Some people think that one should plan in detail activities for their leisure time, while others disagree with this view. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
Many feel that it is important to plan their leisure activitiesplan out their free time activities, while others opt to live more spontaneously. In my opinion, planning can be useful but excessive planning can devalueover time it will devalue the activities themselves.
Arranging one’s leisure activities ahead of time is a natural impulse to ease tension and ensure that their time is used productivelyensure their usefulness. Some psychologists have termed humans the ‘planning animal’ because of an inborn tendency arising from a calming need for security. For the person planningTo the person doing the planning, this serves the secondary purpose of ensuring they are not wasting their time. For example, if a motivated individual plans their day, theyplans their day they might set out to do some exercise, read a book, finish some work at home, and cook a meal. These are productive tasks that will lead to a feeling of fulfillment at the end of the day.
However, this drive causes undue pressure and hinders enjoyment of a given activity. The human propensity to plan is also an underlying cause of stress and keeps individuals from being fully present in the moment. This can result in a situation where pre-planned activities become joyless. For instance, the person described above who maps out their day might feel they are simply ticking items off a to-do list and not enjoy the activity itselfnot enjoy the activity in itself. Contrast this with a more spontaneous lifestyle that still allowsentails productivity but does not set a specificpurposeful goal for every action. This person will accomplish just as much but enjoy it much more since they can be fully invested in the moment and act.
In conclusion, the benefits of planningthe useful aspects of planning do not outweigh the valueworth derived from spontaneous action. Individuals must naturally strike a balance but be mindful they are not subordinating an activity to its utilitarian value.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response directly addresses both perspectives, sustains a nuanced opinion, and develops each side with well-chosen explanations and a connected example. Its argument is coherent and its language is flexible and precise, with only occasional wording that feels slightly abstract or compressed. The best refinement would be to make the case for spontaneity more explicitly distinct from the criticism of excessive planning and to phrase a few conceptual claims more concretely.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are fully addressed through relevant, well-developed reasoning, and the writer maintains a clear nuanced position.
Make the positive case for spontaneity slightly more explicit rather than presenting it mainly through the drawbacks of planning.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response progresses smoothly through a clear argument, with effective paragraphing and well-managed links between examples and claims.
Strengthen the transition within the second body paragraph when moving from criticism of planning to the alternative lifestyle.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is wide, precise, and confidently used, including sophisticated language suited to the abstract topic.
Replace a few compressed abstract phrases with more concrete wording to make the argument even more immediately accessible.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide variety of complex structures is used accurately and naturally, with strong control throughout the response.
Refine the occasional densely layered sentence so its logical relationships are as transparent as its grammar is accurate.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people think that one should plan in detail activities for their leisure time, while others disagree with this view. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.