IELTS PAST PAPERS & SAMPLE PAPERS WRITING TASK 2 TWO PART ESSAY QUESTION TYPE

In education and employment, some people work harder than others.

Why do some people work harder? Is it always a good thing to work hard?

MODEL ANSWER

It is true that some people are hard-working and diligent while others prefer not to push themselves, and there could be various reasons for these different attitudes. In my view, a positive work ethic is desirable up to a point, but too much hard work can be counterproductive and even unhealthy.

In my experience, there are three main factors that influence how hard people study or work. One key factor that drives people and makes them more studious and goal-oriented is parental pressure. Some medical students, for example, are motivated to study hard because they do not wish to disappoint family members who expect them to graduate successfully and become doctors. On the other hand, there are people who see hard work as a means to escape poverty or create a completely new life for themselves. Finally, it seems to me that some people are more driven and persistent as students or workers simply because they have found a subject or job that they truly enjoy; people who love their work describe it as effortless rather than hard.

When a person is described as hard-working, this is almost always seen as a positive trait or attitude. In the realm of education, we expect hard workers to diligently follow instructions, pass their exams, achieve good grades and take their first steps on the path to a successful career. Similarly, in an employment setting, we expect the most motivated, industrious and committed individuals to rise to the top and become leaders or experts in their fields. However, I believe that in some people the desire to work hard can become an unhealthy obsession with perfection, outcompeting others or being the best. When people work so hard that they neglect family and relationships or become stressed and irritable, a positive trait has surely become detrimental.

In conclusion, there are a range of motivations that may explain a person’s work ethic, and I believe that industriousness is usually, but not always, a good thing.

THE PLAN FOR THE ABOVE ANSWER

Introduction: Briefly answer both questions – various reasons, hard work is usually (but not always) a good thing

Main paragraph 1

Topic: three factors that influence how hard people work
First factor: parental pressure
Example: medical students who want to make families proud
Second factor: work hard to escape poverty, create a new life
Third factor: some people simply love their work

Main paragraph 2

Topic: being hard-working is usually a positive trait
In education: work hard, achieve good grades
In employment: hard workers rise to the top, become leaders
However: hard work can be driven by an unhealthy obsession
Explain: hard workers may neglect family and suffer from stress

Conclusion: Repeat / summarise my overall answer

Vocabulary review

Here’s a list of the ‘less common’ collocations and phrases in the essay above:

hard-working and diligent
push themselves
a positive work ethic
is desirable up to a point
can be counterproductive
one key factor that drives people
studious and goal-oriented
parental pressure
a means to escape poverty
create a completely new life
driven and persistent
a job that they truly enjoy
effortless rather than hard
a positive trait or attitude
in the realm of education
diligently follow instructions
take their first steps on the path to
in an employment setting
motivated, industrious and committed
rise to the top
leaders or experts in their fields
the desire to work hard
an unhealthy obsession with perfection
outcompeting others
neglect family
stressed and irritable
has become detrimental

Economic progress is often used to measure a country’s success. However, some people believe that other factors are more important.

What other factors should also be considered when measuring a country’s success? Do you think one factor is more important than others?

MODEL ANSWER

The relative success of different countries is usually defined in economic terms. There are several other factors, apart from the economy, that could be used to assess a country, and, in my opinion, education is the most important of all.

Standards of education, health and individual human rights should certainly be considered when measuring a country’s status. A good education system is vital for the development of any nation, with schools, colleges and universities bearing the responsibility for the quality of future generations of workers. Healthcare provision is also an indicator of the standard of living within a country, and this can be measured by looking at average life expectancy rates or availability of medical services. Furthermore, human rights and levels of equality could be taken into account. For example, a country in which women do not have the same opportunities as men might be considered less successful than a country with better gender equality.

In my view, a country’s education system should be seen as the most important indicator of its success and level of development. This is because education has a considerable effect on the other factors mentioned above. It affects people’s health in the sense that doctors and nurses need to be trained and scientists need to be educated to the highest levels before they can carry out medical research. It also affects the economy in the sense that a well-educated workforce will allow a variety of companies and industries to flourish, leading to trade with other countries, and increased wealth. Finally, educated citizens are more likely to be tolerant, open-minded supporters of equality and improved human rights.

In conclusion, nations can be assessed and compared in a variety of ways, but I would argue that the standard of a country’s education system is the best measure of its success.

