Is Freedom of Speech Necessary in a Free Society? - IELTS Writing Task 2

The IELTS Agree-Disagree essay, also known as an IELTS Opinion Essay, asks test-takers to present a clear stance on a specific statement, where they should clearly state whether they agree or disagree with a given opinion. One common topic: “Is Freedom of Speech Necessary in a Free Society? - IELTS Writing Task 2.” In this blog, you'll find 3 sample Band 9 answers to this topic, each showcasing different perspectives. We've also included useful vocabulary to help you boost your lexical resource score.

Learn how to write the perfect IELTS essay introduction for a Band 9 score with the guide below!

Below is a sample IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay for the IELTS Essay topic:

Question

Outline

Essay Type

Opinion Essay (Agree/Disagree)

Structure Breakdown

Introduction

• Sentence 1 & 2: Paraphrase the topic and briefly mention that it has two sides using synonyms.
• Sentence 3: Clearly state your opinion (agree/disagree).

Body Paragraphs

• Paragraph 1: Present your first main reason for agreeing/disagreeing. Support it with explanations or examples.
• Paragraph 2: Present your second main reason with supporting details. Avoid adding too many ideas in one paragraph.
• Paragraph 3 (optional): Briefly acknowledge the opposing view and explain why your stance is stronger.

Conclusion

• Summarize your main points and restate your opinion clearly and confidently.

Is Freedom of Speech Necessary in a Free Society? - Sample Answer 1

Human beings have an unquestionable need to express themselves and their needs through various forms, the most common of which is speech. Therefore, my opinion is that the freedom of speech is of vital importance in order for a society to be called “free”.

Freedom of speech brings about numerous benefits which can be put into two aspects. The first one is for a nation. Freedom of speech, provided that it is protected by law, enables the press or a citizen to show the wrongdoings of one or some specific authorities. This gives a chance for careful inquiries to ensure the transparency of the authority. Thus, corruption can be hampered. Another consequent outcome is that the nation becomes appealing to both domestic and foreign investors, which boosts its economic growth a great deal. Given the freedom of speech, the press, or broadly speaking, the media, can also assist people in elections. Citizens can have a clearer view of the nominees through information from the media besides their campaigns to pick up the best person to lead the country. The other aspect is for each individual living in a society. Any citizen should be free to say what she believes is right and helpful for her life and her community. It means that people can speak up their opinion when there is something wrong, illegal, or negatively affect their lives. For instance, a group of citizens can show disapproval with an unfair policy on tax payment publicly through a demonstration or on the media. This can put pressure on the government to consider their request and work out a solution. If people’s voice is respected, they will feel that their need of self expression is satisfied. Thus, the community becomes worth-living with people with a high sense of well-being.

In a nutshell, freedom of speech, once respected and guaranteed by law, is essential for a healthy society as it helps adjust the quality of the government and protect people from injustice. That is why it should be encouraged more widely.

Is Freedom of Speech Necessary in a Free Society? - Sample Answer 2

Freedom of speech is very important for a citizen to upgrade himself and society. Freedom is a key point to initiate development and bring people closer, start networking and move forward for a mission like, Mission of change, Mission of independence etc.

Freedom of speaking is necessary for anyone either he is 2 years old kid or 60 years old man. It gives people courage to communicate to make decisions and work on that. For Example Politician: they speak in public places to make the commitments and plans to develop the country. Audience listen to them patiently, analyse their words and gives approval in the form of vote to win, so that he can get a chance to work on his promises and commitments.

Furthermore, Freedom is fragrance of beautiful society. It makes you extrovert and nourishes you to achieve defined goal. Whereas this privilege is only limited to politicians these days. Those who are not politicians and if they speak something true about someone, they can be killed or murdered, if the opponent party is stronger than them. It also limits anyone to take decisions and forces you to think 100 times before speaking in public place. Hence we become slaves in our own country.

Therefore, I truly believe that citizen should have freedom to speak in favour or against of anyone. Facing the problems and keeping quiet can bring disaster and put us in soup. Instead of giving up the problems we need to become unite and work together. Likewise, makes the hey when sun shines.

Is Freedom of Speech Necessary in a Free Society? - Sample Answer 3

In the last decade, there has been considerable debate over the role of free speech in a free society. Some object to absolute freedom of speech. Others advocate free speech, arguing that the freedom of speech is the single most important political right of citizens in a civilized society. Whilst I believe that there are strong arguments on both sides, I would suggest that freedom of speech should be protected in all but extreme circumstances.

The freedom of speech is important at all levels in a society. Yet it is most important for government. A government which does not know what the people feel and think is in a dangerous position. This is how the communist regimes of Eastern Europe were toppled in the 1980s. The same is happening again in other regions of the world today. The governments that muzzle free speech run a risk of pushing their people to behave destructively or to rebel.

Furthermore, without free speech no political action is possible and no resistance to injustice and oppression is possible. Without free speech elections would have no meaning at all. Policies of contestants become known to the public and become responsive to public opinion only by virtue of free speech. Between elections the freely expressed opinions of citizens help restrain oppressive rule. Without this freedom it is futile to expect political freedom or consequently economic freedom.

In conclusion, I believe that the importance of free speech as a basic and valuable characteristic of a free society cannot be underestimated. It may be challenging for society to allow differences of opinion out into the open; however, the consequences of restricting free speech are likely to be more damaging in the longer term.

Is Freedom of Speech Necessary in a Free Society? - IELTS Vocabulary

Have a look at the IELTS Vocabulary used in the sample answers for ‘Is Freedom of Speech Necessary in a Free Society? - IELTS Writing Task 2’.

• Vital
  Meaning: Very important or necessary
  Eg: Water is vital for human survival.
• Transparency
  Meaning: The quality of being open and honest; not hiding anything
  Eg: The company promised transparency in its financial dealings.
• Corruption
  Meaning: Dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially by people in power
  Eg: Freedom of speech can help expose government corruption.
• Demonstration
  Meaning: A public protest or march against something
  Eg: People held a demonstration to oppose the unfair tax policy.
• Well-being
  Meaning: The state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy
  Eg: Good education and healthcare improve people's well-being.
• Initiate
  Meaning: To start or begin something
  Eg: The government plans to initiate a new development project.
• Extrovert
  Meaning: A person who is outgoing and enjoys being around people
  Eg: Freedom of speech helps people become more confident and extrovert.
• Muzzle
  Meaning: To silence or stop someone from expressing their opinion
  Eg: The dictator tried to muzzle the media during the protests.
• Oppression
  Meaning: Cruel or unfair treatment by those in power
  Eg: Free speech helps people fight against oppression and injustice.
• Futile
  Meaning: Useless or pointless; not effective
  Eg: Without free speech, it is futile to expect real democracy.