This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of both spouses earning money these days from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Discuss both Sides Questions

Dave

IELTS Essay: Spouses

In marriages today, some argue that it is the responsibility of both spouses to earn a living for the family.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Many these days contend that both spouses should work and provide for the entire family. In my opinion, though advisable in certain circumstances, it is preferable to subdivide roles within a family.

Those who support this argument focus on the righteousness of empowering women in marriages. Historically, women did not have the freedom in most cultures to work. In recent decades, as women have gained more rights both formally and informally in society, this has allowed them to extend themselves through their careers. Connected to this empowerment is also a sense of duty. Not only do women now have the opportunity to work and develop their full potential, they also have the privilege of taking on greater responsibility. The end result is they can both help alleviate financial burdens at home and gain improved self-esteem.

However, a clear division of responsibilities in a family is the best way to nurture one’s child. If both parents work, as has become increasingly common in Western nations, there is a strong likelihood the children will be neglected. Though affluent families can mitigate this drawback with a nanny to look after the children and a cleaner, this is a poor substitute for the love of one’s actual parents. Moreover, most working-class families must simply work harder at their jobs and at home. This can produce significant fatigue over the long term and cause parents to feel powerless, overextended, and even lead to anxiety conditions and depression.

In conclusion, ideally both parents would have jobs but in reality this does not allow for proper balance in a family. This does not imply that only males should have jobs as either the husband or wife can become the primary earner.

Analysis

1. Many these days contend that both spouses should work and provide for the entire family. 2. In my opinion, though advisable in certain circumstances, it is preferable to subdivide roles within a family.

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

1. Those who support this argument focus on the righteousness of empowering women in marriages. 2. Historically, women did not have the freedom in most cultures to work. 3. In recent decades, as women have gained more rights both formally and informally in society, this has allowed them to extend themselves through their careers. 4. Connected to this empowerment is also a sense of duty. 5. Not only do women now have the opportunity to work and develop their full potential, they also have the privilege of taking on greater responsibility. 6. The end result is they can both help alleviate financial burdens at home and gain improved self-esteem.

Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
Explain your main idea.
Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
Keep developing it fully.
Short sentences can make your writing clearer.
State the fullest possible result.

1. However, a clear division of responsibilities in a family is the best way to nurture one’s child. 2. If both parents work, as has become increasingly common in Western nations, there is a strong likelihood the children will be neglected. 3. Though affluent families can mitigate this drawback with a nanny to look after the children and a cleaner, this is a poor substitute for the love of one’s actual parents. 4. Moreover, most working-class families must simply work harder at their jobs and at home. 5. This can produce significant fatigue over the long term and cause parents to feel powerless, overextended, and even lead to anxiety conditions and depression.

Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
Explain your new main idea.
Include specific details and examples.
Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
Develop the example fully.

1. In conclusion, ideally both parents would have jobs but in reality this does not allow for proper balance in a family. 2. This does not imply that only males should have jobs as either the husband or wife can become the primary earner.

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 these days contend that both spouses should work and provide for the entire family. In my opinion, though advisable in certain circumstances, it is preferable to subdivide roles within a family.

Those who support this argument focus on the righteousness of empowering women in marriages. Historically, women did not have the freedom in most cultures to work. In recent decades, as women have gained more rights both formally and informally in society, this has allowed them to extend themselves through their careers. Connected to this empowerment is also a sense of duty. Not only do women now have the opportunity to work and develop their full potential, they also have the privilege of taking on greater responsibility. The end result is they can both help alleviate financial burdens at home and gain improved self-esteem.

However, a clear division of responsibilities in a family is the best way to nurture one’s child. If both parents work, as has become increasingly common in Western nations, there is a strong likelihood the children will be neglected. Though affluent families can mitigate this drawback with a nanny to look after the children and a cleaner, this is a poor substitute for the love of one’s actual parents. Moreover, most working-class families must simply work harder at their jobs and at home. This can produce significant fatigue over the long term and cause parents to feel powerless, overextended, and even lead to anxiety conditions and depression.

In conclusion, ideally both parents would have jobs but in reality this does not allow for proper balance in a family. This does not imply that only males should have jobs as either the husband or wife can become the primary earner.

