Level: IELTS Academic Writing Task 2
Task type: Balanced opinion
Recommended time: 40 minutes
Word count: At least 250 words
Question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people believe that competitive sports teach young people valuable lessons. Others argue that competition can put too much pressure on children.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
How to Write This Essay
This is a discuss both views and give your opinion essay. You must do three things:
- Explain why some people think competitive sports are useful for young people.
- Explain why others think competition can put too much pressure on children.
- Give your own opinion clearly.
A strong answer should not simply say that sport is good or bad. The key issue is competition.
A good position could be:
Competitive sports can teach children valuable lessons such as discipline, teamwork and resilience, but adults must make sure that competition does not become too intense or damaging.
This is a balanced opinion that answers both sides of the question.
Suggested Essay Structure
Introduction
Paraphrase the question and give your opinion clearly.
Body paragraph 1: Why competitive sports can be valuable
Possible ideas:
- Children learn discipline and commitment.
- They learn teamwork and communication.
- They learn how to deal with winning and losing.
- Sport can build confidence and resilience.
- Competition can prepare young people for challenges in adult life.
Body paragraph 2: Why competition can create pressure
Possible ideas:
- Some children may feel anxious before matches or competitions.
- Parents and coaches may focus too much on winning.
- Children may lose enjoyment if sport becomes too serious.
- Too much training can affect schoolwork, rest or friendships.
- Some children may feel like failures if they do not perform well.
Conclusion
Repeat your opinion clearly: competitive sport is beneficial if it is managed in a healthy way.
Useful Vocabulary for This Topic
- competitive sports
- young people
- valuable life lessons
- discipline
- teamwork
- resilience
- confidence
- commitment
- pressure to succeed
- emotional stress
- fear of failure
- parental pressure
- coaches
- performance
- healthy competition
- physical development
- mental wellbeing
- balanced approach
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Do not write only about the health benefits of sport. The question is about competitive sports and the pressure they may create.
Do not ignore your own opinion. The question asks you to discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Do not say competition is always harmful. A stronger answer recognises that competition can be useful when it is managed well.
Do not say children should never lose. Learning how to lose can be one of the most important benefits of competitive sport.
Do not blame only children. Pressure often comes from adults, including parents, coaches and schools.
Band 6.5 Model Answer
Some people think that competitive sports are good for young people because they teach important lessons. Others believe that competition can create too much stress for children. In my opinion, competitive sports are useful, but only if parents and coaches keep the pressure at a healthy level.
On the one hand, competitive sports can help children develop many positive qualities. For example, they learn discipline because they have to train regularly and follow rules. They also learn teamwork, especially in sports such as football, basketball or volleyball. In addition, competition teaches children how to win and lose. This is important because life also includes success and failure. If children learn to accept defeat in sport, they may become more confident and resilient in other parts of life.
On the other hand, competition can sometimes put too much pressure on children. Some parents and coaches care more about winning than enjoyment or development. As a result, children may feel nervous before matches or disappointed if they make mistakes. In some cases, they may stop enjoying sport completely. Too much training can also affect schoolwork and free time. Children need time to rest, study and see their friends, so sport should not control their whole life.
In conclusion, I believe competitive sports can be very beneficial for young people because they teach discipline, teamwork and resilience. However, adults must make sure that children are not pushed too hard. Competition is positive when it helps children grow, but harmful when winning becomes the only goal.
Word count: 254 words
Band 6.5 Feedback
This is a clear and relevant essay. It discusses both views and gives a direct personal opinion.
Why this is around Band 6.5:
Task Response:
The essay answers all parts of the question. It explains the benefits of competitive sports and the possible pressure on children. The opinion is clear: competitive sport is useful if adults manage the pressure. However, some ideas are developed quite generally.
Coherence and Cohesion:
The structure is logical: introduction, benefits, drawbacks and conclusion. Linking phrases such as “on the one hand”, “on the other hand”, “as a result” and “in conclusion” are used correctly, but the organisation is fairly predictable.
Lexical Resource:
The vocabulary is appropriate for the topic, including “discipline”, “teamwork”, “resilient”, “pressure”, “coaches” and “winning”. However, the range is not especially sophisticated.
Grammar:
The grammar is generally accurate. The essay uses some complex sentences, but many sentence structures are straightforward.
