Value of Extracurricular Activities: PTE Essay Question with Sample Answers - Page 2

Your task

Read the essay question below, then write 200 to 300 words in response.

“‘Extracurricular activities are just a distraction from academic activities and bring students very few actual benefits.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Support your point of view with reasons and/or examples from your own experience.”

30 community answers with AI feedback

SCORE 25/26

The extracurricular activities are very essential for holistic development of a student. Hence they should not be considered as a distraction from academic activities. This essay will argue that extracurricular activities are an essential part of education. Firstly, education is not just about reading books and passing exams. The overall aim of a student's academic journey is to prepare him or her for the real world experience. Cocurricular activities such as sports, arts, competitions, and debates prepare learners for scenarios they might encounter at their jobs in the later life; moreover, these activities also help students identify their areas of interest which may open new career opportunities. For example, a student who finds arts interesting may choose to enroll in an arts school at the university or a student who is good at boxing might want to pursue that sport proffessionally. Some scholars believe that hobbies help us in learning complex subjects better; therefore activities outside of classroom tutoring should be actively encouraged. Secondly, many extracurricular activities involve working in teams, which sharpens team-building and communication skills. These abilities are essential to become a leader in one's career and they instill a sense of responsibility and discipline. Furthermore, activities such as school competitions help in personality development and give teachers an insight into the strengths and weaknesses of their students. This aspect is very essential in identifying children who may need help in certain areas. In conclusion, cocurricular activities are a key to a well-rounded education and creating active and aware citizens in a democratic society. Such activities help identify and nurture innate talent in students.

AI Feedback

Form:

Form score is 2

Content:

The essay fully addresses the prompt with a thorough argument and relevant examples.

Grammar:

Consistent grammatical control with complex structures and rare errors.

Spelling:

Contains exactly one spelling error ('proffessionally').

Vocabulary Range:

Good command of a broad lexical repertoire with appropriate use of vocabulary.

General Linguistic Range:

Variety of expressions and vocabulary used effectively throughout, with clear communication.

Development Structure Coherence:

The essay has a clear and effective structure with a well-developed introduction, body, and conclusion.

SCORE 25/26

It is often argued that extracurricular activities distract students from their academic studies and provide only minimal benefits. However, I strongly disagree with this statement. In my opinion, extracurricular activities play a vital role in the overall development of students by improving their personal,social, and professional skills. Firstly, extracurricular activities help students develop essential life skills that connot be learned through textbooks alone. Participation in sports, cultural events, or students clubs enhances teamwork, leadership, and communication skills. For example, during my college years, I participated in organizing technical events. This experience improved my ability to manage time, coordinate with different teams, and handle responsibilities effectively. These skills later helped me in my professional career. Secondly, such activities contribute to better mental and physical health. Continuous academic pressure can lead to stress and burnout. Engaging in sports, music, or creative arts provides relaxation and refreshes the mind. A healthy mind ultimately improves academic performance rather than reducing it. Students who maintain a balance between studies and extracurricular involvement are often more productive and focused. In conclusion, extracurricular activities are not merely distractions but essential components of holistic education. They enhance personal growth, reduces stress and prepare students for future careers. Therefore, I firmly believe that extracurricular activities bring significant and long-lasting benefits to students.

AI Feedback

Form:

Form score is 2

Content:

The essay fully addresses the prompt, presenting a comprehensive argument against the statement with relevant examples and points.

Grammar:

The essay demonstrates consistent grammatical control, with rare errors that do not impede understanding.

Spelling:

Contains one spelling error ('connot' instead of 'cannot').

Vocabulary Range:

The essay shows a broad lexical repertoire appropriate for the topic, with effective use of vocabulary.

General Linguistic Range:

A wide range of expressions and vocabulary is used effectively to articulate ideas with precision throughout the essay.

Development Structure Coherence:

The essay is well-structured with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Ideas are logically sequenced and connected effectively.

SCORE 25/26

Extracurricular activities are often viewed as a distraction from academic activities. However, I strongly disagree with this statement because such activities help in the personal and professional development of a student. Firstly, when students actively participate in events such as sports and debate, they learn teamwork, discipline, and time management. This is exactly what employers look for in their new hires during an interview. Therefore, such activities help in the development of soft skills that are essential for survival in the current job market. Moreover, this helps them to identify their area of interest, for example, an individual who is good in debate can go into the field of consulting as the job is very demanding and would require someone who can communicate with the client effectively. Secondly, extracurricular activities boost an individual's confidence in facing a crowd. For instance, by taking part in public speaking or panel discussion events in schools and universities, they get rid of their stage fright and become confident to speak and face people in public. This will eventually help to speak confidently during team presentations and meetings with the future. Studies have shown that nearly 70% of people are scared of public speaking and most of them avoid such situations. Therefore, it is essential to develop this particular skill. To conclude, I strongly agree that extracurricular activities should be actively promoted in educational institutions and they should ensure that all students participate in atleast an event of their choice.

