Band 9 model answer
Famous singers, actors and online personalities command enormous attention from the young, shaping how they dress, speak and think. While such influence carries certain benefits, I believe its disadvantages ultimately outweigh them, given the unrealistic values that fame so often promotes.
It would be unfair to deny the positive contributions celebrities can make. When public figures champion worthy causes, from mental health awareness to environmental protection, they can mobilise young audiences on a scale that ordinary campaigners cannot match. A celebrity who overcomes hardship through hard work may also inspire admirers to pursue their own ambitions, providing motivation that distant statistics could never supply.
Nevertheless, the drawbacks are more pervasive and damaging. Much celebrity culture glorifies superficial qualities, equating worth with appearance, wealth and instant fame rather than effort or character. Impressionable young people, comparing themselves with carefully edited images, frequently develop dissatisfaction with their own bodies and lives. Worse still, some idols model reckless or self-indulgent behaviour that fans may imitate uncritically, and the relentless pursuit of overnight stardom can devalue education and patient achievement.
In conclusion, although celebrities can occasionally inspire and rally young people behind good causes, the overall effect of their influence tends to be harmful, fostering shallow aspirations and unhealthy comparison. For this reason, I am convinced the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, and that young people should be encouraged to admire substance rather than mere fame.
Examiner’s notes
- Task Response: the essay directly answers the 'advantages versus disadvantages' question, weighing both before reaching a clear verdict ('the disadvantages outweigh the advantages') that is sustained throughout.
- Coherence: the concessive structure ('It would be unfair to deny... Nevertheless') ensures the reader sees both sides clearly, with the final paragraph synthesising the comparison decisively.
- Lexical Resource: critical vocabulary such as 'glorifies superficial qualities', 'impressionable', 'shallow aspirations' and 'self-indulgent' expresses evaluation with precision and variety.