Women and the familyEssay questionsGender

Some people believe in the traditional idea that the woman’s place is in the home, while others say that idea is outdated and that women should play an increasingly important role in the workplace of the future. What is your opinion?

Fatherhood ought to be emphasized as much as motherhood. The idea that women are solely responsible for deciding whether or not to have babies leads on to the idea that they are also responsible for bringing the children up. To what extent do you agree or disagree ? (Cambridge IELTS 2)

The position of women in society has changed markedly in the last twenty years. Many of the problems young people now experience, such as juvenile delinquency, arise from the fact that many married women now work and not at home to care for their children. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Cambridge IELTS 2)

The family

People are now living longer than ever before and many old people are unable to look after themselves. Some people believe that it is the responsibility of families to look after the elderly, while others say governments should provide retirement homes for them where they can be looked after properly. Discuss.

Modern lifestyles mean that many parents have little time for their children. Many children do not get as much attention from their parents as children did in the past. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (China writing) See my sample essay for useful vocabulary.

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Sport and leisureEssay questionsIt is commonly thought that it is healthy for adults to maintain an outside interest in order to relax or stay fit. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of 3 of the following sports and pastimes:

*tennis *walking *visiting museums *reading *joining a club *going to a gym

Popular events like the football World Cup and other international sporting occasions are essential in easing international tensions and releasing patriotic emotion in a safe way. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Cambridge IELTS 3)

In many countries people working in sport and entertainment earn much more money than professionals like doctors, nurses and teachers. Why do you think this happens in some societies and do you consider it is good or bad? (China writing)

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Employment and moneyEssay questionsIn many countries people working in sport and entertainment earn much more money than professionals like doctors, nurses and teachers. Why do you think this happens in some societies and do you consider it is good or bad? sample essay with exercises and download

Unemployment is one of the most serious problems facing developed nations today. What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of reducing the working week to thirty five hours? sample essay with vocabulary exercises and download

Some people argue that the government should give every unemployed person a mobile phone and should make sure they have access to the Internet. They believe this is the best way of using public money to reduce the problem of unemployment. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Focus on IELTS)

In many countries, children are engaged in some kind of paid work. Some people regard this as completely wrong, while others consider it as valuable work experience, important for learning and taking responsibilities. Discuss. (Cambridge IELTS 3)

The idea of having a single career is becoming an old fashioned one. The new fashion will be to have several careers or ways of earning money and further education will be something that continues throughout life. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Cambridge IELTS 1)

Some employers reward members of staff for their exceptional contribution to the company by giving them extra money. This practice can act as an incentive for some but may also have a negative impact on others. To what extent is this style of management effective? Are there better ways of encouraging employees to work hard?(IELTS Practice Plus)

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Travel and transportEssay questionsIt is said that travel broadens the mind. What can we learn by travelling to other countries? Should we first explore our own countries? Discuss.

In many countries tourism is a major part of the economy, but it also causes environmental damage and ruins the places it exploits. It is argued that tourists should pay an additional tax to compensate for this damage. Do you agree?

In the modern world car ownership is regarded as a right. However, some argue that governments should try to reduce the number of cars on the road by improving public transport, as the growing number of cars on the road causes traffic congestion and pollution. Discuss

Young drivers are careless and overconfident, and too many are killed in accidents. To eliminate this problem, we could teach children the skills of safe driving while they are at school. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? (IELTS Practice tests with answers)

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MediaEssay questionsNewspapers and books are outdated. Why do some people believe this? What is your opinion? (sample essay with exercises and download)

News editors decide what to broadcast on television and what to print in newspapers. What factors do you think influence these decisions? Do we become used to bad news? Would it be better if more good news was reported? Discuss. (Cambridge IELTS 1)

Some people believe that the media, such as the press, TV and Internet should be more strictly controlled. Others feel that controls should be loosened to give people freer access to information.To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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Science and technologyEssay questionsTelevision has had a significant influence on the culture of many societies. To what extent would you say that television has positively or negatively affected the cultural development of your society? (see my sample essay)