THE PLAN FOR THE ABOVE ANSWER

Introduction: Introduce the topic and briefly answer both questions – several factors, education is the most important

Main paragraph 1

Topic: 3 factors – education, health, human rights
Education: responsible for the quality of future workers
Healthcare: life expectancy and availability of medical services
Human rights: levels of equality
Example: whether women have the same rights as men

Main paragraph 2

Topic: education is the main indicator of a country’s success
Explain: education affects the other factors
Health: medical professionals need education / training
Economy: a well-educated workforce means better companies
Human rights: educated citizens are tolerant and open-minded

Conclusion: Repeat / summarise my overall answer

Vocabulary review

Here’s a list of the ‘less common’ collocations and phrases in the essay above:

the relative success of
is usually defined in economic terms
standards of education
individual human rights
measuring a country’s status
bearing the responsibility for
future generations of workers
healthcare provision
an indicator of the standard of living
average life expectancy rates
availability of medical services
levels of equality
could be taken into account
gender equality
indicator of its success
level of development
in the sense that
educated to the highest levels
carry out medical research
a well-educated workforce
allow companies and industries to flourish
tolerant, open-minded supporters of

Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed, rather than to work for a company or organisation.

Why might this be the case?

What could be the disadvantages of being self-employed?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

SAMPLE ANSWER This is answer written by a candidate who achieved a band 7.5 score. Here is the examiner’s comment:

The candidate has produced a well-developed response to the task. Further ideas could be included, e.g. wanting to develop own ideas, wanting to work more flexibly than employment allows for. There is a clear progression throughout the response, with information and ideas organized logically. There is a range of cohesive devices [To start with | These | The first… the second | Apparently | last but not least] and each paragraph has a clear central topic. There is a wide range of vocabulary, including less common items and showing evidence of style and collocation [contemporary | tempting | vast majority | opt for | entrepreneurship | fraudulent | image | luxury | perplex | jack of all trades], with only rare examples of inaccuracy [insensible]. There is a variety complex structures, used flexibly and accurately. Grammar and punctuation are well controlled and there are frequent error-free sentences. A few errors persist [still the vast majority of people opt for (word order) | (the) major drawbacks] but the message is still clear.

Most contemporary economies allow such a model of employment as being self-employed, which appears very tempting for many. However, still the vast majority of people opt for being employed in a company and not to set up their own business. This essay will attempt to look into the key factors as to why people may prefer entrepreneurship and major drawbacks to it.

To start with, in many modern societies, including Russian, entrepreneurship is greatly encouraged with lots of business seminars and workshops advertised. These may range from slightly fraudulent to genuinely educational and supportive, and generally any information on setting up a company is easily accessible for those who are willing. And willing they are, as being a business person, the image itself has a certain feel of luxury, respectability and success. People are being told that they have no limits and can easily become as wealthy as a Steve Jobs if they wish it.

This first reason is linked to the second, which is relevant for Russia and some other counties. Bank loans are accessible too, and they are largely eagerly granted. If a future business person truly knows their business, it poses no threat. Nevertheless, easy access to setting up a company for someone inexperienced or insensible may cause a range of problems.

Apparently, the first issue that may perplex an unskilled entrepreneur is the necessity to be a jack of all trades (if the company is very small). Having taken the responsibilities of an accountant, PR or HR manager at the same time can be a burden and make the person wish they had never done it at all. If they hire other people to perform these tasks, they must pay more tax and provide their employees with decent working conditions. At the same time, business is usually a risky matter and in our competitive reality many of them go bankrupt. And last, but not least – self-employed people are the only people responsible for their own vacations, sick or maternity leaves or any job perks.

In a nutshell, being your own master has many downsides, that is why many people decide to play it safe.

As most people spend a major part of their adult life at work, job satisfaction is an important element of individual well-being.

What factors contribute to job satisfaction?

How realistic is the expectation of job satisfaction for all workers?

Give reasons for your answer and give any relevant example or experience you have to support your answer.

REFERENCE ANSWER

Nowadays many adults have full-time jobs and the proportion of their lives spent doing such jobs is very high. So, feelings about one’s job must reflect how an individual feels about his or her life as a whole, and because of this, job satisfaction is indeed very important for the wellbeing of that person.

Employees get job satisfaction in a number of ways. Firstly, a person needs to feel that they are doing valued and valuable work, so positive feedback from superior is very important in this respect. A sense of fulfillment is also encouraged if a worker feels the job is worth doing because it contributes to the society or the economy as a whole. Secondly, when someone feels they are improving or developing their skills through training opportunities, for example, then there is a sense of progression and purpose that rewards a worker. The sense of belonging to a team or a working community also contributes to job satisfaction because colleagues help each other to enjoy their working lives. Satisfaction is also increased by a sense of responsibility for and loyalty to a team.

Of course not everyone enjoys their work. Hard economic realities mean that many people have little choice in the kind of job they can get. In some cases, an employee is working in a job that suits neither their skills nor their personality. Some jobs are repetitive and boring, and labor relations may be poor and lead to resentment and insecurity rather than to job satisfaction.

