If you want to get over your IELTS fears and achieve your dreams (of going abroad or getting a better job), I now offer online lessons complete with feedback, videos, workbooks and more!
IELTS Examiner Sample Answer from Cambridge 12: Children & Choice (by Dave)
Some people believe that allowing children to make their own choices on everyday matters (such as food, clothes and entertainment) is likely to result in a society of individuals who only think about their own wishes. Other people believe that it is important for children to make decisions about matters that affect them.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Cambridge IELTS 12
One common area of debate among parents is the extent to which children should be trusted to make their own decisions and the potential impact this will have on their sense of responsibility. Although decision-making skills will help in some ways, I believe parents should dictate choices for children in order to make them more aware of others.
On the one hand, children who have been allowed to make their own choices will eventually develop a keen sense of responsibilty. This can be best seen in the contrasting example of helicopter parents and more liberal parents. Helicopter parents smother their children with attention and make the majority of their decisions for them. Over time, these kids will likely become dependent on their parents. If your parents always pick out your clothes then you never have to check weather forecasts, make choices about what colours match or concern yourself with trends in fashion. Later in life, these kids will not have developed any of these skills because of their parents. Contrast this with children who pick out their own clothes; they will have to consider these factors carefully and it will make them more responsible when it comes to shopping and taking care of their wardrobe.
On the other hand, I still believe that parents should make the majority of choices so that children will be more responsible towards others. For example, some parents have made the logical and ethical choice to be vegetarians and they force their children to do the same. This can have a positive effect not only on their individual health but also on the environment. Moreover, it is a learning opportunity for parents to teach their offspring about ethics. Parents can make the argument that industrial farming is inhumane and animals should be treated with more respect. This may have a carry-over effect resulting in their children growing up to be more thoughtful towards others.
In conclusion, parents should make most decisions for children to guide them to be more empathetic. They should work with teachers in their efforts to raise conscientous future citizens.
Word count: 347 (aim for under 350 words – around 300 is better!)
IELTS Examiner Sample Answer Analysis
1. One common area of debate among parents is the extent to which children should be trusted to make their own decisions and the potential impact this will have on their sense of responsibility. 2. Although decision-making skills will help in some ways, I believe parents should dictate choices for children in order to make them more aware of others.
1. My first sentence simply rephrases the question and topic. Write this sentence quickly as it is not that important.
2. The second sentence is my opinion. You do not need to include your main ideas but you do need to make your opinion 100% clear!
1. On the one hand, children who have been allowed to make their own choices will eventually develop a keen sense of responsibilty. 2. This can be best seen in the contrasting example of helicopter parents and more liberal parents. Helicopter parents smother their children with attention and make the majority of their decisions for them. 3. Over time, these kids will likely become dependent on their parents. 4. If your parents always pick out your clothes then you never have to check weather forecasts, make choices about what colours match or concern yourself with trends in fashion. 5. Later in life, these kids will not have developed any of these skills because of their parents. 6. Contrast this with children who pick out their own clothes; they will have to consider these factors carefully and it will make them more responsible when it comes to shopping and taking care of their wardrobe.
1. My first sentence is a topic sentence that explains the main idea for the paragraph (instills responsibility).
2. The second sentence begins with an example that I will develop in more detail for the rest of the paragraph. This is the best way to get a high score for task achievement on IELTS!
3. My third sentence expands on the example.
4. The fourth sentence continues the examples.
5. My fifth sentence also further develops the example. Be as specific as possible.
6. The sixth sentence concludes my example and the paragraph.
1. On the other hand, I still believe that parents should make the majority of choices so that children will be more responsible towards others. 2. For example, some parents have made the logical and ethical choice to be vegetarians and they force their children to do the same. 3. This can have a positive effect not only on their individual health but also on the environment. 4. Moreover, it is a learning opportunity for parents to teach their offspring about ethics. 5. Parents can make the argument that industrial farming is inhumane and animals should be treated with more respect. 6. This may have a carry-over effect resulting in their children growing up to be more thoughtful towards others.
1. My first sentence is a topic sentence saying that parents making choices will make their kids more responsible for others.
2. The second sentence again begins my example right away – don’t waste time getting to your example.
3. My third sentence explains why this has a positive effect on others.
4. My fourth sentence also continues the same example.
5. The fifth sentence gives more detail for this example.
6. The last sentence makes the example slightly more general and concludes the paragraph.
1. In conclusion, parents should make most decisions for children to guide them to be more empathetic. 2. They should work with teachers in their efforts to raise conscientous future citizens.
1. My first sentence repeats my opinion. Do this or get IELTS band 5 for task achievement!
2. The second sentence adds an extra detail because some IELTS examiners require this for band 7+.
Sample Answer Vocabulary
What do the phrases highlighted below mean in your own words? Is there a direct translation in your language?
One common area of debate among parents is the extent to which children should be trusted to make their own decisions and the potential impact this will have on their sense of responsibility. Although decision-making skills will help in some ways, I believe parents should dictate choices for children in order to make them more aware of others.
On the one hand, children who have been allowed to make their own choices will eventually develop a keen sense of responsibilty. This can be best seen in the contrasting example of helicopter parents and more liberal parents. Helicopter parents smother their children with attention and make the majority of their decisions for them. Over time, these kids will likely become dependent on their parents. If your parents always pick out your clothes then you never have to check weather forecasts, make choices about what colours match or concern yourself with trends in fashion. Later in life, these kids will not have developed any of these skills because of their parents. Contrast this with children who pick out their own clothes; they will have to consider these factors carefully and it will make them more responsible when it comes to shopping and taking care of their wardrobe.
On the other hand, I still believe that parents should make the majority of choices so that children will be more responsible towards others. For example, some parents have made the logical and ethical choice to be vegetarians and they force their children to do the same. This can have a positive effect not only on their individual health but also on the environment. Moreover, it is a learning opportunity for parents to teach their offspring about ethics. Parents can make the argument that industrial farming is inhumane and animals should be treated with more respect. This may have a carry-over effect resulting in their children growing up to be more thoughtful towards others.
In conclusion, parents should make most decisions for children to guide them to be more empathetic. They should work with teachers in their efforts to raise conscientous future citizens.
Answers
debate argument
extent the level at which/the degree to which/how much
potential impact possible effect
sense of responsibility feeling that you are obligated
decision-making skills skills to make good choices
dictate decide/mandate
aware know about
keen sense good sense
contrasting example counterexample
helicopter parents controlling parents
liberal free and open
smother pay too much attention too
dependent need/rely on
pick out choose/decide on
weather forecasts the weather for the day/next day
colours match colours that go well together
concern yourself worry/think about
contrast this compare with with
factors elements
taking care of looking after
majority most of
logical rational
ethical moral
vegetarians not eating meat
learning opportunity good chance to learn something
One common area of ____________ among parents is the ____________ to which children should be trusted to make their own decisions and the ____________ this will have on their ____________ . Although ____________ will help in some ways, I believe parents should ____________ choices for children in order to make them more ____________ of others.
On the one hand, children who have been allowed to make their own choices will eventually develop a ____________ of responsibilty. This can be best seen in the ____________ of ____________ and more ____________ parents. Helicopter parents ____________ their children with attention and make the majority of their decisions for them. Over time, these kids will likely become ____________ on their parents. If your parents always ____________ your clothes then you never have to check ____________, make choices about what ____________ or ____________ with trends in fashion. Later in life, these kids will not have developed any of these skills because of their parents. ____________ with children who pick out their own clothes; they will have to consider these ____________ carefully and it will make them more responsible when it comes to shopping and ____________ their wardrobe.
On the other hand, I still believe that parents should make the ____________ of choices so that children will be more responsible towards others. For example, some parents have made the ____________ and ____________ choice to be ____________ and they force their children to do the same. This can have a positive effect not only on their individual health but also on the environment. Moreover, it is a ____________ for parents to teach their ____________ about ____________ . Parents can ____________ that ____________ is ____________ and animals should be ____________ with more ____________. This may have a ____________ resulting in their children growing up to be more ____________ towards others.
In conclusion, parents should make most decisions for children to guide them to be more ____________ . They should work with teachers in their efforts to raise ____________ future citizens.
Links
Here are some activities you can use to improve your listening while watching the video: Improve your Listening.
This is an IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer about students living abroad written by me, Dave, a former IELTS examiner.
I did this question with one of my classes and I found that it was a great teaching tool for two reasons.
Firstly, because students very slightly misunderstood the question. That slight misunderstanding led to lots of them getting band 5 for task achievement.
Here is the question:
Compared to the past, more people are now studying abroad because it is more convenient and cheaper than before. Do you think this is beneficial to the foreign student’s home country? Will this trend change much in the future?
Real Past IELTS Cambridge Tests
There is one tricky part. The topic is simple enough – more and more people study abroad now (you can ignore the convenience and cheaper part; it’s not important for the questions that you have to answer).
The tricky part is in the first question – will it be beneficial to the foreign student’s home country?
A lot of my students focused on individual benefits: a better career, more money, etc.
That is irrelevant to the question and will get you a band 4 or 5 for task achievement.
Instead, you must focus on the benefits for the home country: more specialised knowledge, more creative ideas, economic development, etc.
The second part of the question is simpler – just state whether or not you will think it will continue and why. For this part you could talk about individual benefits like making more money as the reason why the trend will continue.
Secondly, this question lends itself to a really detailed, specific answer and that is the most important skill to pracitce for your IELTS writing task 2.
I’m sure that you can think of lots of famous examples from your country of entrepreneurs, scientists, or politicians who studied abroad at some point.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer by Dave: Studying Abroad
Compared to the past, more people are now studying abroad because it is more convenient and cheaper than before. Do you think this is beneficial to the foreign student’s home country? Will this trend change much in the future?
Nowadays, there are more and more students choosing to study overseas due to a variety of benefits for their own future life and career. From my perspective, I believe that this trend can also be beneficial to the foreign student’s home country and will continue developing in the next few years because of these benefits.
I think it is beneficial to the foreign student’s home country because after they finish studying, they may choose to come back and contribute to their homeland. For example, Vietnamese Professor, Ngo Bao Chau was announced by the 2010 International Congress of Mathematics as one of four mathematicians to win the Fields Medal, which is the world’s most prestigious mathematics award. After returning to Vietnam, he started to help and encourage aspiring Vietnamese from universities to study mathematics further. He not only contributed directly to the burgeoning field of Vietnamese mathematics but also continues to serve as aspirational example to students of the rewards of studying abroad and then returning home.
In the future, I believe that this trend will continue as both foreign and domestic countries will support students through scholarships. For example, in Vietnam it is common for students to apply for scholarships to study in countries like the USA, the UK, Australia, France, and so on. These countries have the means and are willing to support students from foreign countries because it enhances the diversity of their campuses. Additionally, the government in Vietnam encourages studying abroad through scholarships for underprivileged students. They do this because students who study abroad typically return to Vietnam and help push forward economic development, as in the case of Ngo Bao Chau.
In conclusion, I feel that there are clear advantages for the foreign student’s home country because of their potential academic and economic contributions after coming back home. Developing nations in particular should invest heavily in programs to send students abroad, besides funding their own educational infrastructure, if they want to have the kind of secure foundation that will allow the country to flourish for many years.
Word count: 340 (a bit high – aim for 300!)
Analysis
1. Nowadays, there are more and more students choosing to study overseas due to a variety of benefits for their own future life and career. 2. From my perspective, I believe that this trend can also be beneficial to the foreign student’s home country and will continue developing in the next few years because of these benefits.
My first sentence is a topic sentence that lays out the topic for the whole essay. Don’t waste much time writing this sentence, just quickly paraphrase the general topic for the essay.
The second sentence gives my opinions about the two questions asked. This is important for your task achievement and cohesion/coherence scores. You don’t have to include your main ideas in your introduction.
1. I think it is beneficial to the foreign student’s home country because after they finish studying, they may choose to come back and contribute to their homeland. 2. For example, Vietnamese Professor, Ngo Bao Chau was announced by the 2010 International Congress of Mathematics as one of four mathematicians to win the Fields Medal, which is the world’s most prestigious mathematics award. 3. After returning to Vietnam, he started to help and encourage aspiring Vietnamese from universities to study mathematics further. 4. He not only contributed directly to the burgeoning field of Vietnamese mathematics but also continues to serve as aspirational example to students of the rewards of studying abroad and then returning home.
The first sentence is my topic sentence for this paragraph which contains two parts: the topic (benefits to the home country) and my main idea (come back and contribute. Keep this sentence short, simple and clear!
My second sentence begins my example. Don’t waste any time getting to your example. The faster you start writing about it, the more you will be able to develop it fully.
The third sentence continues my example. Don’t run away from your examples – keep developing them fully because it will help your task achievement, cohesion and coherence and force you to use more good vocabulary.
My final sentence concludes the paragraph and adds further detail to my example. The more you develop your example, the higher your task achievement score will be!
1. In the future, I believe that this trend will continue as both foreign and domestic countries will support students through scholarships. 2. For example, in Vietnam it is common for students to apply for scholarships to study in countries like the USA, the UK, Australia, France, and so on. 3. These countries have the means and are willing to support students from foreign countries because it enhances the diversity of their campuses. 4. Additionally, the government in Vietnam encourages studying abroad through scholarships for underprivileged students. 5. They do this because students who study abroad typically return to Vietnam and help push forward economic development, as in the case of Ngo Bao Chau.
My first sentence is a topic sentence that contains both the topic and the main idea for the whole paragraph. Focus on one main idea so that you can develop it 100%!
The second sentence begins my example right away – just like in the last paragraph.
My next sentence develops my example.
The fourth sentence further develops the example – keep developing!
The fifth sentence further supports my main reason by detailing the reason why countries invest in scholarships.
1. In conclusion, I feel that there are clear advantages for the foreign student’s home country because of their potential academic and economic contributions after coming back home. 2. Developing nations in particular should invest heavily in programs to send students abroad, besides funding their own educational infrastructure, if they want to have the kind of secure foundation that will allow the country to flourish for many years.
My first sentence is a topic sentence that lays out the topic for the whole essay. Don’t waste much time writing this sentence, just quickly paraphrase the general topic for the essay.
The second sentence gives my opinions about the two questions asked. This is important for your task achievement and cohesion/coherence scores. You don’t have to include your main ideas in your introduction.
Vocabulary Practice
Try to write a definition or a synonym for the vocabulary in bold below.
Nowadays, there are more and more students choosing to study overseas due to a variety of benefits for their own future life and career. From my perspective, I believe that this trend can also be beneficial to the foreign student’s home country and will continue developing in the next few years because of these benefits.
I think it is beneficial to the foreign student’s home country because after they finish studying, they may choose to come back and contribute to their homeland. For example, Vietnamese Professor, Ngo Bao Chau was announced by the 2010 International Congress of Mathematics as one of four mathematicians to win the Fields Medal, which is the world’s most prestigious mathematics award. After returning to Vietnam, he started to help and encourage aspiring Vietnamese from universities to study mathematics further. He not only contributed directly to the burgeoning field of Vietnamese mathematics but also continues to serve as aspirational example to students of the rewards of studying abroad and then returning home.
In the future, I believe that this trend will continue as both foreign and domestic countries will support students through scholarships. For example, in Vietnam it is common for students to apply for scholarships to study in countries like the USA, the UK, Australia, France, and so on. These countries have the means and are willing to support students from foreign countries because it enhances the diversity of their campuses. Additionally, the government in Vietnam encourages studying abroad through scholarships for underprivileged students. They do this because students who study abroad typically return to Vietnam and help push forward economic development, as in the case of Ngo Bao Chau.
In conclusion, I feel that there are clear advantages for the foreign student’s home country because of their potential academic and economic contributions after coming back home. Developing nations in particular should invest heavily in programs to send students abroad, besides funding their own educational infrastructure, if they want to have the kind of secure foundation that will allow the country to flourish for many years.
Answers
variety lots of different kinds
From my perspective I think
trend general direction
beneficial good for
benefits the verb form meaning something is good for
contribute add to
homeland where you’re from
announced make public
mathematicians academics who study math
prestigious renowned/sought-after
encourage support
burgeoning emerging
aspirational something to look up to (adjective)
rewards benefits
scholarships money to study abroad
apply for scholarships ask for scholarship money
the means the ability to be able to
enhances makes stronger
diversity different races, genders, orientations, etc.
underprivileged students poor students
push forward economic development boost the economy
contributions efforts/help
invest heavily put money into
educational infrastructure schools in a country
secure foundation strong infrastructure that will last
Nowadays, there are more and more students choosing to study overseas due to a ____________of benefits for their own future life and career. ____________, I believe that this ____________ can also be ____________ to the foreign student’s home country and will continue developing in the next few years because of these ____________ .
I think it is beneficial to the foreign student’s home country because after they finish studying, they may choose to come back and ____________ to their ____________ . For example, Vietnamese Professor, Ngo Bao Chau was ____________ by the 2010 International Congress of Mathematics as one of four ____________ to win the Fields Medal, which is the world’s most ____________ mathematics award. After returning to Vietnam, he started to help and ____________ aspiring Vietnamese from universities to study mathematics further. He not only ____________ directly to the ____________ field of Vietnamese mathematics but also continues to serve as ____________ example to students of the ____________ of studying abroad and then returning home.
In the future, I believe that this trend will continue as both foreign and domestic countries will support students through ____________ . For example, in Vietnam it is common for students to ____________ to study in countries like the USA, the UK, Australia, France, and so on. These countries have ____________ and are willing to support students from foreign countries because it the ____________ of their campuses. Additionally, the government in Vietnam encourages studying abroad through scholarships for ____________ . They do this because students who study abroad typically return to Vietnam and help ____________ , as in the case of Ngo Bao Chau.
In conclusion, I feel that there are clear advantages for the foreign student’s home country because of their potential academic and economic ____________ after coming back home. Developing nations in particular should in programs to send students abroad, besides funding their own ____________ , if they want to have the kind of ____________ that will allow the country to ____________ for many years.
Here are some more task 1 and task 2 sample answers from other past tests.
Tips for Using IELTS Cambridge 13
I’ve got some important tips for how to use these Cambridge books. Many students don’t know the best ways to practice with the Cambridge books.
A lot of students waste a lot of time doing too many practice tests. They believe that this is a good way to prepare for the test and improve their English.
Practice tests are an awful way to improve your English and only an average way to prepare for the test.
They are not good for improving your English because they are just focused on testing your skills. Of course your English may improve over time but that is not their aim.
Contrast these books with books for learning English that focus on grammar and vocabulary and guide you through with exercises. The process of improving your English is completely different from testing your English – so don’t waste time and money confusing the two!
The biggest mistake that that most students make is they only do these practice tests and don’t find better ways to improve their English.
What are better ways? These ways involve finding something interesting (a movie, music, book, etc.) and keeping your motiviation high with quality content.
You might also decide to take a course in English or hire a tutor. This will improve your English – practice tests will not!
But there are some ways in which these books are good for preparation. First, you can become more familiar with the format of the test and the different questions types.
That makes them decent preparation for the test question types.
Secondly, they are also good tests. Duh.
That means that you can measure your progress with them. If you are planning on taking IELTS in the next month or two you should probably do a weekly test to measure your progress.
If you have several months to a year (or more) then you should do a practice test once a month to measure your progress.
This is the proper way to use practice tests – don’t rely on them to improve your English.
Many students lazily believe that doing test after test will improve their score – they are searching for an overly simple solution when the real solution is staring them right in the face: improve your English and your IELTS score will follow you like your shadow!
Simple Steps for Using IELTS Cambridge 13 to Test your English
1. Start with the listening test. Do the listening test fully but don’t check your answers! Read the tapescript carefully after you finish and underline the distractors and paraphrases. This way you learn about how IELTS listening works.
2. Do the reading test. When you check your answers, figure out the reason why you got each one wrong. Because of a paraphrase? Because of vocabulary? Grammar? This way you can improve your weaknesses.
3. Do the writing tests. Time yourself and be strict. Read my samples answers for task 1 and task 2 writing.
4. Practice doing the speaking test yourself or with a partner. If you have a friend who can help, try to do a mock speaking test that feels like the real test. Read here about what will really happen in your IELTS speaking test.
Simple Steps for Using IELTS Cambridge 13 to Improve your English
1. Start with a listening test but don’t do the full test. Just listen to part 1. Listen to it at least 3 times. Repeat this for every part of the test. Read here about how this will improve your listening. Again, check your answers with the tapescript and try to figure out why you got each answer wrong. Usually it will be because of vocabulary – so learn more vocab!
2. Do the reading test. Don’t worry so much about the timing. Review the basic reading steps here and afterwards check why you got each answer wrong.
3. Do both writing tests but don’t worry about the timing. After you finish you can compare with my sample answers and do the practice activities for task 1 and task 2. The next day, do the same sample answer again but try to improve your ideas, vocabulary, and grammar. Keep doing this until you are happy with your writing.
4. Do the practice speaking test by yourself or with a friend/teacher. Don’t move on to a new test. Keep learning new vocabulary related to the same topics and od the test over and over again. If you get bored, try varying or writing slightly new questions related to the questions. Don’t try to give exactly the same answer each time. Vary it a little bit so that your speaking doesn’t become too robotic.
If you have any questions about the book, you can comment them below and I will reply as soon as possible!
These are the most common IELTS writing topics that I have come across as an examiner and from student reports over the last year.
The most commons topics are: Age & Generations, Art, Business, Cities, Communication, Crime, Education, Environment, Family, Health, Government, Media & Newspapers, Psychology, Society, Sport, Technology & Science, Transport, and Work.
Below are some IELTS writing task 2 samples (all written by me) on the most common topics!
Comment your own essays below and I will give you some feedback!
If you want to get over your IELTS fears and achieve your dreams (of going abroad or getting a better job), I now offer online lessons complete with feedback, videos, workbooks and more!
Some people believe that the government should spend more money putting in more works of art like paintings and statues in cities to make them better places to live in.
Some countries are struggling with increases in crime rates. Some believe that having more police on the streets is best way to reduce and combat crime.
Some people believe that there should be a fixed punishment for each type of crime. Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for committing it, should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment.
Some people say that school children should be mainly taught about the literature (e.g fiction and poetry) of their own country because it is more important than that of other countries.
Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a very early age. Some think they should begin at least 7 years old. Discuss both views give opinions.
Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Climate change is a phenomenon that affects countries all over the world. Many people strongly believe that it is the responsibility of individuals, rather than corporations and governments, to deal with this problem.
Some people say that supermarkets and manufacturers have a responsibility to reduce the amount of packaging on products they sell. Others believe that it is the consumer’s responsibility to avoid buying products which have a lot of packaging.
Many parents encourage young people to leave home when they become older, while others think they should stay at home with the family. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Some people believe that allowing children to make their own choices on everyday matters (such as food, clothes and entertainment) is likely to result in a society of individuals who only think about their own wishes.
Other people believe that it is important for children to make decisions about matters that affect them.
In many schools and universities today, women have a tendency to study the humanities (such as the arts and languages) while men more often major in science related subjects. Some believe this tendency should be changed.
The best way to prevent people from smoking is to impose high taxes on tobacco products. In this way, people will be less likely to develop a long-term addiction to smoking.
Many people believe that every individual is responsible for his/her own healthy lifestyle. Others believe that governments should take care of it. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
The best way to prevent people from smoking is to impose high taxes on tobacco products. In this way, people will be less likely to develop a long-term addiction to smoking.
Many think that in today’s world it is very difficult for people to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Others, however, feel that it is easy for people to be healthy and fit if they want to be.
Some people say that it is acceptable to test medicine intended for people on animals. Others, however, believe that it is not right to use animals in this research.
Governments in many countries have recently introduced special taxes on foods and beverages with high levels of sugar. Some think these taxes are a good idea while others disagree.
Some people say history is one the most important school subjects. Other people think that, in today’s world, subjects like science and technology are more important than history. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge. Write at least 250 words.
Living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause serious social problems, as well as practical problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Some people think that newspapers are the best way to learn news. However, others believe that they can learn news better through other media. Discuss both views and give your opinion
Some people say that advertising is extremely successful at persuading us to buy things. Other people think that advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Many people try to balance work and other parts of their life. However, this is very difficult to do. What are the problems associated with this? What is the best way to achieve a better balance?
Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Some people believe that it is good to share as much information as possible in scientific research, business, and the academic world. Others believe that some information is too important or too valuable to be shared freely.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
People today often use the internet to learn about the culture of other countries. This means that it is not that important to travel to those countries.
Some scientists believe that in the future computers will be more intelligence than human beings. While some see this as a positive development others worry about the negative consequences.
Some people think that it is a waste of money for countries to host big sporting events like the world cup, and that the money would be better spent on other things. However, others think that hosting large sporting events has a clear, positive impact on a country.
Many companies sponsor sports as a way of advertising themselves. Some people think this is good for the world of sport, while others think it is a negative.
Some people think that governments should invest mainly in making public transportation faster while other think there are more important priorities (cost, the environment).
Some people argue that job satisfaction is more important than job security, while others believe that they cannot always expect job satisfaction and a permanent job is more important.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
This is an IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer from the real IELTS exam about government, a topic that comes up all over the test.
It’s an interesting and important area to focus on because there is a very good chance that you will have to talk or write about government (and housing) at some point on IELTS.
My sample answer below contains extra practice with vocabulary and the topic – read on!
Some believe that because everyone needs a place to live, governments should provide houses for those who are too poor to afford their own.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Many reformers are of the opinion that it is the responsibility of governments to provide public housing for members of the public too poor to afford their own homes. In my opinion, although there are some situations when this might be necessary, it is better to allow people the opportunity to pull themselves out of poverty.
Those who support government assistance in housing programs point out the institutional shackles that keep people in poverty. In the United States, there is a long, painful history concerning African Americans that began with slavery, discrimination and still shows its impact in various more muted forms of racism. These people have few chances to escape poverty and own their own homes because they have difficulty getting a good education and then a job. If governments provide them with housing, that frees up their money to go to the education of their children and can break the long chain of poverty that has blighted their path in America.
Although the above-mentioned argument has its merits, in my opinion people who help themselves are more likely to be able to maintain their success. Charity is a notoriously double edged sword because it fosters dependence. Someone who is in poverty who works hard and finds and escape and manages to own a home will develop reserves of willpower and determination that will serve them their entire life. Their self-respect will also help them in their work and encourage them to hold onto their house, regardless of obstacles. If the government simply gifts this person a house, they will be much less inclined to take care of it and will not develop any of the qualities that will spell out their success in life more generally.
