustains a clear position, and develops its case through historical, aesthetic, economic, and practical considerations. Its main limitation is occasional imprecision or awkwardness in otherwise strong phrasing, while a few supporting examples remain fairly general. Refine collocations and make one example more concrete to give the already persuasive argument greater precision and authority.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both parts of the task are fully addressed through a clear position and well-developed, relevant reasons about preservation and progress.
Strengthen the argument further by illustrating one renovation or tourism point with a more specific real-world example.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through well-focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader without obscuring the argument.
Vary a few overt transitions such as 'Firstly' and 'However' to make the progression feel even more seamless.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a wide and precise vocabulary for history, preservation, tourism, and modernisation, with only occasional awkward collocations.
Refine phrases such as 'learn by books' and 'provide important income to a country' into more natural academic wording.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used accurately, and the great majority of sentences are error-free.
Polish the few awkward comparative and parallel constructions, particularly in the final paragraph, for maximum clarity.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Many old buildings protected by law are part of a nation’s history. Some people think they should be knocked down and replaced by news ones. How important is it to maintain old buildings? Should history stand in the way of progress?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.