Sports play a crucial role in promoting teamwork among students, making it a popular topic in IELTS Writing Task 2. Based on an analysis of past IELTS exams and current trends, this topic has a high probability of appearing in future tests. Let’s explore a relevant question that has been featured in recent IELTS exams:
Some people think that sports play an important role in society. Others, however, argue that sport is nothing more than a leisure activity. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Analyzing the Question
This question requires candidates to:
- Discuss the view that sports are important for society
- Discuss the opposing view that sports are merely a leisure activity
- Present and justify their own opinion on the matter
The question touches on the broader theme of the role of physical education in promoting healthy lifestyles while focusing specifically on the societal impact of sports. Let’s examine three sample essays that address this question, each targeting a different band score.
Sample Essay 1 (Band 8-9)
Sports have long been a subject of debate regarding their significance in society. While some argue that they are essential for societal development, others contend that sports are merely recreational activities. This essay will examine both perspectives before presenting my own viewpoint.
Proponents of sports’ importance in society argue that they contribute significantly to various aspects of community life. Firstly, sports foster social cohesion by bringing people together, regardless of their backgrounds, to support teams or participate in events. This unity can strengthen community bonds and promote cultural understanding. Secondly, sports play a crucial role in public health by encouraging physical activity and combating sedentary lifestyles, which are major contributors to obesity and related health issues. Moreover, sports can be a powerful tool for education, teaching valuable life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and perseverance.
On the other hand, those who view sports as solely a leisure activity argue that their impact on society is overstated. They contend that the resources invested in sports could be better allocated to more pressing societal needs, such as education or healthcare. Furthermore, they point out that the commercialization of professional sports has led to issues like corruption and doping scandals, which undermine any positive societal impact.
In my opinion, while sports do have a significant leisure component, their role in society extends far beyond mere recreation. The benefits of sports in promoting physical and mental health, fostering social connections, and teaching important life skills are undeniable. However, I believe that a balanced approach is necessary. Society should harness the positive aspects of sports while addressing the negative consequences of over-commercialization and unethical practices.
In conclusion, sports play a multifaceted role in society, encompassing both leisure and more profound societal impacts. By recognizing and maximizing the positive contributions of sports while mitigating their potential drawbacks, we can fully leverage their power as a tool for societal development and individual growth.
(Word count: 310)
Essay Analysis (Band 8-9)
This essay demonstrates excellent coherence, cohesion, and a wide range of vocabulary and grammatical structures, characteristic of a Band 8-9 response. Here’s a breakdown of its strengths:
- Task Response: The essay fully addresses all parts of the task, presenting both views and offering a clear personal opinion with well-developed support.
- Coherence and Cohesion: The essay is logically organized with clear progression throughout. It uses a variety of cohesive devices effectively (e.g., “Firstly,” “Secondly,” “Moreover,” “On the other hand”).
- Lexical Resource: The essay showcases a wide range of vocabulary used with full flexibility and precision (e.g., “foster social cohesion,” “sedentary lifestyles,” “commercialization”).
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: It uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy. Complex sentences are used effectively without errors (e.g., “By recognizing and maximizing the positive contributions of sports while mitigating their potential drawbacks, we can fully leverage their power as a tool for societal development and individual growth.”).
- Development of Ideas: Each point is fully extended and well-supported with relevant examples and explanations.
Sample Essay 2 (Band 6-7)
Sports are a big part of many people’s lives, but there’s disagreement about how important they really are. Some think sports are crucial for society, while others see them as just a way to have fun. I’ll talk about both sides and give my opinion.
People who believe sports are important for society have some good reasons. First, sports can bring people together. When people play sports or watch games together, it can create a sense of community. This is good for society because it helps people understand each other better. Also, sports are good for health. In a world where many people don’t get enough exercise, sports can help people stay fit and healthy. This is important for society because it can reduce health problems and healthcare costs.
However, some people think sports are just for fun and not that important. They say that there are more serious things to focus on, like education or solving social problems. They might argue that too much money is spent on professional sports when it could be used for other things. Also, they might point out that some aspects of sports, like cheating or violence in some games, are bad for society.
In my opinion, sports are more than just a leisure activity, but they’re not the most important thing in society either. I think sports can be very helpful for bringing people together and keeping them healthy. But I also think it’s important to balance sports with other important things in life.