AI Feedback

Form:

Form score is 2

Content:

The essay fully addresses the prompt, reformulating the issue in own words and providing specific examples and arguments supporting the benefits of extracurricular activities.

Grammar:

The essay shows consistent grammatical control of complex language with errors being rare and difficult to spot.

Spelling:

Contains exactly one spelling error ('atleast').

Vocabulary Range:

The essay demonstrates a good command of a broad lexical repertoire suitable for the topic.

General Linguistic Range:

A variety of expressions and vocabulary are used appropriately to formulate ideas with precision, demonstrating no signs of limitations.

Development Structure Coherence:

The essay has a clear and logical structure with well-developed introduction and conclusion, cohesive paragraphs, and effective use of connective devices.

SCORE 24/26

While academic is a cornerstone of education, the claim that extracurricular activities are a mere distraction is a narrow viewpoint. I strongly disagree with this statement, as these activities provide essential life skills that a classroom setting simply cannot replicate. First, extracurriculars are the primary laboratory for soft skills. While a textbook can explain leadership. a student truly learns it by captaining a sports team or organizing a charity drive. These roles demand conflict resolution, public speaking, and teamwork - competencies that are highly sought after in the modern workforce. without these experiences, a student may be academically brilliant but functionally incapable of collaborating with others. Furthermore, these activities foster resilience and time management. Paradoxically, the busiest students often perform better academically because they are forced to adhere to strict schedules. engaging in competitive music or sports also teaches students how to handle failure constructively. In a classroom, a poor grade can feel like a dead end; on the field, a loss is a lesson to train harder, building a "growth mindset" that supports academic endurance. Finally, extracurriculars provide a vital mental break. Constant academic pressure can lead to burnout. Engaging in a hobby or a club acts as a stress reliever, improving overall mental health and, by extension, the ability to focus on studies. In conclusion, far from being a distraction, extracurricular activities are a complimentary force. They transform a student from repository of facts into a well-rounded individual ready for the complexities of adulthood.

AI Feedback

Form:

Form score is 2

Content:

The essay fully addresses the prompt with a well-structured argument and relevant examples.

Grammar:

The essay demonstrates consistent grammatical control with rare errors.

Spelling:

Contains more than one spelling error: 'extracurriculars' and 'complimentary'.

Vocabulary Range:

The essay shows a good command of a broad lexical repertoire.

General Linguistic Range:

A variety of expressions and vocabulary are used effectively throughout the essay.

Development Structure Coherence:

The essay has an effective logical structure with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.

SCORE 24/26

Extracurricular activities in the present education system mainly include sports, cultural activities and social services like volunteering or community services. These activities contribute to a student's overall development and well being. Firstly, extracurricular activities help develop life skills that cannot be taught in classrooms. For example, Sports play an important role in shaping a student's personality and contribute to overall development by improving physical, social and emotional skills. Through sports events they can develop skills like teamwork, sportsmanship, discipline and also improve their physical strength. Likewise, participating in cultural activities help in learning creativity. Secondly, being part of social services help them develop skills like communication, critical thinking, compassion and empathy. It also help them become socially responsible people. For example, there are different organizations like NSS that are part of school curriculum. Students actively participating in school clubs or other activities will also learn to manage their time more effectively. In addition, extracurricular activities help student discover their talents and interests. These experience help them develop confidence and a better understanding of their future goals and also choose a suitable career path other than the traditional set of professions. To conclude, extracurricular activities offer numerous benefits like development of practical skills, communication, creativity and teamwork. Therefore, such activities should be considered as an integral part of education and not a distraction.

AI Feedback

Form:

Form score is 2

Content:

The essay fully addresses the prompt by discussing the benefits of extracurricular activities with relevant examples and arguments.

Grammar:

The essay shows consistent grammatical control with few errors.

Spelling:

Spelling is correct throughout the essay.

Vocabulary Range:

Good command of a broad lexical repertoire is demonstrated throughout the essay.

