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IELTS Writing Task 2 – Topic: EDUCATION

ielts writing topics 2019

1.  As computers are being used more and more in education, there will be soon no role for teachers in the classroom.

Sample Answer 1

There have been immense advances in technology in most aspects of people’s lives, especially  in the field of education. Nowadays, an increasing number of students rely on computers to  research for information and to produce a perfect paper for school purposes. Others have  decided to leave the original way of learning to get knowledge through online schools. These  changes in the learning process have brought a special concern regarding the possible  decrease of importance of teachers in the classroom.

Some people believe the role of teachers started to fade because computers have been helping  some students to progress in their studies quicker than when compared with an original  classroom. For example, in the same classroom, students have different intellectual capacities,  thus some would be tied to a slow advance in their studies because of others‟ incapacity of  understanding. In this way, pupils could progress in their acquisition of knowledge at their own  pace using computers instead of learning from teachers.

However, the presence of a teacher is essential for students because the human contact  influences them in positive ways. Firstly, students realize that they are not dealing with a  machine but with a human being who deserves attention and respect. They also learn the  importance of studying in group and respect other students, which helps them to improve their  social skills.

Moreover, teachers are required in the learning process because they acknowledge some  student’s deficiencies and help them to solve their problems by repeating the same explanation,  giving extra exercises or even suggesting a private tutor. Hence, students can have a bigger  chance not to fail in a subject.

In conclusion, the role for teachers in the learning process is still very important and it will  continue to be in the future because no machine can replace the human interaction and its  consequences.

 (303 words)

Sample Answer 2

Nobody can argue that the acquisition of knowledge is more fun and easier with  computers. The mere activity of touching and exploring this device constitutes an  enjoyable task for a kid. This, accompanied with the relaxing attitude and software  interactivity, usually conduce to a better grasping of new knowledge. At a higher  educational level; the availability of digital books, simulator and other academic  materials, provide the student with an ever accessible source of information, that  otherwise would not be at hand.

But, besides the increasing complexity and behavior of intelligent software, which is  usually embedded in the academic digital material, the need of human interaction in the  learning process will always be present, at least in the foreseeable future. There is the  necessity for a human being to be able to determine what the specifics needs of each  individual are. The expertise of a teacher in how to explain and adapt complex concepts  to different individuals can hardly be mimicked by a computer, no matter how  sophisticated its software is.

As computers are becoming a common tool for teaching, teachers should be more  aware of their role as guides in the acquisition of knowledge rather than transmitters of  facts. They have to be open minded to the changes that are taking places, keep  updated and serve as a problem solvers in the learning process, thus allowing students  to discover the fact for themselves.

To summarize, in my personal view, teachers play and will() play an important role in  the classroom, especially at the primary level. No matter how complex computers  become, there will be no replacement for the human interaction, but in the way haw this  interaction takes place.

 (279 words)

2. In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.

Sample Answer

It is quite common these days for young people in many countries to have a break from  studying after graduating from high school. This trend is not restricted to rich students  who have the money to travel, but is also evident among poorer students who choose to  work and become economically independent for a period of time.

The reasons for this trend may involve the recognition that a young adult who passes  directly from school to university is rather restricted in terms of general knowledge and  experience of the world. By contrast, those who have spent some time earning a living  or traveling to other places have a broader view of life and better personal resources to  draw on. They tend to be more independent, which is a very important factor in  academic study and research, as well as giving them an advantage in terms of coping  with the challenges of student life.

However, there are certainly dangers in taking time off at that important age. Young  adults may end up never returning to their studies or finding it difficult to readapt to an  academic environment. They may think that it is better to continue in a particular job, or  to do something completely different from a university course. But overall, I think this is  less likely today, when academic qualifications are essential for getting a reasonable  career.

My view is that young people should be encouraged to broaden their horizons. That is  the best way for them to get a clear perspective of what they are hoping to do with their  lives and why. Students with such a perspective are usually the most effective and  motivated ones and taking a year off may be the best way to gain this.

