This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay from the general training exam related to governments paying unemployment.
It’s one of the more difficult general training questions that I’ve seen recently so take a look at my answer!
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Dave
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay General Training: Governments Paying Unemployment
In some countries, governments provide payments for unemployed people.
How does this impact people?
Is this a positive or negative development?
Real Past IELTS Test
In many nations, the government gives unemployment benefits to its citizens in need. This allows people to make ends meet during difficult times and is largely a positive development.
The effect of unemployment is that struggling individuals and families are able to survive challenging periods. A good recent example of this would be the record unemployment rates in the wake of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. In the United States alone, millions of workers lost their jobs. Many families live paycheck to paycheck and without government support they might lose their homes or struggle to put food on the table every day. Government money allowed them to persevere in a difficult period and use their time to look for a new job. Depending on the conditions of the payments, they can try to find a quality job rather than settling for the first position offered by a company trying to exploit the leverage of an historic jobless rate.
This is largely a positive development because it has wide-reaching effects in society. The one qualification to unemployment benefits is that some individuals will try to take advantage of them and remain jobless while living off government charity. These rare instances aside, society benefits from lifting its most vulnerable citizens out of poverty. Without aid some individuals may turn to illegitimate means of supporting themselves. It is unlikely most would become criminals, but the greater effect would be economic. The unemployed cannot buy products and stimulate the consumer economy. The money the government hands out allows them to keep buying food, going shopping, and props up both large and small businesses. A good economy in turn increases the chances that businesses will begin hiring again and unemployment will decline.
In conclusion, unemployment payments are a great boon for those without jobs and benefit the whole of society as well. It is important that unemployment agencies are well-run and strictly regulated to ensure continuance of the crucial social service they provide.
Analysis
1. In many nations, the government gives unemployment benefits to its citizens in need. 2. This allows people to make ends meet during difficult times and is largely a positive development.
- Paraphrase the topic for the whole essay.
- Give a clear overall opinion.
1. The effect of unemployment is that struggling individuals and families are able to survive challenging periods. 2. A good recent example of this would be the record unemployment rates in the wake of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. 3. In the United States alone, millions of workers lost their jobs. 4. Many families live paycheck to paycheck and without government support they might lose their homes or struggle to put food on the table every day. 5. Government money allowed them to persevere in a difficult period and use their time to look for a new job. 6. Depending on the conditions of the payments, they can try to find a quality job rather than settling for the first position offered by a company trying to exploit the leverage of an historic jobless rate.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear and simple main idea.
- Start an example.
- Begin to develop it and vary with long/short sentences.
- Develop your example more.
- Keep developing by detailing the results.
- Finish developing your example.
1. This is largely a positive development because it has wide-reaching effects in society. 2. The one qualification to unemployment benefits is that some individuals will try to take advantage of them and remain jobless while living off government charity. 3. These rare instances aside, society benefits from lifting its most vulnerable citizens out of poverty. 4. Without aid some individuals may turn to illegitimate means of supporting themselves. 5. It is unlikely most would become criminals, but the greater effect would be economic. 6. The unemployed cannot buy products and stimulate the consumer economy. 7. The money the government hands out allows them to keep buying food, going shopping, and props up both large and small businesses. 8. A good economy in turn increases the chances that businesses will begin hiring again and unemployment will decline.
- Write another topic sentence with a new main idea.
- Here I qualify my argument – this isn’t necessary and if you don’t have time, you don’t need a sentence like this.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop the idea.
- Continue developing the main idea.
- Draw out the results as far as possible.
- Remember to include specific details for support.
- Conclude with the further possible results/implications.
1. In conclusion, unemployment payments are a great boon for those without jobs and benefit the whole of society as well. 2. It is important that unemployment agencies are well-run and strictly regulated to ensure continuance of the crucial social service they provide.
- Repeat your opinion.
- Add a final detail/thought.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean?
In many nations, the government gives unemployment benefits to its citizens in need. This allows people to make ends meet during difficult times and is largely a positive development.
The effect of unemployment is that struggling individuals and families are able to survive challenging periods. A good recent example of this would be the record unemployment rates in the wake of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. In the United States alone, millions of workers lost their jobs. Many families live paycheck to paycheck and without government support they might lose their homes or struggle to put food on the table every day. Government money allowed them to persevere in a difficult period and use their time to look for a new job. Depending on the conditions of the payments, they can try to find a quality job rather than settling for the first position offered by a company trying to exploit the leverage of an historic jobless rate.
