This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of whether or not CEOs and executives should receive more pay than average workers from the real IELTS exam.
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Dave
IELTS Essay: Pay for CEOs and Executives
Large companies should pay higher salaries to CEOs and executives compared to other workers.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Many believe that executives at major companies are overpaid. In my opinion, this disconcerting wage gap is justified as there are few individuals capable of fulfilling the role responsibilities.
Critics of higher salaries for executives point out the unwarranted gap between them and other employees. For example, the average office worker or a cleaner works a similar amount of hours and, in some cases, the demanding nature of their job is arguably more strenuous. Nonetheless, CEOs and other executives get paid in the tens of millions of dollars annually, and this occurs even if the company reports disappointing results or in periods of economic downturn, such as the recent global recession. Their salaries are so many times higher it is impossible to rationalise the disparity by emphasising the hours worked alone. Therefore it is logical to decry the salaries of executives and identify corruption as a culprit.
However, in my opinion, the outsized salaries for executives are justified by supply and demand. It is an uncomfortable fact but true regardless that there is a large pool of potential applicants who would make serviceable replacements for the lowly paid positions. This is not true for executives generally and CEOs more specifically. A CEO must have a strong theoretical background (often based on attending an Ivy League institution), years of proven experience, tireless work ethic, uncommon leadership qualities, and exemplary understanding and insight into global economics. These abilities and characteristics are rare and , therefore, companies must compete to hire them by offering the greatest remuneration packages.
In conclusion, though the salaries for executives appear extravagant, they are the result of a logical calculation of supply and demand. There are more important reforms needed within the free market capitalist model.
Analysis
1. Many believe that executives at major companies are overpaid. 2. In my opinion, this disconcerting wage gap is justified as there are few individuals capable of fulfilling the role responsibilities.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. Critics of higher salaries for executives point out the unwarranted gap between them and other employees. 2. For example, the average office worker or a cleaner works a similar amount of hours and, in some cases, the demanding nature of their job is arguably more strenuous. 3. Nonetheless, CEOs and other executives get paid in the tens of millions of dollars annually, and this occurs even if the company reports disappointing results or in periods of economic downturn, such as the recent global recession. 4. Their salaries are so many times higher it is impossible to rationalise the disparity by emphasising the hours worked alone. 5. Therefore it is logical to decry the salaries of executives and identify corruption as a culprit.
- 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. However, in my opinion, the outsized salaries for executives are justified by supply and demand. 2. It is an uncomfortable fact but true regardless that there is a large pool of potential applicants who would make serviceable replacements for the lowly paid positions. 3. This is not true for executives generally and CEOs more specifically. 4. A CEO must have a strong theoretical background (often based on attending an Ivy League institution), years of proven experience, tireless work ethic, uncommon leadership qualities, and exemplary understanding and insight into global economics. 5. These abilities and characteristics are rare and , therefore, companies must compete to hire them by offering the greatest remuneration packages.
- 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, though the salaries for executives appear extravagant, they are the result of a logical calculation of supply and demand. 2. There are more important reforms needed within the free market capitalist model.
- 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 believe that executives at major companies are overpaid. In my opinion, this disconcerting wage gap is justified as there are few individuals capable of fulfilling the role responsibilities.
Critics of higher salaries for executives point out the unwarranted gap between them and other employees. For example, the average office worker or a cleaner works a similar amount of hours and, in some cases, the demanding nature of their job is arguably more strenuous. Nonetheless, CEOs and other executives get paid in the tens of millions of dollars annually, and this occurs even if the company reports disappointing results or in periods of economic downturn, such as the recent global recession. Their salaries are so many times higher it is impossible to rationalise the disparity by emphasising the hours worked alone. Therefore it is logical to decry the salaries of executives and identify corruption as a culprit.
However, in my opinion, the outsized salaries for executives are justified by supply and demand. It is an uncomfortable fact but true regardless that there is a large pool of potential applicants who would make serviceable replacements for the lowly paid positions. This is not true for executives generally and CEOs more specifically. A CEO must have a strong theoretical background (often based on attending an Ivy League institution), years of proven experience, tireless work ethic, uncommon leadership qualities, and exemplary understanding and insight into global economics. These abilities and characteristics are rare and , therefore, companies must compete to hire them by offering the greatest remuneration packages.