Answers

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

contend argue

spouses husbands and wives

provide for earn money for

entire family whole family, all children and the husband and wife

advisable a good idea

certain circumstances some cases

preferable better

subdivide roles split responsibilities

within inside of

support help

argument contention

focus on pinpoint

righteousness feeling right and just

empowering feeling more confident

historically in the past

freedom ability to do what you want

most cultures many nations

in recent decades the last 20 or 30 years or so

gained have acquired

formally in laws

informally in society more generally

allowed permitted

extend themselves do more

careers jobs

connected related to

empowerment becoming stronger

sense of duty feeling of responsibility

opportunity chance

develop their full potential achieve more in life

privilege something to be grateful for

taking on greater responsibility assume more duty in life

end result final consequence

alleviate financial burdens help fix money issues

gain improved self-esteem feel more confident

clear division definite separation

nurture help to grow

increasingly common more and more prevalent

Western nations countries in Europe, America

strong likelihood good chance of

neglected not paid attention to

affluent rich

mitigate lessen

drawback downside

nanny someone who looks after the children

cleaner person who cleans the house

poor substitute doesn’t replace fully

actual in fact, real

working-class families less wealthy families, normal families

significant fatigue lots of tiredness

over the long term for a while

powerless without any power, weak

overextended overburdened

even lead to actually cause

anxiety conditions worrying

depression feeling very sad

in reality actually

proper balance in everything in order

imply necessitate

primary earner main person making money for a family, primary breadwinner

Pronunciation

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

kənˈtɛnd
ˈspaʊzɪz
prəˈvaɪd fɔː
ɪnˈtaɪə ˈfæmɪli
ədˈvaɪzəbl
ˈsɜːtn ˈsɜːkəmstənsɪz
ˈprɛfərəbl
ˌsʌbdɪˈvaɪd rəʊlz
wɪˈðɪn
səˈpɔːt
ˈɑːgjʊmənt
ˈfəʊkəs ɒn
ˈraɪʧəsnɪs
ɪmˈpaʊərɪŋ
hɪsˈtɒrɪkəli
ˈfriːdəm
məʊst ˈkʌlʧəz
ɪn ˈriːsnt ˈdɛkeɪdz
geɪnd
ˈfɔːməli
ɪnˈfɔːmli
əˈlaʊd
ɪksˈtɛnd ðəmˈsɛlvz
kəˈrɪəz
kəˈnɛktɪd
ɪmˈpaʊəmənt
sɛns ɒv ˈdjuːti
ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪti
dɪˈvɛləp ðeə fʊl pəʊˈtɛnʃəl
ˈprɪvɪlɪʤ
ˈteɪkɪŋ ɒn ˈgreɪtə rɪsˌpɒnsəˈbɪlɪti
ɛnd rɪˈzʌlt
əˈliːvɪeɪt faɪˈnænʃəl ˈbɜːdnz
geɪn ɪmˈpruːvd sɛlf-ɪsˈtiːm
klɪə dɪˈvɪʒən
ˈnɜːʧə
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈkɒmən
ˈwɛstən ˈneɪʃənz
strɒŋ ˈlaɪklɪhʊd
nɪˈglɛktɪd
ˈæflʊənt
ˈmɪtɪgeɪt
ˈdrɔːbæk
ˈnæni
ˈkliːnə
pʊə ˈsʌbstɪtjuːt
ˈækʧʊəl
ˈwɜːkɪŋklɑːs ˈfæmɪliz
sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt fəˈtiːg
ˈəʊvə ðə lɒŋ tɜːm
ˈpaʊəlɪs
ˌəʊvərɪksˈtɛndɪd,
ˈiːvən liːd tuː
æŋˈzaɪəti kənˈdɪʃənz
dɪˈprɛʃən
ɪn ri(ː)ˈælɪti
ˈprɒpə ˈbæləns ɪn
ɪmˈplaɪ
ˈpraɪməri ˈɜːnə

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 these days c_________d that both s________s should work and p___________r the e________________y. In my opinion, though a___________e in c_______________________s, it is p__________e to s_____________________n a family.

Those who s_________t this a__________t f___________n the r________________s of e__________g women in marriages. H______________y, women did not have the f__________m in m__________s to work. I____________s, as women have g_________d more rights both f___________y and i___________y in society, this has a__________d them to e__________________s through their c___________s. C__________d to this e________________t is also a s_____________y. Not only do women now have the o______________y to work and d___________________l, they also have the p_________e of t__________________________________y. The e__________t is they can both help a________________________s at home and g________________m.

However, a c____________n of responsibilities in a family is the best way to n______e one’s child. If both parents work, as has become i___________________n in W_____________s, there is a s______________d the children will be n_______d. Though a_________t families can m________e this d________k with a n_____y to look after the children and a c_________r, this is a p______________e for the love of one’s a_______l parents. Moreover, most w______________________s must simply work harder at their jobs and at home. This can produce s________________e o________________m and cause parents to feel p________s, o____________d, and e___________o a___________________s and d________n.

In conclusion, ideally both parents would have jobs but i________y this does not allow for p_____________n a family. This does not i_____y that only males should have jobs as either the husband or wife can become the p_____________r.

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://hbr.org/2019/09/how-dual-career-couples-make-it-work

Speaking Practice

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

Family

Are you close with your family?
Who do you talk to in your family the most?
Do you have a large family?
Are families becoming more distant in your country?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:

Some believe that younger family members should be legally responsible for supporting older family members when they become physically, mentally and financially unable to look after themselves.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Essay: Looking after Family