 (291 words)

3. Some people believe that a college or university education should be available to all students. Others believe that higher education should be available only to good students. Discuss these views. Which view do you agree with? Explain why.

People learn through their entire lives. They constantly improve their knowledge and  develop. I think that a college or university education should be available to all students  because every person has the right to choose the way to self-perfection. Bellow I will  give some of my reasons to support my position.

First of all, every person should have the chance to get a higher degree, gain new  knowledge and experience. However, some people believe that higher education should  be available only to good students. I think it is silly. It is like to make unavailable  traveling for one who does not have IQ high enough.

Second of all, some young people do not do well at school but they have great  personality and ability to learn. They are self-confident, persistent and patient. With  these qualities they can get higher grades then their classmates who are talented but  lazy. Imagine for example situation when a teenager gets high grades because his or  her parents constantly make him or her study and help to do most of the homework. In  this case a child does very well at school but I think a college can show the opposite  results.

Finally, it is a discrimination against students to make available higher education only  for good ones.  So, if a student does poor and gets low grades he/she should be sent down. But if a  person was never given a chance to try himself/herself at college, what to do in this  case?

To sum up, I think that all young people should have the chance to get a higher  education. To take or not this chance must be up to them.

 (277 words)

4. Some people believe that the best way of learning about life is by listening to the advice of family and friends. Other people believe that the best way of learning about life is through personal experience. Compare the advantages of these two different ways of learning about life. Which do you think is preferable? Use specific examples to support your preference.

From my everyday experience and observation I can stand that the best way of learning  about life is through personal experience. However, some people think that it is wiser to  learn about life through listening to the advice of family and friends. It does not mean I  totally disagree with this way of learning. Moreover, I think that it is wise for a person to take an intermediate position because each of these ways has its own advantages.  Bellow I will give my reasons to support my point of view.

From the one side, learning through one’s personal experience brings many benefits.  First of all, scientists say that personal experience has greater impact on a person. I  have to agree with this. Take for example children. They will not believe their parents  that something can hurt them until they try it and make sure in it. Furthermore, most  likely they will remember this experience longer. Second of all, people learn how to  analyze their mistakes, make conclusions and next time try to avoid them. So, I think it  is a great experience that makes people stronger, more self-confident and persistent.  They gain more knowledge and experience that will be very helpful and valuable in the future.

From the other side, listening to the advice of family and friends brings many benefits  too. Parents with great patience pass down their knowledge and experience to their  children. They teach them all they know and they want their children do not make the  same mistakes. In addition to those practical benefits, learning from someone’s advice  is painless. For example, parents nowadays very often talk to their children about drugs.  I think it is a great example when one should not try drugs in order to gain new  experience. I think it is a case when children must trust their parents.

To sum up, I think it is wise to combine both of these ways to learn and try to analyze  personal mistakes as well as not personal. I think together they can greatly simplify  one’s life and make the way to success shorter.

 (350 words)

5. With the pressures on today’s young people to succeed academically, some people believe that non-academic subjects at school (eg: physical education and cookery) should be removed from the syllabus so that children can concentrate wholly on academic subjects. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

What young people should study at school has long been the subject of intense debate  and this is a question that certainly does not have one correct answer.

We need to provide young people the best possible chance of doing well at school. In  traditional curriculum there is a wide variety of subjects with a mix of academic and nonacademic subjects. In this way a young person is formed with a rounded education.  Non-academic subjects would include sports, cooking, woodwork and metalwork. I  believe this is the best form of education. A young person should learn things other than  academic subjects. Sport is particularly important. Young people have to learn to love  sport so that they can be fit and healthy later in life. If not we will be raising an obese  and unfit generation.

I totally understand the point of view that education is so important that students must  be pushed as hard as possible to achieve their best. It sounds a good idea to only  expose the students to academic subjects as then they can spend all of their school  hours on studying areas that will get them into university and good jobs later in life. I just  feel a more rounded education would produce a better individual. We must remember  too that a lot of people, maybe even most people, aren‛t academically minded and  would benefit more from a more vocationally based education. Forcing academic  studies onto them would lead to failure and the student leaving school too early.

