IELTS ACADEMIC
SAMPLE 2-20

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: It is generally believed that the Internet is an excellent means of communication but some people suggest that it may not be the best place to find information. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your  own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.

Model answer
Using the Internet has become a normal part of everyday life for many people. They use it to book airline tickets, or to access news about world events, or to follow the fortunes of their favourite football club. Millions of people across the world belong to social networking groups where they keep in touch with their friends and if they live away from them, their family. In my opinion these are all good ways to use the Internet.
When it comes to finding out information there are some very good sites where it is possible to check, for example, someone's biographical details or statistics about global warming. However, information from the Internet should be used with caution, because although there are many reliable sites, such as academic journals and well-known newspapers, there are also unreliable ones, so it is important to check where information originates from before using it.
Some students use websites which offer ready-made assignments. This is not a good idea, even if you ignore the fact that it is cheating, because such websites may contain factual errors or biased views. In a recent case, a student found herself in serious trouble when she submitted an essay from one of these sites only to discover that it was about Austria, not Australia, but had an error in the title.
Nevertheless, it is nowadays possible for people all over the world to study or do business on an equal footing, in a way that was unimaginable only a few years ago. On the whole I believe that the Internet is an excellent way both to communicate and to find information, as long as it is used intelligently.
(278 words)