IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay

Samples

Claire Vu
TOPIC 1: ENVIRONMENT
Question: Many people think it is very important to protect the

environment, but they make no effort to do it themselves.

Why do you think it is the case? What actions can be done to suggest

individuals protect the environment?

Source: howtodoielts.com

Band 7.0

It is true that awareness of eco-friendly issues does not always result in the

majority of people taking steps to protect the environment. There are various

self-interested reasons for this, but steps can de nitely be taken by

individuals and governments to tackle this issue.

In my opinion, the main cause of minimal efforts to protect the environment

is human self-interest. Individuals generally have a conception of what

environmental protection would entail but are less likely to recognize their

own role in it, including the use of private vehicles, which contribute greatly

to climate change by burning fossil fuels. The average motorist in China for

example is more concerned with getting to work on time, enjoying the

convenient bene ts of a car, and displaying their status through the

ownership of a private vehicle. When there is a con ict between tangible,

everyday desires and more abstract concerns for the planet generally, most

individuals will prioritize their own needs.

There are several measures governments and individuals can take to address

this problem. Governments can certainly make greater efforts to encourage

individuals to contribute to environmental preservation. They could impose

“green taxes” on drivers and airlines. In this way, the average citizen would

be encouraged to use public transportation and take fewer ights abroad,

thereby greatly reducing the main sources of fossil fuel consumption. At the

same time, individuals should also take responsibility for the impact they

have on the earth. For example, they can choose products with less packaging

and recycle as much as possible. Most supermarkets now provide reusable

bags for shoppers, and communities are prioritising recyclable rubbish bins.

By using and recycling, residents can de nitely help to reduce waste polution.
In conclusion, individuals who might be sel shly inclined to ignore these

problems must take an active role along with the governments in preserving

the environment not only for ourselves but for our descendants in the future.

(315 words)
TOPIC 2: ECONOMICS
Question: In their advertising, businesses nowadays usually emphasise that

their products are new in some way.

Why is this? Do you think it is a positive or negative development?

Source: howtodoielts.com

Band 7.5

As throw-away lifestyles and consumerism become the dominant 21st-

century trends, how innovative and novel a product is has already become

the most popular advertising strategy adopted by many companies currently.

In my opinion, this is largely due to a competitive marketplace and can be

both positive and negative depending on the product.

The most obvious reason is that consumers nowadays expect innovative and

new products regularly. For consumers, there has been almost unanimous

consensus regarding the assumption that “the newer, the better”, and that

has led to impulsive consumption of novelty. For instance, recently published

research results demonstrate the impulsiveness of consumers, as 80% of the

general public are willing to purchase a newer version of their mobile phone

regardless if the new one demonstrates any signi cant advancement in its

technology or how long they have been using their current one. Corporations

are well aware of this fact of consumer psychology. Businesses will try to

emphasise the newness of their products in promotional campaigns in order

to convince consumers thereby retaining their competitiveness and

increasing their sales revenue.

I believe whether the development is negative or positive mainly depends on

if there is real innovation and novelty in the products. If there are new

elements created or further breakthroughs involved in the design as in the

case of of cial Apple events, the advertising will be informative and bene cial

for consumers. By contrast, if the emphasis is an exaggeration of the

products’ features, the promotion will be rather misleading and deceitful,

potentially leading to irrational consumption and impulsive purchases. For

instance, a food manufacturing business such as Pringles or Lay’s might

promote a snack with slightly different packaging but the same avour and

ingredients as a brand-new version, which is an intentionally deceitful

practice.
In conclusion, the high demand among consumers for new products is the

main underlying reason for a situation which, I believe, is not inherently

bene cial or harmful. To judge the nature of the development more

comprehensively, the authenticity of the advertising and the intention of the

business should be considered.

(343 words)
TOPIC 3: BUSINESS
Question: Most high-level positions in companies are lled by men even

though the workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 percent

female. Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of

these positions to women.

To what extent do you agree?

Source: IELTS Advantage

Band 7.0+

The majority of the chief positions in business organizations are occupied by

males, despite the fact that more than half of the workforce in numerous

developed nations is made up of women. It is believed that corporations

should be asked to designate a certain portion of high-level roles for females.

This essay completely disagrees with this statement because selecting

employees should be based on merit, and companies need to focus on pro t.

The main reason is that candidates should be selected according to

meritocracy. This is to say that employees should be recruited for their work

experience, their quali cations, and their soft skills, rather than their gender.

