This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of mandatory full-time education from the real IELTS exam.
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Dave
IELTS Essay: Mandatory Full-Time Education
Some people think that children under 18 years old should receive full-time education.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Many feel that students should be required to attend full-time classes until the age of 18. In my opinion, when economically viable this mandate is advisable.
Those who oppose this policy argue it is impossible in more rural areas, particularly in developing nations. In such locations, children and teenagers often do not have convenient access to schools and assisting their parents with farm or other work is a greater priority. For example, in many rural villages in South Asia, even young children must lend a hand working to raise crops and livestock. The parents of these children can also make the legitimate argument that they are preserving a traditional and equally valuable way of life that does not involve modern schooling. However, these contexts are becoming rarer as individuals migrate to cities and the countryside receives improved infrastructure.
The main reason to support compulsory full-time education to the age of 18 is the opportunities it opens up in an evolving world. The lifestyle in rural areas that now seemingly justifies reduced schooling is disappearing due to more efficient farming equipment and the industrialization of production methods. Therefore, the most viable path for most individuals is to have an education through high school and ideally university that will endow them with employable skills. For instance, an individual who has learned a variety of subjects and graduated from formal schooling can then apply either for higher education or a job that requires a high school certificate. Both their worst and best case scenarios for the future improve considerably.
In conclusion, despite the valid reasons that exist in rural communities to de-emphasize education, it is worthwhile to enforce mandatory schooling for all minors. This is now more important than ever as job markets become more competitive.
Analysis
1. Many feel that students should be required to attend full-time classes until the age of 18. 2. In my opinion, when economically viable this mandate is advisable.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. Those who oppose this policy argue it is impossible in more rural areas, particularly in developing nations. 2. In such locations, children and teenagers often do not have convenient access to schools and assisting their parents with farm or other work is a greater priority. 3. For example, in many rural villages in South Asia, even young children must lend a hand working to raise crops and livestock. 4. The parents of these children can also make the legitimate argument that they are preserving a traditional and equally valuable way of life that does not involve modern schooling. 5. However, these contexts are becoming rarer as individuals migrate to cities and the countryside receives improved infrastructure.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific examples.
- Keep developing it fully.
- Stay focused on the same main idea.
1. The main reason to support compulsory full-time education to the age of 18 is the opportunities it opens up in an evolving world. 2. The lifestyle in rural areas that now seemingly justifies reduced schooling is disappearing due to more efficient farming equipment and the industrialization of production methods. 3. Therefore, the most viable path for most individuals is to have an education through high school and ideally university that will endow them with employable skills. 4. For instance, an individual who has learned a variety of subjects and graduated from formal schooling can then apply either for higher education or a job that requires a high school certificate. 5. Both their worst and best case scenarios for the future improve considerably.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your new main idea.
- Include specific details and examples.
- Continue developing it…
- as fully as possible!
1. In conclusion, despite the valid reasons that exist in rural communities to de-emphasize education, it is worthwhile to enforce mandatory schooling for all minors. 2. This is now more important than ever as job markets become more competitive.
- Summarise your main ideas.
- Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.
Many feel that students should be required to attend full-time classes until the age of 18. In my opinion, when economically viable this mandate is advisable.
Those who oppose this policy argue it is impossible in more rural areas, particularly in developing nations. In such locations, children and teenagers often do not have convenient access to schools and assisting their parents with farm or other work is a greater priority. For example, in many rural villages in South Asia, even young children must lend a hand working to raise crops and livestock. The parents of these children can also make the legitimate argument that they are preserving a traditional and equally valuable way of life that does not involve modern schooling. However, these contexts are becoming rarer as individuals migrate to cities and the countryside receives improved infrastructure.
The main reason to support compulsory full-time education to the age of 18 is the opportunities it opens up in an evolving world. The lifestyle in rural areas that now seemingly justifies reduced schooling is disappearing due to more efficient farming equipment and the industrialization of production methods. Therefore, the most viable path for most individuals is to have an education through high school and ideally university that will endow them with employable skills. For instance, an individual who has learned a variety of subjects and graduated from formal schooling can then apply either for higher education or a job that requires a high school certificate. Both their worst and best case scenarios for the future improve considerably.
