IELTS Writing Sample

IELTS Writing Sample #163
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:
Is freedom of speech necessary in a free society?
Give reasons for your
answer
.
Write at least 250 words.
Writing Tip
Decide whether you agreedisagree completely with the statement! partly
agreedisagree with it! or have no definite opinion.
"hoose one of these approaches:
State your position in the introduction and then justify it ith agreements! #his
may be more suitable if you feel strongly about the statement.
"resent the arguments first and then say hat you thin# in the conclusion! #his
may be better if you have no strong opinion but can put forward arguments on both
sides.
$odel anser
$n the last decade! there has been considerable debate over the role of
free speech in a free society. %ome ob&ect to absolute freedom of speech. 'thers
advocate free speech! arguing that the freedom of speech is the single most
important political right of citi(ens in a civili(ed society. Whilst $ believe that there are
strong arguments on both sides! $ would suggest that freedom of speech should be
protected in all but e)treme circumstances.
#he freedom of speech is important at all levels in a society. Yet it is most important
for thegovernments. * government which does not know what the people feel and
think is in a dangerous position. #his is how the communist regimes of +astern
+urope were toppled in the ,-.0s. #he same is happening again in other regions of
the world today. #he governments that mu((le free speech run a risk of pushing their
people to behave destructively or to rebel.
/urthermore! without free speech no political action is possible and no resistance to
in&ustice and oppression is possible. Without free speech elections would have no
meaning at all. 0olicies of contestants become known to the public and become
responsive to public opinion only by virtue of free speech. 1etween elections the
freely e)pressed opinions of citi(ens help restrain oppressive rule. Without this
freedom it is futile to e)pect political freedom or conse2uently economic freedom.
$n conclusion! $ believe that the importance of free speech as a basic
and valuable characteristic of a free society cannot be underestimated. $t may be
challenging for society to allow differences of opinion out into the open3 however! the
conse2uences of restricting free speech are likely to be more damaging in the longer
term.
45.6 words7
IELTS Writing Sample #16%
Some people thin# omen should &e alloed to &oin the army' the na(y and the
air force just li#e men!
To hat e)tent do you agree or disagree?
answer
.
$odel anser
Whether women should be allowed to serve in the military has triggered spirited
debate. %ome assert that the status 2uo should be changed and women should be
entitled to &oin the armed forces. 0ersonally! $ fundamentally agree with their
assertion8for three reasons.
9istory has shown that women are fully capable of performing well in the military.
9istorically! there were a host of valiant women soldiers whose achievements really
put their male counterparts to shame. 'ne need only look at the classic e)amples of
:oan of *rc and ;ulan to see how e)ceptionally women could perform on the
battlefield. $n my observation! their determination! courage and dignity! to this day!
are still being admired by male soldiers and civilians alike throughout the world.
;oreover! from an enlightened standpoint! female patriots should be granted the
right to go to thefront line when their motherland is involved in a war. *dmittedly!
gender ine2uality was a highly controversial issue in the twentieth century. 9owever!
now twelve years into the new millennium! women can learn and teach! work and
supervise! vote and voted in most countries &ust like men. $n light of this sweeping
progress in gender e2uality! there is no sense in denying them the right to defend
their home country when a war breaks out.
$n sum! keeping military services out of bounds of women in the information age is
unwarranted. $ have been convinced that it is in the best interest of a nation if women
are also granted e2ual rights in this particular arena.
4564 words7
;achine translation *$T+ is sloer and less accurate than human translation and
there is no immediate or predicta&le li#elihood of machines ta#ing o(er this
role from humans!
Do you agree or disagree<
$odel anser
,ead the folloing sample
answer
. Complete the answer by filling the gaps with a word or phrase from the box below.
on the contrary for instance especially because
for these reasons in order to it is true of course
similarly however it seems to me for example
$t is true that there have been great advances in technology over the last forty
years. -or e)ample . -or instance the use of mobile phones and e8mail
communication are common these days./oe(er! machines that translate from
one language to another are still in their early stages.
It seems to me that a machine could never do as good a &ob as a
human! especially when it comes to interpreting what people are saying. 0f course!
machines can translate statements such as =Where is the bank<> but even simple
statements are not always straightforward &ecause the meaning depends on more
than &ust words. -or instance . -or e)ample the word =bank> has a number of
different meanings in +nglish. 9ow does a translating machine know which meaning
to take<
In order to understand what people are saying! you need to take into account the
relationship between the speakers and their situation. * machine cannot tell the
difference between the +nglish e)pression =?ook out@> meaning =1e careful@> and
=?ook out@> meaning =0ut your head out of the window>. You need a human being to
interpret the situation.
Similarly with written language! it is difficult for a machine to know how to translate
accurately&ecause we rarely translate every word. 0n the contrary! we try to take
into consideration how the idea would be e)pressed in the other language. #his is
hard to do &ecause every language has its own way of doing and saying things.
-or these reasons $ feel that it is most unlikely that machines will take the place of
humans in the field of translating and interpreting. $f machines ever learn to think!
perhaps then they will be in a position to take on this role.
%how *nswer 8 9ide *nswer
$any newspapers and maga(ines feature stories a&out the pri(ate li(es of
famous people! We know what they eat' here they &uy their clothes and ho
they lo(e! We also often see pictures of them in pri(ate situations!
Is it appropriate for a maga(ine or nespaper to gi(e this #ind of
pri(ate information about people?
Give reasons for your answer.
$odel anser
Generally! people read newspapers to find out about world current affairs and they
read maga(ines to be entertained. #herefore! one would e)pect to find articles that
feature the private lives of famous people in maga(ines rather than newspapers.
9owever! nowadays! more and more newspapers include stories like these which are
neither informative nor useful.
$n my opinion! this type of gossip about peopleAs private lives should not be in
newspapers for several reasons. /irstly! for e)ample! the fact that 0rincess Diana is
going out with a sportsman is not important news. %econdly! if newspapers want to
publish articles about famous people they should focus on their public events and
achievements. $n other words! if there is an article about 0rincess Diana it should be
about her works of charity! which will increase public awareness of important
problems. $n addition!
journalists
should make sure that they write about the facts only, not rumours. ne should be
able to rely on newspapers for the actual truth.
