The most important consideration when choosing any career or job is having a high income. To what extent do you agree or disagree?: IELTS Writing Task
Bhargavee Sisodia15 Nov 2024
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a globally recognized test for assessing English proficiency. It is accepted internationally and caters to both British and international English. It is divided into four sections: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. The total duration is 2 hours and 45 minutes, comprising 30 minutes for Listening, 60 minutes for Reading, 60 minutes for Writing, and 11-14 minutes for Speaking.
The test comprises two modules—Academic and General Training—each featuring different types of tasks. Specifically, Writing Task 1 in the Academic module involves describing visual data or diagrams, while the General Training module requires composing a letter. In Writing Task 2, both modules necessitate writing a 250-word essay in an hour.
The IELTS writing test features essays that generally fit into six major categories, each demanding a unique response format. Let's now look at the different types of essays:
Discussion Essay: In the discussion essay, you will examine all perspectives of a given argument. If the prompt does not request your personal opinion, you should avoid including it.
Advantage & Disadvantage Essay: You will outline both the advantages and disadvantages of a particular topic that is given in the prompt. The main body of your essay should be well-balanced, with each paragraph dedicated to discussing either the benefits or disadvantages in separate paragraphs. There are two variations of this essay: one where you explain the pros and cons in detail and another where you must determine and state whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Problem Solution Essay: These essays prompt you to explore the causes/ problems of wide-ranging issues, including current global issues, and situations. For the same, personal opinions and suggestions should be avoided unless specifically requested.
Balanced Opinion Essay: You will evaluate arguments from both sides of the issue neutrally, without indicating a preference for either perspective in the body paragraphs. However, your introduction and conclusion should clearly present your own viewpoint.
Opinion Essay: In an opinion essay, you are asked to clearly state your personal stance, whether you agree or disagree with the topic. To convincingly support your viewpoint, you must provide solid facts and logical reasoning. It is important to maintain a definitive position on the topic, as partial agreement or disagreement is not acceptable.
Direct Question Essay: Such type of essay requires you to express your ideas clearly, analyze them thoroughly, and provide a structured response to several questions that may not be directly related. The only unifying element among these questions will be the central topic.
Assessment Criteria: IELTS Writing Task 2
To achieve the perfect band score of 9, it is imperative to master a few requirements and prepare meticulously. Below, we are providing an in-depth exploration of each criterion to elucidate the scoring mechanism and enhance your potential for perfecting your IELTS writing assessment.
- Task Achievement: It is important to stay focused on the topic and start your introduction with a clear, concise summary of the issue at hand. Do not write an opinion-based essay unless the prompt specifically invites a personal viewpoint. The evaluation will comprise your ability to respond to all the parts of the prompt, requiring a thorough and well-developed response with at least a minimum of 250 words.
- Cohesion and Coherence: Through this criterion, your articulation of the thoughts and ideas with precision throughout the essay will be measured. Your ability to choose an appropriate and wide range of vocabulary, synonyms, linking devices, avoiding redundancy and repetition to ensure readability is essential. There should be structured paragraphs with at least three to four interconnected paragraphs, and logical transitions should be there.
- Lexical Resource: Using the right words based on their context and avoiding overly complex terms will help you score well in this category. Focusing on using collocations, rich vocabulary, and even simple words but not overly complicated words is the tip. Avoid making spelling mistakes in your essay.
- Grammatical Accuracy and Range: In this criterion, you will have to pay attention to using simple and complex sentences as well as avoid punctuation errors. Moreover, you must learn and employ your tenses well as such mistakes will decrease your score in the overall writing.
Writing tips: 5 sentences to Avoid using in IELTS writing task 2
Below we have noted a few phrases and statements to not use in the IELTS writing task 2:
1) “With the development of science and modern technology….”
This statement is used by writers often in their essays. However, it should only be used in essays related to science and technology. Overusing this in the essays will make the reader confused. Otherwise, there is no necessity to use any expression, and one can simply paraphrase the essay question directly.