When a country develops its technology, the traditional skills and ways of life die out. It is pointless to try and keep them alive. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Cambridge IELTS 3)

Technology can bring many benefits, but it can also cause social and environmental problems. In relation to new technology, the primary duty of governments should be to focus on potential problems, rather than benefits. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? (Model tests for the IELTS)

“Telecommuting” refers to workers doing their jobs from home for part of each week and communicating with their office using computer technology. Telecommuting is growing in many countries and is expected to be common for most office workers in the coming decades. How do you think society will be affected by the growth of telecommuting? (IELTS to Success)

In the future, we will have more and more leisure time as machines replace many of the tasks we do at home and work. Discuss the benefits this will bring and also the problem it will cause. (Academic writing practice)

We live today in an electronic information age. It is easier to be connected by technology yet many people seem no closer to feeling happy in their lives. In what extent do you agree or disagree. (IELTS on Track)

Advances in science and technology and other areas of society in the last 100 years have transformed the way we live as well as postponing the day we die. There is no better time to be alive than now. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? (Focus on IELTS)

Space exploration requires vast sums of money. Is the amount of money spent on space research justifiable? Could the money be better spent? (see my sample essay)

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy. The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer. (see my sample essay with commentary)

Some people say that the Internet is making the world smaller by bringing people together. To what extent do you agree that the internet is making it easier for people to communicate with one another?

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EducationQuestionsSubjects such as Art, Sport and Music are being dropped from the school curriculum for subjects such as Information Technology. Many people children suffer as a result of these changes. To what extent would you support or reject the idea of moving these subjects from school curriculum? (IELTS Practice tests with answers) sample essay with vocabulary exercise and download

.

Everyone should stay in school until the age of 18. To what extent do you agree or disagree? sample essay with vocabulary exercises and download

.Some people argue that universities should provide students with more practical training for their future career. Should university education be more vocational or academic. Discuss

.In many countries schools have severe problems with student behavior. What do you think are the causes of this? What solutions can you suggest? (Cambridge IELTS 4)

.Many universities charge higher fees for foreign students. Why do they do this? Do you believe that it is fair?

.Education is the single most important factor in the development of a developing country. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Passport to IELTS)

GovernmentBusiness and finance

It some countries people pay different rates of tax depending on their salary, in other countries everyone pays the same rate. Which do you believe is the best system?

Many people judge success solely by money and material possessions. However, success can be achieved or measured in other ways. Discuss. (IELTS Foundation)

Politics

A government has various duties to its citizens, but limited resources. Should defence spending take up a significant proportion of the national budget? Discuss.

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems. Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals tackle these problems. (IELTS Foundation)

Future plans which is to design prisons for learning and working, with bigger cells containing computers that will enable study and communication, have been criticized for trying to turn prisons into “holiday camps” and “wasting taxpayers’ money”. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (IELTS Foundation)

GlobalisationEssay questions

One of the major problems facing the world today is the growing number of refugees. The developed nations in the world should tackle this problem by taking in more refugees. To what extent do you agree with this opinion? sample essay with advice to download

Should wealthy nations be required to share their wealth among poorer nations by providing such things as food and education? Or is it the responsibilities of the governments of poorer nations to look after their citizens themselves? (Cambridge IELTS 1)

Improvement in health, education and trade are essential for the development of poorer nations. However, the government of richer nations should take more responsibility for helping the poorer nations in such areas. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Cambridge IELTS 3)

More and more qualified people are moving from poor to rich countries to fill vacancies in specialist areas like engineering, computing and medicine. Some people believe that by encouraging the movement of such people, rich countries are stealing from poor countries. Others feel that this is only part of the natural movement of workers around the world. Give your opinion. (Academic writing practice)

As most foreign aid often benefits the donor more than the receiver, developing countries should refuse to repay their debts. In what extent do you agree or disagree? (Reading and Writing module)

Most countries spend a large amount of money in weapons to defend themselves though they are not at war. They should spend money to help the citizens in poor and disadvantaged countries. Discuss. (China writing)

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Environment and housingEssay questionsThe best way to solve the world’s environmental problems is to increase the cost of fuel. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (China writing) sample essay with vocabulary exercises and download

Some people prefer to live in a house, while others think that there are more advantages living in an apartment. sample essay with vocabulary exercises and download

In many countries there is a shortage of housing due to a growing population. Some people argue that new towns should be built in the countryside, others argue for the regeneration of cities. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the building new towns in the countryside?