!aga"ines, on the other hand, focus on social news. #ut $ feel it is more acceptable
for them to contain some features about famous personalities. $n addition to being
popular reading, these stories often benefit the stars by gi%ing free publicity to them,
thereby helping their careers. &owe%er, $ also belie%e that maga"ine stories should not
mention things that are too embarrassing or untrue just to attract people to buy the
maga"ine. 'ensational stories, such as these, cause great unhappiness to the people
concerned.
$n conclusion, $ think newspapers should concentrate on real news but maga"ines can
feature some articles on people(s pri%ate li%es.
45B. words7
Some people feel that certain workers li#e nurses' doctors and
teachers
areunder%alued and should be paid more, especially when other people like film
actors or company bosses are paid huge sums of money that are out of proportion
to the importance of the work that they do.
-How far do you agree?
-What criteria should be used to decide how much people are paid?
You should use your own ideas! knowledge and e)perience and support your
arguments with e)amples and relevant evidence.
$odel anser
Cobody can deny that there are certain professionals like nurses! doctors and
teachers who are essential to the fabric of society! and who should therefore be
rewarded accordingly. 9owever! this is seldom the case. When we look at the
salaries and fees commanded by certain film stars and actresses and people who
run large companies! this does not seem fair.
/irst of all! not all film stars earn huge sums of money. $n fact! at any one time in the
DE! for e)ample! roughly .0 per cent of actors are out of work and on top of that the
number who are paid so8called Ftelephone number feesG is even smaller. 'ne must
also remember that the career of many actors is very short and that therefore the
money they earn has to be spread over many years. #he same applies to company
bosses.
%tating a set of criteria as to how much people should be paid is not easy. #he idea
of performance8related pay is very much in vogue at the moment. Hewarding people
according to 2ualifications has long been used as a yardstick for paying people! but it
is not a consistently good measure. *nother is years of relevant e)perience! but
there are many cases where a younger person can perform a task better than
someone with lots of e)perience.
Whatever criteria are used to assess salaries! an on8going cycle will develop. #his
will create pressure in other areas. #his considered! generally $ feel that certain key
professionals should have their salaries assessed by independent review bodies on
an on8going basis so that they do not fall behind.
45B- words7
Some people consider computers to &e more of a hindrance than a help!
0thers &elie(e that they ha(e greatly increased human potential!
/o could computers &e considered a hindrance?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant e)amples from your own
e)perience.
$odel anser
Loo# at the ords or phrases in capitals! 5orrect your (ersion here
necessary!
$t is easy to understand why some people believe that computers are more of a
hindrance than a help. 'perations such as obtaining a refund or changing
a ticket tend to be fairly straightforward without the aid of a computer! yet once one is
involved! the process can become time8consuming! comple) and prone to errors. $n
an office environment! it can sometimes seem that for every hour saved by
computers! at least set of problems caused by a system malfunction.
*nother consideration is that! over8enthusiastic use of computers in the home has
the potential to divert large amounts of free time away from activities such
as socialising! tasking e)ercise or having dinner with your family. %pending a lot
of leisure time looking at a computer monitor screen could perhaps achieving other
goals in life! such as being healthy and socially integrated.
9owever! it would be simplistic to assert that computers have a generally negative
impact. #here have been enormous advences in communications! medicine! design!
education and numerous fields of human endeavour. Cowadays! virtually the entire
sum of human knowledge is as far away as the nearest internet point. "omputers
have brought about a profound change in the way most people in the developed
world live. 4*lthough it should not be forgotten that the ma&ority of the inhabitants of
this planet have never so much as touched a computer keyboard.7
#he benefits of computers undoubtedly outweigh the disadventages. #he 2uestion is
not whethercomputers help or hinder! but whether people always use their huge
potential in a sensible and responsible way<
In most countries multinational companies and their products are &ecoming
more and more important!
This trend is seriously damaging our 2uality of life!
Writing Tip
$n $+?#% Writing #ask 5! you might want to talk about a common opinion or fact. /or
e)ample! you might say! Many people say that multinational companies and
globalisation are makingsocieties more open. 9owever! if you want to be more
formal! it is good to use the structure It + passive + clause: It is said that
multinational companies and globalisation are making societies more open.
Ierbs which are often used in this way are: say' agree' suppose' #no' thin#'
&elie(e' e)pect' feel' report' estimate
$odel anser
#he writer has tried to a(oid repeating the same ords too often in the
anser!
,ead the sample again and find synonyms or phrases later in the anser
ith similar meanings to the underlined ords!
;ultinational companies nowadays find it easy both to market their products all over
the world and set up factories wherever they find it convenient. $n my opinion this has
had a harmful effect on our 2uality of life in three main areas.
#he first area is their products. %upporters of globali(ation would argue that
multinational companies make high82uality goods available to more people. While
this may be true to some e)tent! it also means that we have less choice of products
to buy. When powerful multinational companies invadelocal markets with their goods!
they often force local companies with fewer resources to go out ofbusiness. $n
conse2uence! we are obliged to buy multinational products whether we like them or
not.
#his brings me to my second point. $t is sometimes said that multinational companies
and globalisation are making societies more open. #his may be true. 9owever! $
would argue that as a result the human race is losing its cultural diversity. $f we
consumed different products! societies all over the world would be more varied. #his
can be seen by the fact that we all shop in similarmultinational supermarkets
and buy identical products wherever we live.
#hirdly! defenders of multinational companies often point out that they
provide employment. *lthough this is undoubtedly true! it also means that we have
become more dependent on them! which in turn makes us more vulnerable to their
decisions. When! for e)ample! a multinational decides to move its
production
facilities to another country, this has an ad%erse effect on its workers who lose their
jobs.
)ll in all, $ belie%e that if we as %oters pressured our go%ernments to make
multinational companies more responsible and to protect local producers from outside
competition, we could ha%e thebenefits of globalisation without its disad%antages.
'how )nswer * &ide )nswer
$ore and more 6ualified people are mo(ing from poor to rich countries to fill
(acancies in specialist areas li#e engineering' computing and medicine!
Some people &elie(e that &y encouraging the mo(ement of such people' rich
countries are stealing from poor countries! 0thers feel that this is only part of
the natural mo(ement of workers around the orld!
model answer:
#he so8called Fbrain drainG from poor to rich countries is now robbing poorer countries
of essential personnel like doctors! nurses! engineers! and the trend is set to
continue! if not to get worse.
