News stories on TV and in newspapers are very often accompanied by pictures. Some people say that these pictures are more effective than words. What is your opinion about this?
Sample Response
The use of visual materialaids such as pictures, videos, and infographics is increasingly commonprevalent in modern news reporting. Some argue that pictures are more effective than words in conveying information and elicitingstimulating emotional responses. I agree with this viewopinion and believe that pictures are indeed powerful toolsa powerful tool for news reporting.
FirstFirstly, pictures can documentcapture complex events and convey them more effectively than words. For instance, photographsthe photographs of the devastation caused by natural disasters, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami ortsunami, or the Turkey-Syria earthquake in 2023, can conveybring home the full impact of the tragedy in a way that words alone cannot. Similarly, pictures of war zones or crime scenes can provide a sense of immediacy and urgency that written reports may lack.
Secondly, pictures have the potential to evoke strong emotions and provoke action. This is because visual images can create a visceral response in the viewer, stirring empathy or outrage in a way that words cannot. For example, the harrowing images of child refugees fleeing war-torn countries can elicit strong feelings of compassion and motivate people to take action to help them.
Finally, pictures can also be used to hold those in power accountable for their actions. For example, the infamous images of many war prisons, and refugee camps played a crucial role in exposing the human rights abuses occurring in those places. Those images, in many instances, have brought international attention and condemnation, leading to a public outcry and calls for accountability.
In conclusion, I firmly believe that pictures are more effective than words in news reporting. They have the power to capture complex events, evoke emotions, and hold those in power accountable. Since they are so powerful, it is crucial for journalists to use them responsibly and ethically.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response gives a direct, consistent opinion and develops three distinct reasons with relevant, persuasive examples. Its organisation and language are strong, while the main limitations are minor repetition in the examples and an imprecise phrase about prisons and refugee camps. Refine that example, vary repeated explanatory patterns, and briefly acknowledge the comparative value of words to make the argument more nuanced.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The opinion is clear throughout, and three relevant reasons are well developed with effective examples and a focused conclusion.
Add a brief qualification about situations in which words remain necessary to create a more nuanced comparison.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through well-focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader clearly with little strain.
Vary the repeated reason-example pattern so that the progression feels less formulaic while remaining explicit.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is wide, precise, and appropriately academic, with only an occasional awkward expression such as war prisons.
Replace the few imprecise noun phrases with more exact terms and avoid repeating pictures and images where substitution is natural.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of sentence structures is used accurately, and the few punctuation or phrasing slips do not affect communication.
Review comma placement around examples and modifiers to make already strong complex sentences fully polished.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
News stories on TV and in newspapers are very often accompanied by pictures. Some people say that these pictures are more effective than words. What is your opinion about this?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.