The world is consuming natural resources faster than they can be renewed. Therefore, it is important that products are made to last. Governments should discourage people from constantly buying more up to date or fashionable products. To what extent do you agree with this statement? (Model tests for the IELTS)

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HealthEssay questionsRecent research shows that the consumption of junk food is a major factor in poor diet and this is detrimental to health. Some people believe that better health education is the answer to this problem but others disagree. What is your opinion? – sample essay and tutorial

“Prevention is better than cure”. Out of a country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventative measures. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? (Cambridge IELTS 2)

Most developed countries spend a large proportion of their heath budgets on expensive medical technology and procedures. This money should be spent instead on health education to keep people well. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (IELTS on Track)

The quality of health care a person receives should not depend on the size of their bank balance. The government is responsible for providing a high level of heath care for all its citizens. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Reading and Writing module)

Currently there is a trend towards the use of alternative forms of medicine. However, at best these methods are ineffective, and at worst they may be dangerous. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (IELTS Foundation)

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The essay

Sample IELTS essay - health and diet (145)

Recent research shows that the consumption of junk food is a major factor in poor diet and this is detrimental to health. Some people believe that better health education is the answer to this problem but others disagree. What is your opinion?

A serious concern nowadays is how our eating habits can affect our health. In particular, it has been demonstrated that eating too much junk food can lead to health issues later in life. One sensible suggestion for dealing with this is to improve the level of health education so that we eat better and live longer.

One reason why focussing on health education is an appropriate measure is that it addresses one underlying cause of the problem. It is clear that there is a connection between what people know about nutrition and their eating habits. For example, children who have learned in school about the need to have a varied diet with plenty of vitamins tend to eat more healthily. In contrast, people who have not had this education still eat too much junk food and as a result suffer from diabetes and other diseases.

Better health education, however, is not a complete answer as it ignores the wider social factors that cause people to eat unhealthily. For instance, many people eat fast food because they have a lifestyle that means they do not have time to sit down to a proper meal. Again, other people might eat burgers and pizzas because they are seen to be cool and they want to impress their peers.

There would not appear to be any simple way to deal with these social factors.  A difficulty is that it is very hard for governments to make a difference to the individual choices people make. It might help, however, to ban advertisements for unhealthy foods on television and to require companies to provide proper meal facilities for their employees.

My conclusion is that the government certainly ought to introduce measures to improve the level of health education. However, this probably would not be a  perfect solution as it would also be necessary to deal with the other social factors that cause unhealthy eating.

Language and cultureSample essay questionsLanguage and Culture

Many old buildings are protected by law because they are part of nation’s history. However, some people think old buildings should be knocked down to make way for new ones because people need houses and offices. How important is it to maintain old buildings? Should history stand in the way of progress?

Should museums and art galleries be free of charge for the general public, or should a charge, even a voluntary charge, be levied for admittance? Discuss this issue, and give your opinion. (see my sample essay)

The increasing role of English in the world today means that the learning of other languages is being neglected. This will have serious results for the continued use of these languages, and of their cultures. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Essay Writing)

Young people are said to have lost many of the traditional values of the older generation. This does not matter, because the old values have no relevance in the modern world. We need to develop a whole new set of values. In what extent do you agree or disagree? (Essay Writing)

Every country needs to remember its past. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? (IELTS Practice tests with answers)

