This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of prioritizing healthcare from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Essay: Prioritizing Healthcare

Some feel that governments should prioritize healthcare instead of other important areas.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In recent years, the issue of whether the government should prioritize funding for healthcare above all other areas has been a topic of debate. I would argue that healthcare should take precedence, as it is a fundamental human right and essential for a healthy and productive population.

Certain interested party contend that there are other areas that are just as important as healthcare. One such area is education. Education is often rightly seen as a key factor in social and economic development. For example, in developing countries, a lack of education can result in high levels of poverty and unemployment. Countries that invest in education have seen the results permeate throughout society, including the well-known examples of Japan after the Second World War and Finland in recent decades. Educational quality can in turn lead to sustained economic growth and higher standards of living for the average citizen.

Despite these valid arguments, I believe that healthcare should still be given priority in terms of state budget allocation. One reason for this is the fact that healthcare is a universal need. Unlike education, which can benefit some people more than others, everyone requires quality healthcare at some point in their lives. For instance, in the United States, the lack of affordable healthcare has resulted in many people from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds being unable to afford necessary treatments. The consequences of this can be seen in the high number of preventable deaths each year, which could have been avoided if the government had prioritized healthcare funding.

In conclusion, it is clear that healthcare is an essential human right and deserves precedence above other critical areas such as education. Ultimately, the key is to find a sustainable and equitable approach that benefits everyone.

Analysis

1. In recent years, the issue of whether the government should prioritize funding for healthcare above all other areas has been a topic of debate. 2. I would argue that healthcare should take precedence, as it is a fundamental human right and essential for a healthy and productive population.

1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
2. Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. Certain interested party contend that there are other areas that are just as important as healthcare. 2. One such area is education. 3. Education is often rightly seen as a key factor in social and economic development. 4. For example, in developing countries, a lack of education can result in high levels of poverty and unemployment. 5. Countries that invest in education have seen the results permeate throughout society, including the well-known examples of Japan after the Second World War and Finland in recent decades. 6. Educational quality can in turn lead to sustained economic growth and higher standards of living for the average citizen.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
4. Keep developing it fully.
5. Make sure your examples are specific.
6. And you fully detail the results.

1. Despite these valid arguments, I believe that healthcare should still be given priority in terms of state budget allocation. 2. One reason for this is the fact that healthcare is a universal need. 3. Unlike education, which can benefit some people more than others, everyone requires quality healthcare at some point in their lives. 4. For instance, in the United States, the lack of affordable healthcare has resulted in many people from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds being unable to afford necessary treatments. 5. The consequences of this can be seen in the high number of preventable deaths each year, which could have been avoided if the government had prioritized healthcare funding.

1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
2. Explain your new main idea.
3. Include specific details and examples.
4. Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
5. Finish the paragraph strong.

1. In conclusion, it is clear that healthcare is an essential human right and deserves precedence above other critical areas such as education. 2. Ultimately, the key is to find a sustainable and equitable approach that benefits everyone.

1. Summarise your main ideas.
2. 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.

In recent years, the issue of whether the government should prioritize funding for healthcare above all other areas has been a topic of debate. I would argue that healthcare should take precedence, as it is a fundamental human right and essential for a healthy and productive population.

Certain interested party contend that there are other areas that are just as important as healthcare. One such area is education. Education is often rightly seen as a decisive factor in social and economic development. For example, in developing countries, a lack of education can result in high levels of poverty and unemployment. Countries that invest in education have seen the results permeate throughout society, including the well-known examples of Japan after the Second World War and Finland in recent decades. Educational quality can in turn lead to sustained economic growth and higher standards of living for the average citizen.

Despite these valid arguments, I believe that healthcare should still be given priority in terms of state budget allocation. One reason for this is the fact that healthcare is a universal need. Unlike education, which can benefit some people more than others, everyone requires quality healthcare at some point in their lives. For instance, in the United States, the lack of affordable healthcare has resulted in many people from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds being unable to afford necessary treatments. The consequences of this can be witnessed in the high number of preventable deaths each year, which could have been avoided if the government had valued healthcare funding appropriately.

In conclusion, it is clear that healthcare is an essential human right and deserves precedence above other critical areas such as education. Ultimately, the key is to find a sustainable and equitable approach that benefits everyone.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

In recent years these days

the issue of whether the problem about whether or not

prioritize funding for healthcare above all other areas focus on spending money on hospital and doctors instead of other places to invest in

topic of debate something people argue about

take precedence more important than

fundamental human right basic thing humans deserve

essential crucial

healthy and productive population people working and living well

Certain interested party contend that some argue that

just as important as equally important to

often rightly seen as a decisive factor usually justly the critical element

social and economic development people and the economy getting better

developing countries less wealthy nations

a lack of not having

high levels of poverty and unemployment lots of poor people and people without jobs

invest in put money into

seen the results permeate throughout society the effects impact everyone

including these examples of it

well-known examples famous instances of this

in turn lead to sustained economic growth thus cause better finances

higher standards of living for the average citizen higher quality of life for most people

Despite these valid arguments regardless of these true points

given priority in terms of state budget allocation granted precedence concerning money from the government

One reason for this is once justification is

quality healthcare at some point in their lives good hospital in their lifetime

lack of affordable healthcare no good options for insurance

a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds being unable to afford necessary treatments people from different parts of society can’t pay for procedures at hospitals

consequences results

high number of preventable deaths each year many people dying every year who don’t have to

avoided get around

valued considered important

appropriately well-suited

essential human right basic human need

deserves precedence should be given consideration

critical crucial

Ultimately in the end

key important

sustainable and equitable approach that benefits everyone long-term, fair way that helps every person