%ome people say this movement of people around the world is not a new
phenomenon. ;igrant workers have always been attracted by the wider choice of
employment and greater
opportunity
inmajor cities in their own countries and abroad. +ecently, as the technological age
has ad%anced and as richer countries find themsel%es with not enough workers to feed
their de%elopment, they ha%e had to run to other parts of the world to find the
necessary manpower. !any richer ,uropean countries, for example, are now trying to
attract skilled $- workers from my home country $ndia by offering higher salaries
than they could hope to earn at home. With the globalisation of the world economy,
many people feel that the process cannot be stopped.
thers, myself included, are of the opinion that measures should be taken to address
the problem, by compensating poorer countries financially for the loss
of in%estment in the people they ha%e trained, like doctors and nurses. )dmittedly,
this may be cumbersome to administer, but an attempt could be made to get it off the
ground. )nother step, which in part has already begun to happen, is to use the forces
of globali"ation itself. Western countries could encourage people to stay in their own
countries by direct in%estment in projects like computer factories or by sending
patients abroad for treatment, as is already happening.
$t is ob%iously difficult to restrict the mo%ement of people around the world and it is
probably foolish to try to stop it, but attempts should be made to redress the
imbalance.
45-, words7
"omputers and modems ha(e made it possi&le for office or#ers to do much of
theirwork from home instead of or#ing in offices e(ery day! Wor#ing from
home should &e encouraged as it is good for or#ers and employers!
Head the following sample answer.
"omplete the answer by filling the gaps with a word or phrase from the bo) below.
8lso &ecause The first is that -or E)ample
Secondly -inally In conclusion since
such as hile 0n the other hand
8 further point is that
$n recent years the vast e)pansion of information
and communications technology has made teleworking much more practical.
*lthough in many cases office workers could be made geographically independent by
using modems! fa)es and cell phones! few companies or employees take full
advantage of this possibility.
#here are a number of strong arguments in favor of allowing workers to work
from home. /irstly costs for employers would be reduced because businesses would
re2uire less office space! which is often situated in the center of large
cities. Secondly! workerAs lives would be improved in a variety of ways. For
example! they would not need to travel to get to work! which would give them more
free time.
Also! they could combine their work with their family life! which is a ma&or advantage
if they are parents of young children or they have old people to look after. On the
other hand! traveling to acentrali(ed workplace also has a number of points in its
favor. The first is that many employees would miss the social aspect of work such
as seeing colleagues and meeting customers. A further point is
that employers would need to be able to trust their workers to work at a high
standard and finish their work on time! since supervising teleworkers is even more
complicated than supervising workers in the same office.
Finally! working from home might inhibit teamwork and creative work and so perhaps
so only really suitable for people doing routine office work.
In conclusion! $ believe that while many workers welcome the
opportunity
to go out to work, others would find the chance to work from home %ery con%enient.
Where possible, $ think workers should be offered the choice, but not forced to work
from home unless they wish to.
9oadays many students ha(e the opportunity to study for part or all of
theircourses in foreign countries!
While studying a&road &rings many &enefits to indi(idual students' it also has
a num&er of disad(antages!
Which of these things should you include in your answer to this 2uestion<
Write :ES! 90 'H $8:;E ne)t to each 2uestion.
1 What problems students may have studying abroad and what is good about
it. ....................
% What countries gain and lose from people going abroad to study. ....................
3 Whether governments should subsidise studentsG studies abroad. ....................
7 Your personal e)perience of studying abroad! or the e)perience of people you
know. ....................
2 What is wrong with your countryGs education system. ....................
%how *nswer 8 9ide *nswer
Head the following sample answer.
"omplete the answer by filling the gaps with a word or phrase from the bo) below.
although &ecause finally firstly
in my opinion such as for e)ample moreo(er
secondly furthermore hat is more therefore
in contrast due to on the other hand
$n recent years there has been a vast increase in the number of students choosing
to study abroad. #his is partly because people are more affluent and partly due
to the variety of grants and
scholarships
which are a%ailable for o%erseas students nowadays. Although foreign study is not
something which e%ery student would choose, it is an attracti%e option for many
people.
'tudying o%erseas has a number of ad%antages. Firstly/For example, it may gi%e
students access to knowledge and facilities such as laboratories and libraries which
are not a%ailable in their home country. Furthermore/Moreover/hat is
more/Secondly, by looking abroad students may find a wider range of courses than
those offered in their country.s uni%ersities, and therefore one which fits
more closely to their particular re/uirements.
on the other hand, studying abroad has a number of drawbacks. -hese may be
di%ided into personal and professional. Firstly students ha%e to lea%e their family
and friends for a long period.Furthermore/Moreover/hat is
more/Secondly studying abroad is almost always more expensi%e that studying in
one.s local uni%ersity. Finally/Furthermore/Moreover/hat is more,
students often ha%e to study in a foreign language, which may limit their performance
and mean they do not attain their true le%el.
In my opinion/On the other hand, howe%er, the disad%antages of studying
abroad are usually temporary in nature. 'tudents who study abroad generally become
proficient in the language /uite soon and they are only away from their family and
friends for a year or two. Furthermore/hat is more, many of the benefits last
students all their li%es and make them highly desirable toprospecti%e employers.
IELTS Writing Sample #12%
8s mass communication and transport continue to gro' societies are
&ecoming more and more ali#e leading to a phenomenon #non as
glo&ali<ation! Some people fear that glo&ali<ation ill ine(ita&ly lead to the
total loss of cultural identity!
To hat e)tent do you agree or disagree ith this statement?
knowledge or e)perience.
model answer:
Globali(ation means that in some ways people around the world are becoming more
and more similar. We often eat the same food! watch the same #I programmes!
listen to the same music and we wear the same clothes. %ome of this at least can be
blamed on the spread of multinational brands available all over the world.
'n the surface! it may appear as if the global diversity of cultural identities is being
lost. $f! the argument goes! people in #okyo and ?ondon look and dress the same!
then that must mean that cultural differences are disappearing. 9owever! $ would
argue that this is a very narrow definition of culture and that in fact cultural
differences are as present as ever.