Arts, music and entertainment

There are many different types of music in the world today. Why do we need music? Is the traditional music of a country more important than the international music that is heard everywhere nowadays? Discuss. (Cambridge IELTS 1)

Creative artists should always be given the freedom to express their own ideas (in words, pictures, music or film) in whichever way they wish. There should be no government restrictions on what they do. To what extent do you agree or disagree?(Cambridge IELTS 4)

Some people say the government should not put money in the arts, such as music, opera and paintings, but instead should spend money on construction of public facilities. In what extent do you agree or disagree? (China writing)

The government should control the amount of violence in films and on television in order to decrease the violent crimes in society. In what extent do you agree or disagree? (China writing)

Do young people today make good use of their leisure time? Or do they spend too much time watching television and playing video games, instead of taking part in more productive activities? Discuss. (Focus on IELTS)

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Crime and lawEssay questionsWithout capital punishment (the death penalty) our lives are less secure and crimes of violent increase. Capital punishment is essential to control violence in society. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Cambridge IELTS 2)

Tobacco and alcohol are drugs that cause addition and health problems. Should they be made illegal? Or should all drugs be legalized? (Essay Writing)

Crime is nearly always related to the environment in which it occurs. For this reason, international laws and international law courts are unrealistic and will not succeed in reducing crime levels in different countries. Discuss. (Insight into IELTS)

The only way to cut the crime rate is build more prisons and make prison sentences longer. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

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Sample IELTS essay – refugeesThis is the next in my series of sample IELTS essays. This one deals with the very common IELTS topic of globalisation. You will first get some advice on vocabulary and how to write the essay and then you can download a copy for yourself.

Understanding the question

One of the major problems facing the world today is the growing number of refugees. The developed nations in the world should tackle this problem by taking in more refugees. To what extent do you agree with this opinion?

This is a proposal type question where you are given a proposed solution to a problem and asked whether you agree with it or not. It is important to make sure that you write about the proposed solution and you do not just talk about the problem. One sensible approach in this type of essay is to look at both sides of the argument and then give your opinion. You can also provide your own alternative solution as I do here.

Vocabulary issues

Before you start writing I suggest  in the planning process you try and think of alternatives for words in the question. Normally it is much easier to do this before you start writing than as you are writing.

Problem

This is one of those essays where you are asked to talk about a problem. The word is given to you in the question so you need to be careful about repeating it too much. In this essay, I do repeat it, but I also use different collocations as well as the close synonym “issue”.

a global problem not an easy issue

a moral issue solve the problems caused as many problems as it solves

Refugees

This is another word given in the question that you want to try and avoid overusing. Some of the variants I use are:

immigrant immigration/mass immigration economic migrants emigration

Developing countries etc

This is a tough one.  You are going to need to talk about developing nations and countries in general a lot. Again you want to try and look for some alternatives. The one I don’t use is “third world” as it is slightly politically incorrect nowadays. Try some of these:

developing nations industrialised countries/nations native land country of their birth

Ideas and essay structure

If you plan your vocab well, you should come up with plenty of ideas for this essay. The problem is more likely to be what to leave out than to put in. My essay structure looks something like this

Introduction: rephrase the problem and mention the proposed solution. The state that it is an argument with two sides to lead into a pro/con type essay

Content 1: Arguments in favour of accepting refugees = moral responsibility/global village/economic self-interest. Use brief example of natural disasters

Content 2: Problems caused by immigration – prejudice and racism etc. Mention possibility of aid in own countries

Conclusion: Yes and no! Up to a point it’s a good idea but there are difficulties (refer back to introduction). Suggest alternative of aid (refer back to content 2). Easy.

The essay

One of the major problems facing the world today is the growing number of refugees. The developed nations in the world should tackle this problem by taking in more refugees. To what extent do you agree with this opinion?

There is little doubt that the issue of refugees is a global problem. While it most immediately affects developing nations, there is a strong argument that industrialised countries should help by allowing higher levels of immigration. This is certainly not an easy issue though, because historically has immigration caused as many problems as it solves.

