Write at least 250 words · 40 minutes
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Ideas to get you started
- Social media is fast and gives a voice to ordinary people
- False stories can spread quickly without checks
- Users may only see opinions they already agree with
A plan for this question
- Introduction: paraphrase both views and give your opinion: social media has advantages as a news source, but the risks are more serious.
- Body 1 (positive view): speed, eyewitness reports, a voice for ordinary people and ignored groups, discussion, free access.
- Body 2 (concern): no editors checking posts, false stories spread faster, feeds show people what they already agree with, division.
- Conclusion: your opinion plus a practical suggestion: use reliable sources too, and teach young people to check stories.
Model essay
270 words
A growing number of people now rely on social media rather than newspapers or television for their news. Some welcome this change, while others are worried by it. In my opinion, although social media has real advantages as a news source, the risks are more serious.
Those who see this as positive point to speed and openness. News appears on social media within minutes, often reported by people at the scene, long before traditional media can publish it. Social media also gives a voice to ordinary people and to groups whose stories are ignored by large news organisations, and it allows readers to discuss events and share different points of view. In addition, most of this content is free, so people who cannot afford newspapers still have access to information.
On the other hand, critics argue that social media spreads false information. Unlike newspaper articles, posts are not checked by editors before they are published, and dramatic or untrue stories are often shared more widely than accurate ones because they attract attention. Furthermore, the systems that choose what each user sees tend to show people content similar to what they already like, so many users mainly see opinions they already agree with. Over time, this can make societies more divided and less able to agree on basic facts.
In conclusion, while social media makes news faster and more open, I believe its lack of checks and its tendency to strengthen existing views make it a cause for concern. People should use it alongside reliable news sources, and schools should teach young people how to check whether a story is true.
Written by Acedmi to show what a high-band essay looks like. It is not an official IELTS sample, and your own ideas can be different.
Useful vocabulary
- news source
- Where people get their news.
- “Social media is now her main news source.”
- misinformation
- False information, spread by mistake or on purpose.
- “Misinformation spreads quickly online.”
- fact-check
- Check that information is true.
- “Newspapers fact-check stories before printing them.”
- eyewitness
- A person who saw an event happen.
- “Eyewitness videos appeared within minutes.”
- echo chamber
- A space where you only hear views like your own.
- “Social media can become an echo chamber.”
- give a voice to
- Let a group express its views.
- “Social media gives a voice to ordinary people.”
- reliable
- Able to be trusted.
- “Use reliable sources to check a story.”
- a cause for concern
- Something that people should worry about.
- “Fake news is a cause for concern.”
Common mistakes
- Writing about social media in general, such as addiction or friendships. Keep to social media as a source of news.
- "The news are". "News" is uncountable, so write "the news is".
- Giving only one view. Both views need a full paragraph before your opinion.
What the examiner marks
Four criteria, equally weighted: Task Response (answer every part of the question with a clear position), Coherence and Cohesion (logical paragraphs and linking), Lexical Resource (range and accuracy of vocabulary) and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. An essay under 250 words loses marks for Task Response.