"ultural $dentity is built on far more than &ust the films we watch or the &eans we wear.
#he foundation of cultural identity is shared values. When you look in detail at
different cultures! you reali(e that the things that are important to one culture can be
very different from the things valued by another culture.
#ake my own culture! $ndia! as an e)ample and compare it to a very different culture!
:apan. *lthough $ have never visited :apan personally! $ believe that it is a culture
which places a lot of value on hard work and that people often work very long hours.
#he $ndian people! in contrast! greatly value their leisure time and strive to spend as
much lime with their family as they possibly can. +ven if we consume the same
products! $ would argue that there are still some very deep8rooted differences.
#o summari(e! $ do not accept that that total loss of cultural identity is inevitable!
despite the influence of large companies and their products around the globe.
45-4 words7
In some countries young people ha(e little leisure time and are under a lot of
pressure to or# hard in their studies!
What do you thin# are the causes of this?
What solutions can you suggest?
model answer:
%ome young people find themselves with very little leisure time. $ believe there are
two main causes of this situation. #he first is parental pressure and the second is
competition for
uni%ersity
places.
,%ery parent wants to see his or her child do well in school and go on to ha%e a
successful career. -his means that they exert pressure on their children to spend hours
each day studying at home. 'ome e%en arrange extra tuition for their children. $n my
own country, it is not uncommon for young people to spend another three hours at
small pri%ate schools after their usual day at stale school is o%er. )s a conse/uence,
their leisure time is extremely limited and the pressure on them is considerable.
-he second cause is related to the higher education system. ,ach year, there are many
times more applicants to uni%ersity than there are uni%ersity places. -he result of this
is that only those students with %ery high grades manage to obtain a place. -his
contributes to the pressure on teenagers since they must work long hours to ha%e any
chance of success.
ne solution to the problem is for parents to be made aware of the effects of the
pressure they put on their children. 'chools should inform parents that too much
pressure can lead to anxiety, stress and depression. -hey should be shown ways in
which they can help their children lead more balanced li%es with a reasonable amount
of leisure time.
)nother effecti%e measure would be for the go%ernment to in%est in the creation of
more uni%ersity places. -his could be done by expanding existing uni%ersities or by
building new ones. -his would ha%e the effect of easing competition for places gi%ing
teenagers some of their precious free lime back.
45-B words7
ELTS Writing Sample #1%3
It is &ecoming more and more difficult to escape the influence of the media on
our li(es!
=iscuss the advantages and disadvantages of li(ing in a media rich society!
answer
and include any rele%ant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
model answer:
#he media is about communication and $ suppose most of us would agree that!
as human beings we need to communicate. We need to know what is going on in the
world generally3 we want to be entertained and to keep in touch with people. 'lder
media! such as newspapers! radio and #I help us do this! but the newer media!
particularly the internet and mobile phones go further. We have more choice in terms
of what we watch or who we talk to.
$ have an $80hone which allows me 8 &ust by using one device 8 to make phone calls!
use theinternet! listen to music! play games and watch videos. *nd itAs all immediate!
and portable. $t makes you feel in control! but there arc disadvantages too.
0eople are always te)ting and emailing each other and if they donAt have their phone
or laptoparound! they feel cut off. *lso! have you seen a group of teenagers in a cafe
where theyAre not talking to each other! but using their phones< $tAs a very common
sight these days! which many people feel is worrying! as we seem to prefer using
technology to face8to8face communication.
We are also spoilt for choice 8 perhaps too much choice. #here are so many #I
channels! but so many of the programmes are poor 2uality. #hereAs also so much
advertising all around us! trying to persuade us to buy things we donAt really need. #o
survive in such a society! you have to be very aware of the power the media can
have over you! your actions and your opinions! and try not to let it control your life.
#o my mind! thereAs no doubt we live in a media8rich society! and thereAs nothing we
can do about that. What we can do is use the media responsibly and not let it use us.
4J5K words7
IELTS Writing Sample #1%1
$any people say that the only ay to guarantee getting a good &ob is to
complete a course of
university
education. Others claim that it is better to start work after school and gain
experience in the world of work.
How far do you agree or disagree with the above views?
model answer:
$t is probably true to say that most people believe that a university degree is the only
way to get a good &ob. $ think this is true in certain areas! while in other areas! a
degree is not as useful.
#o begin with! many people have ambitions to become a 2ualified professional and
there is no doubt that becoming a doctor or a lawyer! for e)ample! is only possible
with a degree. *nother advantage of graduating from university is that it gives you
more choices when it comes to choosing a &ob. ;ost employers will be more
impressed by a candidate who has a degree than they would be by one who only has
high school 2ualifications because it shows a certain level of intelligence and
education! as well as the commitment and self8discipline that is needed $n order to
study a degree course for three or four years.
'n the other hand! there might be some benefit to starting your career early!
especially if your chosen field is one which does not typically re2uire a university
education. #his would apply to somebody who wants to be a car mechanic! or
a fashion designer! for instance! who would not necessarily gain anything from going
to university. #he hands8on e)perience you gain in your &ob while others are studying
for a degree can give you a distinct advantage. $ once read about a man who left
school at si)teen and went on to become a wealthy and successful investment
broker. 9e claimed that he had learned all he needed to know by working in his
chosen field and that he could not have done any better by getting a degree.
%o! to conclude! it is possible to get a good &ob without going to university. 9aving
said that! some professions! such as the law! re2uire you to have a degree and as
stated above a Dniversity degree could potentially open more doors when looking for
a &ob.
4J5K words7
,ecent figures sho an increase in (iolent crime among youngsters under the
age of 14! Some psychologists claim that the &asic reason for this is that
children these days are not getting the social and emotional
learning
they need from parents and teachers.
o what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
model answer:
$t does seem to be true that parents find teachers have lost the authority they used to
have! especially in the eyes of teenagers. #hey are no longer seen as models for
behavior: hard work! politeness and other positive 2ualities are seen as old
fashioned. ;any young people have no respect for these 2ualities or the people who
represent them. $n fact! $ think when young people today are so rebellious that itAs
possible that both parents and teachers are afraid to e)ercise their authority.
9owever! $ do not agree that this is the basic reason for the increase in teenage
violence.