This is largely a positive development because it has wide-reaching effects in society. The one qualification to unemployment benefits is that some individuals will try to take advantage of them and remain jobless while living off government charity. These rare instances aside, society benefits from lifting its most vulnerable citizens out of poverty. Without aid some individuals may turn to illegitimate means of supporting themselves. It is unlikely most would become criminals, but the greater effect would be economic. The unemployed cannot buy products and stimulate the consumer economy. The money the government hands out allows them to keep buying food, going shopping, and props up both large and small businesses. A good economy in turn increases the chances that businesses will begin hiring again and unemployment will decline.
In conclusion, unemployment payments are a great boon for those without jobs and benefit the whole of society as well. It is important that unemployment agencies are well-run and strictly regulated to ensure continuance of the crucial social service they provide.
Answers
gives unemployment benefits pays money for people without work
citizens in need people who require help
make ends meet have enough money to live
difficult times hard periods
largely mostly
struggling individuals people in need
survive challenging periods get through difficult times
record new high/low
in the wake of following
Covid-19 pandemic the Coronavirus spread
alone just by itself
lost their jobs unemployed
paycheck to paycheck living just month to month
government support money from the government
lose their homes must move out
struggle have a hard time
put food on the table every day being able to feed yourself/family daily
persevere get through
conditions situation
quality job good job
settling accepting a bad/lesser offer
first position offered first job they get
exploit take advantage of
leverage power over
historic jobless rate most unemployed people in history
wide-reaching effects impact across many areas
one qualification one exception
take advantage exploit
remain jobless still have no job
living off government charity getting by with welfare
rare instances aside ignoring some examples
lifting out of poverty not being desperately poor
vulnerable at risk
illegitimate means illegal methods
greater effect more of an impact
the unemployed people without jobs
stimulate help/encourage
consumer economy the free market
hands out gives out
props up supports
in turn consequently
begin hiring again start employing people again
great boon big help
benefit the whole of society give a lot to everyone in society
unemployment agencies institutions that help people find jobs/get benefits
well-run organised
strictly regulated closely monitored
ensure continuance make sure it continues
crucial social service they provide important help for society
Pronunciation
Listen and repeat:
gɪvz ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt ˈbɛnɪfɪts
ˈsɪtɪznz ɪn niːd
meɪk ɛndz miːt
ˈdɪfɪkəlt taɪmz
ˈlɑːʤli
ˈstrʌglɪŋ ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəlz
səˈvaɪv ˈʧælɪnʤɪŋ ˈpɪərɪədz
ˈrɛkɔːd
ɪn ðə weɪk ɒv
kəʊvɪd ˈnaɪnˈtiːn pænˈdɛmɪk
əˈləʊn
lɒst ðeə ʤɒbz
ˈpeɪˌʧɛk tuː ˈpeɪˌʧɛk
ˈgʌvnmənt səˈpɔːt
luːz ðeə həʊmz
ˈstrʌgl
pʊt fuːd ɒn ðə ˈteɪbl ˈɛvri deɪ
ˌpɜːsɪˈvɪə
kənˈdɪʃənz
ˈkwɒlɪti ʤɒb
ˈsɛtlɪŋ
fɜːst pəˈzɪʃən ˈɒfəd
ˈɛksplɔɪt
ˈliːvərɪʤ
hɪsˈtɒrɪk ˈʤɒblɪs reɪt
waɪd-ˈriːʧɪŋ ɪˈfɛkts
wʌn ˌkwɒlɪfɪˈkeɪʃən
teɪk ədˈvɑːntɪʤ
rɪˈmeɪn ˈʤɒblɪs
ˈlɪvɪŋ ɒf ˈgʌvnmənt ˈʧærɪti
reər ˈɪnstənsɪz əˈsaɪd
ˈlɪftɪŋ aʊt ɒv ˈpɒvəti
ˈvʌlnərəbl
ˌɪlɪˈʤɪtɪmɪt miːnz
ˈgreɪtər ɪˈfɛkt
ði ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪd
ˈstɪmjʊleɪt
kənˈsjuːmər i(ː)ˈkɒnəmi
hændz aʊt
prɒps ʌp
ɪn tɜːn
bɪˈgɪn ˈhaɪərɪŋ əˈgɛn
greɪt buːn
ˈbɛnɪfɪt ðə həʊl ɒv səˈsaɪəti
ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt ˈeɪʤənsiz
wɛl-rʌn
ˈstrɪktli ˈrɛgjʊleɪtɪd
ɪnˈʃʊə kənˈtɪnjʊəns
ˈkruːʃəl ˈsəʊʃəl ˈsɜːvɪs ðeɪ prəˈvaɪd
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
In many nations, the government g____________________________s to its c_____________________d. This allows people to m_____________t during d______________________s and is l____________y a positive development.
