Some people say that television is useful for education, while others say it is useful only for entertainment. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

It is often argued that
TV
can be educational, while others would argue that it is strictly for enjoyment.
Although
television programmes can teach us about the world, most people only watch shows that are of no educational value whatsoever and for
this
reason, I agree with the latter view. Documentaries can provide knowledge and give people a greater understanding of various topics,
such
as nature, history and science.
This
allows viewers to experience academic disciplines through a medium
that is
outside the classroom and some might say more enthralling than a lecture or lesson from a teacher.
For example
, many tune in to the BBC’s wildlife documentaries and learn all sorts of new facts about animals that they might not have been interested in when at school.
However
, documentaries only represent a tiny fraction of what people actually watch on
TV
and I would argue that they are not representative of most television genres. The most popular types of
TV
show are soap operas,
sit-coms
a humorous drama based on situations that might arise in day-to-day life
sitcoms
and comedies that leave most people a little less intelligent after watching them. Due to the fact that they are aimed at a very wide audience, these shows appeal to the lowest common denominator intellectually.
Furthermore
, they prevent people from carrying out more
cerebrally
challenging tasks,
such
as thinking.
For instance
, the most popular programmes in the UK are Coronation Street and EastEnders and nearly 20 million daily viewers do not watch them to learn anything, they do so in order to be entertained.
This
essay,
therefore
, agrees that, for the vast majority of people, the main function of
TV
is for entertainment only. In conclusion, despite a few wildlife and science programmes providing a good source of knowledge, the overwhelming majority of people watch
TV
for pleasure and
that is
its main use.
Submitted by u.sama2009 on

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Include an introduction and conclusion

A conclusion is essential for IELTS writing task 2. It is more important than most people realise. You will be penalised for missing a conclusion in your IELTS essay.

The easiest paragraph to write in an essay is the conclusion paragraph. This is because the paragraph mostly contains information that has already been presented in the essay – it is just the repetition of some information written in the introduction paragraph and supporting paragraphs.

The conclusion paragraph only has 3 sentences:

  • Summary
  • Restatement of thesis
  • Prediction or recommendation

Example:

To summarize, a robotic teacher does not have the necessary disciple to properly give instructions to students and actually works to retard the ability of a student to comprehend new lessons. Therefore, it is clear that the idea of running a classroom completely by a machine cannot be supported. After thorough analysis on this subject, it is predicted that the adverse effects of the debate over technology-driven teaching will always be greater than the positive effects, and because of this, classroom teachers will never be substituted for technology.

Start your conclusion with a linking phrase. Here are some examples:

  • In conclusion
  • To conclude
  • To summarize
  • Finally
  • In a nutshell
  • In general

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Topic Vocabulary:
  • educational programs
  • informative documentaries
  • interactive learning
  • entertaining content
  • reality shows
  • cartoons
  • intellectual development
  • parental guidance
  • screen time
  • creative thinking
  • educational potential
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