However, even though it is unlikely that all workers do feel happy in their work, I think it is not unrealistic to promote more job satisfaction in any job. If the factors identified above implemented, then any job can be improved and more workers can feel greater degrees of job satisfaction.

Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve the growing traffic and pollution problems.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement?

What other measures do you think might be effective?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

REFERENCE ANSWER

There is no doubt that traffic and pollution from vehicles have become huge problems, both in cities and on motorways everywhere. Solving these problems is likely to need more than a simple rise in the price of petrol.

While it is undeniable that private car use is one of the main causes of the increase in traffic and pollution, higher fuel costs are unlikely to limit the number of drivers for long. As this policy would also affect the cost of public transport, it would be very unpopular with everyone who needs to travel on the roads. But there are various other measures that could be implemented that would have a huge effect on these problems.

I think to tackle the problem of pollution, cleaner fuels need to be developed. The technology is already available to produce electric cars that would be both quieter and cleaner to use. Persuading manufacturers and travellers to adopt this new technology would be a more effective strategy for improving air quality, especially in cities.

However, traffic congestion will not be solved by changing the type of private vehicle people can use. To do this, we need to improve the choice of public transport services available to travellers. For example, if sufficient sky trains and underground train systems were built and effectively maintained in our major cities, then traffic on the roads would be dramatically reduced. Long—distance train and coach services should be made attractive and affordable alternatives to driving your own car for long journeys.

In conclusion, I think that long-term traffic and pollution reductions would depend on educating the public to use public transport more, and on governments using public money to construct and run efficient systems.

Nowadays, the way many people interact with each other has changed because of technology. In what ways has technology affected the types of relationships people make? Has this become a positive or negative development?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

MODEL ANSWER

It is true that new technologies have had an influence on communication between people. Technology has affected relationships in various ways, and in my opinion there are both positive and negative effects.

Technology has had an impact on relationships in business, education and social life. Firstly, telephones and the Internet allow business people in different countries to interact without ever meeting each other. Secondly, services like Skype create new possibilities for relationships between students and teachers. For example, a student can now take video lessons with a teacher in a different city or country. Finally, many people use social networks, like Facebook, to make new friends and find people who share common interests, and they interact through their computers rather than face to face.

On the one hand, these developments can be extremely positive. Cooperation between people in different countries was much more difficult when communication was limited to written letters or telegrams. Nowadays, interactions by email, phone or video are almost as good as face-to-face meetings, and many of us benefit from these interactions, either in work or social contexts. On the other hand, the availability of new communication technologies can also have the result of isolating people and discouraging real interaction. For example, many young people choose to make friends online rather than mixing with their peers in the real world, and these ‘virtual’ relationships are a poor substitute for real friendships.

In conclusion, technology has certainly revolutionised communication between people, but not all of the outcomes of this revolution have been positive.

REFERENCE ANSWER

A true relationship between two people requires face to face communication and time to truly get to know each other. Regardless of what humans think, all individuals admire the feeling of being wanted even if it’s a lie. The digital world has created the sense that it is passable to be who anyone wishes to be online. However, I believe that the way people know each other online and the type of relationships they make virtually have changed and for the worse.

Instead of being a true friend to the people around each other, most are being turned inward, forgetting the true definition of a friend. Human beings have feelings and they feel broken at times and do not always smile but the Internet only shows one’s happy moments keeping one from fully being known. The types of friendships people make these days are quick and short-lasting. In real life friendship, people see each other at one’s best and worst time and remain there for one another. This can never be compared to a social network friendship. One can only get to know someone by spending time together for the reason that the Internet cannot replace shared experience and personal communication. However, due to the Internet, people can make friends anywhere from the world which was quite impossible in the past era. Finding school and college friends and getting in touch with them is an advantage that the Internet offers to us. However, true friendship is not possible if two people do not spend time together, share their common interests, talks a lot and help each other both in good and bad times.

Rightfully, life is meant to be lived and have many physical experiences, bonding with another person’s physical presence. Instead of being a true friend to the people around each other, they are spending time online to make friends. This is, in my opinion, is a negative aspect of the digital era.

In conclusion, making friends beyond boundaries and getting in touch with childhood friends could be the advantages of the digital era, but the way we are becoming dependent on the technology and the way we are pretending to maintain our friendship online have negative consequences on our personal, moral and social aspects.

It is important for children to learn the difference between right and wrong at an early age. Punishment is necessary to help them learn this distinction.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

What sort of punishment should parents and teachers be allowed to use to teach good behaviour to children?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

REFERENCE ANSWER

How much freedom a child should be given and what sort of punishment could be used to control them is a matter of great concern. Undeniably, too much freedom and lack of necessary control often lead youngsters to go astray while too much punishment makes them dull and less creative. I personally believe that punishment is meant to help children learn lessons and that is why certain punishments that do not involve beating the children are useful.