General Linguistic Range:

A variety of expressions and vocabulary are used appropriately, with occasional minor errors.

Development Structure Coherence:

The essay has a clear structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Some transitions between ideas could be smoother.

SCORE 23/26

In today's society, it is believed that Extracurricular activities are just a distraction from academic activities and bring students very few actual benefits. While some might agree with this statement, others pose a strong argument against it, considering the consequences. In this essay, both sides of the topic will be discussed, followed by my opinion on it at the end. Firstly, the statement "Extracurricular activities are just a distraction from academic activities, and bring students very few actual benefits" is a flawed notion. Extracurricular activities are just as important as academic activities. This is because different students are talented in different ways, and not all of them are academically gifted. For instance, in a class, there is a wide range of students who are talented in different ways, like sports, music, and the arts. Additionally, participating in extracurricular activities helps the student to explore different paths in their careers in which they are naturally talented or do things that make them happy. This can be seen in instances, like successful artists and sportsmen who gave up their academic degrees but are still living happy and financially independent lives. On the other hand, some people believe that academic activities are more important and extracurricular activities can be distracting with bringing no actual benefits to the students. While this notion makes sense to some extent, it brings many new problems along with it. Academic activities might help to get better scores and do well in life, but might hamper the student's mental health, as there is no recreational time. For instance, students preparing for competitive exams are often depressed due to the lack of extracurricular activities. In conclusion, both academic and extracurricular activities must be done to maintain an overall healthy student life. In my opinion, I disagree with the statement.

AI Feedback

Form:

Form score is 2

Content:

The essay adequately addresses the prompt with a persuasive argument and relevant examples, though it could expand more on specific points.

Grammar:

The essay shows consistent grammatical control with rare errors.

Spelling:

Spelling is correct throughout the essay.

Vocabulary Range:

Demonstrates a good command of a broad lexical repertoire, appropriate for the topic.

General Linguistic Range:

A variety of expressions and vocabulary are used appropriately, with ideas expressed clearly and occasional minor errors.

Development Structure Coherence:

The essay has a clear structure with a logical flow, using paragraphs effectively and linking ideas coherently.

SCORE 23/26

In today's rapidly evolving modern world, the topic of extracurricular activities has garnered considerable attention both from scholars and the general public. Many people often say that extracurricular activities are just a waste of time or a distraction from academic activities. I strongly disagree with this view and believe that extracurricular activities are very crucial and bring students significant actual benefits. This essay will discuss both the benefits and drawbacks of extracurricular activities for students. To begin with, one of the primary advantages of extracurricular activities is physical and mental well-being. A study has shown that if a student engages in extracurricular activities like cricket, swimming or tennis, he or she is more likely to be fit and focused in their lives. From my personal experience, extracurricular activities make me more active and concentrated in my studies, while making me feel more relaxed and stress-free. On the other hand, there are some limitations, one is the consumption of time and energy. Sometimes, extracurricular activities drain all of your energy and time for other important tasks. Secondly, if these activities are not properly managed, they can cause stress and distractions. For instance, if students are more indulgent in these activities, it can make them more tired and leave no time for academic work or homework. In conclusion, although extracurricular activities have some limitations or drawbacks, if properly balanced, they can be very beneficial or fruitful. Because it helps build a better personality, making students more disciplined, confident, and all-around. In my opinion, these activities are essential and have actual benefits if managed properly with formal studies.

AI Feedback

Form:

Form score is 2

Content:

The essay adequately addresses the prompt with a persuasive argument and relevant ideas, though not in full depth.

Grammar:

Consistent grammatical control with rare errors.

Spelling:

Spelling is correct throughout.

Vocabulary Range:

Good command of a broad lexical repertoire, suitable for the topic.

General Linguistic Range:

A variety of expressions and vocabulary are used appropriately, with clear communication.

Development Structure Coherence:

The essay has a conventional structure with clear argument development, though transitions could be smoother.

