This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay from the real general training exam on the topic of schooling age for children.
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IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay General Training: School Age
Some people argue children should stay in school until the age of 18 while others think that 14 years is long enough.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Real Past IELTS Exam
Many feel that compulsory schooling should extend to the age of 18, while others feel 14 is sufficient. In my opinion, there are good reasons to prioritise starting work but it is more important for one’s future to at least graduate high school.
Those who support parental rights argue that if college is not a realistic option, dropping out of school at 14 gives one a better chance of learning a valuable trade. In an ideal world, every student would go to university and become a great success but in the real world the majority of individuals do not enroll in higher education. The years spent cramming in high school are wasted on subjects like algebra and history, having no tangible impact on their future livelihood. Give these students the opportunity to enter the workforce earlier and they will someday be able to master a craft and become a skilled electrician, plumber, or chef. Those jobs might, in the final analysis, pay better than positions open to many university graduates.
Regardless, the value of finishing high school is in the world of infinite possibilities it affords. Not every graduate goes on to university but even a high school diploma makes it both easier to land a quality job and eventually get a promotion. Depending on the country and the government funding available, many high school graduates will be able to attend university regardless of their socioeconomic status and may be the first generation in their family to do so. Even if they opt to enter the workforce after the age of 18, they will have the possibility of later returning to higher education with a clearer understanding of what vocation they want to study. This opportunity alone is enough to justify mandatory attendance until age 18.
In conclusion, it is a privilege that should be enforced to attend school until age 18. There will be cases where school is a waste of time but there will be more instances where a basic level of education makes the difference between a mean and an elevated existence.
Analysis
1. Many feel that compulsory schooling should extend to the age of 18, while others feel 14 is sufficient. 2. In my opinion, there are good reasons to prioritise starting work but it is more important for one’s future to at least graduate high school.
- Paraphrase the overall topic of the essay. You don’t have to change all words, just some.
- Give a clear opinion. You can include your main ideas like I do, but it is not necessary.
1. Those who support parental rights argue that if college is not a realistic option, dropping out of school at 14 gives one a better chance of learning a valuable trade. 2. In an ideal world, every student would go to university and become a great success but in the real world the majority of individuals do not enroll in higher education. 3. The years spent cramming in high school are wasted on subjects like algebra and history, having no tangible impact on their future livelihood. 4. Give these students the opportunity to enter the workforce earlier and they will someday be able to master a craft and become a skilled electrician, plumber, or chef. 5. Those jobs might, in the final analysis, pay better than positions open to many university graduates.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Give specific examples to develop your main idea.
- Continue to develop your main idea with more examples or by explaining the results.
- Conclude the paragraph.
1. Regardless, the value of finishing high school is in the world of infinite possibilities it affords. 2. Not every graduate goes on to university but even a high school diploma makes it both easier to land a quality job and eventually get a promotion. 3. Depending on the country and the government funding available, many high school graduates will be able to attend university regardless of their socioeconomic status and may be the first generation in their family to do so. 4. Even if they opt to enter the workforce after the age of 18, they will have the possibility of later returning to higher education with a clearer understanding of what vocation they want to study. 5. This opportunity alone is enough to justify mandatory attendance until age 18.
- Write another topic sentence with a simple reason at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Here I shift to describe the benefit for higher education of studying until age 18.
- I full explain and support my previous sentence.
- Conclude with a strong overall statement.
1. In conclusion, it is a privilege that should be enforced to attend school until age 18. 2. There will be cases where school is a waste of time but there will be more instances where a basic level of education makes the difference between a mean and an elevated existence.
- Repeat your opinion.
- Add in a final thought/extra detail.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean?
Many feel that compulsory schooling should extend to the age of 18, while others feel 14 is sufficient. In my opinion, there are good reasons to prioritise starting work but it is more important for one’s future to at least graduate high school.
Those who support parental rights argue that if college is not a realistic option, dropping out of school at 14 gives one a better chance of learning a valuable trade. In an ideal world, every student would go to university and become a great success but in the real world the majority of individuals do not enroll in higher education. The years spent cramming in high school are wasted on subjects like algebra and history, having no tangible impact on their future livelihood. Give these students the opportunity to enter the workforce earlier and they will someday be able to master a craft and become a skilled electrician, plumber, or chef. Those jobs might, in the final analysis, pay better than positions open to many university graduates.
Regardless, the value of finishing high school is in the world of infinite possibilities it affords. Not every graduate goes on to university but even a high school diploma makes it both easier to land a quality job and eventually get a promotion. Depending on the country and the government funding available, many high school graduates will be able to attend university regardless of their socioeconomic status and may be the first generation in their family to do so. Even if they opt to enter the workforce after the age of 18, they will have the possibility of later returning to higher education with a clearer understanding of what vocation they want to study. This opportunity alone is enough to justify mandatory attendance until age 18.
In conclusion, it is a privilege that should be enforced to attend school until age 18. There will be cases where school is a waste of time but there will be more instances where a basic level of education makes the difference between a mean and an elevated existence.