While $ believe it is true that a lack of social and emotional learning contributes to the
problem. 'ther factors are surely involved: economic factors! for e)ample. $f a child
comes from a poor family and they live in low82uality housing in all undesirable area!
this is sure to affect the child! however loving the parents are.
#here is also the 2uestion of who your friends are. $ believe that when you are in your
teens your friends have more influence on you than your parents or teachers. *t that
age! you want to be part of a group! or even a gang! and this might lead to
breaking the law in a number of ways.
$n conclusion! while $ agree that lack of social and emotional learning from parents
and teachers is afactor in the growth of teenage violence! $ do not believe that it is
the only or main cause.
4566 words7
ELTS Writing Sample #171
In today>s competitive orld' many families find it necessary for &oth parents to
go out to or#! While some say the children in these families &enefit from
the additional income' others feel they lac# support &ecause of their parents>
a&sence!
answer
model answer:
$n the past a typical family consisted of a father who went out to work and a mother
who stayed at home and looked after the children. Cowadays! it is the norm for both
parents to work. #his situation can affect children both positively and negatively.
%ome people think that the children of working parents are in an advantageous
position where their parents are able to afford mere lu)uries such as new
clothes! video games or mobile phones. 0roponents of this view argue that children
are able to en&oy and e)perience more from life due to their parentsA e)tra wealth! for
e)ample! by going on foreign holidays.
'n the other hand! however! there are those who claim that when both parents work!
their children do not get enough support and attention! meaning that the children
might not do as well at school because there is no one at house to provide support
with such things as homework or e)am revision. #he absence of a parent at
home could make it easier for children to get involved in such things as drugs or
undertake drinking.
When $ was growing up! both my parents worked and $ was always well provided for.
'n the other hand! $ think that it would sometimes have been better if $ could have
seen more of my parents.
$n conclusion! $ believe that we cannot change the fact that both parents have to work
nowadays. $t is not an ideal situation! but if parents make time for their children in the
evenings and at theweekends! then the children will not suffer in any way. $t must be
stated that the e)tra incomegenerated by both parents working! makes for a much
higher standard of living which benefits the whole family.
45-6 words7
%chool children are &ecoming far too dependent on computers! This is ha(ing
an alarming effect on reading and writing s#ills! Teachers need to a(oid using
computers in the classroom at all costs and go &ac# to teaching &asic study
s#ills!
=o you agree or disagree?
model answer:
Cowadays modern technology has totally changed our approach to study. $n many
countries students no longer have to copy notes by hand from the blackboard3
instead the teacher gives them a photocopy. Hather than messy ink and pen!
students present a typed8up copy of their assignments. #heir computer even checks
their spelling as they go. $n fact! some people believe that modern technology does a
lot of our thinking for us and! as a result! we are going to lose our ability to think for
ourselves.
$n my opinion! spelling skills have definitely deteriorated in recent years. %o many
young people use mobile phones to send te)t messages where speed and
conciseness are more important than spelling or grammar. %ome teachers complain
that these students take the same attitude toward their assignments.
'n the other hand! typed assignments are much easier to read and are much neater.
/rankly! $ find some notes or te)ts which are handwritten almost impossible to
read. Doctors! for e)ample! have a reputation for illegible handwriting! which could
lead to disastrous medical mistakes. 0erhaps it is time we focused not on
handwriting but on presenting information as accurately as possible.
'ne advantage of computers is that access to the $nternet has opened up a
new world of learningfor us. We no longer have to wait for a book that has already
been borrowed from the library before we do our research. $n fact! the $nternet can
clearly be used to research information in the same way as a library but more
conveniently.
'n the whole! rather than holding students back! $ believe modern technology has
actually improved standards of
education
considerably.
45KB words7
%chool children are &ecoming far too dependent on computers! This is ha(ing
an alarming effect on reading and writing s#ills! Teachers need to a(oid using
computers in the classroom at all costs and go &ac# to teaching &asic study
s#ills!
model answer:
Cowadays modern technology has totally changed our approach to study. $n many
countries students no longer have to copy notes by hand from the blackboard3
instead the teacher gives them a photocopy. Hather than messy ink and pen!
students present a typed8up copy of their assignments. #heir computer even checks
their spelling as they go. $n fact! some people believe that modern technology does a
lot of our thinking for us and! as a result! we are going to lose our ability to think for
ourselves.
$n my opinion! spelling skills have definitely deteriorated in recent years. %o many
young people use mobile phones to send te)t messages where speed and
conciseness are more important than spelling or grammar. %ome teachers complain
that these students take the same attitude toward their assignments.
'n the other hand! typed assignments are much easier to read and are much neater.
/rankly! $ find some notes or te)ts which are handwritten almost impossible to
read. Doctors! for e)ample! have a reputation for illegible handwriting! which could
lead to disastrous medical mistakes. 0erhaps it is time we focused not on
handwriting but on presenting information as accurately as possible.
'ne advantage of computers is that access to the $nternet has opened up a
new world of learningfor us. We no longer have to wait for a book that has already
been borrowed from the library before we do our research. $n fact! the $nternet can
clearly be used to research information in the same way as a library but more
conveniently.
'n the whole! rather than holding students back! $ believe modern technology has
actually improved standards of
education
considerably.
45KB words7
Governments should ma#e more effort to promote alternati(e sources of
energy!
To hat e)tent do you agree or disagree ith this opinion?
answer
model answer:
$t has been known for some time now that a move towards sources of energy which
are not carbon8based is urgently re2uired to stop the effects of global warming. $n my
view! there are too few governments who seem to be promoting the use of
other types of energy such as wind! wave! solar and nuclear sources of energy.
Governments at present are too reliant on coil! oil and gas. *lthough some
governments are doing research into the use of alternative energy sources! many are
not. +nergy from the wind! the sea and the sun does not pollute the environment and
is an everlasting source of power. Cuclear power is clean! and although it is not
totally unproblematic! it would provide a large amount of energy and dramatically
improve the environment. "ountries such as /rance have made good use of nuclear
power.
;y feeling is that more use could be made of wind power. $n some countries! there
has been a reluctance to use wind turbines! even in areas which are not densely
populated! as some people believe they are eyesores. 0ersonally! $ believe they are
not only useful! but beautiful as well. Governments should spend more time and
effort promoting the benefits of this source of energy and trying to make the public
understand the reason for change.