In conclusion, though the salaries for executives appear extravagant, they are the result of a logical calculation of supply and demand. There are more important reforms needed within the free market capitalist model.
Answers
For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:
executives the highest ranking people at a company
overpaid get too much money
disconcerting wage gap worrying difference in salaries
justified reasonable
fulfilling rewarding
role responsibilities what the job requires
critics those who are against it
point out argue
unwarranted gap unjustified difference
average normal
similar amount almost the same
in some cases occasionally
demanding nature how difficult it is
arguably it can be argued
strenuous difficult
nonetheless regardless
CEOs chief executive officer – head of the company
tens of millions of dollars annually every year $20,000,000+
occurs happens
reports disappointing results company revenue/profit is down
periods of economic downturn times when the economy is bad
recent global recession around the world economies doing badly
rationalise justify
disparity difference
emphasising focusing on
logical makes sense
decry are against
identify corruption find that cheating
culprit person to blame
outsized too big
supply and demand how much of something and how much it is wanted
uncomfortable fact unpleasant reality
regardless nonetheless
large pool lots of people
potential applicants possible employees
serviceable replacements good people who can take their place
lowly paid positions not well-paid
generally overall
more specifically more exactly
strong theoretical background good schooling
based on attending because they went to
Ivy League institution Harvard, Yale, etc.
proven experience years of work that show their ability
tireless work ethic work really hard
uncommon leadership qualities rare ability to lead
exemplary understanding excellent knowledge of
insight into ideas about
global economics the world economy at large
characteristics traits
compete fight each other for
offering the greatest remuneration packages pay the most
appear extravagant seem too big
logical calculation rational decision
reforms changes
free market capitalist model the economic system of most countries involving private companies and a consumer economy
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
ɪgˈzɛkjʊtɪvz
ˌəʊvəˈpeɪd
ˌdɪskənˈsɜːtɪŋ weɪʤ gæp
ˈʤʌstɪfaɪd
fʊlˈfɪlɪŋ
rəʊl rɪsˌpɒnsəˈbɪlɪtiz
ˈkrɪtɪks
pɔɪnt aʊt
ʌnˈwɒrəntɪd gæp
ˈævərɪʤ
ˈsɪmɪlər əˈmaʊnt
ɪn sʌm ˈkeɪsɪz
dɪˈmɑːndɪŋ ˈneɪʧə
ˈɑːgjʊəbli
ˈstrɛnjʊəs
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
siː-iː-əʊz
tɛnz ɒv ˈmɪljənz ɒv ˈdɒləz ˈænjʊəli
əˈkɜːz
rɪˈpɔːts ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪŋ rɪˈzʌlts
ˈpɪərɪədz ɒv ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈdaʊntɜːn
ˈriːsnt ˈgləʊbəl rɪˈsɛʃən
ˈræʃnəlaɪz
dɪsˈpærɪti
ˈɛmfəsaɪzɪŋ
ˈlɒʤɪkəl
dɪˈkraɪ
aɪˈdɛntɪfaɪ kəˈrʌpʃən
ˈkʌlprɪt
ˈaʊtsaɪzd
səˈplaɪ ænd dɪˈmɑːnd
ʌnˈkʌmfətəbl fækt
rɪˈgɑːdlɪs
lɑːʤ puːl
pəʊˈtɛnʃəl ˈæplɪkənts
ˈsɜːvɪsəbl rɪˈpleɪsmənts
ˈləʊli peɪd pəˈzɪʃənz
ˈʤɛnərəli
mɔː spəˈsɪfɪk(ə)li
strɒŋ θɪəˈrɛtɪkəl ˈbækgraʊnd
beɪst ɒn əˈtɛndɪŋ
ˈaɪvi liːg ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃən
ˈpruːvən ɪksˈpɪərɪəns
ˈtaɪəlɪs wɜːk ˈɛθɪk
ʌnˈkɒmən ˈliːdəʃɪp ˈkwɒlɪtiz
ɪgˈzɛmpləri ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ
ˈɪnsaɪt ˈɪntuː
ˈgləʊbəl ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪks
ˌkærɪktəˈrɪstɪks
kəmˈpiːt
ˈɒfərɪŋ ðə ˈgreɪtɪst rɪˌmjuːnəˈreɪʃən ˈpækɪʤɪz
əˈpɪər ɪksˈtrævɪgənt
ˈlɒʤɪkəl ˌkælkjʊˈleɪʃən
ˌriːˈfɔːmz
friː ˈmɑːkɪt ˈkæpɪtəlɪst ˈmɒdl
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 believe that e____________s at major companies are o__________d. In my opinion, this d_____________________p is j__________d as there are few individuals capable of f______________g the r_____________________s.