The effect of unemployment is that s_________________________s and families are able to s______________________________s. A good recent example of this would be the r___________d unemployment rates i_________________f the 2020 C_______________________c. In the United States a__________e, millions of workers l______________s. Many families live p__________________k and without g_______________________t they might l__________________s or s___________e to p_____________________________________y. Government money allowed them to p______________e in a difficult period and use their time to look for a new job. Depending on the c_________________s of the payments, they can try to find a q_______________b rather than s_____________g for the f_________________________d by a company trying to e______________t the l_______________e of an h_____________________e.
This is largely a positive development because it has w_____________________s in society. The o______________________n to unemployment benefits is that some individuals will try to t_____________________e of them and r_____________________s while l______________________________y. These r___________________________e, society benefits from l__________g its most v_______________e citizens o_________________y. Without aid some individuals may turn to i_________________________s of supporting themselves. It is unlikely most would become criminals, but the g__________________t would be economic. T______________________d cannot buy products and s______________e the c_______________________y. The money the government h_____________t allows them to keep buying food, going shopping, and p______________p both large and small businesses. A good economy i_____________n increases the chances that businesses will b_____________________n and unemployment will decline.
In conclusion, unemployment payments are a g______________n for those without jobs and b__________________________y as well. It is important that u__________________________s are w_______________n and s___________________d to e____________________e of the c________________________________e.
Listen and check:
Listening Practice
Listen here from the BBC about unemployment in America:
Reading Practice
Read some alarming news here:
Speaking Practice
Answer the following questions from the real speaking exam:
Work
Why did you choose your job?
How much work do you do in a week?
Do you have to work on weekends as well?
Real IELTS Speaking Exam
Writing Practice
Write about the following related topic then check with my sample answer:
Some people like to spend their leisure time after work with co-workers while others prefer to keep their private life separate from their work life.
Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.
Real Past IELTS Exam
Nowadays, governments in few countries grant a considerable amount of cash for jobless individuals as a payment. This can assist them to survive by supplying basic food, shelter, and other needs for themselves as well as their dependents. In my opinion, I believe this as a positive development since it contains several benefits to the people in the country by alleviating their living struggles.
Firstly, copious nations in the world are suffering from an insufficiency of jobs for the locals including well developed and first world countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. It takes a long time to get a placement with a salary for freshers who apply for occupations soon after graduation. If those applicants are from underprivileged backgrounds or orphans, these payments are immensely worth for them to manage basic daily requirements.
Secondly, most of the parochial employers and firms are ambiguous in recruitments of elderly employees even though they possess over 20 years of experience, labeling them as anachronistic people who are not industrious, counterproductive, and less lucrative to the company. In situations where elderly people are not financially advocated by their family members, their physical and mental health can exacerbate their living conditions, particularly if they are frail people. In such scenarios, these allowances provide by the governments are conspicuously precious for them as they can make independent, discretionary decisions on their expenses without extrinsic compels, for an instant, health care, food, clothes, and entertainment. It can also adherents for disable people to overcome their monetary battles during their life period since most cooperations vacillate and reluctant to offer an opportunity for them in this competitive, money-centric, and apathetic world which is elusively disheartening.
In conclusion, while I acclaim these grants issued by the governments, I also maintain that these are ought to be conducted under discreet supervision because every society has artful people who subtly get advantages out of free money.
Well done Priya – keep up the good efforts!
Make sure that you have clear paragraphing in your sample essays.
Hi Dave,
I have a question regarding the structure of this essay.
In essays like this, do we have to write paragraphs separately for the question and the “positive/negative development”?
For instance first para to elaborate the “impact for people” and second para to justify “positive development”.
Thanking you in advance,
For a two question topic write one paragraph on the first paragraph and then one on the second.
You don’t have to talk about positives and negatives – just choose one.