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This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay from the IELTS Cambridge 15 book of past exams on the topic of whether or not children can achieve anything if they try hard enough.
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Writing Task 1 Tests 1-4:
Writing Task 2 Tests 1-4
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay Cambridge 15: Owning or Renting a Home (IELTS Cambridge 15)
Dave
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IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay IELTS Cambridge 15: Children Achieve Anything
In some cultures, children are often told that they can achieve anything if they try hard enough.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message?
Cambridge IELTS 15
In many countries, it is common for children to be told anything is possible if they set their mind to it. In my opinion, this can lead to great achievements, but for the majority engenders feelings of inadequacy.
Some people benefit from a positive emphasis on effort and achievement. The best examples of this come from the United States where famously every child is encouraged to pursue their dreams, no matter how aspirational and unrealistic. Those who succeed serve as role models and evidence the efficacy of pushing children to try to achieve anything. For example, the number of successful entrepreneurs and artists who have left their mark globally from the U.S.A is staggering and includes figures like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Jackson, Warren Buffet, and Will Smith. These people often give encouraging interviews where they reiterate the importance of having passion and grit to achieve transcendent fame.
However, the cases above are exceptions and considering them the rule only hurts the self-esteem of the general populace. When an individual is told they can accomplish anything through sheer determination and they then fail to become rich and successful, they have no one to blame but themselves. The truth about the connection between effort and achievement is more nuanced than the platitude typically supplied to children. There is a complex interplay between talent, effort, and luck required to produce great achievements and all high-achievers are subject to determining factors beyond simply hard work. Teaching children otherwise sets them up for self-doubt, disillusionment, and delusions of grandeur that will weigh on them throughout adulthood. Hard work is an essential ingredient but supposing it guarantees success will only lead to resentment towards oneself and others.
In conclusion, while teaching children that hard work ensures achievement produces great individuals, overall, it breeds insecurity. Parents ought to instead encourage a positive mindset with less lofty expectations.
Analysis
1. In many countries, it is common for children to be told anything is possible if they set their mind to it. 2. In my opinion, this can lead to great achievements, but for the majority engenders feelings of inadequacy.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion to answer the essay question.
1. Some people benefit from a positive emphasis on effort and achievement. 2. The best examples of this come from the United States where famously every child is encouraged to pursue their dreams, no matter how aspirational and unrealistic. 3. Those who succeed serve as role models and evidence the efficacy of pushing children to try to achieve anything. 4. For example, the number of successful entrepreneurs and artists who have left their mark globally from the U.S.A is staggering and includes figures like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Jackson, Warren Buffet, and Will Smith. 5. These people often give encouraging interviews where they reiterate the importance of having passion and grit to achieve transcendent fame.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Begin with an example.
- Explain your example if necessary.
- Use real people, places, countries, etc. to support your main idea.
- State the full results of your example.
1. However, the cases above are exceptions and considering them the rule only hurts the self-esteem of the general populace. 2. When an individual is told they can accomplish anything through sheer determination and they then fail to become rich and successful, they have no one to blame but themselves. 3. The truth about the connection between effort and achievement is more nuanced than the platitude typically supplied to children. 4. There is a complex interplay between talent, effort, and luck required to produce great achievements and all high-achievers are subject to determining factors beyond simply hard work. 5. Teaching children otherwise sets them up for self-doubt, disillusionment, and delusions of grandeur that will weigh on them throughout adulthood. 6. Hard work is an essential ingredient but supposing it guarantees success will only lead to resentment towards oneself and others.
- Write another topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Continue to develop a logical argument or give an example (I use a hypothetical example here).
- Continue to support the same main idea.
- State the full results.
- Conclude the paragraph with a strong statement.
1. In conclusion, while teaching children that hard work ensures achievement produces great individuals, overall, it breeds insecurity. 2. Parents ought to instead encourage a positive mindset with less lofty expectations.
- Summarise your main ideas and repeat your opinion.
- Add a final thought/detail to the end to get full marks from the IELTS examiner.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean?
In many countries, it is common for children to be told anything is possible if they set their mind to it. In my opinion, this can lead to great achievements, but for the majority engenders feelings of inadequacy.
Some people benefit from a positive emphasis on effort and achievement. The best examples of this come from the United States where famously every child is encouraged to pursue their dreams, no matter how aspirational and unrealistic. Those who succeed serve as role models and evidence the efficacy of pushing children to try to achieve anything. For example, the number of successful entrepreneurs and artists who have left their mark globally from the U.S.A is staggering and includes figures like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Jackson, Warren Buffet, and Will Smith. These people often give encouraging interviews where they reiterate the importance of having passion and grit to achieve transcendent fame.
