Sample IELTS Writing Task 2: Live performances

In a recent IELTS Writing Task 2 exam, test-takers were asked to give their personal opinion on the topic "Attending live performances is more enjoyable than watching the event on television". So, how can you come up with great ideas, quickly create an outline, use high-scoring vocabulary, and incorporate a variety of grammatical structures? Check out the article below from PREP to address these challenges!

I. The task and outline of IELTS Writing Task 2: Live performances

Before exploring the IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essay on "Live performances", let's quickly go through the full task prompt and a detailed outline with PREP.

1. Task

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Watching a live performance such as a play, concert, or sporting event is more enjoyable than watching the same event on television. 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.

2. Outline

Let's quickly review the detailed outline for the IELTS Writing Task 2 essay on "Live Performances" below.

II. Sample IELTS Writing Task 2: Live performances

After reviewing the task prompt and outline for the IELTS Writing Task 2 essay on "Live Performances", let's quickly go through the high-quality sample essay provided by PREP.

According to some pundits, the means through which sporting or entertainment events can be watched greatly affects one's enjoyment. Specifically, these people contend that witnessing these activities in person provides more satisfaction compared to viewing them on television. I mostly agree with them, even though the other option deserves some consideration.

On the one hand, watching televised broadcasts has its own advantages. Firstly, the viewing experience of sporting events can be vastly enhanced. Professional camera work lets the audience watch instant replays, while commentary delivers analysis of a certain play. This, as a result, enriches their comprehension of a match in progress. Besides that, televised broadcasts offer immense convenience, as people can witness the spectacle without having to jostle with crowds. Watching a concert from the comfort of one’s home, for instance, is pleasurable, as the audience may view close-up shots while sipping their favorite beverage, far removed from the discomfort of bumping into random people.

However, live performances can outshine television broadcasts. What a live event lacks in comfort, it makes up for with a multitude of sensory inputs. In a concert, for example, not only does the audience enjoy the music, but they also bask in the ambience, the crowd’s vibrancy, and the aura of the performer. This combination provides what many describe as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Live spectators of a sporting performance, meanwhile, can be eyewitnesses to the true physicality and skill being displayed, thereby enhancing their sense of appreciation for the participating athletes. As the late novelist David Foster Wallace once remarked, watching a live tennis match is unlike seeing it on television, as the camera angles from a broadcast belie the speed of a ball on the court, the only factor to attest the mastery and brilliance of the players who have to hit it.

In conclusion, although both live and televised events are enjoyable, I believe the former option provides a richer, deeper and more exhilarating experience. However, that does not mean witnessing a performance in person is the only way to derive satisfaction from it, as the choice is ultimately down to individual preference or financial constraints.

Vocabulary used in the IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essay on "Live Performances":

• Means (n.): method, way

• Instant replay (n.): slow-motion replay

• Commentary (n.): analysis, commentary

• In progress (pp.): ongoing

• Immense (adj.): very large

• Spectacle (n.): extraordinary scene

• Jostle (v.): shove, push

• Close-up shot (n.): close-up view

• Sip sth (v.): take a sip of something

• Beverage (n.): drink

• Bump into sth (v.): collide with something

• Outshine sth (v.): outperform, surpass

• Sensory input (n.): sensory experience

• Bask in sth (v.): revel in, enjoy

• Ambience (n.): atmosphere

• Vibrancy (n.): liveliness

• Aura (n.): atmosphere, vibe

• Be eyewitness to sth (v.): witness something firsthand

• True (adj.): genuine, real

• Physicality (n.): physical aspect

• Late (adj.): deceased

• Belie sth (v.): fail to represent something adequately

• Attest sth (v.): testify to, provide evidence of

• Mastery (n.): expertise

• Brilliance (n.): exceptional talent

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Hopefully, after reading the above article, you have grasped the specific topic, detailed outline, and the highest quality IELTS Writing Task 2 sample on Live performances. Keep following PREP to regularly update your useful English knowledge!