2) “In the current era…/ Since the dawn of time…”
Since the IELTS essays are mostly based on current situations and issues, it does not require over usage of such sentences in introductions. Only if the issue is compared with a past situation, the time frame can be incorporated at the beginning of the introduction. Similar phrases like ‘nowadays,’ and ‘in current times’ should be avoided.
3) “This is a highly controversial issue.”
Most questions in the IELTS test are not controversial as they do not revolve around a debate or cause strong feelings except for very few. 99% of all essay questions are prone to be non-controversial which is why you should be cautious before writing ‘highly controversial’ or ‘highly debatable’.
4) “For example, a recent study from the WHO showed that…/ Research indicates that…”
When you write examples for essays in the IELTS writing task 2, you do not need to include only evidence and reports that are from published sources. They can be examples from personal experiences and general observations. It is different for IELTS essays, unlike academic essays where you have to write from published research.
5) “There are major grounds to argue in favor of… / It cannot be denied that…”
Using memorized phrases will not help you score more. So, it is better to not use learned phrases. Using natural language will help the examiner understand that you have a good grasp of language. Since most essays contain opinions that are not facts, you should avoid using phrases like “it cannot be denied that”.
The most important consideration when choosing any career or job is having a high income. To what extent do you agree or disagree?: Writing Task 2 topic
Identifying the essay
The given prompt has a statement which is the prompt and the instruction words which are “To what extent do you agree or disagree”. Depending on the instruction words, you will be expected to give your opinion if you are favoring or disfavoring the given statement. Considering what it asks for, and the essay types we know about, this type of question comes up within the category of agree/ disagree essay.
For this type of essay, you will have to strongly state if you agree or not, especially in the introduction and conclusion. The body paragraphs will reflect on your opinion by bringing out relevant reasons with evidence to support your opinion.
Structure of the Agree/ Disagree Essay
Introduction: Paraphrase the given information and state if you agree or disagree.
Body Paragraph 1: Present your reasons for supporting it and explain with examples.
Body Paragraph 2: Justify your opinion and add more instances to make it reasonable.
Body Paragraph 3(optional): You can write the opposing view and mention why you do not agree with it.
Conclusion: Restate your viewpoint and wrap it up.
Understanding the essay’s structure is crucial for assessing its impact on grading which you have been familiarized with in the above section. We've provided sample responses for bands 6, 7, and 9, each accompanied by a detailed rationale explaining why the response is categorized within that particular band.
Sample Answers
Band 6
Idea that a high salary is the primary factor when choosing a career and doing job is something I disagree with. I believe that money is not an important consideration when compared to other thing.
First thing is there is many factor for choosing the good job or decide a career. Career satisfy should be most important in life. As without this, one will find it hard to reach the top. Excellent in the role become a challenging. More than that the enviroment play a major role to the overall job success for the individuals. When one person is surround by negative thing, such as not-healthy competition and colligs, and are not supporting or recognise that person's efforts which moreover, affect one's mind, and reduces self-esteem.
Suppose if a person receive high salary in his relevant field and neglect aspects such as satisfaction from work, the environment in it, and the recognizition, one can remain only not to be able to enjoying the work life at all. It will lead them to leaving the job at last, probably. The achievement of balanc considering the factors is necesary for building of a stable and good career where the satisfaction comes from. When people only want money and do not think of personal fulfilment, when they are doing a career, it does not always bring good results. On other hand, those finds job satisfaction are mostly who focus on salary and the environment of work equally. The rest of people not enjoying and unhappy with the job may be willful to quit work or just stay there for money without disatisfaction.
The final thing is that to keep salary as main thing is not of much help. But chasing of money along with job satisfaction should be important.
Views on the essay: In bold, it indicates that the cohesion and coherence are lacking in places and incorrect. There can be employment of linking devices too. For lexical resource, the essay comprises word formation errors and misspelled words which are highlighted in italics. In terms of grammatical accuracy, some sentences are poorly built, where there are subject-verb agreement, tense-based and punctuation errors and underlined and italicized.
Band 7
A high income is not without a doubt a major factor for people while selecting of career. However, I argue that, although a part of income is important, there should be consideration of other things to live a satisfying life. My disagreement for the given opinion is because a high salary does not guarantees joy which will be justified in following paras.
It is important to realize how seeking good money is necessary for manage of high cost of living everywhere in the world. People nowadays need a strong will to walk into and through hardship which have an association to work, from traveling toward remote locations and working for longer time. An instance, in India, people go to different countries outside where many people are attracted to the salary offered. Even if there is the scopes of long periods of staying away from home, and growth of feelings of loneliness without family, they stay happy with financial reward.
Yet for those having a family must not keep their focus on getting a high income. Because it is important to meet children's need, there is equal important in having quality time for the family and children rather then only working for long period of time. Additionally, some individuals keep on thinking about increase in salary or more compensation of other companies. With this preoccupying thought, there can be anxiety and impacting mental health only to make them unstable. This will lead to feeling not able to spend quality time or support.
With high income for meeting life goals, I believe that it should not be the major component for build up of career. Finding purpose and keeping family support is also important apart from money.
Views on the essay: The task is understood well, and examples are provided. The progression and placement of thoughts is correct. There are minimal issues in coherence and cohesion indicated in bold. Stronger words can be chosen for the ones highlighted in italics, which come under lexical resource. There are a few tense and plural-based errors in the essay indicated in italics and underlined for grammatical range and accuracy.
Band 9
When considering jobs, the salary is unquestionably a pivotal factor as it signifies the financial reward for the individual's labor. However, I assert that prioritizing salary alone is inadequate. Although a generous salary is often a primary consideration for many individuals when selecting a job, this essay will contend that job satisfaction and opportunities for professional development are equally vital factors that necessitate meticulous observation.
Primarily, a conducive work environment is an essential criterion for choosing a job. Engaging with supportive peers, and colleagues who acknowledge one's contributions significantly enhances motivation and overall job satisfaction. Conversely, an unhealthy work environment, despite a high salary, can deteriorate the chances of job satisfaction and compel resignation risk. At times, prolonged exposure to such an environment may severely impact mental health, potentially resulting in depression. Apart from the environment, work-life balance, job quality, and benefits often outweigh financial compensation. Job satisfaction profoundly bolsters well-being and happiness. An instance is when an individual with a lower salary but a supportive work environment experiences greater contentment than one with a high salary and stress. Therefore, job satisfaction should be the utmost consideration.
Subsequently, job satisfaction frequently eclipses salary, as meaningful work over financial reward is valued by many. An example is the doctors in India often serve remote areas but find fulfillment and recognition despite lower wages. Concurrently, career advancement is paramount while prioritizing growth opportunities over higher wages. Thus, a job with a modest salary but a superior working environment and conditions is often the more astute choice.
In summary, remuneration ought not to be the solitary determinant in job selection. I believe that it is imperative to appraise other factors, including working conditions, hours, opportunities for career progression, and overall job satisfaction. Consequently, a sagacious approach requires a balanced evaluation of all these dimensions when making employment decisions.
Conclusion
For those preparing for the IELTS writing test, D-VIVID stands out as the favorable choice for achieving exceptional results. Our expert instructors are dedicated to guiding you toward outstanding exam scores with a wealth of resources. We offer a diverse range of practice tests containing IELTS essay topics and IELTS writing task 2 topics with answers, all aligned with the IELTS writing band descriptors. This structure allows you to compare and analyze different writing styles for similar Task 2 questions. Through the individualized programs and targeted support, you will be well-prepared to confidently achieve your desired IELTS writing band score.
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