This is an IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer from the real test/exam related to entertainers and politicians.

It’s an interesting question and topics about salary are fairly common on IELTS writing and speaking.

Before you read it, you can listen to the audio first and make some notes on ideas/vocabulary:

Dave

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Entertainers & Politicians (Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams)

Nowadays, entertainers get paid more than politicians.

What are the reasons for this?

Is this a negative or positive development?

Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams

These days entertainers invariably earn higher wages than politicians. In my opinion, this is the result of technological growth in the entertainment industry and it is a positive development because politics should not be a means to amass a fortune.

Entertainment is one of the most lucrative industries today largely due to developments in media distribution. Vaudeville actors and musicians in the early 20th century were looked down on and earned little. The birth of cinema in the 1920s and the rise of television in the 1950s allowed entertainers to reach a wider audience. From there the rise has continued not only with the diversification of television but also the invention of CDs, portable music players, the internet, and streaming websites like Netflix and YouTube. All this new media reaches the majority of the world’s population who then pay for the content by subscribing or watching paid advertisements.

This is a positive development because politics should not be a profit driven profession. A good example of this would be the early American founding founders, including Alexander Hamilton and George Washington, both of whom sacrificed private wealth for public service. Hamilton was the leading lawyer in New York and when he enthusiastically joined Washington’s cabinet he took a drastic cut in salary. By the end of his term, he was mired in debt but had no regrets as he viewed public political action as far more valuable than private capital. Politicians ought to earn a good salary but this should never subvert their chief motive in serving their country.

In conclusion, entertainers make more money due to the advent of the media age and politicians should not be jealous of their wealth. Unfortunately, many politicians are selfishly compelled by economic gain when they ought to be more self-interested in terms of their role in public life.

Word count: 296

Analysis

1. These days entertainers invariably earn higher wages than politicians. 2. In my opinion, this is the result of technological growth in the entertainment industry and it is a positive development because politics should not be a means to amass a fortune.

1. Paraphrase the overall topic. I wrote a short sentence here – that is fine!
2. Give your opinion and be 100% clear – don’t sit in the middle. For this one, you must answer both questions and write a paragraph about each.

1. Entertainment is one of the most lucrative industries today largely due to developments in media distribution. 2. Vaudeville actors and musicians in the early 20th century were looked down on and earned little. 3. The birth of cinema in the 1920s and the rise of television in the 1950s allowed entertainers to reach a wider audience. 4. From there the rise has continued not only with the diversification of television but also the invention of CDs, portable music players, the internet, and streaming websites like Netflix and YouTube. 5. All this new media reaches the majority of the world’s population who then pay for the content by subscribing or watching paid advertisements.

1. Write a clear topic sentence with your main idea at the end of the sentence.
2. Begin to develop the main idea. Here I start with a comparision to the past.
3. Make your example specfic and detailed.
4. List specific details, services, etc. if possible.
5. Relate it back to your main idea to show how this clearly leads to more money for entertainers.

1. This is a positive development because politics should not be a profit driven profession. 2. A good example of this would be the early American founding founders, including Alexander Hamilton and George Washington, both of whom sacrificed private wealth for public service. 3. Hamilton was the leading lawyer in New York and when he enthusiastically joined Washington’s cabinet he took a drastic cut in salary. 4. By the end of his term, he was mired in debt but had no regrets as he viewed public political action as far more valuable than private capital. 5. Politicians ought to earn a good salary but this should never subvert their chief motive in serving their country.

1. Another topic sentence with a new main idea to answer the second question.
2. Start your example as soon as possible.
3. Develop it by focusing specifically. I wrote this example because I’ve recently been reading Alexander Hamilton’s biography and I knew I could include a lot of specific detail (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/oct/13/alexander-hamilton-by-ron-chernow-review).
4. Keep developing the same example.
5. Make your example more general with the last sentence of your paragraph.

1. In conclusion, entertainers make more money due to the advent of the media age and politicians should not be jealous of their wealth. 2. Unfortunately, many politicians are selfishly compelled by economic gain when they ought to be more self-interested in terms of their role in public life.

1. Repeat your opinion. This sentence isn’t too important – the next one is more important…
2. Add in an extra detail or final thought to get full marks for task achievement.

Vocabulary

Try to figure out what the words in bold below mean:

These days entertainers invariably earn higher wages than politicians. In my opinion, this is the result of technological growth in the entertainment industry and it is a positive development because politics should not be a means to amass a fortune.

Entertainment is one of the most lucrative industries today largely due to developments in media distribution. Vaudeville actors and musicians in the early 20th century were looked down on and earned little. The birth of cinema in the 1920s and the rise of television in the 1950s allowed entertainers to reach a wider audience. From there the rise has continued not only with the diversification of television but also the invention of CDs, portable music players, the internet, and streaming websites like Netflix and YouTube. All this new media reaches the majority of the world’s population who then pay for the content by subscribing or watching paid advertisements.

This is a positive development because politics should not be a profit driven profession. A good example of this would be the early American founding founders, including Alexander Hamilton and George Washington, both of whom sacrificed private wealth for public service. Hamilton was the leading lawyer in New York and when he enthusiastically joined Washington’s cabinet he took a drastic cut in salary. By the end of his term, he was mired in debt but had no regrets as he viewed public political action as far more valuable than private capital. Politicians ought to earn a good salary but this should never subvert their chief motive in serving their country.

