Some people believe that studying at university or college is the best route to a successful career, while others believe that it is better to get a job straight after school. Discuss both views and give your opinion. IELTS Writing Task 2

Bhargavee Sisodia

14 Oct 2024

The IELTS test, recognized in over 140 countries, is essential for migration, academic, and global opportunities. It assesses real-life communication skills through four sections: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The writing section, in particular, is challenging due to its demand for strong grammar and vocabulary. In the writing task, there are two parts, Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2. In the IELTS Writing Task 1 for academic test, there is a visual description Task, and in the IELTS Writing Task 2, there is an essay Task. Here we will only represent everything related to IELTS writing Task 2. 

Essay types in the IELTS Writing Task 2

In the IELTS Writing Task 2, there are six different kinds of essays, and whichever question prompt you are assigned, you will only write on it. For the same, you will have to understand each probable type that might come in the exam, so that you can generate and put your ideas accordingly adhering to the structure. Below is a brief explanation of the different types of essays for the IELTS Writing Task 2:

Opinion-based: You can discuss your ideas or points of contention about a certain subject in this essay. Whether you agree with it or not is up to you to determine but show clear agreement or disagreement in your essay and support it with examples. 

Problem/solution or Cause/Effect: You must determine or investigate the causes of a problem in addition to offering solutions and strategies to resolve an issue or situation in a problem/ solution essay. Similarly, for cause and effect essays you are asked to identify the causes, highlight the consequences, and offer fruitful suggestions. 

Discussion: You are required to quickly go over either side of a claim or viewpoint. You might, however, be sought to share your thoughts about a side you support or oppose. If not asked for, do not include your opinion. 

Advantages and Disadvantages: You will have to address both the benefits and drawbacks of a specific topic in this type of essay.

Balanced opinion: For these essays, you must show that you somewhat agree with one side while still avoiding total disagreement with the other.

Two Questions or Direct Question: In this case, you will be asked one Or more direct questions, to which you must compose an essay providing pertinent examples in separate body paragraphs. 

Marking Criteria for IELTS Writing Task 2:

For the IELTS writing, there are four criterias based on which you are awarded a score. These carry equal weightage and have equivalent significance. Let's learn about the marking criteria and it's aspects with the help of this table. 

Some people believe that studying at university or college is the best route to a successful career, while others believe that it is better to get a job straight after school. Discuss both views and give your opinion: IELTS Writing Task 2 topic

Identifying the essay type

Before writing the essay, it is crucial to recognize the type of essay you are asked to write on so that you can write as per the suggested structure. As you look into the instruction words in the given prompt, i.e. “Discuss both views and give your opinion”, there are two parts to be addressed. Firstly, you will need to discuss both the given viewpoints in paragraphs and provide an opinion that can have agreement to one side and disagreement to the contradictory opinion. 

Techniques and Tips for Writing a Discussion Essay

Before writing a discussion essay, here are a few tips to keep in mind so that you can master your skills of perfecting this type of essay:

1. When asked to give an opinion in a discussion essay, understand that the discussion is not more important than the opinion. You are required to attempt all the parts of the instruction. 
2. Highlight both sides of the discussion and prepare ideas to validate the reasons and statements to show why people believe each side. 
3. Do not try to incorporate a multitude of main ideas. It is a wrong notion that putting many ideas will help you score a high writing band score. Instead, write two main ideas for each side. 
4. Before planning your essay, decide if your stance will be favoring, disfavoring, or have a balanced perspective when the opinion on discussion is considered. If you are midway through writing the essay, there is no chance to change your opinion. 
5. Do not forget to write the background statement in which you add the background information by paraphrasing and the thesis statement by positioning the ideas in the introduction. 
6. There should be topic sentences and clarity in the content. Besides, supporting and relevant points should only be added. Also, not every paragraph should have examples. Your opinion should be highlighted too. 
7. Never put a new point in the conclusion. Try to summarize everything in two lines as it should be the shortest paragraph. 

Structure of the discussion essay

Introduction:  Rephrase the question in the introduction. Explain that you will talk about both arguments. Give your opinion since it has been asked.

Body Paragraph 1: Describe the argument you are discussing. Give instances to back up your claims.

Body Paragraph 2: Mention the other point of view. Give instances to back up your claim.

Conclusion: Restate the question in your own words and convey your thoughts.

Sample Answers

Let's now go through a few sample answers categorized accordingly based on the score that can be earned if considered the assessment criteria. 

Band 6

Opinion such as whether high education is essential for getting career succes in the 21st century is everywhere. Many people thinks joining of work soon after complete school can give rise to the favorable career result. Still I believe that geting into a bachlor's degree is more important for prosperous. 

If people chose starting work after finishing universty, it helps them reach high success level. First, allowing them to get finance and personal independent from the family. With working, young people can earn and live on their own. Completing university is help to maintain expenses and this make one believe in value of money. Without support of family, they can buy items for daily use and contribute to household need. Someone playing cricket in national team can buy an expensive car even if not having a bachelor's degree. In this example, there is mention of success without experiences of high education. 

For success in career, often an essential thing is to graduate from colege, with the help of grade which is high. In most companies, employer will give job to those candidate with more academical achievement because it make elligible showing of good understanding of theory and practical aspects of the job. As a high-payment position requires education proof achievement so it can indicate a candidate's ability to reach a higher potential, a degree is valued and they are well-equipped to survive challenging situation. 

Considering both perspective, to obtain a lucrative career with many benefits, I believe there should be advance of knowledge through university education. 

Views on the essay: For cohesion and coherence, there are bold highlights that indicate that there could be a better transition from one sentence and paragraph to the other. However, the ideas are not irrelevant. In terms of grammatical range and accuracy, there are tense, missing determiners, and subject-verb agreement errors which are italicized and underlined. For italicized parts, there can be better and more appropriate word usage and synonyms which come under lexical resource. 

Band 7 

The decision to enter work directly after school versus getting higher education involves several factors. Many believe higher education after obtaining a degree can increase career opportunities and ensure career success. Universities offer special course for students help in personal and professional growth. I agree how the university degrees can be needful to achieve job opportunities as there are competency developed. 

College and universities give valuable paths to develop one's career. The institutions bring co-op programs that let student connect with companies for paid work experience on vacations. Hands-on experience not just provides students with practical skills but give job placements and results in work permits. If one is aiming for the high profile position, a degree from renown university is essential. Major companies like Amazon and Capgemini need ad advanced degrees including Master's or doctoral degree for employment. This is the minimum requirement for many job prospects and unless one does not have it, there applications are not reviewed. The college also has practical program that prepares students for eligibility into ideal opportunities. 

Some say that working after high school is benefit. Critic of higher education argue that obtaining a degree has increase which lead to debt issues. Since the job market has evolving into an industry that requires practical skill and experience over credentials, entering in the workforce after doing with school is smart choice for a section of people. This way someone gets to develop practical skills more, and earn money soon without the burden of loan for education. 

Choosing between higher education and entering the workforce depend on individual goals and circumstances. Still, I believe degree offers specific career opportunity and a broad education to help earn practical experience and it helps in skill build and networking. 

Views on the essay: Bold highlights denote potential cohesive devices or connecting words that were not utilized. Italicized words present incorrect word choice, word formation, and word repetition. Grammar errors and missing articles are indicated as italicized and underlined. However, the essay has a good flow and justification for the main ideas. Overall, both views are presented well, and a stance is shown. 

Band 9

In today’s competitive world, views between going to university or starting work right after secondary school are ongoing. Proponents of higher education argue that a degree ensures job opportunities through specialized qualifications. Conversely, some believe that gaining work experience immediately offers essential practical skills and adaptability. Although this essay will discuss both sides, I opine that a college degree is invaluable for stable income and high-level opportunities. 

Many perceive that pursuing higher education is the most reliable path to obtaining a qualification that ensures employment. In the current job market, employers increasingly demand credentials that precisely match their organizational needs. Consequently, students often choose this academic route with the expectation of stable job prospects. However, securing a stable position does not necessarily translate into a successful career. Genuine professional success depends on a confluence of factors beyond academic accolades, including a sophisticated skill set, an adaptable mindset, and unwavering dedication. For instance, a student might excel academically but struggle to achieve long-term career success without these crucial attributes.

Undeniably, there are notable benefits to entering the workforce immediately after school. Many young individuals are driven by the desire for financial autonomy and the ability to manage their own earnings. Additionally, starting a career early can provide more opportunities for career advancement, allowing individuals to expand their horizons and achieve success expeditiously. For example, some people face financial constraints and choose to enter the job market to support their families rather than pursue a university education.

In conclusion, there is no universally ideal or swift route to achieving a prosperous career. Although academic accomplishments can facilitate initial success, sustained professional triumph demands more than just scholarly accolades. In my view, individuals striving for long-term success must acknowledge that academic credentials alone are insufficient to shape their career trajectory. Instead, they should focus on setting strategic objectives and actively managing their professional evolution.

Views on the essay: This essay has reflected the usage of a variety of vocabulary and relevant reasons to support the answer. There is a clear stance and discussion on both sides of the argument. 

Conclusion

At D-VIVID, we specialize in providing top-notch educational resources designed to help you excel in the IELTS writing test. Our mission is to equip you with the approaches and strategies necessary to achieve a high IELTS writing band score. With a complete and diverse range of IELTS essay topics in the IELTS Writing Task 2, along with tailored strategies to enhance your test-taking skills. By exploring our extensive collection of IELTS Writing Task 2 topics with answers, you can learn detailed essay formats and improve your writing skills. As our trainers focus on personalized coaching, ensuring that each student receives customized guidance and solutions for IELTS Writing Task 2, you will learn how to organize your responses to refine your essay writing level. Our expert counsellors are dedicated to helping you enhance your writing performance. Reach out to us today for exceptional resources and an unparalleled IELTS preparation experience. We are committed to supporting you every step of the way as you strive for your desired IELTS writing band score.