SCORE 23/26

In today's age of rapidly evolving educational models, extracurricular activities play a very important role in shaping and nurturing students' overall health. I'll discuss this in depth in the following points. While formal education is important, one cannot take away the benefits of extra and co-curricular activities as this is one of the most significant aspects of a student's career growth. Participating in such activities exposes students to a different reality of life and makes them more independent and reliable. For example, students who take part in different sports competitions are better prepared for representing their institutions on a bigger stage. Another important aspect of taking part in extracurricular activities is that it helps in maintaining good physical health as students are involved in outdoor activities such as sports competitions. Extracurricular activities also help a student to gain knowledge of different fields such as science and art as these activities make students to travel more frequently than others. Due to this, they get to know the culture in various cities and people who follow a different perspective of life. For example, a student belonging to North India can know more about South and West India only through travel and these activities. Students learn a lot from this, not only on the educational front but on a personal level as well. I's like to conclude by saying that both academic and extracurricular activities are important for a student that is why schools and colleges need to invent ways so that there is a natural balance between the two. One activity should not eclipse another as both are critical for a good student.

AI Feedback

Form:

Form score is 2

Content:

The essay adequately addresses the prompt with a persuasive argument, relevant ideas, and supporting examples.

Grammar:

The essay shows consistent grammatical control with only minor errors.

Spelling:

Spelling is correct throughout.

Vocabulary Range:

The essay demonstrates a good command of a broad lexical repertoire.

General Linguistic Range:

A variety of expressions and vocabulary are used appropriately. Ideas are expressed clearly with minor errors.

Development Structure Coherence:

The essay has a conventional structure with a clear argument, introduction, and conclusion. Connective devices are used effectively, though some transitions could be smoother.

SCORE 23/26

Inclusion of extracurricular activities alongside regular curriculum is increasing drastically every year. I believe learning these additional skills would definitely be of immense use for students. In recent years, the growing competition in every career field is putting a lot of stress on students. Especially, in developing countries like India, China and other Asian regions, parents expect their kids to become either doctors or engineers, which in-turn is making the entrance exams for those courses very difficult to crack. Therefore, awareness on other career options from childhood itself, can open up a wide range of opportunities for the students. Another major benefit of incorporating extracurriculars like sports and arts in schools is that it keeps the child physically and mentally healthy. The creativity they showcase through painting or writing would help them understand what they really enjoy doing in their lives. Students who participate in sports like running, basketball or swimming can improve their interpersonal skills like discipline and self-confidence and go on to becoming great athletes in the future, thus helping them succeed. In conclusion, although spending more time on activities other than academics may hinder the term performance and concentration for some students, the benefits of strategically adding a few crafts and sports classes outweigh the disadvantages. Moreover, there are many success stories of great personalities that we hear, who are school drop-outs. Hence, parents must expose their kids to a versatile hobbies to let them understand where they really fit in as time goes.

AI Feedback

Form:

Form score is 2

Content:

The essay adequately addresses the prompt with relevant ideas and examples, though it could expand more on specific points.

Grammar:

Consistent grammatical control with rare errors, none affecting understanding.

Spelling:

No spelling errors detected.

Vocabulary Range:

Good command of a broad lexical repertoire appropriate for the topic.

General Linguistic Range:

Variety of expressions and vocabulary used appropriately. Ideas are clearly expressed with minor errors.

Development Structure Coherence:

The essay has a conventional structure with clear introduction and conclusion. Ideas are logically organized and connected.

SCORE 23/26

In the recent times, people have started believing that extracurricular activities are nothing but a distraction from the academics. Personally, I believe that this is not true, as participation in extracurricular activities offers more sustainable and rational benefits in the long run. To begin with, extracurricular involvement plays a pivotal role in shaping both the student's personalities and their physical fitness. This is primarily because students engage in various activities such as sports, arts, music, or dance. Research conducted by various notable universities across the globe such as Harvard indicates that extracurricular participation is essential not only for the overall mental well-being but also releases various neurons which stimulates the brain activity, creativity and attentiveness. Furthermore, academic activities deserve equal consideration. Although some critics argue that involvement in extracurricular activities requires additional time and attention, making it difficult for students to manage their schedules. But this can be managed by effective planning that can prevent any negative impact on academics. In conclusion, after carefully evaluating both perspectives, it is evident that extracurricular activities are just as essential as academic activities. Although opposing opinions may hold certain merits, the long-term advantages of extracurricular activities clearly outweigh the drawbacks. Therefore, it is reasonable to assert that extracurricular activities are not a distraction from academic activities, and effective time management between both is the most balanced approach.

AI Feedback

Form:

Form score is 2

Content:

The essay adequately addresses the prompt with a persuasive argument and relevant ideas, though some points could have been expanded further.

Grammar:

The essay shows consistent grammatical control with rare errors.

Spelling:

Spelling is correct throughout according to standard conventions.

Vocabulary Range:

The essay demonstrates a good command of a broad lexical repertoire.

General Linguistic Range: