This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of the elderly and education from the real IELTS exam.

These are really common topics that could come up on your test.

If you want my exclusive IELTS PDFs, you can sign up for them here.

Dave

IELTS Essay: The Elderly and Education

Some people think governments should care more about elderly while others think they should focus on investing in education for younger people.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

There are many today who believe that it is more important to prioritise education for younger people over looking after the elderly. In my opinion, this makes utilitarian sense but ignores more important justifications.

Those who argue in favour of education can easily draw on the tangible benefits. Some nations have gone so far as to suggest that education is the most important national priority and deserves the greatest allocation of resources. This was famously the case in countries like Japan, South Korea, and Finland decades ago and its efficacy has been evidenced by the growth of innovative industries and progressively rising standards of living. The conclusions from those countries is simple: money spent on education not only contributes to producing jobs in the short-term and stimulating the consumer economy, but the results years later of a well-educated populace will benefit political participation, the economy, safety, and a host of other areas.

Nonetheless, investment on education has peaked and care for the elderly is a sadly neglected area. No one would suggest drastically slashing education budgets, but some resources ought to be diverted to the people who contributed most to present living stangards. Past generations often had to work longer hours at more difficult jobs to build the modern infrastructure and political and economic systems now taken for granted. As these people age, many of them struggle with paying the bills if they do not have a supportive, financially stable family. They might not be able to work anymore so it therefore falls to the government to find ways of taking care of them ranging from retirement homes to monthly checks for living expenses to being aware of how policy changes might affect older people.

In conclusion, education is crucial but it is more important to keep in mind the debt owed to the elderly and take good care of them. Governments must of course balance a multitude of priorities but old people should not slip down the list.

Analysis

1. There are many today who believe that it is more important to prioritise education for younger people over looking after the elderly. 2. In my opinion, this makes utilitarian sense but ignores more important justifications.

1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
2. Write a clear opinion. Learn more about conclusions here.

1. Those who argue in favour of education can easily draw on the tangible benefits. 2. Some nations have gone so far as to suggest that education is the most important national priority and deserves the greatest allocation of resources. 3. This was famously the case in countries like Japan, South Korea, and Finland decades ago and its efficacy has been evidenced by the growth of innovative industries and progressively rising standards of living. 4. The conclusions from those countries is simple: money spent on education not only contributes to producing jobs in the short-term and stimulating the consumer economy, but the results years later of a well-education populace will benefit political participation, the economy, safety, and a host of other areas.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Use specific examples to develop your main idea.
4. State the full results of your example.

1. Nonetheless, investment on education has peaked and care for the elderly is a sadly neglected area. 2. No one would suggest drastically slashing education budgets, but some resources ought to be diverted to the people who contributed most to present living stangards. 3. Past generations often had to work longer hours at more difficult jobs to build the modern infrastructure and political and economic systems now taken for granted. 4. As these people age, many of them struggle with paying the bills if they do not have a supportive, financially stable family. 5. They might not be able to work anymore so it therefore falls to the government to find ways of taking care of them ranging from retirement homes to monthly checks for living expenses to being aware of how policy changes might affect older people.

1. Write another topic sentence with another clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain or begin developing the main idea.
3. Be as specific as possible supporting your main idea.
4. Don’t switch to new main idea.
5. Conclude with a strong statement and specific ideas.

1. In conclusion, education is crucial but it is more important to keep in mind the debt owed to the elderly and take good care of them. 2. Governments must of course balance a multitude of priorities but old people should not slip down the list.

1. Repeat your opinion summarise your main ideas.
2. Add a final thought/detail. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

There are many today who believe that it is more important to prioritise education for younger people over looking after the elderly. In my opinion, this makes utilitarian sense but ignores more important justifications.

Those who argue in favour of education can easily draw on the tangible benefits. Some nations have gone so far as to suggest that education is the most important national priority and deserves the greatest allocation of resources. This was famously the case in countries like Japan, South Korea, and Finland decades ago and its efficacy has been evidenced by the growth of innovative industries and progressively rising standards of living. The conclusions from those countries is simple: money spent on education not only contributes to producing jobs in the short-term and stimulating the consumer economy, but the results years later of a well-educated populace will benefit political participation, the economy, safety, and a host of other areas.

Nonetheless, investment on education has peaked and care for the elderly is a sadly neglected area. No one would suggest drastically slashing education budgets, but some resources ought to be diverted to the people who contributed most to present living stangards. Past generations often had to work longer hours at more difficult jobs to build the modern infrastructure and political and economic systems now taken for granted. As these people age, many of them struggle with paying the bills if they do not have a supportive, financially stable family. They might not be able to work anymore so it therefore falls to the government to find ways of taking care of them ranging from retirement homes to monthly checks for living expenses to being aware of how policy changes might affect older people.

In conclusion, education is crucial but it is more important to keep in mind the debt owed to the elderly and take good care of them. Governments must of course balance a multitude of priorities but old people should not slip down the list.

