This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of fathers having time off from work after their children are born from the real IELTS general training exam.

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Dave

IELTS Essay: Time Off Work for Fathers

All fathers should be entitled to time-off from work when their children are born.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is becoming increasingly common for fathers to be granted paternity leave upon the birth of a new child. In my opinion, though this has economic ramifications, it is a progressive reform that should be encouraged.

Critics argue that in the aggregate the implications are negative for the economy. Most companies already account for maternity leave in their yearly budget. If fathers were to take off a similar amount of time, then many corporations would struggle to achieve the same profits. Since most businesses, both large and small, are unwilling to sacrifice revenue for the sake of their employees, the likely result would be a compensating reduction in workers’ wages. This would mean less money for consumers and the very parents who require additional means to provide for their children. Governments might be able to regulate this to an extent but corporate entities are committed to their bottom line over all else.

Nonetheless, this change is illustrative of a positive change in the understanding of gender equality. In the past, there was an historically ingrained, more institutionalised hierarchy between males and females. The shift towards increasingly equal treatment in the last century affects primarily women but must be fair in order to not engender resentment from men. One way of evidencing that gender equality concerns both sexes is paternity leave. Since men do not have to recover physically, this paid leave should be shorter but still significant. Governments can easily propose and force through legislation ensuring that the same protections enshrined in law for women, have a comparable statute safeguarding the rights of fathers.

In conclusion, though there is an economic tradeoff, men should be granted leave to be with their newly born children. The negatives can be mitigated if the time is limited relative to maternity leave.

Analysis

1. It is becoming increasingly common for fathers to be granted paternity leave upon the birth of a new child. 2. In my opinion, though this has economic ramifications, it is a progressive reform that should be encouraged.

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

1. Critics argue that in the aggregate the implications are negative for the economy. 2. Most companies already account for maternity leave in their yearly budget. 3. If fathers were to take off a similar amount of time, then many corporations would struggle to achieve the same profits. 4. Since most businesses, both large and small, are unwilling to sacrifice revenue for the sake of their employees, the likely result would be a compensating reduction in workers’ wages. 5. This would mean less money for consumers and the very parents who require additional means to provide for their children. 6. Governments might be able to regulate this to an extent but corporate entities are committed to their bottom line over all else.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it with specific detail.
4. Continue to develop it.
5. Develop it as fully as possible.
6. Any extra development will help your task achievement score.

1. Nonetheless, this change is illustrative of a positive change in the understanding of gender equality. 2. In the past, there was an historically ingrained, more institutionalised hierarchy between males and females. 3. The shift towards increasingly equal treatment in the last century affects primarily women but must be fair in order to not engender resentment from men. 4. One way of evidencing that gender equality concerns both sexes is paternity leave. 5. Since men do not have to recover physically, this paid leave should be shorter but still significant. 6. Governments can easily propose and force through legislation ensuring that the same protections enshrined in law for women, have a comparable statute safeguarding the rights of fathers.

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. The more specific, the better.
5. Add on any extra detail that you can that is related for a better task achievement score.
6. This paragraph can be slightly longer but not too much!

1. In conclusion, though there is an economic tradeoff, men should be granted leave to be with their newly born children. 2. The negatives can be mitigated if the time is limited relative to maternity leave.

1. Summarise your main ideas.
2. Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Take notes on a piece of paper so that you remember them better:

It is becoming increasingly common for fathers to be granted paternity leave upon the birth of a new child. In my opinion, though this has economic ramifications, it is a progressive reform that should be encouraged.

Critics argue that in the aggregate the implications are negative for the economy. Most companies already account for maternity leave in their yearly budget. If fathers were to take off a similar amount of time, then many corporations would struggle to achieve the same profits. Since most businesses, both large and small, are unwilling to sacrifice revenue for the sake of their employees, the likely result would be a compensating reduction in workers’ wages. This would mean less money for consumers and the very parents who require additional means to provide for their children. Governments might be able to regulate this to an extent but corporate entities are committed to their bottom line over all else.

Nonetheless, this change is illustrative of a positive change in the understanding of gender equality. In the past, there was an historically ingrained, more institutionalised hierarchy between males and females. The shift towards increasingly equal treatment in the last century affects primarily women but must be fair in order to not engender resentment from men. One way of evidencing that gender equality concerns both sexes is paternity leave. Since men do not have to recover physically, this paid leave should be shorter but still significant. Governments can easily propose and force through legislation ensuring that the same protections enshrined in law for women, have a comparable statute safeguarding the rights of fathers.

In conclusion, though there is an economic tradeoff, men should be granted leave to be with their newly born children. The negatives can be mitigated if the time is limited relative to maternity leave.