In conclusion, people who are more self-reliant are more likely to be successful and hold onto their homes. The role of government ought to be more subtle and include educational reforms aimed at opening up opportunities that individuals can themselves seize.
Word count: 329
IELTS Examiner Sample Answer Analysis (Society)
1. Many reformers are of the opinion that it is the responsibility of governments to provide public housing for members of the public too poor to afford their own homes. 2. In my opinion, although there are some situations when this might be necessary, it is better to allow people the opportunity to pull themselves out of poverty.
1. My first sentence paraphrases (restates) the main topic for the essay. Write this sentence quickly because it is not that important compared to other sentences in your essay. Don’t over-paraphrase or you are likely to make mistakes that will confuse the examiner!
2. The next sentence is my opinion. Don’t sit in the middle – make sure that you have an overall opinion!
1. Those who support government assistance in housing programs point out the institutional shackles that keep people in poverty. 2. In the United States, there is a long, painful history concerning African Americans that began with slavery, discrimination and still shows its impact in various more muted forms of racism. 3. These people have few chances to escape poverty and own their own homes because they have difficulty getting a good education and then a job. 4. If governments provide them with housing, that frees up their money to go to the education of their children and can break the long chain of poverty that has blighted their path in America.
1. The first sentence is my topic sentence which has two parts: the topic (positives of government housing) and the main idea (relationship to poverty). Write short, clear topic sentence with 1 main idea.
2. My second sentence begins my example. Make your examples specific and detailed – I will continue to develop this one example for the rest of the paragraph.
3. The third sentence develops the example by giving specific details about why poverty makes it difficult to own a home.
4. My next sentence concludes the paragraph by suggesting the importance of the government for this one particular example.
(5. I do not include, but you could include, a sentence making this more general or applying it globally.)
1. Although the above-mentioned argument has its merits, in my opinion people who help themselves are more likely to be able to maintain their success. 2. Charity is a notoriously double edged sword because it fosters dependence. 3. Someone who is in poverty who works hard and finds and escape and manages to own a home will develop reserves of willpower and determination that will serve them their entire life. 4. Their self-respect will also help them in their work and encourage them to hold onto their house, regardless of obstacles. 5. If the government simply gifts this person a house, they will be much less inclined to take care of it and will not develop any of the qualities that will spell out their success in life more generally.
1. My first sentence is another topic sentence but I am now focusing on the other side: why the government should not provide housing. Focus on one main idea so that you can fully support it; I focus on why charity does not work in many cases.
2. My next sentence explains my main idea. You do not always need this sentence. I did not do it in the previous paragraph.
3.The third sentence begins a hypthetical example. It is fine to use an imaginary example! Try not to use personal examples if possible though…
4. My fourth sentence includes the specific reasons why buying your own house is a good thing.
5. The fifth sentence uses a counter-example to explain why the government giving houses will prevent people from developing themselves.
1. In conclusion, people who are more self-reliant are more likely to be successful and hold onto their homes. 2. The role of government ought to be more subtle and include educational reforms aimed at opening up opportunities that individuals can themselves seize.
1. My first sentence repeats my opinion and the main reason why. Do not use a new reason!
3. The second sentence adds an extra detail. Many examiners require an extra detail sentence for band 7+. You can read more about that sentence here.
Sample Answer Vocabulary
What do the words below in bold mean? If you’re not sure, try not to use a dictionary – try to figure out the meaning from the whole sentence then check your answers below!
Many reformers are of the opinion that it is the responsibility of governments to provide public housing for members of the public too poor to afford their own homes. In my opinion, although there are some situations when this might be necessary, it is better to allow people the opportunity to pull themselves out of poverty.
Those who support government assistance in housing programs point out the institutional shackles that keep people in poverty. In the United States, there is a long, painful history concerning African Americans that began with slavery, discrimination and still shows its impact in various more muted forms of racism. These people have few chances to escape poverty and own their own homes because they have difficulty getting a good education and then a job. If governments provide them with housing, that frees up their money to go to the education of their children and can break the long chain of poverty that has blighted their path in America.
Although the above-mentioned argument has its merits, in my opinion people who help themselves are more likely to be able to maintain their success. Charity is a notoriouslydouble edged sword because it fosters dependence. Someone who is in poverty who works hard and finds and escape and manages to own a home will develop reserves of willpower and determination that will serve them their entire life. Their self-respect will also help them in their work and encourage them to hold onto their house, regardless of obstacles. If the government simply gifts this person a house, they will be much less inclined to take care of it and will not develop any of the qualities that will spell out their success in life more generally.