Answers
compulsory schooling mandatory going to school
extend make longer
sufficient enough
prioritise consider more important
at least at minimum
high school age 14-18 school in the U.S
parental rights what parents are allowed to control
realistic option most likely scenario
dropping out of school quitting school
gives one a better chance allows for greater possibility
trade job
ideal world best case scenario
a great success be wealthy
majority most
enroll join
higher education university/college
cramming studying hard
wasted not a good use of time
algebra a type of math
no tangible impact no real effect
future livelihood later job
enter the workforce earlier start working from a younger age
someday eventually
master a craft get good at a job
electrician person who works with wiring and electricity
plumber person who works with pipes, toilets
chef cook
in the final analysis in the end
positions open to jobs available for
regardless nonetheless
value of finishing high school is in the reason HS is important
infinite possibilities many different ways of living
affords allows for
diploma certificate for graduation
land a quality job get a good job
eventually someday
promotion move up to a better job
depending on the country it varies from country to country
government funding available money that governments have to give
regardless of their socioeconomic status no matter the family background
first generation in their family no one in their family did it before
opt choose
possibility chance
clearer understanding better understanding, more mature
vocation job
justify give reason for
privilege lucky to have it
enforced mandatory
cases examples
waste of time not a good use of time
instances cases
basic level of education a minimum of schooling
makes the difference what sets apart
mean (existence) low existence
elevated existence good life
Pronunciation
Listen and repeat:
kəmˈpʌlsəri ˈskuːlɪŋ
ɪksˈtɛnd
səˈfɪʃənt
praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz
æt liːst
haɪ skuːl
pəˈrɛntl raɪts
rɪəˈlɪstɪk ˈɒpʃən
ˈdrɒpɪŋ aʊt ɒv skuːl
gɪvz wʌn ə ˈbɛtə ʧɑːns
treɪd
aɪˈdɪəl wɜːld
ə greɪt səkˈsɛs
məˈʤɒrɪti
ɪnˈrəʊl
ˈhaɪər ˌɛdju(ː)ˈkeɪʃən
ˈkræmɪŋ
ˈweɪstɪd
ˈælʤɪbrə
nəʊ ˈtænʤəbl ˈɪmpækt
ˈfjuːʧə ˈlaɪvlɪhʊd
ˈɛntə ðə ˈwɜːkˌfɔːs ˈɜːlɪə
ˈsʌmˌdeɪ
ˈmɑːstər ə krɑːft
ɪlɛkˈtrɪʃən
ˈplʌmə
ʃɛf
ɪn ðə ˈfaɪnl əˈnæləsɪs
pəˈzɪʃənz ˈəʊpən tuː
rɪˈgɑːdlɪs
ˈvæljuː ɒv ˈfɪnɪʃɪŋ haɪ skuːl ɪz ɪn
ˈɪnfɪnɪt ˌpɒsəˈbɪlɪtiz
əˈfɔːdz
dɪˈpləʊmə
lænd ə ˈkwɒlɪti ʤɒb
ɪˈvɛnʧəli
prəˈməʊʃən
dɪˈpɛndɪŋ ɒn ðə ˈkʌntri
ˈgʌvnmənt ˈfʌndɪŋ əˈveɪləbl
rɪˈgɑːdlɪs ɒv ðeə ˌsəʊsɪəʊˌɛkəˈnɒmɪk ˈsteɪtəs
fɜːst ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃən ɪn ðeə ˈfæmɪli
ɒpt
ˌpɒsəˈbɪlɪti
ˈklɪərər ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ
vəʊˈkeɪʃən
ˈʤʌstɪfaɪ
ˈprɪvɪlɪʤ
ɪnˈfɔːst
ˈkeɪsɪz
weɪst ɒv taɪm
ˈɪnstənsɪz
ˈbeɪsɪk ˈlɛvl ɒv ˌɛdju(ː)ˈkeɪʃən
meɪks ðə ˈdɪfrəns
miːn
ˈɛlɪveɪtɪd ɪgˈzɪstəns
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
Many feel that c______________________g should e___________d to the age of 18, while others feel 14 is s_______________t. In my opinion, there are good reasons to p_________________e starting work but it is more important for one’s future to a___________t graduate h________________l.
Those who support p_____________________s argue that if college is not a r___________________n, d___________________l at 14 g_______________________e of learning a valuable t__________e. In an i___________________d, every student would go to university and become a___________________s but in the real world the m_____________y of individuals do not e_________l in h__________________n. The years spent c_______________g in high school are w__________d on subjects like a________________a and history, having n_____________________t on their f________________________d. Give these students the opportunity to e__________________________r and they will s______________y be able to m___________________t and become a skilled e_________________n, p_______________r, or c________f. Those jobs might, i____________________________s, pay better than p______________________o many university graduates.
R___________________s, the v____________________________n the world of i______________________s it a________________s. Not every graduate goes on to university but even a high school d_________________a makes it both easier to l________________________b and e____________________y get a p_________________n. D_______________________y and the g_______________________________e, many high school graduates will be able to attend university r________________________________________________s and may be the f____________________________________y to do so. Even if they o___t to enter the workforce after the age of 18, they will have the p_________________y of later returning to higher education with a c_______________________________g of what v_____________________n they want to study. This opportunity alone is enough to j_______________y mandatory attendance until age 18.
In conclusion, it is a p__________________e that should be e_________________d to attend school until age 18. There will be c_____________s where school is a w____________________e but there will be more i__________________s where a b___________________________n m________________________e between a m_________n and an e__________________________e.
Listen and check:
Listening Practice
Learn about some famous high school dropouts here:
Reading Practice
Learn more about school reforms here:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/10/when-the-culture-war-comes-for-the-kids/596668/
Speaking Practice
Answer the following related part 2 speaking topic from the real speaking exam:
Talk about a time you received advice regarding a profession or field of study. Include
Who
The advice
How you felt
Real IELTS Speaking Exam
Writing Practice
Write about the following topic then check with my sample answer below:
Some people believe that one-on-one lessons are better for learning while others think that group lessons are superior.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Real Past IELTS Exam
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