In the past, people stored knowledge in books. Nowadays, people store knowledge on the internet. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Sample Response
In the past, people kept knowledge in books. Nowadays, people use the internet to store knowledge. I think the disadvantages of this are more significant than the advantages. On the one hand, the internet is very convenient for finding informationeasy to use for finding information. People can search for what they need quickly. For instance, if someone wants to learn about a historical event, they can find detailed information online within a few seconds. This is much faster thanmuch faster compared to looking through many books. Additionally, the internet has a vasthuge amount of information available, so people do not need to buy and store a lot of books. This can save money and space. However, there are many problems. One problem is that the internet has a great deal of inaccurate informationa lot of wrong information. Anyone can write online, and it can be wrong. This can make people confused and not know what to believe. In contrast, books are usually written by experts and checked before being publishedchecked before publishing, so they are more reliable. Another problem is that the internet can be very distracting. When people look for information online, they might start using social media, playing games, or visiting other websites. This wastes time and makes it hard to study or work. With books, people can focus better because there are no distractions. Moreover, the internet requires electricity and a device for accessneeds electricity and a device to use it. Not everyone has these. Books do not need electricity and can be used anywhere. This makes books easier for everyone to use. In conclusion, while the internet is easy for finding information, the problems with wrong information, distractions, and needing electricity make it less effectivegood than books. ThereforeSo, I think the disadvantages of the internet outweigh the advantages.
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response is strongest in its consistent position and relevant coverage of convenience, reliability, distraction, and access. Its main limitation is the presentation of all ideas in one block, compounded by repetitive and sometimes imprecise language. The highest-priority improvement is to organise the argument into distinct paragraphs and develop the comparison with more varied, precise wording rather than repeatedly stating that online information can be wrong.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The essay directly answers the question, sustains a clear judgement, and develops several relevant advantages and disadvantages.
Evaluate the relative importance of the competing points more explicitly instead of relying mainly on the number of disadvantages presented.
Coherence and Cohesion
The argument follows a clear overall sequence and uses suitable linking expressions, but the absence of paragraphing weakens organisation.
Separate the introduction, advantages, disadvantages, and conclusion into purposeful paragraphs with clear internal progression.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary is sufficient to explain the argument clearly, though repeated basic words and phrases limit precision and flexibility.
Use more specific alternatives for recurring expressions about information quality, online access, and distraction.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response uses a mix of sentence forms with generally good control, although some constructions are awkward or overly simple.
Increase structural variety while correcting phrases such as making people confused and needing a device to use the internet.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
In the past, people stored knowledge in books. Nowadays, people store knowledge on the internet. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.