Therefore I agree that although a wholly academic curriculum would suit and benefit  some young people, I believe that for most students non-academic subjects are  important inclusions still in today‛s syllabuses.

 (283 words)

6. In many countries, sports and exercise classes are replaced with the academic subjects. Discuss the effects of this trend.

Over the past few decades, academic subjects have become increasingly important in  this fast-changing information-based society. Nowadays, there has been a growing  debate as to whether it would be more effective to replace physical education classes  with academic subjects. Despite the importance of sports, I highly believe that it is  inevitable and more efficient to focus more on academic subjects for several reasons.

Those who argue that sports and exercise classes are needed in school base their case  on the following arguments. First of all, sports are a good way to build character and  develop personality. That is, there are necessary for learning about competition,  cooperation, and good sportsmanship. In addition, as a majority of children these days  are addicted to the Internet, they find it hard to leave their computer. Consequently, a  growing number of children are becoming overweight or obese due to a lack of  exercise. So, if schools foster an environment that deprives students of getting a proper  physical education, it will have a long-term negative effect on children both mentally and  physically.

Nevertheless, people should not ignore the fact that devoting more time and energy to  academic subjects will benefit students more in the long run. The time devoted to  physical education now would be better spent teaching students English. This is  because speaking fluent English will give young people an advantage over other college  applicants and job seekers in the near future. Besides, science will undoubtedly benefit  youth more than physical education as well. The principles learned in science will  provide the necessary foundation for solving and difficult problems that are sure to arise  in students’ futures.

In summary, there are high hopes that educators and parents exercise wisdom in  teaching young generations.

 (288 words)

7. Some people think high school graduates should travel or work for a period of time instead of going directly to study at university. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

High school students face many decisions as they prepare to graduate, including what  they are going to do after graduation. Some high school students go directly to college  or university after graduation. Others prefer to travel or work for some time before going  to university.

For those who choose to go college or university after graduation, there are advantages  and disadvantages. One of the big advantages of going directly from high school to  college is that you are still in the habit of studying. By going to college after graduation,  you do not lose the study skills that you developed during high school. The big  disadvantages, however, is that you may not be ready for college. You may not know  exactly what you want to study, or you may be more interested in freedom and parties  than in your courses. At that age, it is often difficult for students to take on the  responsibilities of college.

There are also advantages and disadvantages to working or traveling before starting  college. Working or traveling allows you a better idea of what you want to do with your  life. You gain practical experience that helps you define what you want to study. You  also are well prepared for the responsibilities of college or university studies. On the  other hand, by the time you start college, you will probably have obligations, like a job or  spouse, which keep you from focusing on studies. In addition, travelling or working  before college may cause you to spend enough time out of school that you forget how  to study.

The desicion of what to do after high school graduation can be a difficult one. Deciding  whether to go straight into college or university or take time to work or travel is  something that faces every high school student. After thinking about the advantages  and disadvantages of both options, the decision should be based on what is best for  you.

 (322 words)

8. The student who study from the school to university get benefit less and contribute less too, than those of student who go to travel or job and get skills and experience before going high. Do you agree or disagree?

Nowadays, in our competitive world, to succeed, knowledge from school and university  is not enough. Therefore, the student who study from the school to university get benefit  less and contribute less too, than those of student who go to travel or job and get  experience and skills before going high. There are two following reasons to prove for my  opinion. I call the group of people who study from school to university is group A and the other group is group B.

Firstly, at school and university, what group A gain is almost theory, theory and theory.  Of course, theory is very necessary, however, you can’t do everything with theory. You  must have practicable experience. This is what group A lack very much. Although in the  third of fourth year at university, group A can be apprentices in some companies, to help  them approach their future jobs, they aren’t trained well because of short time. And the  real job is still very strange with them. After graduating, without experience, group A  can’t accomplish their work perfectly. On the other hand, it take them time and money to  keep up with other experienced ones and may be scorned. Therefore, group A can  contribute less than group B who have the most two important things: skills and  experience.

