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

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IELTS Essay: Weddings

Weddings are getting bigger and more expensive.

What is the reason for this?

Is it a positive or negative development?

Weddings around the world have become more expensive and larger in recent decades. In my opinion, this is a natural progression and is positive in the vast majority of contexts.

One explanation for more lavish weddings is increasingly higher expectations coupled with a burgeoning global middle class. It is a natural desire for humans to strive to surpass previous standards. Any person who has attended weddings in the past will naturally attempt to exceed what they have experienced both in terms of size and expense. This propensity to exceed past achievements is combined with increased disposable income. Economies around the world, particularly in developing nations, have risen dramatically recently, enabling individuals to spend on a variety of luxuries including memorable wedding parties.

I believe this development is positive overall due to the impact it has on the average person. Admittedly, excessive spending in any area can be a negative if it greatly exceeds one’s earnings. Assuming a person is planning a wedding that will not hinder them financially in the future, then it is a massive positive for the bride, groom, and all attendees. Most people, even beyond those getting married and their family, consider weddings to meaningful and enduring memories. The small and large bursts of happiness produced by such an event in the aggregate are worth more than a wide range of other expenses that individuals often prioritize.

In conclusion, weddings are larger and costlier today because of raised expectations and this is largely positive given the impact on individuals. It is nonetheless essential that weddings are not taken to extreme excesses beyond one’s means.

Analysis

1. Weddings around the world have become more expensive and larger in recent decades. 2. In my opinion, this is a natural progression and is positive in the vast majority of contexts.

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

1. One explanation for more lavish weddings is increasingly higher expectations coupled with a burgeoning global middle class. 2. It is a natural desire for humans to strive to surpass previous standards. 3. Any person who has attended weddings in the past will naturally attempt to exceed what they have experienced both in terms of size and expense. 4. This propensity to exceed past achievements is combined with increased disposable income. 5. Economies around the world, particularly in developing nations, have risen dramatically recently, enabling individuals to spend on a variety of luxuries including memorable wedding parties.

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.
Use short and long sentences.

1. I believe this development is positive overall due to the impact it has on the average person. 2. Admittedly, excessive spending in any area can be a negative if it greatly exceeds one’s earnings. 3. Assuming a person is planning a wedding that will not hinder them financially in the future, then it is a massive positive for the bride, groom, and all attendees. 4. Most people, even beyond those getting married and their family, consider weddings to meaningful and enduring memories. 5. The small and large bursts of happiness produced by such an event in the aggregate are worth more than a wide range of other expenses that individuals often prioritize.

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, weddings are larger and costlier today because of raised expectations and this is largely positive given the impact on individuals. 2. It is nonetheless essential that weddings are not taken to extreme excesses beyond one’s means.

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.

Weddings around the world have become more expensive and larger in recent decades. In my opinion, this is a natural progression and is positive in the vast majority of contexts.

One explanation for more lavish weddings is increasingly higher expectations coupled with a burgeoning global middle class. It is a natural desire for humans to strive to surpass previous standards. Any person who has attended weddings in the past will naturally attempt to exceed what they have experienced both in terms of size and expense. This propensity to exceed past achievements is combined with increased disposable income. Economies around the world, particularly in developing nations, have risen dramatically recently, enabling individuals to spend on a variety of luxuries including memorable wedding parties.

I believe this development is positive overall due to the impact it has on the average person. Admittedly, excessive spending in any area can be a negative if it greatly exceeds one’s earnings. Assuming a person is planning a wedding that will not hinder them financially in the future, then it is a massive positive for the bride, groom, and all attendees. Most people, even beyond those getting married and their family, consider weddings to meaningful and enduring memories. The small and large bursts of happiness produced by such an event in the aggregate are worth more than a wide range of other expenses that individuals often prioritize.

In conclusion, weddings are larger and costlier today because of raised expectations and this is largely positive given the impact on individuals. It is nonetheless essential that weddings are not taken to extreme excesses beyond one’s means.

