Sample IELTS Task 2 essay: nature vs nurture as the major influence

There is a long discussion about what influences our personality more: the characteristics we are born with, or the experiences we have during our life. Some research says that the things we are born with are more important. However, in my opinion, life experiences have a bigger influence on who we are.

It is true that we are born with some characteristics. For example, some people are naturally more shy or more confident, and this can come from their genes and their parents. Scientists have found that things like intelligence and some parts of personality can be inherited. So I agree that nature plays a role in our development, and we cannot ignore it.

However, I believe that experiences are more important. The way we are raised by our family has a huge effect on us. For example, a child who grows up in a loving home will probably be more confident than a child who grows up in a difficult situation. Also, our friends, our school and our culture all change the way we think and behave. A person who travels and meets many people will become more open-minded. These examples show that the environment around us shapes our personality.

In addition, people can change a lot during their life because of important experiences, such as a new job, an illness, or moving to another country. This proves that we are not only controlled by our genes.

In conclusion, although the characteristics we are born with do have some influence, I believe that the experiences we have in our life are the major influence on our personality and development.

The question of whether our personalities are shaped chiefly by inherited traits or by lived experience has occupied thinkers for generations. Although some research emphasises the power of genetics, I am persuaded that the experiences we accumulate throughout life exert the greater influence on who we ultimately become.

It would be foolish to deny the role of innate characteristics. Twin studies repeatedly show that tendencies such as temperament, intelligence and even susceptibility to anxiety have a substantial hereditary component, and any parent can attest that children display distinct dispositions from infancy. These genetic predispositions clearly establish a starting point, setting broad parameters within which our personalities develop.

However, I would argue that what we do with that inheritance matters far more than the inheritance itself. The environment in which a child is raised—the warmth or neglect of the family, the values of the surrounding culture, the quality of education—profoundly shapes how innate tendencies are expressed. A naturally cautious child encouraged to take risks may grow into a confident adult, whereas the same child, met with constant criticism, might become withdrawn. Beyond childhood, transformative events such as emigration, serious illness or an unexpected career continue to remould our outlook well into adulthood, often in ways that override our original temperament. The very capacity of people to reinvent themselves after such episodes testifies to the plasticity of human character.

In conclusion, while the characteristics we are born with undeniably provide the raw material of personality, I consider lived experience to be the decisive sculptor. Genes may set the stage, but it is the unfolding drama of our relationships, choices and circumstances that determines the people we eventually become.