C________s of higher salaries for executives p__________t the u______________________p between them and other employees. For example, the average office worker or a cleaner works a s_________________t of hours and, i________________s, the d__________________e of their job is a__________y more s____________s. N______________s, C_____s and other executives get paid in the t______________________________y, and this o_______s even if the company r______________________________s or in p_______________________n, such as the r________________________n. Their salaries are so many times higher it is impossible to r________________e the d_____________y by e__________________g the hours worked alone. Therefore it is l___________l to d_______y the salaries of executives and i___________________n as a c________t.
However, in my opinion, the o_________d salaries for executives are justified by s_____________________d. It is an u__________________t but true r____________s that there is a l____________l of p____________________s who would make s_________________________s for the l___________________s. This is not true for executives g____________y and CEOs m__________________y. A CEO must have a s__________________________d (often b___________n a___________g an I____________________n), years of p__________________e, t_____________________c, u_______________________s, and e______________________g and i_____________o g_________________s. These abilities and c__________________s are rare and , therefore, companies must c__________e to hire them by o___________________________________________s.
In conclusion, though the salaries for executives a_____________________t, they are the result of a l__________________n of supply and demand. There are more important r__________s needed within the f____________________________l.
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:
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Leadership
- What makes someone a good leader?
- Are there differences between male and female leaders?
- What makes for a bad leader?
- Is it important for leaders to be decisive?
- Have leadership qualities changed much over time?
Writing Practice
Practice with the same basic topic below and then check with my sample answer:
Some feel executives in large companies should receive high salaries while others think they are paid too much compared to ordinary workers.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
It is true that high-level managers such as CEOs or executives in conglomerates tend to receive a substantially higher salary than ordinary employees. In my opinion, this is wholly warranted as senior-level executives are responsible for more responsibilities and it is extremely difficult to find competent managers.
It is understandable why some opine that those holding senior-level positions are overpaid. The truth is that both average employees and senior managers are equally devoted to the well-being of the companies. This means that both have to work the same number of hours and in some cases, the former has to work harder because of their position requiring strenuous effort. A good example of this would be entry-level workers who have to spend an exceeding amount of time familiarizing themselves with their new duties and working environment with little payment. This is a testament to why some believe the remuneration gap between employees and managers is not justifiable.
Despite the aforementioned argument, I claim that it is just for executives to enjoy a higher salary. This is because salaries should be commensurate with experience and responsibilities. Indeed, high-level managers are required to possess years or even decades of proven experience and have to face pressure and responsibilities coming from making decisions, managing employees, and boosting profits, while all ordinary employees have to do is to function effectively with their roles in a group. Additionally, competent executives are rare, especially those who are suitable to drive a company to success, whereas there is a large pool of potential applicants waiting to be employed to work low-level positions. Therefore, it is justifiable to reward executives with a higher amount of remuneration than other employees.
In conclusion, I am strongly convinced that it is fair to reward generous salaries for executives and CEOs because of the responsibilities associated with their positions and the difficulties in finding a competent manager.
Thanks Dave for sharing the excellent sample, and tips and tricks for writing task 2! I just wanted to understand the reason you used word “higher” in the body para 2. I am wondering if it should be “hire” or “higher’. Thanks.
These abilities and characteristics are rare and , therefore, companies must compete to higher them by offering the greatest remuneration packages.
Haha, thank you for pointing that out, Ranveer – I will update it!