However, the cases above are exceptions and considering them the rule only hurts the self-esteem of the general populace. When an individual is told they can accomplish anything through sheer determination and they then fail to become rich and successful, they have no one to blame but themselves. The truth about the connection between effort and achievement is more nuanced than the platitude typically supplied to children. There is a complex interplay between talent, effort, and luck required to produce great achievements and all high-achievers are subject to determining factors beyond simply hard work. Teaching children otherwise sets them up for self-doubt, disillusionment, and delusions of grandeur that will weigh on them throughout adulthood. Hard work is an essential ingredient but supposing it guarantees success will only lead to resentment towards oneself and others.
In conclusion, while teaching children that hard work ensures achievement produces great individuals, overall, it breeds insecurity. Parents ought to instead encourage a positive mindset with less lofty expectations.
Answers
common ubiquitous
anything is possible you can do whatever you want
set their mind to it try to achieve it
great achievements big accomplishments
majority most of
engenders feelings of inadequacy hurt self-esteem
positive emphasis good focus
famously well-known
encouraged told to
pursue their dreams follow their passion
aspirational high goal
unrealistic not likely to happen
serve as role models good examples of
evidence verb for support/evidence
efficacy noun for something that works
pushing encouraging
successful entrepreneurs people who started their own businesses
left their mark globally had an impact on the world
staggering very impressive
figures people
encouraging pushing
reiterate say again
passion what you love
grit determination
transcendent fame really well-known
cases examples
exceptions not common, can’t be generalised
considering them the rule think they are common
self-esteem how you feel about yourself
general populace most people
accomplish achieve
sheer determination pure grit
blame fault
connection link
nuanced complex
platitude simple statement
supplied given to
complex interplay complicated relationship between
produce great achievements accomplish a lot
high-achievers people who accomplish a lot
subject to are vulnerable to
determining factors what makes the difference, decisive
otherwise apart from that
sets them up prepares them for
self-doubt lack of confidence, low self-esteem
disillusionment coming to grips with rewality
delusions of grandeur thinking yourself amazing
weigh on them hold them down
throughout adulthood all their lives
essential ingredient key part
supposing making the assumption that
guarantees success ensures achievement
resentment hate
ensures achievement guarantees success
breeds insecurity makes people feel bad about themselves
instead encourage better to push
positive mindset optimistic outlook
less lofty expectations not such big goals
Pronunciation
Listen and repeat:
ˈkɒmən
ˈɛnɪθɪŋ ɪz ˈpɒsəbl
sɛt ðeə maɪnd tuː ɪt
greɪt əˈʧiːvmənts
məˈʤɒrɪti
ɪnˈʤɛndəz ˈfiːlɪŋz ɒv ɪnˈædɪkwəsi
ˈpɒzətɪv ˈɛmfəsɪs
ˈfeɪməsli
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤd
pəˈsjuː ðeə driːmz
ˌæspəˈreɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l
ˌʌnrɪəˈlɪstɪk
sɜːv æz rəʊl ˈmɒdlz
ˈɛvɪdəns
ˈɛfɪkəsi
ˈpʊʃɪŋ
səkˈsɛsfʊl ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜːz
lɛft ðeə mɑːk ˈgləʊbəli
ˈstægərɪŋ
ˈfɪgəz
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤɪŋ
riːˈɪtəreɪt
ˈpæʃən
grɪt
trænˈsɛndənt feɪm
ˈkeɪsɪz
ɪkˈsɛpʃənz
kənˈsɪdərɪŋ ðɛm ðə ruːl
sɛlf-ɪsˈtiːm
ˈʤɛnərəl ˈpɒpjʊləs
əˈkɒmplɪʃ
ʃɪə dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən
bleɪm
kəˈnɛkʃən
nju(ː)ˈɑːnst
ˈplætɪtjuːd
səˈplaɪd
ˈkɒmplɛks ˈɪntə(ː)pleɪ
ˈprɒdjuːs greɪt əˈʧiːvmənts
haɪ-əˈʧiːvəz
ˈsʌbʤɪkt tuː
dɪˈtɜːmɪnɪŋ ˈfæktəz
ˈʌðəwaɪz
sɛts ðɛm ʌp
sɛlf-daʊt
ˌdɪsɪˈluːʒənmənt
dɪˈluːʒənz ɒv ˈgrænʤə
weɪ ɒn ðɛm
θru(ː)ˈaʊt əˈdʌlthʊd
ɪˈsɛnʃəl ɪnˈgriːdiənt
səˈpəʊzɪŋ
ˌgærənˈtiːz səkˈsɛs
rɪˈzɛntmənt
ɪnˈʃʊəz əˈʧiːvmənt
briːdz ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊərɪti
ɪnˈstɛd ɪnˈkʌrɪʤ
ˈpɒzətɪv ˈmaɪndsɛt
lɛs ˈlɒfti ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃənz
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
In many countries, it is c____________n for children to be told a_________________e if they s_____________________t. In my opinion, this can lead to g_________________________s, but for the m______________y e___________________________y.