Secondly, as group A is contribute less, they surely get less benefit. Moreover, many  companies which employ people in group A have to train them from the back-ground.  These companies take this cost from group A‟s salary to get rid of the fact that their  employees may leave after being trained to other companies. So, less benefit is  unavoidable and certain, Whereas group B are more loyal and effective workers. They  also have useful experience and skills. Besides, their education is the same as or even  higher than group A. As the result, group B get more benefit absolutely.

In conclusion, I think student should go to travel or job before going high. Therefore,  they can’t only have basic knowledge but also skills and experience which are useful for  them to get a good job and a brilliant future.

 (355 words)

9. Disruptive school students have a negative influence on others. Students who are noisy and disobedient should be grouped together and taught separately. Do you agree or disagree?

There is no doubt that some students in schools behave badly and their behaviour  causes difficulty for others either because it has a negative effect on the group or  because ordinary students find it difficult to study with them.

One solution is to take these students away and teach them on their own. However, if  we simply have them removed after one or two warnings, we are limiting their  educational opportunities because it seems to me that a school which caters for difficult  students is a sort of “prison” whatever name you give it and the people who go there may never recover from the experience. This can then cause problems for the wider  society.

Perhaps we need to look at why the disruptive students behave badly before we  separate them. Disruptive students may be very intelligent and find the classes boring  because the work is too easy. Perhaps these students need extra lessons rather than  separate lessons. Or perhaps the teachers are uninspiring and this results in  behavioural problems so we need better teachers. On the other hand, most studentsput  up with this situation rather than cause trouble, and some people argue that we have to  learn to suffer bad teachers and boring situations and that students who can’t learn this  lesson need to be taught separately.

So before we condemn the students to a special school, we should look at factors such  as the teaching, because once the children have been separated, it is very unlikely that  they will be brought back.

 (254 words)

10. Some people think that universities should not provide so much theoretical knowledge but give more practical training throughout their courses. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

In the past, a majority of academics have held the opinion that universities should only  offer a theoretically-based approach to teaching throughout their courses, as opposed  to the more recent trend towards empirical acquisition of knowledge involving more  “hands on” experience. Is this the most effective way for students to learn vital  academic information while undertaking their degrees? Undoubtedly, advantages and  disadvantages of both academic learning styles have to be evaluated.

Firstly, on the one hand, despite being the more traditional educational approach,  learning from theory in relevant academic discourses to identify established knowledge  allows us to gain a professional insight. For example, students can easily identify facts  and opinions from past discourses. In addition, students acquire knowledge more easily  when given relative theoretical examples to build upon. For instance, in subjects such  as history or sociology, studying textbook examples allows students to unravel complex  academic theories which they could expand on. Alternatively, there are some  disadvantages for students.

On the other hand, there is no doubt that students could find themselves reading  tedious and monotonous academic papers. For instance, university degrees involving  the evaluation of numerous „long-winded‟ academic discourses provide little inspiration  for students, discouraging enthusiasm. Obviously, interest can be stimulated through  empirical research in class. By this I mean that „the human brain learns best by doing‟.  Although time-consuming, there is no substitute for learning from making mistakes.

In conclusion, while both approaches have benefits and drawbacks in our ever- changing academic world, I honestly believe that a more practical approach promotes a  stronger acquisition of academic knowledge. In spite of the comprehensive nature which  theoretical teaching can possibly provide, practical learning equals more positive  learning for future generations.

 (281 words)

11. People attend college or university for many defferent reasons (for example, new experiences, career preparation, increased knowledge). Why do you think people attend college or university?

People attend college for a lot of different reasons. I believe that the three most common  reasons are to prepare for a career, to have new experiences, and to increase their knowledge  of themselves and of the world around them.

Career preparation is probably the primary reason that people attend college. These days, the  job market is very competitive. Careers such as information technology will need many new  workers in the near future. At college, students can learn new skills for these careers and  increase their opportunities for the future.

