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Lesson 4 of 5
The Influence of Media
Core 60 min
Pathway
Lesson 8.4 builds the Task 2 to-what-extent essay, with a clear position and well-justified support.
What you'll be able to do
- Take a clear position on a to-what-extent prompt
- Plan a 4-paragraph essay around your degree of agreement
- Justify your view with two distinct, developed reasons
Writing Task
Today's Task 2 prompt
Example · Prompt
The media has a much greater influence on young people today than it did in the past. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Writing Task
Plan · 4 paragraphs
To-what-extent essay (largely agree)
Intro
Paraphrase the prompt + state your position clearly ('I largely agree because …').
Body 1
Reason 1 — constant exposure through smartphones (example: average daily screen time, content recommended by algorithms).
Body 2
Reason 2 — peer pressure now amplified online (example: likes, comments, comparison with influencers).
Conclusion
Restate your position in one developed sentence; brief acknowledgement of the limit of your view.
Writing Task
Model body paragraph
Justifying with a real example
Band 6 · Competent
- 'Young people use phones a lot. They see many things on the internet. This is more than before.'
Band 7 · Good
- 'A teenager today is exposed to media almost continuously, from morning notifications to late-night recommendations curated by an algorithm. This level of constant, personalised exposure is something previous generations simply did not face, which is why I believe the influence is now substantially greater.'
Focus
Take a clear position
Three safe positions
01
Largely agree
I strongly agree that … The influence is significantly greater because …
02
Partly agree
I agree to a large extent, although … is a notable exception.
03
Largely disagree
I disagree on the whole — while X has changed, the underlying influence is not necessarily greater.
Avoid
Avoid 'I 50% agree and 50% disagree.' Examiners want a position that is recognisable from the intro to the conclusion.
Focus
Pathway focus · Academic justification language
Lift your reasoning with: 'a key driver of this is …', 'this is largely attributable to …', 'this trend is reinforced by …'.
Exam Strategy
Exam Strategy
- Exam Tip
State your degree of agreement in the FIRST sentence after the paraphrase — don't make the examiner search for it.
Independent Practice
Independent Practice
Timed essay
Write the full 250 words in 40 minutes.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Remember
- 'To what extent' = your job is to argue HOW MUCH, not just yes/no.
- Two developed reasons beat four shallow ones.
When you're done, mark this lesson complete.