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Writing Samples
Band 8

Under British and Australian laws a jury in a criminal case has no access to information about the defendant's past criminal record. This protects the person who is being accused of the crime. Some lawyers have suggested that this practice should be changed and that a jury should be given all the past facts before they reach their decision about the case. Do you agree or disagree?

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In criminal trials, juries in Britain and Australia are generally not told about a defendant’s previous convictions, as
this
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 may prejudice their
judgement
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judgment
. Some lawyers argue that jurors should
instead
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 have access to all past facts before deciding a
case
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. I mostly disagree with
this
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 proposal because a verdict should be based on
evidence
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 relating to the specific crime being tried. The strongest reason for keeping criminal records from the jury is that they can create unfair bias. If jurors know that a defendant has committed offences before, they may assume that the person is guilty again, even when the
evidence
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 in the current
case
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 is weak.
This
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 would undermine the principle that every accused person should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
For example
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, someone with a previous conviction for theft might be unfairly judged in a later robbery
case
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 simply because of their past, rather than because of reliable
evidence
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.
Moreover
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, allowing past records into court could distract jurors from the central question: whether the defendant committed
this
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 particular crime. A justice system should punish proven actions, not a person’s general character. If background information becomes too influential, trials may turn into moral assessments of an individual’s life rather than careful examinations of facts, witnesses, and forensic
evidence
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.
However
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, there may be limited exceptions. If a previous offence is directly relevant to the present
case
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,
such
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 as showing a highly specific pattern of behaviour, a judge could decide whether it should be admitted.
This
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 would protect fairness
while
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 still allowing important
evidence
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 when truly necessary. In conclusion, I believe juries should not normally be given access to a defendant’s past criminal record. Justice is best served when decisions are based on the facts of the current
case
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, with only carefully controlled exceptions.

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task response
For task response, your answer is clear and you give your opinion from the start. To reach a higher score, you can add one more strong example to show why your view is right.
task response
For task response, your ideas are good and on topic, but you can explain the other side a little more before you reject it.
coherence and cohesion
For coherence and cohesion, your essay is easy to follow and each paragraph has one clear main idea. To improve, you can make links between ideas a little smoother.
coherence and cohesion
For coherence and cohesion, your conclusion is strong. To get a higher score, you can develop one body paragraph a bit more with one extra supporting point.
task response
For task response, you answer all parts of the question and your opinion is clear all the way through.
task response
For task response, your example about theft and robbery is relevant and helps support your point.
coherence and cohesion
For coherence and cohesion, your essay has a clear start, middle, and end.
coherence and cohesion
For coherence and cohesion, words like 'Moreover', 'However', and 'In conclusion' help guide the reader well.
Fully explain your ideas

To get an excellent score in the IELTS Task 2 writing section, one of the easiest and most effective tips is structuring your writing in the most solid format. A great argument essay structure may be divided to four paragraphs, in which comprises of four sentences (excluding the conclusion paragraph, which comprises of three sentences).

For we to consider an essay structure a great one, it should be looking like this:

  • Paragraph 1 - Introduction
    • Sentence 1 - Background statement
    • Sentence 2 - Detailed background statement
    • Sentence 3 - Thesis
    • Sentence 4 - Outline sentence
  • Paragraph 2 - First supporting paragraph
    • Sentence 1 - Topic sentence
    • Sentence 2 - Example
    • Sentence 3 - Discussion
    • Sentence 4 - Conclusion
  • Paragraph 3 - Second supporting paragraph
    • Sentence 1 - Topic sentence
    • Sentence 2 - Example
    • Sentence 3 - Discussion
    • Sentence 4 - Conclusion
  • Paragraph 4 - Conclusion
    • Sentence 1 - Summary
    • Sentence 2 - Restatement of thesis
    • Sentence 3 - Prediction or recommendation

Our recommended essay structure above comprises of fifteen (15) sentences, which will make your essay approximately 250 to 275 words.

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