The principal reason why developed nations should help is that we now live in a global village and it is no longer possible to ignore what happens on the other side of the world. This is partly a moral issue and partly because it is in the economic self-interest of industrialised nations to ensure that developing nations continue to progress. A practical way of achieving this would be to accept more immigration, particularly when it is caused by natural disasters or civil war.

I would argue, however, that this is not an open and shut case, as there is a negative side to mass immigration. The multi-cultural experiments in Europe have not always succeeded and immigrants have often suffered badly from racism and other prejudices. On a practical level, refugees are sometimes better off receiving aid in their native land than begging on the streets in a country where they cannot speak the language. Many so-called economic migrants end up returning to the country of their birth.

My personal conclusion is that developed nations should agree to take in more refugees, but only in restricted numbers and in extreme cases. I also believe that there needs to a global effort to provide aid to solve the problems that cause emigration. Prevention is as they say better than cure.

Sample IELTS essay – Newspapers and books

This is the latest in my series of IELTS essays tutorials. You can read and download the essay and learn how to approach the essay and deal with some tricky vocabulary.

Looking at the question

Newspapers and books are outdated. Why do some people believe this? What is your opinion?

This is a double question. Whatever else you do, make sure you answer both halves of the question by giving your own opinion and explaining why other people believe this.

Essay structure

There are different ways to structure this essay. The way I have chosen is to write one paragraph about newspapers and one about books and then use a slightly longer conclusion than usual for my own views. In this form of essay, one natural technique is to use the conclusion in this way.

1. intro: modern technology partly to blame 2. newspapers: problem that they are yesterday’s news 3. books: problem that they are not instant gratification 4. conclusion: books and newspapers are not redundant but may need to change in

the modern world

Another option would be to use one topic paragraph for “advantages” of books and newspapers and one for their “disadvantages”.

The vocabulary

Topic vocabulary

You need vocabulary to talk about books and newspapers and other media. There is a great range to choose from here. Some of the topic vocabulary I use in this essay is:

great novels use Google or another search engine switch on the television the latest news bulletin read for pleasure enjoying a 3D movie in turning the pages of a book

Outdated and opinion vocabulary

If at all possible you do not want to repeat the vocabulary from the question too much. Here are some options for you for “opinion” and “outdated”.

people take this view are said to be My own view is become redundant out of date out of fashion

The essay

Newspapers and books are outdated. Why do some people believe this? What is your opinion?

As we move into the twenty- first century an increasing number of people are relying on new forms of technology. A possible consequence of this is that traditional media such as books and newspapers are not just less popular are considered by some to be outdated.

The principal reason why some people take this view is fairly clear in the case of newspapers. It is generally much easier and quicker to discover what is happening in the world from the internet or the television than from a newspaper. If you use Google or another search engine or simply switch on the television, you can instantly get the latest

news bulletin. A newspaper, by contrast, is out of date the moment it is published because it contains yesterday’s news.

It is perhaps less obvious why books are said to be out of fashion. One possibility is that fewer people choose to read for pleasure nowadays because they prefer the instant gratification and thrills of modern technology. There is less effort involved in enjoying a 3D movie or playing a computer game than in turning the pages of a book.

My own view and conclusion is that books and newspapers will never go completely out of fashion or become redundant. The reason for this is that they serve basic human needs. I believe that people will always want to read about the news and escape into the imaginary worlds of great novels. However, books and newspapers may need to change to meet the new demands of twenty-first century consumers. We can already see this happening with the arrival of the audio-book and the various free newspaper internet sites. (292 words)

Sample essay – fuel and the environmentThis is the next in my series of  sample IELTS essays for download. The topic of the environment is very common and it is certainly one you need to practise.

Thinking about the question

Very often the key to writing a good IELTS essay is to read the question well. It is:

The best way to solve the world’s environmental problems is to increase the cost of fuel. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The best?

This is very strong language. It may be “a” way, but is it the best? The natural way to approach this type of question with “most” or “best” in them is:

discuss why it may be a good idea suggest another idea compare the two ideas decide which idea is best

This way you will certainly have enough to write.

