IELTS General Training Writing Task 1: Advice on a New Sport
The Task:
Your English-speaking friend who lives in your town has asked for your advice about learning a new sport.
Write an email to your friend. In your email:
- Recommend a new sport that would be suitable for your friend to learn.
- Explain how your friend could learn this sport.
- Suggest that you both learn this sport together.
Write at least 150 words.
Task 1
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Band 9 Model Answer
Dear Sam,
I was so excited to get your email! It is fantastic that you are looking to take up a new physical activity, and I have the perfect recommendation for you: Padel tennis.
Given that you already enjoy fast-paced activities but want something slightly less exhausting than traditional squash, Padel is an ideal middle ground. It is played on an enclosed court and is incredibly dynamic, but the underhand serves and smaller court size make it highly accessible for absolute beginners.
The best way to get started is by signing up for the introductory clinic at the new racquet club downtown. They offer a comprehensive four-week beginner course that covers all the fundamentals, from basic grip techniques to positioning. They even provide all the necessary equipment, so you would not need to invest in a paddle right away.
Since Padel is strictly a doubles game, it would be the perfect excuse for us to spend more time together. I have been meaning to try it out myself, so why don’t we enroll in the Saturday morning class as a team?
Let me know what you think so I can secure our spots!
Warm wishes,
Emre
💡 Why this is a Band 9 Answer:
- Task Achievement: All three bullet points are covered comprehensively and logically. The tone is perfectly informal, enthusiastic, and friendly.
- Coherence & Cohesion: Paragraphs are seamlessly structured. The logical flow moves naturally from the recommendation to the learning method, and finally to the joint invitation.
- Lexical Resource: Uses precise, sport-specific vocabulary naturally (dynamic, accessible for absolute beginners, introductory clinic, fundamentals, strictly a doubles game).
- Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Employs a superb mix of complex sentence structures flawlessly while maintaining an engaging, conversational phrasing (“Given that you already enjoy… Padel is an ideal middle ground.”).
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 2: The Future of a Cashless Society
The Task:
In the future, people may no longer be able to pay for things in shops using cash. All payments may have to be made by card or using phones.
Do you think this will happen one day?
Why do you think some people might not be happy to give up using cash?
Write at least 250 words.
Task 2
Band 9 Model Essay
In recent years, the ubiquity of digital transactions has rapidly transformed the global retail landscape. It is highly probable that physical currency will eventually become obsolete, fully replaced by card and mobile payments. However, while this transition offers unparalleled convenience, a significant portion of the population remains deeply opposed to a completely cashless society due to concerns regarding privacy and digital disenfranchisement.
There is little doubt that the complete phase-out of cash is an inevitable trajectory. Governments and financial institutions heavily favor digital payments because they drastically reduce the logistical costs of printing, transporting, and securing physical money. Furthermore, electronic transactions leave a permanent digital footprint, making it significantly harder for individuals to engage in tax evasion or illicit market activities. Several Scandinavian nations have already reached a point where even minor purchases, such as a cup of coffee from a street vendor, are exclusively handled via mobile applications, proving that a purely digital economy is not just a futuristic concept, but an imminent reality.
Despite this progression, the reluctance to abandon cash is entirely understandable. The primary concern for many citizens is the profound loss of financial privacy. In a cashless system, every single purchase is tracked, recorded, and analyzed by corporate banks and government entities. This level of financial surveillance makes many individuals deeply uncomfortable. Additionally, moving to a purely digital system threatens to marginalize vulnerable demographic groups. The elderly, who often struggle to adapt to new smartphone technologies, and low-income individuals who may not qualify for traditional bank accounts, rely heavily on tangible currency. For these groups, cash represents independence, and its eradication could leave them severely disadvantaged.
In conclusion, the transition to a fully cashless society is undoubtedly approaching, driven by governmental efficiency and technological advancement. Nevertheless, the resistance from the public is highly justified, as the eradication of physical money poses serious threats to personal privacy and risks excluding the most vulnerable members of society from the economy.
💡 Why this is a Band 9 Answer:
- Task Response: The essay perfectly addresses both questions. It clearly states that a cashless society will happen and thoroughly explains the reasons for public resistance (loss of privacy, marginalization of the elderly/unbanked).
- Coherence & Cohesion: The essay utilizes a highly effective four-paragraph structure. Transition phrases guide the reader effortlessly through the complex arguments (However, Furthermore, Despite this progression, Additionally, In conclusion).
- Lexical Resource: Showcases an exceptional, sophisticated vocabulary suited for a socioeconomic discursive essay (ubiquity of digital transactions, inevitable trajectory, digital footprint, financial surveillance, digital disenfranchisement).
- Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Uses a wide variety of complex grammatical structures perfectly, creating a highly persuasive, authoritative, and academic tone.
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