In conclusion, despite the valid reasons that exist in rural communities to de-emphasize education, it is worthwhile to enforce mandatory schooling for all minors. This is now more important than ever as job markets become more competitive.
Answers
For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:
required have to do it
attend go to
full-time all day
economically viable makes sense based on the finances of a country
mandate order
advisable a good idea to do it
oppose go against
policy regulation
rural areas the countryside
particularly especially
developing nations poorer countries
locations places
convenient access easy to get to
assisting helping
greater priority more important
rural villages towns in the countryside
lend a hand help out
raise crops and livestock help grow food and look after animals
legitimate argument defensible point
preserving keeping alive
traditional from the past
equally valuable also good
modern schooling education today
contexts situations
rarer not common
migrate move to
receives improved infrastructure get better roads, schools, etc.
compulsory have to go there, no choice, mandatory
opportunities chances
opens up creates
evolving world changing world
seemingly justifies appears to make it defensible
reduced not as strong
efficient farming equipment machines that can farm easily
industrialization machines, production, etc.
production methods how things are made
viable path good way
through high school to the end of secondary school
ideally in a perfect world
endow give
employable skills skills that help you get a job
variety of subjects lots of different kinds of classes
formal official
apply put in an application
high school certificate diploma
worst and best case scenarios the worst and ideal situation
despite regardless of
valid legitimate
rural communities country villages
de-emphasize not put focus on
worthwhile justifiable
enforce make sure it is done
minors kids, teenagers
job markets employment sectors
competitive hard to get a position
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
rɪˈkwaɪəd
əˈtɛnd
fʊl-taɪm
ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪkəli ˈvaɪəbl
ˈmændeɪt
ədˈvaɪzəbl
əˈpəʊz
ˈpɒlɪsi
ˈrʊərəl ˈeərɪəz
pəˈtɪkjʊləli
dɪˈvɛləpɪŋ ˈneɪʃənz
ləʊˈkeɪʃənz
kənˈviːniənt ˈæksɛs
əˈsɪstɪŋ
ˈgreɪtə praɪˈɒrɪti
ˈrʊərəl ˈvɪlɪʤɪz
lɛnd ə hænd
reɪz krɒps ænd ˈlaɪvstɒk
lɪˈʤɪtɪmɪt ˈɑːgjʊmənt
prɪˈzɜːvɪŋ
trəˈdɪʃənl
ˈiːkwəli ˈvæljʊəbl
ˈmɒdən ˈskuːlɪŋ
ˈkɒntɛksts
ˈreərə
maɪˈgreɪt
rɪˈsiːvz ɪmˈpruːvd ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌkʧə.
kəmˈpʌlsəri
ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪtiz
ˈəʊpənz ʌp
ɪˈvɒlvɪŋ wɜːld
ˈsiːmɪŋli ˈʤʌstɪfaɪz
rɪˈdjuːst
ɪˈfɪʃənt ˈfɑːmɪŋ ɪˈkwɪpmənt
ɪnˌdʌstrɪəlaɪˈzeɪʃən
prəˈdʌkʃən ˈmɛθədz
ˈvaɪəbl pɑːθ
θruː haɪ skuːl
aɪˈdɪəli
ɪnˈdaʊ
ɪmˈplɔɪəbl skɪlz
vəˈraɪəti ɒv ˈsʌbʤɪkts
ˈfɔːməl
əˈplaɪ
haɪ skuːl səˈtɪfɪkɪt
wɜːst ænd bɛst keɪs sɪˈnɑːrɪəʊz
dɪsˈpaɪt
ˈvælɪd
ˈrʊərəl kəˈmjuːnɪtiz
diː-ˈɛmfəsaɪz
ˈwɜːθˈwaɪl
ɪnˈfɔːs
ˈmaɪnəz
ʤɒb ˈmɑːkɪts
kəmˈpɛtɪtɪv
Vocabulary Practice
I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:
Many feel that students should be r_________d to a______________e classes until the age of 18. In my opinion, when e______________e this m________e is a__________e.