Students also go to college to have new experiences. For many, it is their first time away from  home. At college, they can meet new people from many different places. They can see what life  is like in a different city. They can learn to live on their own and take care of themselves without  having their family always nearby.

At college, students have the opportunity to increase their knowledge. As they decide what they  want to study, pursue their studies, and interact with their classmates, they learn a lot about  themselves. They also, of course, have the opportunity to learn about many subjects in their  classes. In addition to the skills and knowledge related to their career, college students also  have the chance to take classes in other areas. For many, this will be their last chance to study  different subjects.

Colleges offer much more than career preparation. They offer the opportunity to have new  experiences and to learn many kinds of things. I think all of these are reasons why people  attend college.

 (265 words)

People attend colleges or universities for a lot of different reasons. I believe that the  three most common reasons are to prepare for a career, to have new experiences, and  to increase their knowledge of themselves and the world around them.

Career preparation is becoming more and more important to young people. For many, this is the primary reason to go to college. They know that the job market is competitive.  At college, they can learn new skill for careers with a lot of opportunities. This means  careers, such as information technology, that are expected to need a large workforce in  the coming years.

Also, students go to colleges and universities to have new experiences. This often  means having the opportunity to meet people different from those in their hometowns.  For most students, going to college is the first time they’ve been away from home by  themselves. In additions, this is the first time they’ve had to make decisions on their  own. Making these decisions increases their knowledge of themselves.

Besides looking for self-knowledge, people also attend a university or college to expand  their knowledge in subjects they find interesting. For many, this will be their last chance  for a long time to learn about something that doesn’t relate to their career.

I would recommend that people not be so focused on a career. They should go to  college to have new experiences and learn about themselves and the world they live in.

 (243 words)

12. Nowadays, education overseas has become more accessible and growing numbers of people send their offspring to study in other countries. However, this trend has its detractors. I strongly believe that the pros far outweigh the cons, and will examine both below.

One of the greatest advantages is that the children learn to be independent. Having to cook,  clean, and pay bills instills this in them. Often they have to work part-time to make ends meet,  and this impresses upon them the importance of work and money management.

Another important factor is that these children will be exposed to different cultures and ways of  thinking. They will become more open-minded and tolerant and are likely to become more  adaptable individuals.

One of the main motives for sending young people abroad to study is that it enhances their  employment prospects. In my experience of living in foreign countries and speaking to various  youths, it seems that a foreign education is regarded as something desirable and helpful in  getting a decent job. A degree from Britain, for example, is seen as being of a higher standard  than one from a developing country. Furthermore, living in a foreign country may lead to fluency  in a second language, which is another selling point for prospective employers. In addition,  many companies are keen to recruit people with a global outlook.

There are a few drawbacks however. For instance, without parental supervision, the new found freedom children experience may lead to harmful practices such as drug-taking and drinking.  Reluctance or inability to reintegrate into their mother country is another. To sum up, it can be  seen that the advantages of studying abroad for children are more numerous than the  disadvantages. Of course a lot depends on the age of the child, but I believe that for most  teenagers it would be a positive experience.

 (266 words)

13. It has been said, “Not everything that is learned is contained in books.” Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why?

“Experience is the best teacher” is an old cliché, but I agree with it. We can learn a lot of  important things from books, but the most important lessons in life come from our own  experiences. Throughout the different stages of life, from primary school to university to  adulthood, experience teaches us many skills we need for life.

As children in primary school, we learn facts and information from books, but that is not all we  learn in school. On the playground we learn how to make friends. In our class work, we learn  how it feels to succeed and what we do when we fail. We start to learn about the things we like  to do and the things we don’t. We don’t learn these things from books, but from our experiences  with our friends and classmates.

In our university classes, we learn a lot of information and skills we will need for our future  careers, but we also learn a lot that is not in our textbooks. In our daily lives both in class and  out of class, we learn to make decisions for ourselves. We learn to take on responsibilities. We  learn to get along with our classmates, our roommates, and our workmates. Our successes and  failures help us develop skills we will need in our adult lives. They are skills that no book can  teach us.

