Nowadays, celebrities are more famous for their glamour and wealth than for their achievements, and this sets a bad example for young people.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 2 question on IELTSX. Nowadays, celebrities are more famous for their glamour and wealth than for their achievements, and this sets a bad example for young people.

Celebrities famous for glamour and wealth setting bad examples for youth - IELTS Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Write at least 250 words.

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 8 ยท 320 words.

Nowadays, celebrities are often admired for their glamorous lifestyles and enormous wealth. Some people argue that these public figures set a negative example for young people because they encourage materialism and unrealistic expectations. I largely agree with this view, although celebrities can also have a positive influence.

One major reason why celebrities may negatively affect young people is that they frequently promote the idea that success is measured by money and appearance. Social media platforms are filled with pictures of expensive cars, designer clothes, luxury holidays and large houses. Young people who regularly see this content may begin to believe that having expensive possessions is essential for a happy and successful life. This can lead to excessive consumerism and dissatisfaction with their own circumstances. Furthermore, some celebrities become famous for controversial behaviour, such as excessive partying or irresponsible relationships, which impressionable teenagers may copy.

Another concern is that the glamorous lifestyles shown by celebrities are often unrealistic. Many young people may not understand that celebrities usually have professional teams, sponsorships and carefully edited social-media content. As a result, teenagers may compare themselves with these idealised images and develop unrealistic expectations about their own appearance, lifestyle and future success. This can also encourage young people to seek fame and wealth rather than focusing on education, personal development and meaningful careers.

However, not all celebrities have a harmful influence. Many famous people use their popularity to promote charitable causes, healthy lifestyles and educational opportunities. Athletes, scientists, actors and musicians can inspire young people to work hard and develop their talents. Therefore, the influence of celebrities depends largely on the values and behaviour they choose to promote.

In conclusion, although celebrities can inspire young people in positive ways, those who constantly display glamour and wealth can encourage materialism and unrealistic expectations. For this reason, young people should be taught to judge success by personal achievements and character rather than fame or financial status.

Examiner feedback

This is a well-structured and thoughtfully argued essay that fully addresses the prompt with sophisticated vocabulary and grammar. The writer maintains a clear position throughout, supported by coherent paragraphing and well-developed ideas.

Task Response - 8

- Fully addresses all parts of the prompt with a clear position throughout. - Presents well-developed ideas exploring materialism and unrealistic expectations. - Balances the discussion effectively by acknowledging positive influences.

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- Skilfully sequences information with a logical overall progression. - Uses paragraphing effectively with distinct central topics. - Employs a range of cohesive devices naturally.

Lexical Resource - 8

- Uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly. - Demonstrates strong control of less common lexical items and collocations. - Produces virtually no spelling or word formation errors.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 8

- Utilises a wide variety of complex sentence structures with high accuracy. - The vast majority of sentences are completely error-free. - Demonstrates excellent command of grammar and punctuation.

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