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

ɪn ˈriːsnt jɪəz 

ði ˈɪʃuː ɒv ˈwɛðə 

praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz ˈfʌndɪŋ fɔː ˈhɛlθkeər əˈbʌv ɔːl ˈʌðər ˈeərɪəz 

ˈtɒpɪk ɒv dɪˈbeɪt 

teɪk ˈprɛsɪdᵊns 

ˌfʌndəˈmɛntᵊl ˈhjuːmən raɪt 

ɪˈsɛnʃᵊl 

ˈhɛlθi ænd prəˈdʌktɪv ˌpɒpjəˈleɪʃᵊn 

ˈsɜːtn ˈɪntrɛstɪd ˈpɑːti kənˈtɛnd ðæt 

ʤʌst æz ɪmˈpɔːtənt æz 

ˈɒfᵊn ˈraɪtli siːn æz ə dɪˈsaɪsɪv ˈfæktə 

ˈsəʊʃᵊl ænd ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk dɪˈvɛləpmənt 

dɪˈvɛləpɪŋ ˈkʌntriz 

ə læk ɒv 

haɪ ˈlɛvᵊlz ɒv ˈpɒvəti ænd ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt 

ɪnˈvɛst ɪn 

siːn ðə rɪˈzʌlts ˈpɜːmieɪt θruːˈaʊt səˈsaɪəti 

ɪnˈkluːdɪŋ 

wɛl-nəʊn ɪɡˈzɑːmpᵊlz 

ɪn tɜːn liːd tuː səsˈteɪnd ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ɡrəʊθ 

ˈhaɪə ˈstændədz ɒv ˈlɪvɪŋ fɔː ði ˈævərɪʤ ˈsɪtɪzn 

dɪsˈpaɪt ðiːz ˈvælɪd ˈɑːɡjəmənts 

ˈɡɪvn praɪˈɒrəti ɪn tɜːmz ɒv steɪt ˈbʌʤɪt ˌæləʊˈkeɪʃᵊn 

wʌn ˈriːzn fɔː ðɪs ɪz 

ˈkwɒləti ˈhɛlθkeər æt sʌm pɔɪnt ɪn ðeə lɪvz 

læk ɒv əˈfɔːdəbᵊl ˈhɛlθkeə 

ə vəˈraɪəti ɒv ˌsəʊsiəʊˌɛkəˈnɒmɪk ˈbækɡraʊndz ˈbiːɪŋ ʌnˈeɪbᵊl tuː əˈfɔːd ˈnɛsɪsəri ˈtriːtmənts 

ˈkɒnsɪkwənsɪz 

haɪ ˈnʌmbər ɒv prɪˈvɛntəbᵊl dɛθs iːʧ jɪə 

əˈvɔɪdɪd 

ˈvæljuːd 

əˈprəʊpriətli 

ɪˈsɛnʃᵊl ˈhjuːmən raɪt 

dɪˈzɜːvz ˈprɛsɪdᵊns 

ˈkrɪtɪkᵊl 

ˈʌltɪmɪtli 

kiː 

səsˈteɪnəbᵊl ænd ˈɛkwɪtəbᵊl əˈprəʊʧ ðæt ˈbɛnɪfɪts ˈɛvrɪwʌn

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:

I___________________s, t_______________________r the government should p______________________________________________________s has been a t_________________e. I would argue that healthcare should t_________________e, as it is a f________________________t and e__________l for a h__________________________________n.

C___________________________________________t there are other areas that are j_____________________s healthcare. One such area is education. Education is o________________________________r in s_________________________________t. For example, in d______________________s, a_________f education can result in h________________________________________________t. Countries that i__________n education have s______________________________________________________y, i_____________g the w____________________s of Japan after the Second World War and Finland in recent decades. Educational quality can i________________________________________h and h__________________________________________________n.

D_____________________________________s, I believe that healthcare should still be g_____________________________________________n. O__________________________s the fact that healthcare is a universal need. Unlike education, which can benefit some people more than others, everyone requires q___________________________________________________s. For instance, in the United States, the l______________________________e has resulted in many people from a____________________________________________________________________________________________s. The c_____________s of this can be witnessed in the h_______________________________________r, which could have been a_________d if the government had v_______d healthcare funding a_______________y.

In conclusion, it is clear that healthcare is an e________________________t and d___________________e above other c________l areas such as education. U____________y, the k__y is to find a s__________________________________________________________e.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching from YouTube below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://news.google.com/articles/CBMie2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZvcmJlcy5jb20vc2l0ZXMvc2FjaGluamFpbi8yMDIzLzA3LzA2L2hlYWx0aGNhcmUtamFyZ29uLXRoZS0xMC1tb3N0LWNvbmZ1c2luZy1hbmQtdW5oZWxwZnVsLXdvcmRzLWFuZC1waHJhc2VzL9IBf2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZvcmJlcy5jb20vc2l0ZXMvc2FjaGluamFpbi8yMDIzLzA3LzA2L2hlYWx0aGNhcmUtamFyZ29uLXRoZS0xMC1tb3N0LWNvbmZ1c2luZy1hbmQtdW5oZWxwZnVsLXdvcmRzLWFuZC1waHJhc2VzL2FtcC8?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Health

1. How often do people in your country go to the doctor?
2. Are doctors always trustworthy?
3. How will hospitals change in the future?
4. Is traditional medicine an important part of your culture?
5. What makes a person healthy?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topics below:

Some people today prefer to get advice for medical problems and do not want to visit a doctor.

Why is this?

Is this a positive or a negative development?

IELTS Essay: Advice for Medical Problems