Throughout our adulthood, experience remains a constant teacher. We may continue to read or  take classes for professional development. However, our experiences at work, at home, and  with our friends teach us more. The triumphs and disasters of our lives teach us how to improve  our careers and also how to improve our relationships and how to be the person each one of us  wants to be.

Books teach us a lot, but there is a limit to what they teach. They can give us information or  show us another person’s experiences. These are valuable things, but the lessons we learn  from our own experiences, from childhood through adulthood, are the most important ones we  learn.

 (346 words)

People are learning and practicing through their entire life. I believe that life  experience and practice are the basic reasons of the humankind’s evolution. However,  in my opinion, knowledge gained from books plays a very important role in the modern  life.

The most obviously important advantage of books is that they hold all knowledge gained  by previous generations. People write books about their discoveries and inventions,  which are gained through practice and experience. This knowledge is accumulated in  books that are passed from generation to generation. So, basically, people get all  knowledge about the previous achievements from books, analyze it and than, according  to their experience and new data, write new books. In this case, books are the holders  of humankind’s experience.

For example, at old times people thought that the Earth was flat. It was concluded from  observations and studying. However, the next generations, using the experience of  their ancestors, proved that the Earth was round.

Personally, I think that books are very important because they are able to give people  the basic and fundamental knowledge. Books store history, the important events and  discoveries. Without them it is difficult and sometimes impossible to move forward,  make new discoveries and inventions.

To summarize, I think a person should take basic knowledge from books because it will  help him to make his own inventions, conclusions and discoveries. Only using both  books and one’s experience one can move forward.

 (237 words)

14. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should read only those books that are about real events, real people, and established facts. Use specific reasons and details to support your opinion .

Some people think that fiction books have no use at all. They claim that people should  read about real events that took place, real people, and established facts. I have to  totally disagree with this statement. From my everyday experience and observation I  can stand that fiction, miracles and fairy tails are required in our life. For several  reasons, which I will mention below, I believe that fiction books play an essential role in  our life.

First of all, it is kind of difficult to imagine a six year old child reading about politics or  history with the real facts that are not always pleasant. I think that children need  miracles and Santa Claus because the real world is too complicated for them. They are  too innocent and inexperienced to know the real facts and understand what a real life is  about. In addition, I am sure that making a child read only non-fiction books can result in  shock.

Second of all, following this statement about refusing from reading books about fiction  events we also should refuse from festivals, parades, and celebration such holidays as Halloween because most of the characters there are fictional. Moreover, comic books  will disappear as well as animated films and fiction movies. The disadvantage of nonfiction lies in the facts that nothing happens to excite the mind and spirit. From the other side, fiction provides a great slope for a mind to think creatively.

In conclusion, I think that people need miracles. We can not be satisfied with only naked  truth. Human kind must believe in something and this belief helps people break limits and make new inventions.

 (273 words)

15. Going overseas for university study is an exciting prospect for many people. But while it may offer some advantages, it is probably better to stay home because of the difficulties a student inevitably encounters living and studying in a different culture. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

There is no doubt that going to study in a foreign country, with its different language and culture,  can be a frustrating and sometimes painful experience. But while overseas study has its  drawbacks, the difficulties are far outweighed by the advantages. Indeed, people who go abroad  for study open themselves up to experiences that those who stay at home will never have.

The most obvious advantage to overseas university study is real-life use of a different language.  While a person can study a foreign language in his or her own country, it cannot compare with  constant use of the language in academic and everyday life. There is no better opportunity to  improve second-language skills than living in the country in which it is spoken. Moreover, having  used the language during one’s studies offers a distinct advantage when one is applying for jobs  back home that require the language.

On a university campus, the foreign student is not alone in having come from far away. He or  she will likely encounter many others from overseas and it is possible to make friends from all  around the world. This is not only exciting on a social level, but could lead to important overseas  contacts in later professional life.