Answers

prioritise focus on

looking after taking care of

utilitarian sense just caring about what it pragmatic

ignores not pay attention to

justifications reasons for

argue in favour of support

easily draw on can point out

tangible benefits real advantages

gone so far as to taken to the extreme of

most important national priority crucial for the country

deserves should get

greatest allocation of resources most money for

famously the case well known example

decades ago more than 10 years ago

efficacy effectiveness

innovative industries companies that develop new products

progressively rising standards of living life getting better and better

not only not limited to

short-term not far in the future

stimulating the consumer economy selling more products

well-educated populace smart citizens

political participation voting

safety lack of crime

a host of many

nonetheless regardless

peaked reached a high point

sadly neglected area unfortunately neglected/forgotten

drastically slashing education budgets cutting money for schools a lot

ought should

diverted taken to another area

contributed most give the most

past generations older people

modern infrastructure buildings, roads, etc.

political related to politics and voting

economic systems how the economy works

taken for granted not appreciated

struggle fight with

supportive helpful

financially stable family family with money

falls to must be responsible for

find ways locate methods

retirement homes places for old people to live

monthly checks for living expenses retirement fund

aware knkow about

policy changes reforms

crucial very important

keep in mind be mindful of

debt owed responsible

take good care of them look after well

balance keep both in mind

multitude of priorities many areas to consider

slip down the list be forgotten, become less important

Pronunciation

praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz 
ˈlʊkɪŋ ˈɑːftə 
ˌjuːtɪlɪˈteərɪən sɛns 
ɪgˈnɔːz 
ˌʤʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃənz
ˈɑːgjuː ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv 
ˈiːzɪli drɔː ɒn 
ˈtænʤəbl ˈbɛnɪfɪts
gɒn səʊ fɑːr æz tuː 
məʊst ɪmˈpɔːtənt ˈnæʃənl praɪˈɒrɪti 
dɪˈzɜːvz 
ˈgreɪtɪst ˌæləʊˈkeɪʃ(ə)n ɒv rɪˈsɔːsɪz
ˈfeɪməsli ðə keɪs 
ˈdɛkeɪdz əˈgəʊ 
ˈɛfɪkəsi 
ɪnˈnɒvətɪv ˈɪndəstriz 
prəʊˈgrɛsɪvli ˈraɪzɪŋ ˈstændədz ɒv ˈlɪvɪŋ
nɒt ˈəʊnli 
ʃɔːt-tɜːm 
ˈstɪmjʊleɪtɪŋ ðə kənˈsjuːmər i(ː)ˈkɒnəmi
wɛl-ˌɛdju(ː)ˈkeɪted ˈpɒpjʊləs 
pəˈlɪtɪkəl pɑːˌtɪsɪˈpeɪʃən
ˈseɪfti
ə həʊst ɒv 
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
piːkt 
ˈsædli nɪˈglɛktɪd ˈeərɪə
ˈdræstɪk(ə)li ˈslæʃɪŋ ˌɛdju(ː)ˈkeɪʃən ˈbʌʤɪts
ɔːt 
daɪˈvɜːtɪd 
kənˈtrɪbju(ː)tɪd məʊst 
pɑːst ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃənz 
ˈmɒdən ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌkʧə 
pəˈlɪtɪkəl 
ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈsɪstɪmz 
ˈteɪkən fɔː ˈgrɑːntɪd
ˈstrʌgl 
səˈpɔːtɪv
faɪˈnænʃəli ˈsteɪbl ˈfæmɪli
fɔːlz tuː 
faɪnd weɪz 
rɪˈtaɪəmənt həʊmz 
ˈmʌnθli ʧɛks fɔː ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪksˈpɛnsɪz 
əˈweə 
ˈpɒlɪsi ˈʧeɪnʤɪz 
ˈkruːʃəl 
kiːp ɪn maɪnd 
dɛt əʊd 
teɪk gʊd keər ɒv ðɛm
ˈbæləns 
ˈmʌltɪtjuːd ɒv praɪˈɒrɪtiz 
slɪp daʊn ðə lɪst

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

There are many today who believe that it is more important to p___________e education for younger people over l___________r the elderly. In my opinion, this makes u________________e but i__________s more important j_______________s.

Those who a_________________f education can e_______________n the t____________________s. Some nations have g________________o suggest that education is the m____________________y and d___________s the g___________________________s. This was f_________________e in countries like Japan, South Korea, and Finland d____________o and its e_________y has been evidenced by the growth of i____________________s and p____________________________g. The conclusions from those countries is simple: money spent on education n_________y contributes to producing jobs in the s___________m and s______________________________y, but the results years later of a w_______________________e will benefit p__________________________n, the economy, s_________y, and a___________f other areas.

N______________s, investment on education has p_________d and care for the elderly is a s______________________a. No one would suggest d__________________________________s, but some resources o__________t to be d_____________d to the people who c__________________t to present living stangards. P_________________s often had to work longer hours at more difficult jobs to build the m________________________e and p___________l and e_________________s now t___________________d. As these people age, many of them s______________e with paying the bills if they do not have a s_______________e, f_____________________y. They might not be able to work anymore so it therefore f___________o the government to f______________s of taking care of them ranging from r_________________s to m_____________________s to being a_________e of how p________________s might affect older people.

In conclusion, education is c__________l but it is more important to k______________d the d____________d to the elderly and t_______________________m. Governments must of course b____________e a m______________________s but old people should not s______________________t.

Listening Practice

Learn what it is like to be old in Japan:

Reading Practice

Read the following article about education as a social ladder here:

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/college/coll-china-education-004.html

Speaking Practice

Answer the following questions from the real IELTS exam:

Talk about an old person you know and respect

Writing Practice

Write about the following related writing question and then check with my sample answer:

Even though doctors advise old people to get more exercise, many old people do not get enough.

What are the reasons for this?

What are some possible solutions for this?

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Old People & Exercise (Real Past IELTS Exam)