Plan this two-part essay about sport with the ideas and outline below, write it on a 40-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
The use of banned drugs by athletes to improve performance is a growing problem in professional sport.
Why is this happening? What can be done to address it?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
Pick two or three points from one or both columns. You do not need all of them, and your own examples score better than memorised ones.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 250 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
The use of banned substances to improve performance has become a serious problem in professional sport. This essay will explain why athletes dope and suggest ways of tackling the issue.
The most important reason is the scale of the rewards. Winning a major title can bring prize money, sponsorship contracts and lasting fame, so athletes may feel that the potential gain is worth the risk. Pressure also plays a part. Competitors believe that rivals are cheating and fear being left behind if they do not do the same, and coaches, federations or even governments may push them to produce medals. A third factor is that new drugs and methods are developed constantly, and laboratories often take years to find a way of detecting them, which gives dishonest athletes a good chance of avoiding discovery.
Several measures could reduce doping. Firstly, regular, unannounced testing throughout the year, not only at competitions, makes it far harder to schedule drug use around known dates. Samples should be stored for many years and re-tested as technology improves, which has already led to medals being withdrawn long after events. Secondly, punishments need to be severe enough to deter, such as lifetime bans and heavy fines, and officials or doctors who help athletes should be penalised as well. Finally, education is vital. Young athletes and their coaches should understand the health dangers, including heart disease and hormonal damage, and the moral importance of fair play, so that fewer of them are tempted in the first place.
In conclusion, doping persists because of financial rewards, competitive pressure and difficulties in detection. Stronger testing, tougher penalties and better education would protect both the integrity and the health of sport.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| performance-enhancing drugs | substances that improve ability |
| doping test | check for banned substances |
| lifetime ban | never allowed to compete again |
| cheat | act dishonestly |
| level of competition | how strong the rivals are |
| integrity of sport | honest and fair character of sport |
Answer random Part 1, 2 and 3 questions on an exam timer.
Average your four skill bands, rounded the way IELTS rounds them.
Compare an IELTS band with TOEFL, Duolingo and PTE scores and CEFR levels.
Look up the IELTS score a university asks for, with the source.