Answers

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

weddings big parties to celebrate getting married

expensive cost a lot of money

larger bigger

in recent decades the last 20 or 30 years or so

natural progression normal development

positive good

vast majority of contexts many different situations

explanation reason

lavish very expensive and large

increasingly higher expectations wanting more

coupled with combined with

burgeoning global middle class more people with money

natural desire normal feeling

strive try hard for

surpass previous standards exceed past achievements

attended went to

naturally attempt of course try

exceed do better than

experienced went to

in terms of concerning

expense money

propensity tendency

exceed past achievements do better than in the past

combined with coupled with

increased disposable income more money to spend

economies money earned and spent in a country

particularly in especially in

developing nations less wealthy countries

risen dramatically recently gone up a lot

enabling allowing for

spend use money

variety different types

luxuries items you don’t need

memorable wedding parties big weddings

due to because of

average person normal citizen

admittedly it must be admitted

excessive spending not spending too much

in any area in any respect

greatly exceeds a lot more than

earnings wages

assuming if it’s true that

hinder hold back

financially related to money

massive positive really good

bride woman getting married

groom man getting married

attendees people going to

beyond past

consider think about

meaningful important

enduring lasting

bursts sudden jolts

produced by created by

in the aggregate combined

wide range of different types of

expenses money to be spent

prioritize consider more important

costlier costs more money

raised expectations higher hopes

largely positive mostly good

given the considering that

nonetheless regardless

essential crucial

extreme excesses beyond one’s means spending a lot more than one can afford

Pronunciation

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

ˈwɛdɪŋz
ɪksˈpɛnsɪv
ˈlɑːʤə
ɪn ˈriːsnt ˈdɛkeɪdz
ˈnæʧrəl prəʊˈgrɛʃən
ˈpɒzətɪv
vɑːst məˈʤɒrɪti ɒv ˈkɒntɛksts
ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən
ˈlævɪʃ
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈhaɪər ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃənz
ˈkʌpld wɪð
ˈbɜːʤənɪŋ ˈgləʊbəl ˈmɪdl klɑːs
ˈnæʧrəl dɪˈzaɪə
straɪv
sɜːˈpɑːs ˈpriːviəs ˈstændədz
əˈtɛndɪd
ˈnæʧrəli əˈtɛmpt
ɪkˈsiːd
ɪksˈpɪərɪənst
ɪn tɜːmz ɒv
ɪksˈpɛns
prəˈpɛnsɪti
ɪkˈsiːd pɑːst əˈʧiːvmənts
kəmˈbaɪnd wɪð
ɪnˈkriːst dɪsˈpəʊzəbl ˈɪnkʌm
i(ː)ˈkɒnəmiz
pəˈtɪkjʊləli ɪn
dɪˈvɛləpɪŋ ˈneɪʃənz
ˈrɪzn drəˈmætɪk(ə)li ˈriːsntli
ɪˈneɪblɪŋ
spɛnd
vəˈraɪəti
ˈlʌkʃəriz
ˈmɛmərəbl ˈwɛdɪŋ ˈpɑːtiz
djuː tuː
ˈævərɪʤ ˈpɜːsn
ədˈmɪtɪdli
ɪkˈsɛsɪv ˈspɛndɪŋ
ɪn ˈɛni ˈeərɪə
ˈgreɪtli ɪkˈsiːdz
ˈɜːnɪŋz
əˈsjuːmɪŋ
ˈhaɪndə
faɪˈnænʃəli
ˈmæsɪv ˈpɒzətɪv
braɪd
grʊm
ətendi:z
bɪˈjɒnd
kənˈsɪdə
ˈmiːnɪŋfʊl
ɪnˈdjʊərɪŋ
bɜːsts
prəˈdjuːst baɪ
ɪn ði ˈægrɪgɪt
waɪd reɪnʤ ɒv
ɪksˈpɛnsɪz
praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz
ˈkɒstlɪə
reɪzd ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃənz
ˈlɑːʤli ˈpɒzətɪv
ˈgɪvn ðiː
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
ɪˈsɛnʃəl
ɪksˈtriːm ɪkˈsɛsɪz bɪˈjɒnd wʌnz miːnz

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:

W_________s around the world have become more e___________e and l_____________________s. In my opinion, this is a n________________________n and is p___________e in the v_____________________s.

One e______________n for more l______h weddings is i________________________________s c_____________h a b______________________________s. It is a n_______________e for humans to s________e to s_______________________s. Any person who has a____________d weddings in the past will n_________________t to e_______d what they have e_____________d both i____________________f size and e__________e. This p_________y to e______________________s is c________________h i________________________e. E____________s around the world, p_____________________n d_______________s, have r______________________________y, e__________g individuals to s_______d on a v_______y of l____________s including m____________________________s.

I believe this development is positive overall d________o the impact it has on the a____________________n. A____________y, e______________________g i___________a can be a negative if it g_______________________s one’s e__________s. A__________g a person is planning a wedding that will not h________r them f_____________y in the future, then it is a m________________e for the b_______e, g_________m, and all a___________s. Most people, even b________d those getting married and their family, c_________r weddings to m___________l and e__________g memories. The small and large b____s of happiness p_____________y such an event i__________________e are worth more than a w_______________f other e____________s that individuals often p___________e.

In conclusion, weddings are larger and c__________r today because of r_______________s and this is l_______________e g_____________e impact on individuals. It is n______________s e_________l that weddings are not taken to e_______________________________________s.

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://www.tatlerasia.com/the-scene/weddings/hk-millionaire-dollar-wedding-most-expensive-weddings

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 people spend a lot of money celebrating personal family events, such as weddings and birthdays.

How important is it to celebrate such events?

Do you think people spend too much money on these events?

IELTS Essay: Celebrating Family Events