This is a practice question for IELTS Writing Task 2.
You have 40 minutes to complete this task.
Please write at least 250 words.
Task Prompt
Some people believe that competitive sports between schools should be encouraged to promote physical fitness and teamwork, while others argue that such competitions create unnecessary pressure on students.
To what extent do you agree or disagree that inter-school sports competitions are beneficial for students’ overall development?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Sample Answer Outline:
Body Paragraph 1: Positive Aspects
- Mind Map: Benefits → Physical fitness, teamwork, social skills
- Specific examples of how sports competitions help students
- Potential long-term personal development impacts
Body Paragraph 2: Potential Drawbacks
- Mind Map: Challenges → Stress, undue pressure, competitive anxiety
- Examples of negative psychological impacts
- Importance of balanced approach to student competitions
A sample high-scoring response will be provided in a follow-up post.
Model answer (Band 8 style)
Write your own answer first, then compare structure and vocabulary. Task 2 · 290 words.
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Competitive sport between schools is a long-standing tradition in many countries, but its value is sometimes questioned. While some see it as an excellent way to build fitness and teamwork, others feel it puts students under unnecessary pressure. I largely agree that inter-school competitions benefit students’ overall development, provided that schools manage them sensibly.
The most obvious benefit is physical. Training for a match or tournament motivates young people to exercise regularly at a time when many spend hours sitting in front of screens, and regular activity reduces the risk of obesity and improves concentration in class. Competitions also develop valuable personal qualities. Playing for a school team teaches students to cooperate, to take on different roles and to support teammates, while dealing with both victory and defeat builds resilience. Moreover, representing their school gives students a sense of belonging and pride, and meeting students from other schools can broaden their social circles.
However, the concerns about pressure are not unfounded. When winning becomes the main goal, some students experience anxiety, especially if coaches, parents or teachers place excessive emphasis on results. Talented athletes may struggle to balance demanding training schedules with their studies, and less skilled students can feel excluded if only the best players are selected.
In my view, these problems arise from how competitions are run rather than from competition itself. Schools can reduce pressure by emphasising participation and improvement over results, offering a range of teams at different levels so that more students can take part, and limiting training during exam periods.
In conclusion, I believe inter-school sports competitions are largely beneficial for students’ physical, social and emotional development, as long as schools keep them inclusive and prevent an unhealthy focus on winning.
Task Response
A clear position (“I largely agree … provided that…”) is maintained throughout; the opposing concerns are acknowledged and answered.
Coherence & Cohesion
Logical structure: benefits, drawbacks, then the writer’s response to the drawbacks; linking includes “Moreover”, “However”, “In my view”.
Lexical Resource
Topic vocabulary: resilience, sense of belonging, not unfounded, excessive emphasis, inclusive.
Grammatical Range
Range of structures: conditionals (“When winning becomes…”), relative clauses, gerunds and “so that” purpose clauses.
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