IELTS WRITING TASK 2 "Some people believe that a person's culture is defined by their country of origin, while others believe that has only a minor influence. Discuss both these views and give your opinion." Conceivably, the country of origin has at least some influence in the culture of a person. However, it's not the only source of customs and lifestyle someone receives. While both arguments have some degree of validity, I am of the opinion that it's the life path that mostly defines the way of life. In the recent globalised world, it's not uncommon to find people that have parents with different nationalities or that were born in a place where their families had just arrived. For instance, a Brazilian born in Japan from a Brazilian couple can have acquired pieces of culture from both places. That happens because the kid would receive the Brazillian culture at home while in school, and possibly from friends, it would get the Japanese one. The type of society we live in, our family and our interests shapes us as a person. Similarly, it builds our culture. If that wasn't the case, families that moved to another country would have lost their ways completely or would never be able to adapt. Therefore, it's a mixture between both ideas that molds someone. All in all, it's not uncommon to see how cultures can be mixed in a person or place. Otherwise it would be impossible to exist places with so diverse and vibrant cultures like Brazil, Mexico and Canada. For this reason, it's my way of thinking that both place and our daily influences shape our lifestyle. This is a very interesting essay, which I suppose is largely based on your life. There is nothing wrong with that, but I think yours is maybe a little different to most. This is a 'discuss' both sides essay so your first body paragraph should explain why the country of origin is important. Then the second body paragraph should explain why other factors are important.