Some people think it is more beneficial for people to take part in team sports like football, while others think individual sports like swimming and tennis are better.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 2 question on IELTSX. Some people think it is more beneficial for people to take part in team sports like football, while others think individual sports like swimming and tennis are better.

Team Sports Football vs Individual Sports Swimming Tennis Better - IELTS Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

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 7.5 · 297 words.

The question of which sport type contributes more to one's personal and physical growth has sparked considerable debate, with some emphasizing that team sports like football can exert more positive effects, while critics argue that solo activities such as swimming and tennis are the most effective in terms of health and mental benefits. i firmly believe that  collaborative sports are far more advantageous in terms of personal development in comparison with solo athletic pursuits

On the one hand, proponents of team sports claim that they are of paramount importance to individuals in many ways, since these types of sports often require communication and collaborative strategy among players, thereby fostering a sense of camaraderie and collective spirit within the team. Another primary advantage lies in their ability to enhance leadership and empathy. Given that sports like football, basketball and others entail many players each having their own role and one taking charge of the group, players can incorporate abilities like leading people and understanding their needs and emotions gradually.

Conversely, there are compelling arguments advocating individual sports. First and foremost, self-resilience and self-improvement are the most significant merits that can be harnessed by playing solo, as a person's success solely hinges on personal accountability and ability while  playing alone. Take swimming as a striking example, where a swimmer must set goals, maintain a rigorous training schedule and keep working until he achieves a particular ambition without the involvement and assistance of others, ultimately leading to an enhanced sense of independence and self-awareness.

To conclude, while there are valid arguments on both sides of this debate, it is my firm belief that sports played in a team have far more positives and remain the better choice for many, particularly regarding the enhancement of social skills and sensitivity towards others.

Examiner feedback

This is a very strong essay that demonstrates high-level control of language and structure. The response is logically organized, utilizes a sophisticated range of vocabulary, and maintains a clear position, falling into the Band 7.5 bracket (rounded down to 7.5 based on 7, 8, 8, 8 criteria).

Task Response - 7

- Addresses all parts of the task by discussing both team and individual sports and providing a clear personal opinion. - Main ideas are relevant and well-supported, although the comparison between the two could be further extended to explain why* one is 'far more' advantageous than the other beyond just social skills. - The conclusion clearly restates the position, maintaining a consistent stance throughout the essay.

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- Information is sequenced logically with a clear progression from the introduction to the conclusion. - Paragraphing is used effectively, with each body paragraph focusing on a distinct central topic (team vs. individual sports). - Cohesive devices are used naturally, though there is a slight reliance on standard transition markers like 'On the one hand' and 'Conversely'.

Lexical Resource - 8

- Uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently to convey precise meanings (e.g., 'paramount importance', 'fostering a sense of camaraderie', 'self-resilience'). - Shows good awareness of collocation and style with sophisticated phrasing. - Very few errors; lexical choice is appropriate for an academic context.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 8

- A wide range of structures is used with a high degree of accuracy and flexibility. - The majority of sentences are error-free, utilizing complex structures such as conditional clauses and participle phrases correctly. - Punctuation is generally good, although there is a minor capitalization error at the start of the second sentence in the introduction.

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