In other words, high-pro le positions should be given to the candidates who

deserve them the most. For example, if a man and a woman apply for the

same position, a woman should not have priority over a man, but a fair

selection on merit should be conducted to nd out who is the most suitable

person for the advertised role, considering skills, abilities, and knowledge.

Another reason why I disagree is that the main goal for companies is pro t.

This is to say that if a company wants to thrive, it needs to have the best

possible employees who are not necessarily one gender or the other. If

companies were to select staff members on gender, they could end up putting

at risk the smooth running of the business and causing nancial losses.

Therefore, choices should be made by the human resources team only by

bearing in mind which candidate would be an asset for the business. For

example, in Italy soccer teams are almost exclusively run by men because

they usually know more about this business.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that companies should not be asked to

allocate a certain number of executive positions to women because

candidates should be selected considering merit, and pro t is the top priority

for a business.

(321 words)
TOPIC 4: EMPLOYMENT
Question: Some people think employers should not care about the way their

employees dress, but the quality at work.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Source: howtodoielts.com

Band 7.5

It is often claimed that employers should only emphasise the performance of

the employees in the workplace but not their attire. From my perspective, I

disagree entirely with the given statement.

The most important and obvious reason for my objection is that the

employees’ clothing impacts the interests of their employers as heavily as

their daily of work does. The appearance of a staff explicitly indicates and

demonstrates the spirit and atmosphere of an organization, which largely

determines the rst impression from the outside world. For instance, if

employees are dressed formally as is the case at most law rms and business

environments, customers will likely consider the organization as professional

and serious. Without a positive impression, even though the organization

may produce work of outstanding quality, potential customers may not

choose their products and other organisations may refuse to cooperate with

them, which will negatively affect sales, revenue, and thus, the pro t margins

of the corporate entity.

Another reason to strongly advocate dress codes is the safety of employees.

There is an almost unanimous consensus regarding the necessity of

particular compulsory guidelines for factory workers in ensuring their safety,

and that has led to homogenous and bene cial standards of practice across

various industries. These extensive agreements are also reinforced by

research showing that wearing helmets, gloves, and uniforms can effectively

reduce incidences of accidents in manufacturing factories. It is undeniable

that the bene ts gained from high working quality would not be suf cient to

compensate for the accidents caused by employers’s lack of attention to

detail regarding proper attire in certain hazardous positions.

In conclusion, considering the crucial effects of employees’ appearance on

their safety, the business image, and, ultimately, the interests of their

employees, it is not advisable to focus on merely their work and ignore the

way they dress. There must be some balance but a professional appearance is

crucial.

(312 words)
TOPIC 5: EDUCATION
Question: Some people think that parents should teach their children how to

be good members of society. Others, however, believe that school is the best

place to learn this.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Source: IELTS Advantage

Band 7.0+

Some people believe that children should be taught by their parents about

how to function as useful members of society, while others believe that

sending children to educational institutions is the best way for them to study

this. Although the latter opinion can be bene cial in some cases, I believe

that family upbringing plays a more important role in educating children to

be good parts of the community.

Schools can be considered suitable places for children to learn to be good

citizens. With standardized educational methods, schools can foster

children’s cognitive development so that they are able to contribute to

society in the future. For example, Trung Vuong School and Vinschool are

well known for having nurtured successful alumni such as Professor Ngo Bao,

Professor Nguyen Hung who have devoted their talents to the development

of the country. However, these people only represent a small fraction of the

total number of students attending schools, and thus sending children to

schools cannot be the best method of educating them to be good members of

society.

I believe that parents play a more important role in teaching them how to be

good citizens. In Vietnam, the average class size is 20 students, which makes

it dif cult for educators to provide proper schooling for each student. One-

to-one lessons at home, on the other hand, allow children to progress faster.

Furthermore, parents form stronger bonds with their offspring and thus, it is

easier for them to shape children’s personalities at an early age. For example,

by telling stories such as Robin Hood, and Cinderella before bedtime, parents

can instill a sense of compassion and integrity into them. These children are

likely to become good members of society when they grow up.

In conclusion, although sending children to school can be seen as a way of

teaching them how to be good citizens, I believe that domestic upbringing

has a bigger impact on determining who they are in the future.

(325 words)

Question: For schoolchildren, their teachers have more in uence on their

intelligence and social development than their parents.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Source: Mc IELTS

Band 8.0

The development of society has motivated people to prioritise education as

evidenced by the inexorable number of children sent to school. Although

some assert that teachers compose more integral elements of the

development of intelligence and social skills upon young students, the

in uence of parents on children commences immediately when they are born

and therefore is of greater importance.

