Is Following the News a Waste of Time? — 15.05.2026
Essay type: Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)Band 5.5-6.5Stance: Strongly disagreeTarget ≈ 280 wordsModel essay: Band 6.5
Student's Edition
Ngô Đức Thảo
MTESOL · Academic Director
Task 2 Topic
Some people think the news has no connection to people's lives, so then it is a waste of time to read the news in the newspaper and watch television news programs. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
1Task analysis
Item
Detail
Essay type
Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)
Main topic
Whether reading and watching the news is pointless because it has nothing to do with people's lives
Keywords
the news · no connection to people's lives · a waste of time · newspaper · television news programs
Task focus
Judge whether the news is irrelevant to ordinary people and therefore a waste of time
Required position
Say clearly how far you agree or disagree and keep the same position in every paragraph
Plain-English meaning
Some people say news stories do not affect our lives, so reading or watching the news is useless. Do you agree?
Hidden trap
The statement has two parts: a claim (no connection to people's lives) and a conclusion (a waste of time). Disprove the claim with concrete ways news affects daily life
Chosen stance
Strongly disagree. The news contains practical information that directly affects daily life and enables people to make informed decisions as citizens, workers and consumers
Main-idea plan
BP1 → news provides practical information on weather, health, prices and laws · BP2 → informed citizens make better choices about voting, money and careers
Informed citizens make better political and financial choices ✓ strongest
Economic news helps career and investment decisions
Global news builds understanding dự phòng
✓ strongest = ý dùng trong bài mẫu · dự phòng = ý thay thế, không có trong bài mẫu.
3Skeleton
Introduction
General statement: Traditional news seen as old-fashioned
Paraphrased task: Rewrite: irrelevant, pointless
Thesis: Strongly disagree
Body 1: Weather, health, prices, laws → direct effect on daily life
Body 2: Informed choices: voting, money, careers
Conclusion: Restate the opinion → summarise both reasons → final thought
4Plan & write your paragraphs
How to use: Read the main idea, tap the cue words to add them to the box, then write
your own sentence. Your essay is built automatically at the bottom and saved in this browser.
Introduction(45–60 words)
0 words
Goal: Topic → rewrite the statement → give your opinion.
General statement
Main idea: Traditional news seen as old-fashioned
Starter: In the age of … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Paraphrased task
Main idea: Rewrite: irrelevant, pointless
Starter: Some people even claim … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Thesis
Main idea: Strongly disagree
Starter: I strongly disagree with … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Body Paragraph 1 — Practical relevance to everyday life(90–110 words)
0 words
Goal: Reason 1: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: Practical information
Starter: The main reason I … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Weather, health, prices, laws
Starter: News reports cover topics … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: News during the pandemic
Starter: For example, during the … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 2
Main idea: Local news
Starter: Local news also informs … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Claim is inaccurate
Starter: Therefore, claiming that the … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Body Paragraph 2 — Informed citizens and personal decisions(90–110 words)
0 words
Goal: Reason 2: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: Informed decisions
Starter: In addition, following the … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Politics and economy
Starter: Without accurate information about … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: Economic news and buying a house
Starter: For instance, a person … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 2
Main idea: Career choices
Starter: News about job markets … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Investment in decisions
Starter: As a result, time … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Conclusion(35–50 words)
0 words
Goal: Repeat your opinion, sum up both reasons, final thought. No new ideas!
Restated thesis
Main idea: Strongly disagree
Starter: In conclusion, I strongly … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Summary
Main idea: Practical + informed decisions
Starter: The news provides practical … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Final thought
Main idea: Choose trustworthy sources
Starter: People should, however, choose … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
📝 My essay
✓ saved
5Language bank (Band 5.5-6.5)
Mỗi đoạn có bảng collocation riêng. ✓ = có trong bài mẫu · + = cụm mở rộng để học viên tự dùng. 5.5 = nền tảng · 6.5 = nâng band.
Introduction
Collocation
Form
Vietnamese
Band
Bài mẫu
the age of social media
noun phrase
thời đại mạng xã hội
6.5
✓
traditional newspapers
adj + noun
báo truyền thống
5.5
✓
television news programmes
noun phrase
chương trình thời sự truyền hình
5.5
✓
irrelevant to ordinary people
adv + adj
không liên quan đến người bình thường
6.5
✓
seen as old-fashioned
passive phrase
bị xem là lỗi thời
5.5
✓
Body Paragraph 1 — Practical relevance to everyday life
Collocation
Form
Vietnamese
Band
Bài mẫu
practical information
adj + noun
thông tin thực tế
5.5
✓
directly affects
verb + adv
ảnh hưởng trực tiếp
6.5
✓
weather warnings
noun + noun
cảnh báo thời tiết
5.5
✓
health advice
noun + noun
lời khuyên sức khoẻ
5.5
✓
rising prices
adj + noun
giá cả tăng
5.5
✓
lockdown rules
noun + noun
quy định phong toả
6.5
✓
school closures
noun + noun
việc đóng cửa trường học
6.5
✓
road works
noun + noun
công trình sửa đường
5.5
✓
public services
adj + noun
dịch vụ công
5.5
✓
simply inaccurate
adv + adj
đơn giản là không chính xác
6.5
✓
Body Paragraph 2 — Informed citizens and personal decisions
Collocation
Form
Vietnamese
Band
Bài mẫu
make informed decisions
verb phrase
đưa ra quyết định sáng suốt
6.5
✓
citizens and consumers
noun phrase
công dân và người tiêu dùng
5.5
✓
accurate information
adj + noun
thông tin chính xác
5.5
✓
poor financial choices
noun phrase
lựa chọn tài chính tồi
6.5
✓
economic news
adj + noun
tin kinh tế
5.5
✓
interest rates
noun + noun
lãi suất
6.5
✓
job markets
noun + noun
thị trường việc làm
5.5
✓
good prospects
adj + noun
triển vọng tốt
6.5
✓
better decision-making
noun phrase
ra quyết định tốt hơn
5.5
✓
Conclusion
Collocation
Form
Vietnamese
Band
Bài mẫu
In conclusion
linker
tóm lại
5.5
✓
a waste of time
noun phrase
sự lãng phí thời gian
5.5
✓
informed decisions
adj + noun
quyết định sáng suốt
5.5
✓
trustworthy sources
adj + noun
nguồn đáng tin
6.5
✓
politics, money and careers
noun phrase
chính trị, tiền bạc và sự nghiệp
6.5
✓
Useful structures
Although + clause, + main clause (concession)
Noun, which + verb …, + main verb (non-defining relative clause)
If + present, + will / can + verb (conditional for results)
This means that + clause (explaining a consequence)
… be + past participle (passive voice for processes and policies)
6Self-check before you submit
7🔒 Model Essay (Band 6.5)
Hãy viết bài của em trước. Khi đủ 250 từ, ô mật khẩu sẽ mở — xin mật khẩu từ giáo viên để xem bài mẫu và so sánh.