How to improve it:
To reach Band 7 or higher, the essay would need more precise examples, more developed explanations and more flexible sentence structures.
Band 8 Model Answer
Competitive sport is often seen as an important part of childhood because it can teach young people discipline, teamwork and resilience. However, some people argue that competition can become emotionally harmful if children are placed under excessive pressure. In my view, competitive sports are highly valuable, provided that adults treat them as a form of education rather than simply a route to winning.
There are strong reasons why competition can benefit young people. First, it teaches commitment. Children who train for a team or an event learn that improvement usually requires effort, patience and regular practice. Competitive sport also teaches teamwork, as young athletes have to communicate, follow instructions and sometimes put the group’s success ahead of their own wishes. Perhaps most importantly, sport helps children learn how to cope with both victory and defeat. Losing a match can be disappointing, but it can also teach emotional control and perseverance. These lessons are useful not only in sport, but also in education, work and personal relationships.
Nevertheless, the concerns about pressure are justified. In some cases, parents, schools or coaches become too focused on results. Children may then feel that their value depends on winning medals, scoring goals or being selected for a team. This can lead to anxiety, fear of failure and a loss of enjoyment. Excessive training may also reduce time for study, rest and friendships. If competition is handled badly, sport can damage confidence rather than build it, especially for children who develop later or are less naturally athletic.
Overall, I believe competitive sports are beneficial when the main aim is development. Children should be encouraged to try hard, respect opponents and learn from mistakes, but they should not be made to feel that losing is a personal failure. With this balanced approach, competition can prepare young people for real-life challenges without damaging their wellbeing.
Word count: 303 words
Band 8 Explanation
This is a stronger essay because it gives a balanced argument while maintaining a clear personal opinion.
Task Response:
The essay fully answers the question. It discusses why competitive sports can teach valuable lessons, explains why competition can create pressure, and gives a clear opinion: competitive sports are beneficial when adults focus on development rather than winning alone.
Coherence and Cohesion:
The structure is controlled and logical. The first body paragraph explains the value of competitive sport. The second body paragraph deals with the risks. The conclusion gives a clear final judgement. The argument develops naturally rather than simply listing points.
Lexical Resource:
The vocabulary is precise and topic-specific:
- competitive sport
- discipline
- teamwork
- resilience
- excessive pressure
- commitment
- regular practice
- young athletes
- emotional control
- perseverance
- fear of failure
- loss of enjoyment
- naturally athletic
- balanced approach
- wellbeing
The vocabulary is natural, accurate and suitable for a high-level IELTS essay.
Grammar:
The essay uses a good range of complex structures:
- “Competitive sport is often seen as… because…”
- “Children who train for a team or an event learn that…”
- “Losing a match can be disappointing, but it can also…”
- “If competition is handled badly, sport can…”
- “Children should be encouraged to…, but they should not be made to…”
The grammar is flexible, accurate and well controlled.
Key Lesson for Students
For a discuss both views and give your own opinion essay, you need to discuss both sides fairly, but your own opinion must still be clear.
A strong position for this question is:
Competitive sports are valuable because they teach discipline, teamwork and resilience, but adults must prevent competition from becoming too stressful or focused only on winning.
Useful Phrases for This Essay
Discussing the benefits
- Competitive sports can teach young people valuable life lessons.
- Children learn discipline through regular training and practice.
- Team sports can improve communication and cooperation.
- Learning how to win and lose is an important part of growing up.
- Competition can help young people develop resilience.
Discussing the pressure
- However, competition can become harmful if…
- Some children may feel under pressure to succeed.
- Parents and coaches may focus too much on results.
- Excessive training can affect schoolwork, rest and friendships.
- Children may lose confidence if they feel that losing means failure.
Giving your opinion
- In my view, competitive sport is beneficial when it is managed carefully.
- The main aim should be development, not simply winning.
- Children should be encouraged to try hard without being placed under extreme pressure.
- A balanced approach allows children to benefit from competition without damaging their wellbeing.
Practice Task
Before reading the model answers again, write your own essay using this position:
Competitive sports can teach young people discipline, teamwork and resilience, but adults must make sure that competition does not create too much pressure.
Try to include:
a conclusion that gives your own balanced opinion
one paragraph about the benefits of competitive sport
one paragraph about pressure, anxiety and overtraining