$n conclusion! $ believe that! if governments forced everyone to have a wind turbine
and solar panelson the building they live in! made more use of wave power and built
more nuclear power stations! then they would manage to avert the dangers that are
seriously threatening the +arth.
45B. words7
"ounties such as "hina' India and ?apan ha(e unsustaina&le population
groths! In fact many e)perts are of the opinion that the population @e)plosionA
hich is no a (ery orrying concern' is the most serious threat to life on this
planet!
Bi(e some suggestions to address this pro&lem!
model answer:
$t is true that the population Fe)plosionG which has taken place over the last century! is
a very serious problem. 'ne of the main reasons for this unacceptable population
growth is a lack of understanding about the environment. 'ver8population is the
ma&or reason for water! soil and air pollution. $t is also often the cause of starvation
and even wars. +)perts have put forward many suggestions to address this problem.
#he following are &ust a few of these.
#he most important weapon we have to fight population growth is education. #his
should start at a very early age i.e. before children even go to school. #I cartoons
and childrenGs programs can be used to educate the very young. *t high school level!
students can be taught about the problem more directly. *t university level!
scholarships
should be made a%ailable to students who wish to study further in this field.
$nternational exchange groups may also help to increase awareness.
)nother important means of controlling population growth is to disad%antage people
who ha%e more than one or two children. -his can be done, as it is in China, by means
of a higher tax. )lthough it is contro%ersial, persons who come forward to be
sterili"ed could be gi%en a sum of money. $t may also be possible to make it
ad%antageous for people to ha%e only one child by gi%ing such couples a special tax
deduction.
$t should also be possible to make contraception de%ices free to the public and easily
obtainable.
-his problem is a %ery difficult one to address but we should make e%ery effort to do
so. -here are many other problems which are related to o%er*population such
as increasing crime, illiteracy and pollution. 'o by addressing one problem we would
be addressing the others as well.
45-. words7
In a recent sur(ey conducted in this country' it as found that up to %1C of
tel(e yearDolds in some schools ere shoing early signs of nicotine
addiction!
In the eighteen to tenty year age &rac#et the percentage as as high as E1C!
8 large contri&uting factor to this high level of addiction is attri&uted to the
uncensored TF
advertising
of cigarettes.
!or this reason all cigarette ad%ertising should be banned.
Discuss.
model answer:
#he issue of cigarette advertising is an important one! especially in this country
where so many young adolescents smoke. 'ne of the main causes of this problem
is peer pressure. *nother cause is advertising! especially #I advertising. %moking!
as we all know! leads to a number of health problems such as cancer and heart
disease. ;any people think that cigarette advertising should not be banned since this
would limit our free choice in this matter. 9owever there is growing evidence that this
serious problem is getting out of control. ?et us e)amine the facts more closely.
#he most important reason why cigarette advertising should be banned is that
cigarette is bad for our health. %moking causes lung cancer and heart disease. ;any
people also suffer from slow and painful death from a disease called emphysema.
*nother important reason why cigarette advertising should be banned is that it costs
the ta) payermoney. 0eople who become sick from smoking have to be cared for in
e)pensive hospitals. $n addition their deaths often results in financial problem for their
families.
/inally cigarette smoking may lead to another problem namely drug addiction.
*lthough there is not conclusive evidence that this often happens! many e)perts in
this area feel that there is a connection between the two.
0erhaps a solution to this problem is the education of young children concerning the
dangers of taking up this habit. *lso a heavy ta) could be placed on cigarettes so
that youngsters would not be able to afford them. $n any case! it seems beyond
any reasonable doubt that cigarette advertising should be banned.
45BK words7
ELTS Writing Sample #17%
$lliteracy has traditionally &een (ieed as largely a third world pro&lem!
/oe(er it is &ecoming apparent that in countries such as the GS8
and *ustralia' illiteracy is on the increase!
Discuss possible causes for this and its effect on society.
model answer:
$t is true that illiteracy is becoming a serious problem in industrialised nations. #his
is surprising as most people think that this is a problem only in under8developed
nations such as in parts of *frica and $ndia. $lliteracy is related to many other
problems such as poverty! over8population and governmental corruption. ?et us take
a more detailed look at the causes of this growing problem in many Western nations.
'ne of the most obvious reasons for the increase in illiteracy is the advent
of television. "hildren no longer have to read to obtain information. Ceither do they
have to read to rela). #oday children gethome from school and go straight to =the
bo)> to watch their favorite
program
. Watching tele%ision is much easier and more exciting than reading.
)nother reason for the increase in illiteracy is the fact that so many women work.
-his means thatchildren are often alone at home and so they are unsuper%ised. When
parents get home they are often too tired to spend /uality time whit their children.
$t is also true that many people blame schools for the decline in illiteracy. $n many
countries there has been a mo%e away from teaching basic skills such as reading and
writing.
-here are many effects of this growing illiteracy rate. -he most ob%ious
is unemployment. -his may in turn lead to alcohol and drug abuse. 0ltimately the
economy of the country begins to suffer and there is a drop in li%ing standards.
-o address this problem, parents need to become more aware of their responsibilities
and schools need to consider a change in their teaching methods. $f this worsening
trend is not re%ersed, the problem of illiteracy will become %ery serious.
45.B words7
Gsing a computer e(ery day can ha(e more negati(e than positive effects on
your children!
model answer:
$ tend to agree that young children can be negatively affected by too much time spent
on the computer every day. #his is partly because sitting in front of a screen for too
long can be damaging to both the eyes and the physical posture of a young child!
regardless of what they are using the computer for.
9owever! the main concern is about the type of computer activities that attract
children. #hese are often electronic games that tend to be very intense and rather
violent. #he player is usually the FheroG of the game and too much e)posure can
encourage children to be self8centred and insensitive to others.
+ven when children use a computer for other purposes! such as getting information
or emailing friends! it is no substitute for human interaction. %pending time with other
children and sharing nonvirtual e)periences is an important part of a childAs
development that cannot be provided by a computer.
$n spite of this! the obvious benefits of computer skills for young children cannot be
denied. #heiradult world will be changing constantly in terms of technology and the
$nternet is the key to all the knowledge and information available in the world today.
