Prompt
Discuss both views – Team sports
Some people believe team sports teach important life skills, while others think individual sports are better. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Band 9 sample answer
Band 9 sample answer
People disagree about whether team or individual sports are more valuable for personal development. Proponents of team games say they teach cooperation and other workplace-ready abilities, whereas supporters of solo sports argue they build deeper self-discipline. This essay discusses both perspectives and argues that team sports usually provide a wider set of life skills, although individual disciplines can be exceptionally effective for some personalities.
Those who favour team sports emphasise that they require constant interaction and shared decision-making. In sports such as football, basketball or hockey, players must communicate quickly, interpret others’ intentions and accept different roles for the sake of a common plan. These habits mirror adult life: colleagues coordinate tasks, compromise, and sometimes follow rather than lead. Team settings also teach conflict management, because disagreements with referees, opponents or even teammates are inevitable. Learning to take feedback from a coach, apologise after a mistake and refocus on the next play develops emotional control and accountability.
By contrast, individual sports like swimming, athletics and tennis can nurture independence and mental toughness more directly. Since performance is highly visible and responsibility cannot be shared, athletes are pushed to set their own goals, analyse weaknesses and persevere through solitary training sessions. For instance, a runner preparing for a marathon must follow a plan for months, often in poor weather, which strengthens persistence and intrinsic motivation. Individual competition can also sharpen concentration, because a lapse in focus immediately affects results.
In my view, while solo sports are excellent for building self-reliance, team sports are better for most people because modern study and employment depend heavily on collaboration, communication and leadership. Ideally, schools should offer both so students gain balanced strengths and can choose what suits them best.
Verified word count: 289
Why this answer works
explanation
It discusses both viewpoints in depth, then gives a clear opinion that is consistent throughout. Each body paragraph explains specific ‘life skills’ and shows how the sport environment trains them, supported by realistic examples (team conflict/feedback; marathon training discipline). The argument progresses logically from comparison to judgement, with precise, natural vocabulary and a controlled mix of complex and simple sentences.
what this question tests
This Task 2 ‘discuss both views and give your opinion’ prompt tests your ability to: (1) present and compare two contrasting perspectives fairly; (2) take a clear, consistent position; (3) support ideas with specific, realistic examples; and (4) organise an essay with logical progression and accurate, flexible language.
Useful vocabulary and phrases
workplace-ready abilities
Links sport to real-life outcomes in an academic, specific way.
Team sports can develop workplace-ready abilities such as communication and cooperation.
shared decision-making
A natural collocation that strengthens the teamwork argument.
In team games, success depends on shared decision-making during play.
for the sake of a common plan
Directly connects sport behaviour to ‘life skills’ like cooperation.
Players accept different roles for the sake of a common plan.
conflict management
High-value academic term relevant to team contexts.
Team environments teach conflict management when tensions arise.
solitary training sessions
Creates vivid specificity for the individual-sport view.
Individual athletes often rely on solitary training sessions to improve.
a lapse in focus
Precise language for mental skills and performance.
In tennis, a lapse in focus can quickly change the outcome of a match.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Discussing only one view and adding a brief sentence about the other.
- Listing ‘life skills’ without explaining how the sport actually develops them.
- Using extreme claims (e.g., ‘team sports always…’) without qualification.
- Giving an opinion that is inconsistent between the introduction and conclusion.
- Adding new main arguments in the conclusion instead of summarising.
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