Finally, living and studying abroad offers one a new and different perspective of the world and,  perhaps most important, of one’s own country. Once beyond the initial shock of being in a new  culture, the student slowly begins to get a meaningful understanding of the host society. On  returning home, one inevitably sees one’s own country in a new, often more appreciative, light.

In conclusion, while any anxiety about going overseas for university study is certainly  understandable, it is important to remember that the benefits offered by the experience make it  well worthwhile.

 (299 words)

16. Many students do not finish school. Why is this, and how can the problem be solved? School Drop-Outs: Problems and Solutions

Today, although most students in the UAE complete school, a large number still drop  out because of family, social and work pressures. This problem requires serious action  from both individuals and the government.

Most students who do not complete school do so because of family problems. Girls,  especially, want to get married and start a family. Some parents are not interested in  education and do not support their children in studying. Social problems are also a  contributing factor. Education is compulsory but, despite this, some people do not take it  seriously. Furthermore, jobs are available even if students do not have a good  education. The third reason is work pressure. Some families are poor and need their  children to work in order to increase the income. All these problems will create young  people who do not have any skills and who will not be able to improve their lives for the  family and the country.

There are several things that can be done about these problems. Parents should be  encouraged to send their children to school. Schools with baby-minding facilities should  be opened specially for married students. The government needs to stress the  importance of education and even offer financial support to students to continue. This  will encourage students to stay at school rather than start working.

In conclusion, there are several things that the government can do to allow more people  to finish school. However, a number of society attitudes also have to change if the  country’s young people are to achieve their full potential.

 (256 words)

17. Does a university education lead to success in life?

It is very difficult to answer the claim that a person needs a university education to be  successful in life because success in life means different things to different people. This  essay starts by defining three different ideas of success. Following this, it looks at which  types of success are dependent on a university education.

Success in life can be achieved in different ways. Many magazines and television  programmes tell us that success means having a lot of money, having a fulfilling career,  and being powerful. In contrast, most religious and spiritual organizations claim that  success means finding spiritual happiness and being at peace with God and with yourself. Another idea of success focuses on relationships – being surrounded by  people who love you and care about you, spending time with family and friends.

A university education can help you achieve some types of success, but it makes little  or no difference to whether or not you are successful in other areas of life. Undoubtedly,  a university education is essential if you want to have a career in a profession such as  law, engineering, teaching, or medicine. However, you do not need a university degree  to become a wealthy and powerful movie star, sports star or business person. In fact, a  university education does not generally enable you to achieve spiritual happiness, or to  have successful relationships with family and friends.

In conclusion, there are many different types of success. A university education may  help you to achieve professional success in some careers. However, it will not help you  to achieve success in other areas of your life such as your spiritual life or your  relationships.

 (275 words)

18. Education: Losing its Value

Today, it seems to be universally accepted that increased education is a good thing.  Thousands of colleges and millions of students spend vast amounts of time and money  chasing pieces of paper. But what is the value of these qualifications? This essay will  discuss whether education has been devalued.

Supporters of education (usually teachers or educators, or those who have an interest  in stopping people thinking for themselves) say that increased levels of education will  open doors for students. Certificates, diplomas, and degrees are held up as a status  symbol, a passport to a private club of money and power.

However, the truly powerful are not those who have taken degrees, but people who  have stood back and looked at what is really important in life. They have seen  opportunity and followed dreams. These people are found in every part of society. Like  many brilliant people, Einstein was a weak student at math. Like many successful  businessmen, Bill Gates never completed college. Like many inventive and creative  people, Edison never went to school. The greatest religious teachers do not have letters  after their name, but have looked into their hearts for meaning. Similarly, the world’s  political leaders do not have master’s degrees or doctorates. These are the people who  shaped our century, and they are too busy with real life to spend time in the paper  chase.

Students in college are being sold an illusion. They are made to believe that self-understanding and society approval will come with the acquisition of a piece of paper.  Instead of thinking for themselves, and finding their own personality and strengths, they  are fitted like square pegs into round holes.