#herefore it is important that children learn at an early age to use the e2uipment
enthusiastically and with confidence as they will need these skills throughout their
studies and working lives.
$ think the main point is to make sure that young children do not overuse computers.
0arents must ensure that their children learn to en&oy other kinds of activity and not
simply sit at home!
learning
to li%e in a %irtual world.
45KJ words7
IELTS Writing Sample #17E
Successful sports professionals can earn a great deal more money than people
in other important professions!
Some people thin# this is fully &ustified hile others thin# it is unfair!
=iscuss &oth these (ies and gi(e your on opinion!
answer
model answer:
*s a result of constant media attention! sports professionals in my country have
become stars and celebrities! and those at the top are paid huge salaries. :ust
like movie stars! they live e)travagant lifestyles with huge houses and cars.
;any people find their rewards unfair! especially when comparing these super
salaries with those oftop surgeons or research scientists! or even leading politicians
who have the responsibility of governing the country. 9owever! sports salaries are
not determined by considering the contribution to society a person makes! or the
level of responsibility he or she holds. $nstead! they reflect the public popularity of
sport in general and the level of public support that successful stars can generate. %o
the notion of FfairnessG is not the issue.
#hose who feel that sports starsG salaries are &ustified might argue that the number of
professionals with real talent are very few! and the money is a recognition of the skills
and dedication a person needs to be successful. "ompetition is constant and a
player is tested every time they perform in their relatively short career. #he pressure
from the media is intense and there is little privacy out of the spotlight. %o all of these
factors may &ustify the huge earnings.
0ersonally! $ think that the amount of money such sports stars make is more &ustified
than the huge earnings of movie stars! but at the same time! it indicates that our
society places more value on sport than on more essential professions and
achievements.
456, words7
Successful sports professionals can earn a great deal more money than people
in other important professions!
Some people thin# this is fully &ustified hile others thin# it is unfair!
=iscuss &oth these (ies and gi(e your on opinion!
answer
model answer:
*s a result of constant media attention! sports professionals in my country have
become stars and celebrities! and those at the top are paid huge salaries. :ust
like movie stars! they live e)travagant lifestyles with huge houses and cars.
;any people find their rewards unfair! especially when comparing these super
salaries with those oftop surgeons or research scientists! or even leading politicians
who have the responsibility of governing the country. 9owever! sports salaries are
not determined by considering the contribution to society a person makes! or the
level of responsibility he or she holds. $nstead! they reflect the public popularity of
sport in general and the level of public support that successful stars can generate. %o
the notion of FfairnessG is not the issue.
#hose who feel that sports starsG salaries are &ustified might argue that the number of
professionals with real talent are very few! and the money is a recognition of the skills
and dedication a person needs to be successful. "ompetition is constant and a
player is tested every time they perform in their relatively short career. #he pressure
from the media is intense and there is little privacy out of the spotlight. %o all of these
factors may &ustify the huge earnings.
0ersonally! $ think that the amount of money such sports stars make is more &ustified
than the huge earnings of movie stars! but at the same time! it indicates that our
society places more value on sport than on more essential professions and
achievements.
456, words7
$f you could change one important thing a&out your hometown' hat ould you
change?
Gse reasons and specific e)amples to support your anser!
model answer:
$f $ could change one thing about my hometown! $ think it would be the fact that
thereGs no sense of community here. 0eople donGt feel connected! they donGt look out
for each other! and they donGt get to know their neighbors.
0eople come and go a lot here. #hey change &obs fre2uently and move on. #his
means that they donGt put down roots in the community. #hey donGt &oin community
organi(ations and theyGre not willing to get involved in trying to improve the 2uality of
life. $f someone has a petition to put in a new street light! she has a very hard time
getting a lot of people to sign. #hey donGt feel it has anything to do with them. #hey
donGt get involved in improving the schools because they donGt think the 2uality of
education
is important to their li%es. -hey don.t see the connection between themsel%es and the
rest of their community.
1eople don.t try to support others around them. -hey don.t keep a friendly eye on
their children, orcheck in on older folks if they don.t see them for a few days. -hey.re
not aware when people around them may be going through a hard time. 2or example,
they may not know if a neighbor loses a lo%ed one. -here.s not a lot of community
support for indi%iduals.
3eighbors don.t get to know each other. )gain, this is because people come and go
within a few years. 'o when neighbors go on %acation, no one is keeping an eye on
their house. 3o one is making sure nothing suspicious is going on there, like lights in
the middle of the night. When neighbors. children are cutting across someone.s lawn
on their bikes, there.s no friendly way of casually mentioning the problem. 1eople
immediately act as if it.s a major property disagreement.
!y hometown is a nice place to li%e in many ways, but it would be much nice if we
had that sense of community.
4JJ, words7
8 company has announced that it ishes to &uild a large factory near your
community!
=iscuss the advantages and disadvantages of this ne influence on your
community! =o you support or oppose the factory? E)plain your position!
answer
model answer:
Cew factories often bring many good things to a community! such as &obs and
increased prosperity. 9owever! in my opinion! the benefits of having a factory are
outweighed by the risks. #hat is why $ oppose the plan to build a factory near my
community.
$ believe that this city would be harmed by a large factory. $n particular! a factory
would destroy the 2uality of the air and water in town. /actories bring smog and
pollution. $n the long run! the environment will be hurt and peopleGs health will be
affected. 9aving a factory is not worth that rise.
'f course! more &obs will be created by the factory. 'ur population will grow. #o
accommodate more workers! more homes and stores will be needed. Do we really
want this much growth! so fast< $f our town is going in growth! $ would prefer slow
growth with good planning. $ donGt want to see rows of cheaply constructed
townhouses. 'ur 2uality of life must be considered.
$ believe that this growth will change our city too much. $ love my hometown because
it is a safe!small town. $t is also easy to travel here. $f we must e)pand to hold new
citi(ens! the small8town feel will be gone. $ mould miss that greatly.
* factory would be helpful in some ways. 9owever! $ feel that the dangers are greater
than the benefits. $ cannot support a plan to build a factory here! and hope that others
feel the same way.
456, words7
It has &een said' H9ot e(ery thing that is learned is contained in books!I
5ompare and contrast #noledge gained from e)perience ith #noledge
gained from &oo#s! In your opinion' hich source is more important? Why?
model answer:
=+)perience is the best teacher> is an old clichL! but $ agree with it. #he most
important! and sometimes the hardest! lessons we learn in life come from our
participation in situations. You canG learn everything from a book.