To begin with, early childhood experience and lessons have lasting impacts on someone’s life and that is why parents and teachers should try their best to teach morality and good qualities to children. Children are curious and sometimes less mature to understand certain harmful effects of doing something while every father and mother want the offspring to become an ideal and exemplary person in life. They often need to use certain punishment to teach a valuable lesson to a youngster, and the sole purpose of this punishment should be teaching a morality, should not be driven by any sort of personal anger or frustration. Physically beating a boy or a girl is in no way should be used as there are far better ways of punishing a child to teach him something.

While physical punishment is no longer used in most of the developed countries, it could still be found in underdeveloped countries. This form of punishment, in my opinion, should not be used. More effective penalties could be not talking to the child for a misconduct or not taking him to the playground for a day or two. Similarly, parents could refrain from awarding the child with chocolate or toys and reminding the child why he does not deserve those. If parents have a friendly relationship with the children and simply expressing their frustration for an act of the child, that would work like the magic. From my personal experience, I can say that I took matters more seriously when my father stopped talking to me for a certain period for something he disliked about me and I vowed many times to myself not to do that again.

To conclude, punishment is necessary to teach children morality and help them learn to distinguish good things from bad ones. However, this punishment should not be physical, rather psychological and practical.

In some countries, owning a home rather than renting one is very important for people. Why might this be the case? Do you think this is a positive or negative situation?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

MODEL ANSWER

Many people today value owning their own home over renting. In my opinion, this is part of a natural human desire for security and prestige, but it contains risks.

The source of this desire is a need for stability and respect. An individual who does not own their own home must pay rent to a landlord. This hangs over them and necessitates maintaining a job with a steady salary and balancing rent against other living expenses. Once a person owns their own home, they are then able to spend their money more freely and consider different employment without the fear of becoming homeless. Moreover, having a home lends an air of respectability. Only the wealthy are able buy a house and most homeowners take pride in the size and condition of their home as a sign of their social standing.

Nonetheless, home ownership is a negative trend as it forces unrealistic expectations on millions. Most people live in city apartments with rents and are not capable of buying a house. The pressure to buy one is likely to engender feelings of inadequacy and resentment towards the upper classes. This famously fueled the sub-prime mortgage scandals of the early 2000s in the United States when millions borrowed more than they could afford to buy homes, then defaulted on their payments and lost a lifetime of investment. Had these same people opted to rent, they would have saved more money and could have invested in other forms of capital such as the stock market.

In conclusion, owning a home is innately desirable, but, in the end, causes more harm than good due to the pressure it places on individuals. Many people have learned this lesson and home ownership may begin to decline in the future.

CANDIDATE’S ANSWER

This is an answer written by a candidate who achieve a band 7.0 score. Here is the examiner’s comment:

The candidate clearly explains why home ownership may be of importance to some people. She or he also explores the positive and negative sides of owning your own home before putting forward his or her opinion. The task is well addressed and ideas are explored in some depth. Organization is clear, with good use of cohesive devices and paragraphing and the message is easy to follow. The range of vocabulary is appropriate, with examples of less common items [long after / for | house / housing market] and good use of collocation [claim ownership | a major headache | pay mortgage | natural disaster | the bottom line]. There is a variety of complex sentence structures, with a high level of accuracy and only a minor error in punctuation [owners/ owner’s].

In some countries, the ownership of people’s home is an important matter. In these countries, it is very important to own your own home rather than renting one. It might be indifferent to some, but for these people, it matters.

Why is that case? you might wonder. I think it is because your home is supposed to be exactly what it sounds like, your home. As a human, I think we long after having the stuff to call our own, doesn’t matter what it is, but humans will always want to claim ownership. This is nothing new, and it has been like this through human history. Additionally, owning a beautiful home gives you social status and becomes the remark of your wealth. As a result, you own the status of the local citizen in that place.

If you as a person renting an apartment there might be a lot of stressors in your life. A scratched wall can cause you a major headache only because it’s not your house. The bedroom you are currently sleeping in might not be able as long as you hope. Things happen in life, and maybe the next landlord won’t want to have you as a tenant.

In other perspectives, not owning a home could be a relief when it comes to your finance. As a renter, you won’t have to pay the mortgage, take loans or spend an awful lot of money on buying the property. You wouldn’t have to worry about the house market crashing or natural disaster destroying your expensive home.

To conclude, as a human I feel like we need to have a home and calling it your own can make that more special. I personally would rather own my house, because then, whatever happens, it is on me and no one else.