It is undeniable why the role of teachers towards schoolchildren should not

be underestimated. As children start their formal schooling, they spend more

time at school studying and interacting with their teachers and peers than

their parents. Lesson hours and playtime are the optimal conditions for

schoolchildren to cultivate their understanding of the surrounding

environment as well as soft skills such as communication and teamwork.

More importantly, teachers have undergone training on how to stimulate

curiosity and encourage social skills in children before being quali ed as a

one. Therefore, the impact that they might have on the later development of

children is profound and potentially last a lifetime.

Despite the aforementioned virtues of teachers, there are several reasons

why the in uence that parents have on children is greater. The most vital

reason is that parents stay beside their children within the initial years of

their life. Clearly, the rst few years help shape and hone children’s cognitive

development and personality as human beings, which explains why some

parents even resign from their jobs to better care for their young children.

Furthermore, a teacher might exert in uence on their students for a

signi cant amount of time, but it is their parents who closely follow every

phase of their life. This lifelong commitment renders parents the best

teacher that a child can ever have.

In conclusion, while the signi cance of teachers on students cannot be

neglected, the in uence that parents have on their children is more

signi cant. Thus, the future generations need concerted efforts from both

school and family for their holistic development.

(317 words)
TOPIC 6: CRIME
Question: Some people believe that there should be a xed punishment for

each type of crime. Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an

individual crime and the motivation for committing it should always be taken

into account when deciding on the punishment.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Source: howtodoielts.com

Band 7.5

In contemporary society, some people claim that a xed punishment should

be assigned to each kind of crime, while others hold the opinion that speci c

conditions and motivations should be taken into consideration. From my

point of view, there are good reasons for both claims, but I would agree with

the latter.
In terms of the former claim, it is undeniable that having xed punishments

for each form of crime makes laws impartial. When the stated punishment is

clear and immutable, there will be little space for the judges to make a

judgement according to his or her personal opinion. Moreover, it also helps

prevent judgements from being in uenced by emotions like compassion for

the guilty. For example, teenagers and celebrities are more likely to receive

compassion due to their popularity, while their violations against the law

should not be justi ed by such bias. Therefore, setting xed rules for

judgements and punishments is a workable way to ensure impartiality.

However, xed punishments without considering the speci c situations and a

criminal’s motivations are often unfair. This is because the extent of guilt can

vary from person to person. For instance, there should be a different

punishment for a man who kills a person by a mistake from a murderer who

commits deliberate and premediate homicide, as the former does not mean

to disobey the law and do harm to society. If that person by mistake kills

someone who is intending to attack him or her, it would even be much less

serious, because the action can be considered as a self-defence. With regard

to these differences mentioned, it is reasonable for us to compare the

motivation and condition, otherwise, the punishment may be unjust to some

criminals who commit crimes with mitigating circumstances.

In conclusion, even if xed punishments may achieve impartiality, it is of

great signi cance to take more factors into account so that fair sanctions are
applied. This will ensure that the law can both enforce safety and be just.
(331 words)

Question: Some people think most crimes are the result of circumstances like

poverty and other social problems. Others believe that they are caused by

people who are bad in nature.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Source: Mc IELTS

Band 8.5

For many years, there has been an ongoing discussion on whether

environmental factors such as poverty and other social issues or inherent

negative qualities are primarily causal regarding criminal behavior. In my

opinion, while negative genetic personality traits are correlational to an

individual becoming a criminal, social issues are undoubtedly the primary

cause of wrongdoing.
It is understandable why some people contend that genetic traits are

primarily causal in criminal behavior. People with seemingly speci c innate

characteristics, such as no empathy or excessive impulsivity, have a higher

tendency to engage in criminal activities. Moreover, individuals who have a

history of criminal behavior in their family may also be more likely to engage

in such behavior themselves. While the aforementioned ideas suggest that

there may be some genetic predisposition to certain behaviors, it is unlikely

that genetics alone can effect criminal behavior.

(The use of ‘effect’ here is correct — it can be used as a verb to mean ‘to cause
to occur’ — which is often used in certain elds such as philosophy).

However, I think criminal activities are best explained by the presence of

social problems, including poverty, unemployment, and discrimination. In

situations where individuals struggle nancially and perceive no alternative

options available to them for sustenance purposes, they could potentially

participate or even ‘embrace’ behaving against the laws. Also, when people

feel marginalized or discriminated against by society, they may react

destructively. A prime example of this phenomenon is the substantially high

crime rate in impoverished areas.

