IELTS Task 2 opinion essay: Negative news in the media
A Task 2 opinion question. Give your own view and keep it clear in every paragraph: agreeing in part is fine, as long as you say how far and why.
6 students’ essays below, each marked by Axiom, from band 6.5 to 9.0. Updated on 2 May 2025.
The question
The tendency that news reports in the media focus on problems and emergencies rather than on positive developments is harmful for individuals and the society.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Students’ essays on this question, marked by Axiom
Real answers, shared without their writers’ names, newest first. Each opens with its revisions marked in place. Estimated by AI. It isn’t an official IELTS score.
Overall band, an AI estimate: 8.0
Essay #6
Task response 8.0, coherence 8.0, vocabulary 8.0, grammar 8.0
Negative developments such as crime, natural disasters, or terrorist attacks often receive a disproportionate amount of media attention compared to positive news. This…
Overall band, an AI estimate: 6.5
Essay #5
Task response 7.0, coherence 6.0, vocabulary 7.0, grammar 7.0
Today, in many corners of the world negative developments such as crime, natural disasters, or terrorist attacks often claimed an excessive amount of media attention…
Overall band, an AI estimate: 8.0
Essay #4
Task response 9.0, coherence 8.0, vocabulary 8.0, grammar 8.0
The media is often criticized for disproportionately focusing on negative developments such as crime, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks. While this concern is…
Overall band, an AI estimate: 7.0
Essay #3
Task response 7.0, coherence 7.0, vocabulary 7.0, grammar 7.0
In the media, disproportionate amounts of negative developments such as crime, natural disasters, or terrorist attacks receive more attention compared to positive news.…
Overall band, an AI estimate: 9.0
Essay #2
Task response 9.0, coherence 9.0, vocabulary 9.0, grammar 9.0
The tendency for the media to focus on problems and emergencies rather than positive developments can have harmful effects on both individuals and society. I agree with…
Overall band, an AI estimate: 8.0
Essay #1
Task response 8.0, coherence 8.0, vocabulary 8.0, grammar 8.0
There is a view that the news media tend to publicize negative news, such as issues and emergencies, over positive news, and that this is harmful to the public and…
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