practice test · writing task 2

IELTS Writing Task 2: Psychology — Nature, Nurture, and What Actually Shapes a Child

A “discuss both views” question on parenting vs. outside influence — plus a live essay editor with a 40-minute timer, so you can practice under the same pressure you’ll get on test day.

This one trips people up in a specific way. It’s not a hard topic — everyone has an opinion on nature vs. nurture — but “discuss both views and give your own opinion” has a trap built into the instruction. Cover both sides fairly, sure. But you also have to actually pick a side. A lot of band 6 essays describe both views nicely and then never commit to one, which caps the score no matter how good the English is.

Writing Task 2 — Academic

Some people believe that children’s behavior is primarily shaped by their parents and family environment, while others argue that factors outside the home — such as peers, media, and educational institutions — have a greater influence on how children develop.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

⏱ 40 minutes 📝 250 words minimum 🎯 Discuss both views + opinion

✍️ Tutor’s note

“Every year I mark essays that spend 200 words being scrupulously fair to both sides and then close with ‘both are important, it depends.’ That’s not an opinion, that’s a shrug. Pick a side — even a soft one, like ‘family matters more, but only in the early years’ — and defend it. The examiner isn’t grading your diplomacy.”

— Worddemy IELTS Writing Tutor

Write your response

Set the timer for 40 minutes, write directly below, and use the checklist afterward to self-mark before you look at anything else. This box saves nothing — copy your essay out before you close the tab.

Essay Practice Editor

Interactive

40:00

Word count: 0 / 250

Self-check before you compare with a model answer

I genuinely discussed both views, not just one with a token mention of the otherEach view gets its own paragraph and its own example.

I gave a clear personal opinion — not “it depends” or “both are important”A reader should be able to state your position in one sentence.

I have at least 250 wordsCheck the counter above — under 250 costs you marks automatically.

Each body paragraph has a specific example, not just a general claim“Peer pressure affects teenagers” is a claim. A concrete scenario is an example.

The planning outline

If you’re stuck, here’s how a tutor would break this exact question into three paragraphs before writing a word. Tap each one open.

Body Paragraph 1 — Family shapes behavior first100–110 words▾

Argument: family environment is the primary influence

Parents are a child’s first teachers — the earliest years (0–5) happen almost entirely at home
Moral values, cultural identity, and basic ethics are absorbed at home before school even starts
Attachment theory: a secure home base builds confidence and healthier social behavior later on
Example: children from stable, supportive families tend to show stronger self-regulation and empathy
Kids copy what they see — how parents argue, communicate, and handle stress becomes the child’s default too

Body Paragraph 2 — Outside influence takes over later100–110 words▾

Argument: peers, media, and school have greater influence

Peer pressure hits hardest in adolescence, when fitting in matters more than almost anything
Social media and influencers now shape aspirations and values in ways parents can’t fully monitor
Teachers and school culture widen a child’s worldview beyond what any one household can offer
Example: teenagers often pick up fashion, slang, or attitudes from friend groups that don’t match their family’s values at all
Simple math: kids spend 6–8 hours a day in school — that’s a lot of hours outside parental influence

Body Paragraph 3 — Your opinion (this is where the marks are)60–80 words▾

Your position, with real reasoning behind it

Both forces are real — this isn’t an either/or question, and pretending otherwise weakens the essay
Frame it as foundation vs. reinforcement: family builds the base; outside influences build on top of it or push against it
A strong family foundation tends to make kids more resilient against negative outside pressure — that’s your angle
State it plainly: “family’s early, sustained influence matters more, because the parent-child bond runs deeper and longer than any peer relationship”
This is the sentence the examiner is actually looking for — don’t bury it

What a missing opinion looks like on the page

Here’s a real closing paragraph from a student who did everything else right — good vocabulary, accurate grammar — and still capped out at band 6 for Task Response. See if you can spot why before reading the notes.

Band
6.0

Unmarked closing paragraph

In conclusion, both family and outside factors are very important1 in shaping a child’s behavior. It really depends on the situation and the individual child2, so it is hard to say which one has more influence3. Both sides have good points and parents and schools should work together for the best outcome.

True, but it’s not an opinion — it’s the question restated back at the examiner.

“It depends” is the single most common way candidates avoid committing. The task asked for YOUR opinion, not a disclaimer.

This sentence directly contradicts the task instruction — you were asked to say which one, not explain why you can’t.

Same paragraph, with an actual position

Overall, while outside influences clearly matter, I believe family remains the more powerful force, since the values and emotional security built at home shape how a child responds to everything that comes afterward — including peer pressure and media influence.

Mistakes that are specific to “discuss both views” questions

Treating it as two separate mini-essays

Paragraphs 1 and 2 need to feel like they’re part of the same argument, not two disconnected answers stapled together.

Giving your opinion only in the introduction

State your position early if you like, but it needs to reappear — reasoned, not repeated — in the conclusion or a dedicated paragraph.

Spending 90% of the word count on one side

Even if you agree strongly with one view, “discuss both” means both get real space. Lopsided essays lose Task Response marks.

Using “it depends” as your opinion

It’s the safest-sounding sentence in IELTS writing and it’s exactly what an examiner is trained to mark down. Commit to something specific.

Fair to both sides, honest about your own — that’s the whole task in one sentence.

5/5 - (1 vote)

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IELTS Writing Task 2 – Psychology