Plan this opinion essay about culture 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:
Reading literature is more valuable than watching film adaptations of the same stories.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
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.
Some people argue that reading a literary work is more valuable than watching a film version of the same story. I agree with this to a large extent, although I think films also have their place.
The first advantage of reading is that it demands active participation. Readers must picture characters, settings and events in their own minds, which exercises imagination in a way that watching a ready-made image does not. Books also provide much fuller detail than a two-hour film can. A novel may spend pages exploring a character's thoughts and motives, and its language, with its rhythm and vocabulary, is an important part of the experience that adaptations usually lose. For this reason, readers often develop a deeper understanding of characters and themes. Anyone who has read a long novel such as Anna Karenina and then watched a film of it will probably notice how much was left out.
On the other hand, films have real strengths. They are accessible to people who find reading difficult or who lack the time to finish a thick volume, and their music and visuals can be very engaging. Skilful directors can add meaning through images, so a good adaptation can offer a fresh interpretation of a story. Moreover, many people who see a film are inspired to read the original book, so the two forms can support one another. It is also true that a large number of people do not read long works at all, and a film may be their only contact with a classic.
In conclusion, reading offers greater depth and a more creative experience, so I consider it more valuable, but film adaptations can be an enjoyable introduction to literature and deserve appreciation in their own right.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| adaptation | film or play based on a book |
| classic literature | famous old books |
| use your imagination | picture things in your mind |
| vivid | clear and detailed |
| literary works | written works of art |
| visual medium | means of communication using images |
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