To what extent

This means “how much”. If you get this type of question, in your conclusion you need to say one of:

completely not at all something in between

Typically, the easy (and the academic) answer in a timed exam is to choose something in between. To do this, you need to discuss the advantages and the disadvantages in the main body and then say in your conclusion that there are both advantages and disadvantages.

The essay structure

The essay structure is:

intro: restate the question and outline that “the best” is too strong language

para 1: explain that there are many different environmental problems not affected by fuel increases

para 2: explain that education is a better solution in the long-term

conclusion: restate the introduction (best is too strong) and summarise the main point (education is more effective)

Vocabulary

Problem

This is an area you need variety of language (see my post The language of problems). I suggest that you note down some variations before you start writing. Here are some I use:

Increase the cost of fuelAgain, you want to try not to repeat the language of the question too much. Try these:

Environmental problems

There are a large range of possible environmental problems. The environmental language I use in this essay is:

The essay

The best way to solve the world’s environmental problems is to increase the cost of fuel. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Most people would accept that one of the highest priorities today is to find a solution to the various environmental problems facing mankind. It has been suggested that best way to achieve this is for governments to raise the price of fuel. I am, however, not sure that this is necessarily the case.

One reason why this approach may not work is that there is not just one environmental problem the world faces today. If governments did make fuel more expensive, it might well help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide we produce and so slow down the rate of global warming and air pollution. However, it would not help with other major problems such as intensive farming, overpopulation, the hole in the ozone layer or water pollution. For these problems we need to find other solutions.

A second reason why this policy may not be the most appropriate is that it places the emphasis on governmental policy and not individual responsibility. Ultimately, most environmental problems are the result of the way we as individuals live our lives. If we wish to find a long-term and lasting solution to them, we need to learn to live in a way that it is greener or kinder to the environment. What governments need to do to make this happen is

to ensure there is a global programme to educate people of all ages about the environmental consequences to their actions.

In summary, I believe that increasing the level of taxation on fuel is at best a short-term solution to only one environmental problem. If we wish to provide a home for our children’s children, education is likely to be the key to making this happen. (283 words)

Download the essay

Sample IELTS essay - fuel and the environment (188)

Practice exercises

To help you write this essay, I suggest you try these exercises:

AWL vocabulary: an exercise to test whether you can use the key vocabulary from the Academic Word List in this essay

General vocabulary: an exercise to test some of the more general vocabulary in the essay

Sample IELTS essay – UnemploymentUnemployment is one of the most serious problems facing developed nations today. What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of reducing the working week to thirty five hours?

It is unquestionable that rising unemployment is one of the most pressing issues in the

industrial world. One solution that has been put forward is to cut the working week to a

maximum of 35 hours. However, in my view this solution is rather controversial and other

solutions need to be found.

It is fairly easy to understand the reasons why this proposal has been made. The reasoning

is that if workers are not allowed to work for more than 35 hours weekly, then employers will

be forced to engage more staff. There would be at least two advantages to this. Not only

would unemployment be reduced, but the working conditions of employees on very long

shifts would also be significantly improved. For example, a factory employing 300 manual

workers doing 10 hours a day might employ 450 workers.

There is also, however, a strong argument not to implement this proposal. This argument is

based on economic competitiveness. If a company was forced to employ more workers to

produce the same amount of goods, then its wage bill would rise and its products might

become more expensive and less competitive compared to companies with longer working

weeks. In this case, it is possible that the company either might become insolvent or it

would have to make some employees redundant. As a result, the intended benefit to the

personnel would not happen.

In summary, we can see that this is clearly a complex issue as there are significant

advantages and disadvantages to the proposal. My own personal view is that it would be

better not to introduce the shortened working week because it works only in theory and not

in practice.

Sample IELTS essay – museumsShould museums and art galleries be free of charge for the general public, or should a charge, even a voluntary charge, be levied for admittance? Discuss this issue, and give your opinion.