Those who o________e this p_______y argue it is impossible in more r__________s, p____________y in d_____________________s. In such l____________s, children and teenagers often do not have c___________________s to schools and a____________g their parents with farm or other work is a g_______________y. For example, in many r______________s in South Asia, even young children must l____________d working to r________________________k. The parents of these children can also make the l___________________t that they are p____________g a t____________l and e_______________e way of life that does not involve m_________________g. However, these c___________s are becoming r_______r as individuals m_________e to cities and the countryside r________________________________e.
The main reason to support c______________y full-time education to the age of 18 is the o____________________s it o___________p in an e_________________d. The lifestyle in rural areas that now s_________________________d schooling is disappearing due to more e_____________________________t and the i_______________n of p______________________s. Therefore, the most v_____________h for most individuals is to have an education t______________________l and i_________y university that will e______w them with e_____________________s. For instance, an individual who has learned a v__________________s and graduated from f________l schooling can then a_______y either for higher education or a job that requires a h______________________e. Both their w______________________________s for the future improve considerably.
In conclusion, d__________e the v______d reasons that exist in r_______________________s to d___________________e education, it is w____________e to e____________e mandatory schooling for all m_______s. This is now more important than ever as j_____________s become more c_______________e.
Listening Practice
Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities:
Reading Practice
Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/03/travel/remote-schools-patagonia.html
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
School Subjects
- What courses or subjects do you think will be added into high schools?
- What courses or subjects will be helpful in future work?
- Is it more effective to read online than in a book?
- What do students do after school in your country?
- Do you think students should choose subjects they like?
Writing Practice
Practice with the same basic topic below and then check with my sample answer:
Many educational institutions give greater importance to subjects related to science and ignore subjects such as drama and literature.
Why is this?
Is this a positive or negative development?
Just out of topic.
You mean it just came up on the real exam, Varinder?
IELTS examiners do not like to see a paraphrase of the prompt topic – it is grossly overused. They want some originality in the hook.
I’m not sure what you mean. If this is not in the band descriptors, then you should not make this claim.
Even a native speaker would have to paraphrase the topic. If you do it with greater flexibility that can help your score, naturally.
Is that clear?
In today’s contemporary world, more significance is given to education due to growing demand for technology and development. I strongly agree with full time education mandatory for children under the age of 18 as it helps boosting economic growth for the country and personality development for every educated individual.
Firstly, Education plays a crucial role in every nation’s economic growth because it provides with skilled individuals and also help in meet the shortage of skilled labour in various fields by bringing up the interest by inculcating that particular subject in early ages of schooling for every children. For instance, coding is the new language which is widely used in the field of technology and is now facing huge shortage for skilled coders. In retrospect to the prevailing problems,Schools have introduced coding as a subject in early grades of education, which hereby create interest for the children to opt as an suitable career option and hence, meet the growing demand as well.
Secondly, education is treated as framework for every child’s personality development as it helps in enriching the intellectual quotient and provides lessons to face the world ahead as an adult. For example, Curriculum in educational institutions is created with special importance to meet with childs need for intelligence by focusing on insertion of subjects life mathematics and science, which consequently helps in forming of problem solving skills and furthermore, addition of subject like moral science to discern social values to lead a comfortable life and to face real life problems with right attitude.
In conclusion, Government should focus on full time education by making it mandatory for every child and allocating funds to provide qualty education at free or reasonable expense. Children are the future and creating an intelluctual population is a great sign for properity and growth.
Sir, please give me suggestion and band for this essay
Thank you
Good work, Justin!
Try to only capitalize proper nouns and some of your claims and statements of results are a little to strong or simplistic.
Your structure is good!
not happy with the way your have reviewed the essay. There is barely any corrections noted there. also, the use many to substitute ‘some’ is invalid but you do not take note of that at all.
Hi Rahul, are you referring to my essay or my feedback on an essay?
I get a lot of comments and messages from students every day so I don’t always have time to give detailed corrections unless if someone signs up for a correction.
I hope you’ll take that into consideration!