'f course!
learning
from books in a formal educational setting is also %aluable. $t.s in schools that we
learn the information we need to function in our society. We learn how to speak and
write and understand mathematical e/uations. -his is all information that we need to
li%e in our communities and earn a li%ing.
3e%ertheless, $ think that the most important lessons can.t be taught4 they ha%e to be
experienced. 3o one can teach us how to get along with others or how to ha%e self*
respect. )s we grow from children into teenagers, no one can teach us how
to deal with peer pressure. )s we lea%e adolescence behind and enter adult life, no
one can teach us how to fall in lo%e and get married.
-his shouldn.t stop us from looking for guidelines along the way. -eachers and
parents are %aluable sources of ad%ice when we.re young. )s we enter into new stages
in our li%es, the ad%ice we recei%e from them is %ery helpful because they ha%e
already bad similar experiences. #ut experiencing our own triumphs and disasters is
really the only way to learn how to deal with life.
45J5 words7
9oadays' food has &ecome easier to prepare! /as this change impro(ed the
ay people li(e?
Gse specific reasons and e)amples to support your anser!
model answer:
#he twentieth century has brought with it many advances. With those advances!
human lives have changed dramatically. $n some ways life is worse! but mostly it is
better. "hanges in food preparation methods! for e)ample! have improved our lives
greatly.
#he convenience of preparing food today is ama(ing. +ven stoves have gotten too
slow for us. ;icrowave
cooking
is much easier. We can press a few buttons and a meal is completely cooked in just a
short time. 1eople used to spend hours preparing an o%en*cooked meal, and now they
can use that time for other, better things. 1lus, there are all kinds of portable,
prepackaged foods we can buy. &eat them in the office microwa%e, and lunch at work
is /uick and easy.
2ood preparation today allows for more %ariety. With refrigerators and free"ers, we
can preser%e a lot of different foods in our homes. 'ince technology makes cooking so
much faster, people are willing to make se%eral dishes for e%en a small meal. 1arents
are more likely to let children be picky, now that they can easily heat them up some
prepackaged macaroni and cheese on the side. 3eedless to say, adults li%ing in the
same house may ha%e %ery different eating habits as well. $f they don.t want to cook a
lot of different dishes, it.s common now to eat out at restaurants se%eral times a week.
&ealthful eating is also easier than e%er now. When people cook, they use new fat
substitutes and cooking sprays to cut fat and calories. -his reduces the risk of heart
disease and high cholesterol. )dditionally, we can buy fruits and %egetable fresh,
fro"en or canned. -hey are easy to prepare, so many of us eat more of those nutritious
items daily. ) hundred years ago, you couldn.t imagine the process of taking some
fro"en fruit and ice from the free"er, adding some low*fat yogurt from a plastic cup
and some juice from a can in the refrigerator, and whipping up a low*fat smoothie in
the blender5
ur lifestyle is fast, but people still like good food. What new food preparation
technology has gi%en us is more choices. -oday, we can prepare food that is more
con%enient, healthier, and of greater %ariety than e%er before in history.
4JKB words7
=o you agree or disagree ith the folloing statement? 0arents are the best
teachers!
Gse specific reasons and e)amples to support your anser!
model answer:
#hroughout my life! $ have been lucky enough to have a very good relationship with
my parents. #hey have supported me! given me necessary criticism! and taught me a
great deal about how to live my life. 0arents can be very important teachers in our
lives3 however! they are not always the
best teachers
.
1arents may be too close to their children emotionally. 'ometimes they can only see
their children though the eyes of a protector. 2or example, they may limit a child.s
freedom in the name of safety. ) teacher might see a trip to a big city as a %aluable
new experience. &owe%er, it might seem too dangerous to a parent.
)nother problem is that parents may expect their children.s interests to be similar to
their own. -hey can.t seem to separate from their children in their mind. $f they
lo%e science, they may try to force their child to lo%e science too. #ut what if their
child.s true lo%e is art, or writing, or car repair6
1arents are usually eager to pass on their %alue to their children. #ut should children
always belie%e what their parents do6 !aybe different generations need different
ways of thinking. When children are young, they belie%e that their parents are always
rights. #ut when they get older, they reali"e there are other %iews. 'ometimes parents,
especially older ones, can.t keep up with rapid social ortechnology changes. ) student
who has friends of all different races and backgrounds at school may find that her
parents don.t really understand or %alue the digital re%olution. 'ometimes kids ha%e to
find their own ways to what they belie%e in.
-he most important thing to reali"e is that we all ha%e many teachers in our li%es. ur
parents teach us, our teachers teach us, and our peers teach us. #ooks and newspapers
and tele%ision also teach us. )ll of them are %aluable.
4J,B words7
"eople attend college or uni(ersity for many different reasons *for e)ample' ne
e)periences' career preparation' increased #noledge+!
Why do you thin# people attend college or uni(ersity? Gse specific reasons and
e)amples to support your anser!
model answer:
0eople attend colleges or universities for a lot of different reasons. $ believe that the
three most common reasons are to prepare for a career! to have new e)periences!
and to increase their knowledge of themselves and the world around them.
"areer preparation is becoming more and more important to young people. /or
many! this is the primary reason to go to college. #hey know that the &ob market is
competitive. *t college! they can learn new skill for careers with a lot of opportunities.
#his means careers! such as information technology! that are e)pected to need a
large workforce in the coming years.
*lso! students go to colleges and universities to have new e)periences. #his often
means having the
opportunity
to meet people different from those in their hometowns. 2or most students, going to
college is the first time they.%e been away from home by themsel%es. $n additions,
this is the first time they.%e had to make decisions on their own. !aking these
decisions increases their knowledge of themsel%es.
#esides looking for self*knowledge, people also attend a uni%ersity or college to
expand their knowledge in subjects they find interesting. 2or many, this will be their
last chance for a long time to learn about something that doesn.t relate to their career.
$ would recommend that people not be so focused on a career. -hey should go to
college to ha%e new experiences and learn about themsel%es and the world they li%e
in.
454J words7

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IELTS Writing Sample #163

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

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