One very complex issue in today’s world is the funding of museums and art galleries. While there is an argument that they should be free to the general public and funded by governments, I also believe that there is also a case for saying that they should charge an entrance fee like other attractions.

Those who argue that museums should be free typically make one of two arguments. The first argument is that institutions like museums are a public service and therefore there should be free access to the man in the street. If for example there was a charge only the wealthy could afford to enjoy works of art. The second, and related, argument is that if they did levy a charge fewer people would go to museums. This would be serious as they are educational institutions and standards would fall.

In contrast, there is only one major argument on the other side of the debate. This is that both museums and art galleries need to charge an entrance fee if they are to survive in the modern world. Governments do not have sufficient funds to subsidise all such institutions and there are other priorities for public money. Therefore these galleries and museums need to charge their customers not only to survive but to update their exhibitions and make new purchases. By way of illustration, the Tate Modern in London could not have been founded without revenue from admissions.

My personal position is that there is no clear answer to this question as there are such strong arguments on both sides. Perhaps it is possible for some museums and galleries to

charge fees and for others not to. It will depend on the situation of the individual museum or gallery.

Learn to write this essay

Some of the most important vocabulary for IELTS essays comes from the Academic Word List. I suggest you try this exercise that shows you the words in this essay from the Academic Word List

AWL exercise

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Sample IELTS essay – space explorationSpace exploration requires vast sums of money. Is the amount of money spent on space research justifiable? Could the money be better spent?

There has always been considerable discussion about whether governments should spend

tax payers’ money on space research. In my view it is impossible to justify the amount of

money spent on such projects. Generally speaking, the main reason for this position is that

there are several areas in which the money could be invested better.

The first point to make is that politicians have a responsibility to spend public money on

projects that bring a benefit to the general public. This has not been the case with space

research as most developments have been limited to helping astronauts in space or have

been very specialised. For example, it is not of great value to the general public that we now

have pens and biros that can write upside down. This does not merit the huge amount of

money spent.

The second point to make is that there are many much more urgent projects on Earth that

require investment. If governments spent less money on space research, then they would be

able to help solve some of these problems such as population control, elimination of

diseases like cholera, global warming and food shortages. It seems to me that all of these

issues are more important because they affect the lives of millions of ordinary people. An

illustration of this is that the US government could provide food for all the starving people in

the world if they did not spend so much on NASA.

My conclusion is that politicians should not fund space research. The grounds for saying this

are that it is very costly and provides few real benefits. Furthermore, there are several more

urgent issues that need to be funded.

Sample IELTS essay – televisionTelevision has had a significant influence on the culture of many societies. To what extent would you say that television has positively or negatively affected the cultural development of your society?

It is unarguable that television has had a considerable impact and changed the world in which we live. However, there is debate whether that change has been for the better or the worse, when we consider cultural development. While there are certainly strong feelings on both sides of the argument in western Europe, my own view is that television has had a largely positive influence on our society.

There are, however, several reasons why it can be argued that television has a negative effect on cultural development. Perhaps the principle argument is the lowbrow nature of many programmes, particularly sitcoms and soap operas. People who watch these programmes do not learn anything, they are simply entertained. The other major argument is that because people watch so much television, they no longer take part in more traditional forms of cultural entertainment. An example here is how traditional dancing and music is becoming much less popular because people are staying at home to watch the television.

On the other hand, there are a variety of ways in which cultural development has been assisted by television. Here the major argument is that television has allowed the whole of society access to cultural entertainment. For example, in the nineteenth century only a small proportion of people could go to the ballet or the theatre. However, it is now possible for everyone to enjoy these on television. A second positive effect is that on television we can learn more about other cultures and societies because there are so many interesting documentaries about other countries.

My personal conclusion is that television is a largely positive influence. However, it is important that we do not watch it too much and that we watch the right sort of programme.

If we watch the wrong sort of programme and watch too much television, we may become couch potatoes.

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