In conclusion, although genetic negative qualities can somewhat contribute

to law-breaking, I believe that environmental factors are primarily causal.

Thus, addressing social problems like poverty and other social issues is

necessary to reduce crime rates.

(252 words)

TOPIC 7: GOVERNMENT SPENDING

Question: In a number of countries, some people think it is necessary to

spend large sums of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast

trains between cities. Others believe the money should be spent on

improving existing public transport.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Source: howtodoielts.com

Band 7.5

With the increasing demand for convenience in commuting between

metropolitan cities, ways to improve the public transportation system have

been heatedly discussed. Some people would nd investing a large amount of

money in the construction of new railways that connect cities necessary, but

other people argue that reinvention and renewal of the current

transportation system would be more nancially ef cient. I would agree that

building new railway lines is a better way to improve convenience in the

public transportation system.

It is considerably reasonable for people to suggest investing in improvements

of the current railway system, as there are several advantages. With a readily

constructed railway system, the renewal can include reduced or minimised

construction, leading to a possibly shortened period of construction time.

Moreover, the alternation in city planning can be minimised as well, since

there could be less need for demolition and resettlement of existing

buildings, all contributing to less interference of city dwellers lite during the

construction period, and a viably less budget.

However, I would consider these advantages insuf cient comparing with

building new railway lines connecting cities. The preponderance in investing

in a new railway system is more obvious. With the modern and latest

technology advances in transportation system construction, building faster

trains itself is possible, and such an improved system can contribute to more

convenient commuting. Take the instance of maglev trains, the construction

does require a considerably large amount of money, but the ef ciency in

commuting is greatly improved as transporting between cities locating 200

kilometers apart could take less than one hour. Regarding the feasibly less

budget in renovating the current railway system, it could be diminished by

the factor that the current railway system being too old to improve, which in

turn could lead to higher demand in investment.

Overall, to budget a large amount of money in renovating the current railway

system is fairly rational for the less interruption of people’s pace of life.

However, it is not suf cient enough to diminish the advantage of building an

improved and faster web of railways in my opinion, since such a system can

east a more positive impact on the improvement of convenience in

commuting.

(362 words)
TOPIC 8: TRANSPORT
Question: In the future, all cars, buses, and trucks will be driverless. The only

people travelling inside these vehicles will be passengers.

Do you think the advantages of driverless vehicles outweigh the

disadvantages?

Source: howtodoielts.com

Band 7.0

Scienti c and technical innovation is rapidly being developed in the modern

world today, aiming to make people’s lives more convenient. One brand of

new products is self-driving vehicles, which will likely dominate the future car

market. It is my rm belief that although driverless vehicles will offer some

advantages, these will be outweighed by the disadvantages.

In my opinion, developing driveless vehicles into the dominating future

transportation does have the advantage of providing more convenience for

passengers. In the future, people will no longer have to spend months

struggling to learn how to drive, and there will also be no need to worry about

passing examinations to obtain a driver’s license. Additionally, having a self-

driving car saves more time for the owner. For instance, current traf c jams

in major cities could last for hours. While the car is being lodged in traf c and

inching forward, the driver usually cannot do anything, except for keeping

their eyes on the road and inching along. In the future with driverless

vehicles, however, the passenger will be free to use these hours for

completing other tasks, for instance, un nished reports from work or simply

relaxing.
Even though driverless cars will have their advantages, I still believe they will

bring more disadvantages. First of all, the safety of passengers will be under

less assurance. If the automated vehicle in question obtains a glitch in its

control system, then passengers will be powerless to prevent an accident,

since they will have no way of taking control of the vehicle. For example, if

the vehicle is driving itself along a mountain road in a sparsely inhabited

area, and the system is suddenly invaded by a virus, then even if the

passengers survive the crash, assistance might only be able to arrive after

several hours. Furthermore, driverless vehicles will completely obliterate

career prospects for future drivers. Bus drivers, truck drivers, and taxi drivers

all around the world will be gradually deprived of their jobs since they will no

longer be needed as driverless vehicles take over.

In conclusion, the advantages of driverless vehicles include making people’s

lives more convenient in terms of saving more time and effort. However,

these are far outweighed by the disadvantages regarding passengers’ safety

and fewer job opportunities.

(374 words)
TOPIC 9: WORK
Question: Some people believe that professionals, such as doctors and

engineers, should be required to work in the country where they did their

training. Others believe they should be free to work in another country if

they wish.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Source: IELTS Advantage

Band 8.0

Whist many think that professional workers owe a debt to the country they

trained in, I believe they should be free to work where they choose because

they can make more money.