Answers

increasingly common more and more pervasive

granted given

paternity leave time off from work to be with your child after birth

economic ramifications implications for the economy

progressive reform positive, modern change

encouraged promoted

critics those who disagree

in the aggregate overall

implications effects

account for make up

yearly budget money earned/spent in a year

take off not work

struggle have difficulty

achieve get done

unwilling not wanting to

sacrifice revenue give up money

sake interest

likely result probably end in

reduction making it less

consumers customers

require need

means money earned

provide for take care of

regulate make laws, restrictions, etc.

to an extent to some degree

corporate entities companies

committed caring about

bottom line how much money they make

over all else above everything

nonetheless regardless

illustrative evidences

understanding changed thinking on

gender equality fairness between men and women

historically ingrained from a long time past part of society

institutionalised hierarchy the entities that order people within society

shift change

treatment how someone is dealt with

century 100 years

primarily mostly

engender resentment create a counter-reaction

evidencing showing

sexes genders

paternity leave time off for men to stay with newborns

recover get better

physically related to the body

paid leave time off with pay/salary

significant important

easily without effort

propose suggest

force through make sure

ensuring making it sure

protections safeguards

enshrined codified

comparable can be compared

statute law

safeguarding protecting

tradeoff downside

newly born just born

mitigated curbed, lessened

limited constrained

relative to in comparison to

Pronunciation

ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈkɒmən 
ˈgrɑːntɪd 
pəˈtɜːnɪti liːv 
ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˌræmɪfɪˈkeɪʃənz
prəʊˈgrɛsɪv ˌriːˈfɔːm 
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤd
ˈkrɪtɪks 
ɪn ði ˈægrɪgɪt 
ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪʃənz 
əˈkaʊnt fɔː 
ˈjɪəli ˈbʌʤɪt
teɪk ɒf 
ˈstrʌgl 
əˈʧiːv 
ʌnˈwɪlɪŋ 
ˈsækrɪfaɪs ˈrɛvɪnjuː 
seɪk 
ˈlaɪkli rɪˈzʌlt 
rɪˈdʌkʃən 
kənˈsjuːməz 
rɪˈkwaɪə 
miːnz 
prəˈvaɪd fɔː 
ˈrɛgjʊleɪt 
tuː ən ɪksˈtɛnt 
ˈkɔːpərɪt ˈɛntɪtiz 
kəˈmɪtɪd 
ˈbɒtəm laɪn 
ˈəʊvər ɔːl ɛls
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
ˈɪləstreɪtɪv 
ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ 
ˈʤɛndər i(ː)ˈkwɒlɪti
hɪsˈtɒrɪkəli ɪnˈgreɪnd
ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənəlaɪzd ˈhaɪərɑːki
ʃɪft 
ˈtriːtmənt 
ˈsɛnʧʊri 
ˈpraɪmərɪli 
ɪnˈʤɛndə rɪˈzɛntmənt 
ˈɛvɪdənsɪŋ 
ˈsɛksɪz 
pəˈtɜːnɪti liːv
rɪˈkʌvə 
ˈfɪzɪkəli
peɪd liːv 
sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt
ˈiːzɪli 
prəˈpəʊz 
fɔːs θruː 
ɪnˈʃʊərɪŋ 
prəˈtɛkʃənz 
ɪnˈʃraɪnd 
ˈkɒmpərəbl 
ˈstætjuːt 
ˈseɪfgɑːdɪŋ 
treɪd ɒf
ˈnjuːli bɔːn 
ˈmɪtɪgeɪtɪd 
ˈlɪmɪtɪd 
ˈrɛlətɪv tuː 

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:

It is becoming i________________________n for fathers to be g_________d p__________________e upon the birth of a new child. In my opinion, though this has e_________________________s, it is a p_________________m that should be e__________________d.

C_________s argue that i________________e the i______________s are negative for the economy. Most companies already a___________r maternity leave in their y________________t. If fathers were to t_________f a similar amount of time, then many corporations would s_________e to a_________e the same profits. Since most businesses, both large and small, are u__________g to s___________________e for the s________e of their employees, the l_____________t would be a compensating r_________n in workers’ wages. This would mean less money for c___________s and the very parents who r________e additional m_________s to p____________r their children. Governments might be able to r___________e this t____________t but c_________________s are c__________d to their b_______________e o_______________e.

N_______________s, this change is i_______________e of a positive change in the u______________g of g______________y. In the past, there was an h________________d, more i__________________________y between males and females. The s____t towards increasingly equal t_____________t in the last c________y affects p__________y women but must be fair in order to not e__________r r______________t from men. One way of e__________g that gender equality concerns both s______s is p_______________e. Since men do not have to r_________r p____________y, this p__________e should be shorter but still s___________t. Governments can e________________e and f________________h legislation e__________g that the same p_____________s e___________d in law for women, have a c______________e s_____________e s__________________g the rights of fathers.

In conclusion, though there is an economic t___________f, men should be granted leave to be with their n__________n children. The negatives can be m______________d if the time is l_________d r_______________o maternity leave.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPjtoZJAJi4

Reading Practice

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

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/19/parenting/why-dads-dont-take-parental-leave.html

Speaking Practice

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

Work

1. Why did you choose your job?
2. How much work do you do in a week?
3. Do you have to work on weekends as well?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related topic below and then check with my sample answer:

Parents should take courses in parenting in order to improve the lives of their children.

To what extent do you agree?

IELTS Essay: Parenting