In conclusion, people who are more self-reliant are more likely to be successful and hold onto their homes. The role of government ought to be more subtle and include educational reforms aimed at opening up opportunities that individuals can themselves seize.
Answers:
reformers: people who want to make changes
of the opinion: believe
public housing: houses or apartments for people in need
afford: be able to buy
pull themselves out of: escape from
poverty: not having much money
point out: think
institutional shackles: the world holding you back
muted: mild
racism: believing that another race is inferior
escape poverty: get out of being poor/become middle-class
frees up: allows for
break the long chain of poverty: get out of poverty
blighted their path: stood in their way/held them back
above-mentioned argument: the ideas from the previous paragraph
merits: deserves
maintain their success: continue to do well
charity: giving to others
notoriouslydouble edged sword: famously has pros and cons
fosters dependence: makes people reliant on
reserves: extra supplies
willpower: ability to do what you want
determination: continue on despite troubles
serve them their entire life: help them throughout life
self-respect: thinking highly of yourself
regardless of obstacles: no matter the challenges
gifts: the verb of gift/to give for nothing
less inclined: do not want to
spell out: defines
generally: in general, not applying to everyone
self-reliant: depend on yourself
hold onto: keep
subtle: mild, not strong
educational reforms: improving education
opening up opportunities: making new things possible
seize: take
Pronunciation
rɪˈfɔːməz
ɒvðiəˈpɪnjən
ˈpʌblɪkˈhaʊzɪŋ
əˈfɔːd
pʊlðəmˈsɛlvzaʊt
ˈpɒvəti
pɔɪntaʊt
ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃən(ə)lˈʃæklz
ˈmjuːtɪd
ˈreɪsɪzm
ɪsˈkeɪpˈpɒvəti
friːzʌp
breɪkðəlɒŋʧeɪnɒvˈpɒvəti
ˈblaɪtɪdðeəpɑːθ
əˈbʌvˈmɛnʃ(ə)ndˈɑːgjʊmənt
ˈmɛrɪts
meɪnˈteɪnðeəsəkˈsɛs
ˈʧærɪti
nəʊˈtɔːrɪəsliˈdʌblɛʤdsɔːd
ˈfɒstəzdɪˈpɛndəns
rɪˈzɜːvz
ˈwɪlˌpaʊə
dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən
sɜːvðɛmðeər ɪnˈtaɪəlaɪf
sɛlf–rɪsˈpɛkt
rɪˈgɑːdlɪsɒvˈɒbstəklz
gɪfts
lɛsɪnˈklaɪnd
spɛlaʊt
ˈʤɛnərəli
sɛlf–rɪˈlaɪənt
həʊldˈɒntʊ
ˈsʌtl
ˌɛdju(ː)ˈkeɪʃənlˌriːˈfɔːmz
ˈəʊpnɪŋʌpˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪtiz
siːz
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
Many ______________ are ______________ that it is the responsibility of governments to provide ______________ for members of the public too poor to ______________ their own homes. In my opinion, although there are some situations when this might be necessary, it is better to allow people the opportunity to ______________ of ______________.
Those who support government assistance in housing programs ______________ the ______________ that keep people in poverty. In the United States, there is a long, painful history concerning African Americans that began with slavery, discrimination and still shows its impact in various more ______________ forms of ______________. These people have few chances to______________ and own their own homes because they have difficulty getting a good education and then a job. If governments provide them with housing, that______________ their money to go to the education of their children and can ______________ that has ______________ in America.
Although the ______________ has its ______________, in my opinion people who help themselves are more likely to be able to ______________. ______________ is a ______________ because it ______________. Someone who is in poverty who works hard and finds and escape and manages to own a home will develop ______________ of ______________ and ______________ that will ______________. Their ______________will also help them in their work and encourage them to hold onto their house,______________. If the government simply ______________ this person a house, they will be much ______________ to take care of it and will not develop any of the qualities that will ______________ their success in life more ______________.
In conclusion, people who are more ______________ are more likely to be successful and ______________ their homes. The role of government ought to be more _________________ and include ___________________ aimed at __________________ that individuals can themselves ______________.
Government & Housing Article
It’s really important to review the language from the above topic and get some more experience with coming up with ideas related to this.
The more time that you spend reviewing a single topic in a variety of ways (through listening, reading, writing and speaking), the more likely it is that your will improve your ideas and ability to think about complex topics like government and housing.
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