Some people benefit from a p_______________________s on effort and achievement. The best examples of this come from the United States where f_______________y every child is e_______________d to p____________________s, no matter how a___________________l and u________________c. Those who succeed s________________________s and e_____________e the e______________y of p______________g children to try to achieve anything. For example, the number of s_______________________________s and artists who have l_________________________y from the U.S.A is s__________________g and includes f______________s like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Jackson, Warren Buffet, and Will Smith. These people often give e_______________g interviews where they r______________e the importance of having p______________n and g_____t to achieve t_________________________e.
However, the c_______s above are e_________________s and c______________________e only hurts the s_______________m of the g____________________e. When an individual is told they can a________________h anything through s________________________n and they then fail to become rich and successful, they have no one to b_________e but themselves. The truth about the c_______________n between effort and achievement is more n_____________d than the p_____________e typically s______________d to children. There is a c___________________y between talent, effort, and luck required to p___________________________s and all h________________________s are s______________o d_____________________s beyond simply hard work. Teaching children o_____________e s________________p for s______________t, d_______________________t, and d___________________r that will w________________m t_________________________d. Hard work is an e______________________t but s_____________g it g_________________________s will only lead to r_______________t towards oneself and others.
In conclusion, while teaching children that hard work e__________________________t produces great individuals, overall, it b__________________________y. Parents ought to i_____________________e a p_______________________t with l________________________s.
Listen and check:
Listening Practice
Learn about a related topic here:
Reading Practice
Read about this more on the Washington Post:
Speaking Practice
Answer the following questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Setting Goals
How important is it for people to set goals?
Do people set different goals at different stages of life?
Are personal goals more important than professional goals?
What sort of goals do young people today set?
Are people becoming more pessimistic about their life goals?
Real IELTS Speaking
Writing Practice
Write about the following related topic then check with my sample answer:
Many parents today do not spend much time with their children.
Why is this?
Does this affect parents or children more?
Real Past IELTS Exam
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The question doesn’t ask for an opinion. Should we give one, if it doesn’t. Won’t it affect the task achievement?
Also, it asks for advantages and disadvantages. So shouldn’t we give more than 1 reason for both?
Yes, JF, that is a good point and to not be risky you should. I expanded the scope of both and included the results so I should be safe but students should definitely aim to develop 2 advantages and disadvantages – thanks for pointing that out!
But I still believe that the essay will lose task achievement because the question mentioned that what are the advantages and disadvantages? If one advantage were enough, the question would not ask for advantages.
totally agree
Some people believe that children should be advised to work so hard to get whatever they want. In my opinion, although this mindset can help children to become globally competitive, it has also negative results on the emotional and mental health of children. This essay will take a look at both sides of the argument.
On the one hand, it is true to believe that children are the hope of the nation, and teaching them to become passionate to strive for success is essential. By doing this, self-motivation and effort will be their weapons to achieve invincibility. A recent study shows that 70% of parents these days giving their children the mentality of hard work and perseverance as this is the only way to pursue their dreams. If children would be molded to become ambitious, their goal in life would be surely achieved in the future.
On the other hand, a competitive mindset has drawbacks in the children’s well-being. Children can unconsciously suffer from a delusion of grandeur in which winning is considered as their only way to show the power and intelligence. Moreover, because of striving hard to achieve something, children could feel a sense of unfulfillment if the goal was not met which could lead to depression. An example of this nowadays is the insecurity and pressure for adolescents which are the leading cause of committing suicide. This only means that children should not be told to become perfectionist as it could be the reason for discontentment.
In conclusion, there is no denying that the mentality of being futuristic is important for children in achieving goals but parents should limit expectations. A mindset that just focusing on the brighter aspect of life is much better in molding children positively.