To conclude, while sports can be seen as just a fun activity, they do have important benefits for society. However, we shouldn’t ignore the potential negative aspects. A balanced approach to sports in society is probably the best way forward.
(Word count: 287)
Essay Analysis (Band 6-7)
This essay demonstrates good control of language and addresses all parts of the task, placing it in the Band 6-7 range. Here’s an analysis of its strengths and areas for improvement:
- Task Response: The essay addresses all parts of the task, presenting both views and offering a personal opinion. However, the ideas could be developed more fully with more specific examples.
- Coherence and Cohesion: The essay is generally well-organized with clear progression. It uses some cohesive devices (e.g., “First,” “However,” “Also”), but could benefit from more sophisticated linking words.
- Lexical Resource: The essay uses a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility (e.g., “sense of community,” “reduce health problems”). However, there’s room for more precise and sophisticated vocabulary use.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: It uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with good control and accuracy. There are no major grammatical errors, but the range could be wider.
- Development of Ideas: Ideas are relevant and supported, but could be extended and elaborated upon more fully to reach a higher band score.
Sample Essay 3 (Band 5-6)
Sports are very popular today. Some people think sports are very important for society. Other people think sports are just for fun. I will discuss both ideas and give my opinion.
People who think sports are important say that sports help people in many ways. Sports can make people healthy because they exercise when they play sports. Also, sports can help people make friends and work together. This is good for society because people learn to cooperate.
But some people think sports are just for fun and not very important. They say there are more important things to do, like studying or working. They think people spend too much time watching sports on TV instead of doing useful things.
I think sports are important, but not the most important thing. Sports can help people be healthy and make friends, which is good. But I agree that we should not spend too much time on sports and forget other important things.
In conclusion, sports can be good for society, but we should not think they are the only important thing. We need to find a balance between sports and other activities.
(Word count: 183)
Essay Analysis (Band 5-6)
This essay addresses the task but with limitations in language use and idea development, placing it in the Band 5-6 range. Here’s an analysis:
- Task Response: The essay addresses the task by discussing both views and offering a personal opinion. However, the response is underdeveloped and lacks depth.
- Coherence and Cohesion: The essay has a basic structure, but the progression of ideas is not always clear. It uses simple linking words (e.g., “Also,” “But”) but lacks more sophisticated cohesive devices.
- Lexical Resource: The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary (e.g., “cooperate”), but overall, the range is narrow.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: The essay primarily uses simple sentence structures with occasional attempts at more complex ones. There are some grammatical errors, but they don’t significantly impede communication.
- Development of Ideas: Ideas are present but not fully developed. The essay would benefit from more specific examples and deeper exploration of the concepts presented.
Key Vocabulary
- Foster (verb) /ˈfɒstə(r)/: To encourage or promote the development of something.
- Cohesion (noun) /kəʊˈhiːʒn/: The action or fact of forming a united whole.
- Sedentary (adjective) /ˈsed.ən.tər.i/: Characterized by much sitting and little physical exercise.
- Perseverance (noun) /ˌpɜːsɪˈvɪərəns/: Persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
- Commercialization (noun) /kəˌmɜːʃəlaɪˈzeɪʃn/: The process of managing or running something principally for financial gain.
- Multifaceted (adjective) /ˌmʌltɪˈfæsɪtɪd/: Having many different aspects or features.
- Mitigate (verb) /ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/: Make less severe, serious, or painful.
- Leverage (verb) /ˈliːvərɪdʒ/: Use (something) to maximum advantage.
Conclusion
The importance of sports in promoting teamwork among students is a significant topic that often appears in IELTS Writing Task 2. As demonstrated in the sample essays, this theme can be approached from various angles, discussing the societal impact of sports, their role in personal development, and their potential drawbacks.
For future practice, consider exploring related topics such as:
- The role of competitive sports in schools
- The impact of professional sports on society
- The importance of physical education in the curriculum
- The relationship between sports and mental health
To improve your IELTS Writing skills, try writing your own essay on this topic and share it in the comments section below. This practice will help you apply the strategies and vocabulary discussed in this article, enhancing your ability to tackle similar questions in the actual IELTS exam.