In conclusion, entertainers make more money due to the advent of the media age and politicians should not be jealous of their wealth. Unfortunately, many politicians are selfishly compelled by economic gain when they ought to be more self-interested in terms of their role in public life.

Answers

these days nowadays

invariably always

higher wages good salary

technological growth new technologies

entertainment industry movies, TV, music, etc.

means the method

amass a fortune make a lot of money

lucrative wealthy

largely due to mainly because of

media distribution how movies, music, etc. reach people

vaudeville actors actors in plays/shows from a long time ago

early 20th century early 1900s

looked down on didn’t think highly of

reach a wider audience more people can see it

diversification more variety

portable music players iPods, walkman, mp3 players, etc.

streaming websites Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc.

content programmes

subscribing signing up for and paying monthly/weekly

watching paid advertisements watching ads

profit driven profession job just for the money

early American founding founders Hamilton, Washington, Franklin, etc.

Alexander Hamilton the most important founding father

George Washington the first President of the United States

sacrificed private wealth gave up personal money

public service good for all people

leading lawyer best lawyer

enthusiastically happily/with a lot of energy

cabinet advisors

drastic cut lots a lot

term period when you are president/senator

mired in debt owing a lot of money

regrets feeling bad about what you did

public political action efforts to help society/the country

far more valuable more important

private capital personal money

subvert undermine

chief motive main reasons for

serving their country working for their nation

advent beginning of

unfortunately too bad

selfishly compelled did it for themselves

economic gain to make money

self-interested thinking about yourself

role in public life political life

Pronunciation

ðiːz deɪz 
ɪnˈveərɪəbli 
ˈhaɪə ˈweɪʤɪz 
ˌtɛknəˈlɒʤɪk(ə)l grəʊθ 
ˌɛntəˈteɪnmənt ˈɪndəstri 
miːnz 
əˈmæs ə ˈfɔːʧən
ˈluːkrətɪv 
ˈlɑːʤli djuː tuː 
ˈmiːdiə ˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːʃən
ˈvəʊdəvɪl ˈæktəz 
ˈɜːli ˈtwɛntɪəθ ˈsɛnʧʊri 
lʊkt daʊn ɒn 
riːʧ ə ˈwaɪdər ˈɔːdiəns
daɪˌvɜːsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən 
ˈpɔːtəbl ˈmjuːzɪk ˈpleɪəz
ˈstriːmɪŋ ˈwɛbˌsaɪts 
ˈkɒntɛnt 
səbˈskraɪbɪŋ 
ˈwɒʧɪŋ peɪd ədˈvɜːtɪsmənts
ˈprɒfɪt ˈdrɪvn prəˈfɛʃən
ˈɜːli əˈmɛrɪkən ˈfaʊndɪŋ ˈfaʊndəz
ˌælɪgˈzɑːndə ˈhæməltən 
ʤɔːʤ ˈwɒʃɪŋtən
ˈsækrɪfaɪst ˈpraɪvɪt wɛlθ 
ˈpʌblɪk ˈsɜːvɪs
ˈliːdɪŋ ˈlɔːjə 
ɪnˌθjuːzɪˈæstɪk(ə)li 
ˈkæbɪnɪt 
ˈdræstɪk kʌt 
tɜːm
ˈmaɪəd ɪn dɛt 
rɪˈgrɛts 
ˈpʌblɪk pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˈækʃ(ə)n 
fɑː mɔː ˈvæljʊəbl 
ˈpraɪvɪt ˈkæpɪtl
sʌbˈvɜːt 
ʧiːf ˈməʊtɪv 
ˈsɜːvɪŋ ðeə ˈkʌntri
ˈædvənt
ʌnˈfɔːʧnɪtli
ˈsɛlfɪʃli kəmˈpɛld 
ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk geɪn 
sɛlf-ˈɪntrɪstɪd 
rəʊl ɪn ˈpʌblɪk laɪf

Listen and repeat:

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

____________ entertainers ____________ earn ____________ than politicians. In my opinion, this is the result of ____________ in the ____________ and it is a positive development because politics should not be a ____________ to ____________.

Entertainment is one of the most ____________ industries today ____________ developments in ____________. ____________ and musicians in the ____________ were ____________ and earned little. The birth of cinema in the 1920s and the rise of television in the 1950s allowed entertainers to ____________. From there the rise has continued not only with the ____________ of television but also the invention of CDs, ____________, the internet, and ____________ like Netflix and YouTube. All this new media reaches the majority of the world’s population who then pay for the ____________ by ____________ or ____________.

This is a positive development because politics should not be a ____________. A good example of this would be the ____________, including ____________ and ____________, both of whom ____________ for ____________. Hamilton was the ____________ in New York and when he ____________ joined Washington’s ____________ he took a ____________ in salary. By the end of his ____________, he was ____________ but had no ____________ as he viewed ____________ as ____________ than ____________ Politicians ought to earn a good salary but this should never ____________ their ____________ in ____________.

In conclusion, entertainers make more money due to the ____________ of the media age and politicians should not be ____________ of their wealth. ____________, many politicians are ____________ by ____________ when they ought to be more ____________ in terms of their ____________.

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

Learn more about Alexander Hamilton here:

Reading Practice

Read more about how much entertainers make here:

https://www.forbes.com/celebrities/