The IELTS Teacher Mastering IELTS Writing: Live Class

Some people think that sports play an important role in society. Others
think they are nothing more than a leisure activity

Discuss both views and give your opinion

Sport has been practiced within societies for millennia. However, while some
believe that the role which sport plays is of great importance, others feel that
its only function is leisure. I tend to agree with the former view, and this essay
will support my opinion via a discussion of both sides.

On the one hand, those who argue that sport has no more signi cant purpose
than as a recreational activity might point to its essentially trivial nature. They
may suggest that, since all sports are, at root, games involving physicality,
their role in society cannot be of any substance. For instance, people enjoy
doing and watching sports as a way to enjoyably pass the time, but this is the
extent of sport’s societal in uence. If all sports vanished from society
tomorrow, the only consequence would be that people would need to nd
another way to ll the time.

On the other hand, my view is that sports also provide crucial physical and
psychological health bene ts for society. To begin with the former, the
evidence for sport’s impact on physical health is vast and undeniable. To
illustrate, doing sports on a regular basis can help to control blood sugar
levels, improve heart function and lower the risk of cancer. As for the latter,
sport has been shown to enhance resilience, reduce stress, and boost self-
esteem. As a society is only as healthy as its members, it must be concluded
that sport’s impact on personal health proves its vital role in society as more
than simply as leisure activity.

In conclusion, because of the sizeable in uence which sport can have on

public health, I would agree with those who argue that its role in society is
much more substantial than a simple pastime.

The IELTS Teacher 2021

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