On the one hand, professionals often receive considerable funding from their

government to become fully quali ed. It is only fair that they should repay

this support by working in that place. This is because they often do jobs that

greatly bene t society, and this is why their government invested in them in

the rst place. For example, the UK spends millions of pounds training junior

doctors through university tuition fees and on-the-job training.

However, every individual should have the opportunity to reach their

maximum potential. Those employed in the professions are some of the

world’s most highly skilled workers; therefore, they are in huge demand.

There is a global market for their skills, and they can command much higher

salaries by moving abroad. If they were blocked from doing so, it would be a

substantial nancial disadvantage for the individual. For instance, petroleum

engineers can make hundreds of thousands of dollars more in oil-rich

countries, such as Saudi Arabia, compared to remaining in Europe.

In conclusion, although there is a tremendous amount of investment in a

professional’s development, they should have the right to choose whether to

repay that by working in their home state or moving to a region that passes

them the highest value for their skills.

(241 words)
TOPIC 10: TECHNOLOGY
Question: Nowadays the way many people interact with each other has

changed because of technology.

In what ways has technology affected the types of relationships that people

make? Has this been a positive or negative development?

Source: IELTS Simon

Band 9.0

It is true that new technologies have had an in uence 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 nd 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 dif cult

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 bene t 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 mix with their peers in the real world, and these “virtual”

relationships are a poor substitute for real relationships.

In conclusion, technology has certainly revolutionised communication

between people, but not all of the outcomes of this revolution have been

positive.

(257 words)

Question: Many people put their personal information online (address,

telephone number, and so on) for purposes such as signing up for social

networks or online banking. Is this a positive or negative development?

Source: Mc IELTS

Band 8.5
Technological advancements have motivated shifts in human behavior as

evidenced by certain long-established habits transitioning into new societal

norms. Such transitions are easily noticeable in the methods of personal data

sharing and collection. Once mostly trustworthy personal data sharing and

storage is now more suspect as its security is questionable.

Before modern technology, people had voluntarily relinquished their

personal data for multiple reasons including birth entitlements and land

rights, conscription, healthcare, and education. With the electronic era, in its

infancy, such sharing increased with telephone and in-store credit card

purchases. Data collection further increased with the advent of the internet

and its consequential inspiration of invasive devices such as smartphones, by

which the process of signing up for social media and related applications as

well as effecting transactions were facilitated and have been optimised.

Speci cally, such devices can enable continual availability and immutability

of secured data, arguably leading to improved productivity and convenience.

Throughout the aforementioned evolution in data collection, each era

constituted a legitimate worry of privacy violation. However, each era of

technological advancement was accompanied by an equally sophisticated

advancement in counter-technology purposed to declaw the inevitable

intention of violation. Privacy-enhancing technologies are a primary

example. These technologies have evolved to allow online users to protect

the privacy of their personally identi able information to and managed by

social networking sites or applications, or online banking services by

minimizing possession of personal data. This renders the concern in

question negligible.

In conclusion, privacy violation is invariably a concern for many of those who

share information regardless of the era they are in, but with the evolution of

anti-violation technologies simultaneously, personal data sharing is a

positive development overall.

(279 words)
TOPIC 11: HEALTH
Question: People sleep less than they used to in the past.

What do you think is the reason behind this? What are the effects on them?

Source: IELTS Advantage

Band 8.0

People sleep fewer hours than they did many years ago. This is because we

tend to work longer hours compared to the past and this results in fatigue.

People tend to sleep less compared to the past because they are expected to
work more. This is because the job market is more competitive than ever

before and workers have to get more done or they may fall behind or be

replaced by someone else. This means that people have to cut into their

sleep. Furthermore, they do not have time to relax and this disrupts their
sleep pattern. For example, a recent study showed that the average employee

worked 2.4 hours more than average workers in the 1970s.

The primary effect of this widespread chronic fatigue. That is to say, large

sections of the population do not have the required 8 hours and this results

in a high percentage of them being too tired to live their lives effectively. This

could mean that they underperform at work, are more irritable with those

around them, or could even have health problems. For example, the Golden

State Warriors basketball team employed a sleep expert and the studied

player who slept for more than 9 hours a night and compared than with

those that only got 6. Those who slept less had more injuries and actually

performed worse on the court.

In conclusion, people are more sleep-deprived than in previous generations

due to longer working hours and the effect is that many are chronically tired

to the point of exhaustion.

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