Thao Ngo IELTS Student's Edition
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THAO NGO IELTS
MTESOL · Academic Director · IELTS–AI Trainer
IELTS Writing Task 2 · Essay Outline

Should Detailed Crime Reporting Be Limited? — 06.05.2026

Essay type: Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)Band 6.5-8.0Stance: Largely agreeTarget ≈ 300 wordsModel essay: Band 8.0
Student's Edition
Ngô Đức Thảo
Ngô Đức Thảo
MTESOL · Academic Director
Task 2 Topic

Some people believe that detailed reporting of crimes in newspapers and on TV can lead to harmful consequences and should therefore be limited.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this belief?

1Task analysis

ItemDetail
Essay typeOpinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)
Main topicWhether the media should report crimes in less detail because detailed reports can cause harm
Keywordsdetailed reporting of crimes · newspapers and on TV · harmful consequences · limited
Task focusJudge whether detailed crime news causes harm and should be limited
Required positionSay clearly how far you agree or disagree and keep the same position in every paragraph
Plain-English meaningWhen newspapers and TV describe crimes in great detail, it may cause problems. Should this kind of reporting be restricted?
Hidden trapThe issue is detailed reporting, not crime reporting in general. A good answer separates useful information (warnings) from harmful details (methods, graphic violence)
Chosen stanceLargely agree. Gratuitous detail can fuel imitation, distort public perceptions of risk and retraumatise victims; restraint should apply to details, not to the reporting of crime itself
Main-idea planBP1 → detailed and sensational coverage can trigger contagion and glorify offenders · BP2 → it distorts perceptions of risk and retraumatises victims; restraint, not silence

2Idea generation

Body 1 — Contagion and the glorification of offenders

  • Detailed methods and publicity create a contagion effect ✓ strongest
  • Offenders gain notoriety
  • Vulnerable individuals are influenced dự phòng

Body 2 — Distorted perceptions and harm to victims

  • Saturation coverage distorts perceptions of risk ✓ strongest
  • Victims are retraumatised
  • Public pressure can prejudice trials dự phòng

✓ strongest = ý dùng trong bài mẫu · dự phòng = ý thay thế, không có trong bài mẫu.

3Skeleton

Introduction
  • General statement: Detail to capture attention
  • Paraphrased task: Rewrite: exhaustive coverage → restrict
  • Thesis: Largely agree, target gratuitous detail
Body 1: Methods + notoriety → contagion, glorification of offenders
Body 2: Saturation → distorted risk; victims retraumatised; restraint not silence
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(50–70 words)

0 words
Goal: Topic → rewrite the statement → give your opinion.
General statement
Main idea: Detail to capture attention
Starter: In a competitive media … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Paraphrased task
Main idea: Rewrite: exhaustive coverage → restrict
Starter: Some contend that such … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Thesis
Main idea: Largely agree, target gratuitous detail
Starter: I largely agree, provided … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Body Paragraph 1 — Contagion and the glorification of offenders(100–125 words)

0 words
Goal: Reason 1: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: Risk of imitation
Starter: The most serious risk … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Contagion effect
Starter: Researchers have identified a … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: Copycat attacks after coverage
Starter: Following saturation coverage of … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 2
Main idea: Notoriety for offenders
Starter: By publishing offenders' names … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Further development
Main idea: Restraint saves lives
Starter: Restraint in this area … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Responsibility, not censorship
Starter: Such caution is a … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Body Paragraph 2 — Distorted perceptions and harm to victims(100–125 words)

0 words
Goal: Reason 2: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: Distortion and harm
Starter: Equally concerning is the … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Overestimated risk
Starter: Because violent crime is … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: Families confront details
Starter: Bereaved families, meanwhile, may … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 2
Main idea: Privacy + trauma
Starter: Not only does this … ·
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Further development
Main idea: Inform without intrusion
Starter: Responsible journalism can inform … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Serves the public interest
Starter: Limiting detail therefore serves … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Conclusion(40–55 words)

0 words
Goal: Repeat your opinion, sum up both reasons, final thought. No new ideas!
Restated thesis
Main idea: Largely agree
Starter: In conclusion, I largely … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Summary
Main idea: Imitation, glory, distortion, trauma
Starter: Excessive detail can inspire … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Final thought
Main idea: Restraint, not silence
Starter: The aim, however, should … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

📝 My essay

✓ saved

5Language bank (Band 6.5-8.0)

Mỗi đoạn có bảng collocation riêng. ✓ = có trong bài mẫu · + = cụm mở rộng để học viên tự dùng. 7.0 = nền tảng · 8.0 = nâng band.

Introduction

CollocationFormVietnameseBandBài mẫu
a competitive media landscapenoun phrasemôi trường truyền thông cạnh tranh8.0✓
capture attentionverb + nounthu hút sự chú ý7.0✓
exhaustive coverageadj + nounđưa tin cặn kẽ8.0✓
harmful consequencesadj + nounhậu quả có hại7.0✓
ought to be restrictedpassive phrasenên bị hạn chế8.0✓
gratuitous detailadj + nounchi tiết không cần thiết8.0✓

Body Paragraph 1 — Contagion and the glorification of offenders

CollocationFormVietnameseBandBài mẫu
the most serious risknoun phraserủi ro nghiêm trọng nhất7.0✓
inspire imitationverb + nounkhơi gợi sự bắt chước8.0✓
a contagion effectnoun phrasehiệu ứng lây lan8.0✓
extensive publicityadj + nounsự đưa tin rộng rãi7.0✓
similar offencesadj + nountội phạm tương tự7.0✓
saturation coveragenoun + nounđưa tin dày đặc8.0✓
a mass shootingnoun phrasevụ xả súng hàng loạt7.0✓
attempted copycat attacksnoun phrasecác vụ tấn công bắt chước8.0✓
personal historiesadj + nountiểu sử cá nhân7.0✓
grant them the notorietyverb phrasecho chúng tai tiếng8.0✓
not censorshipnoun phrasekhông phải kiểm duyệt7.0✓

Body Paragraph 2 — Distorted perceptions and harm to victims

CollocationFormVietnameseBandBài mẫu
distorts public perceptionsverb + nounbóp méo nhận thức công chúng8.0✓
inflicts further harmverb + noungây thêm tổn hại8.0✓
disproportionately representedpassive phraseđược thể hiện quá mức8.0✓
overestimate their own riskverb phraseđánh giá quá cao rủi ro của bản thân7.0✓
foster anxiety and mistrustverb + nounnuôi dưỡng lo âu và nghi ngờ8.0✓
bereaved familiesadj + nouncác gia đình mất người thân7.0✓
without their consentprep phrasekhông có sự đồng ý của họ7.0✓
violate their privacyverb + nounxâm phạm quyền riêng tư7.0✓
prolongs their traumaverb + nounkéo dài sang chấn8.0✓
responsible journalismadj + nounbáo chí có trách nhiệm7.0✓
the public interestadj + nounlợi ích công cộng7.0✓

Conclusion

CollocationFormVietnameseBandBài mẫu
In conclusionlinkertóm lại7.0✓
detailed reporting of crimesnoun phraseđưa tin tội phạm chi tiết7.0✓
glorify offendersverb + nountôn vinh kẻ phạm tội8.0✓
distort perceptions of riskverb phrasebóp méo nhận thức về rủi ro8.0✓
retraumatise victimsverb + noungây sang chấn lại cho nạn nhân8.0✓
restraint rather than silencenoun phrasekiềm chế chứ không im lặng7.0✓

Useful structures

6Self-check before you submit

7🔒 Model Essay (Band 8.0)

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