The role of education is to prepare masses of people to operate at low levels of ability in  a very limited and restricted range of activities. Some of these activities are more  challenging than perhaps the assembly lines of the past, but still the ultimate purpose is  equally uninteresting. More worryingly, despite the increased level of education, people  are still not genuinely expected to think for themselves. In fact, the longer years of  schooling make the job of brainwashing even easier.

There is still a role for study, research, and education. However, we need to examine  our emphasis on education for the sake of a piece of paper, and to learn the real  meaning and revolutionary challenge of knowledge.

 (395 words)

19. Education: Still Invaluable!

In the past, degrees were very unusual in my family. I remember the day my uncle  graduated. We had a huge party, and for many years my mother called him “the genius”  and listened to his opinion. Today, in comparison five of my brothers and sisters have  degrees, and two are studying for their masters’. However, some people think that this  increased access to education is devaluing degrees. In this essay, I will look at some of  the arguments for and against the increased emphasis on degrees in our society.

People have several arguments against the need for degrees. They say that having so  many graduates devalues a degree. People lose respect for the degree holder. It is also  claimed that education has become a rat race. Graduates have to compete for jobs  even after years of studying. Another point is that studying for such a long time leads to  learners becoming inflexible. They know a lot about one narrow subject, but are unable  to apply their skills. Employers prefer more flexible and adaptable workers.

However, I feel strongly that this move to having more qualifications is a positive  development. In the past education was only for the rich and powerful. Now it is  available to everyone, and this will have many advantages for the country and the  individual. First of all, it is impossible to be overeducated. The more people are  educated, the better the world will be, because people will be able to discuss and  exchange ideas. A further point is that people with degrees have many more  opportunities. They can take a wider variety of jobs and do what they enjoy doing,  instead of being forced to take a job they dislike. Finally, a highly educated workforce is  good for the economy of the country. It attracts foreign investment.

In conclusion, although there are undoubtedly some problems with increased levels of  education, I feel strongly that the country can only progress if all its people are educated  to the maximum of their ability.

 (336 words)

20. It is often said that the subjects taught in schools are too academic in orientation and that it would be more useful for children to learn about practical matters such as home management, work and interpersonal skills. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

A criticism often heard these days is that the subjects taught in schools tend to be too  academic, and contribute little to preparing a young person for the real-life tasks he or she will  have to perform after graduation. They say that academic subjects are rooted in the past, and  are not useful for solving modern problems. I disagree with this point of view for three reasons.

My first reason is that it is the duty of parents, not teachers, to prepare their children to deal with  the practical affairs of life. The home, not the classroom, is the ideal place to learn about home  management and interpersonal skills. As for work abilities and attitudes, they are best learned  “on the job” and under the supervision of an experienced older worker.

My second reason is that academic subjects have withstood the test of time. They represent the  accumulated wisdom of our ancestors down through the ages, and, far from being impractical,  they equip us with the knowledge and confidence to make sound judgements about any  problems which may crop up. In addition, academic subjects are good for training us in mental  discipline, while practical subjects are weak in this regard.

My third reason is based on the saying “Man does not live by bread alone.” Schooldays devoted  solely to instruction in down-to-earth practical matters would be dull indeed! Lessons in the best  literature of the world, and the epoch-making scientific and geographical discoveries of the past  enrich our lives and make us feel that we are part of the great family of mankind.

All in all, the teaching of academic subjects in schools is entirely appropriate. It is my firmly held  view that practical subjects have no place in the classroom. On the contrary, the curriculum  should be more academic!

 (300 words)

21. It has been said, “Not every thing that is learned is contained in books.” Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why?

“Experience is the best teacher” is an old cliché, but I agree with it. The most important,  and sometimes the hardest, lessons we learn in life come from our participation in  situations. You can‟ learn everything from a book.

Of course, learning from books in a formal educational setting is also valuable. It’s in  schools that we learn the information we need to function in our society. We learn how  to speak and write and understand mathematical equations. This is all information that  we need to live in our communities and earn a living.

Nevertheless, I think that the most important lessons can’t be taught; they have to be  experienced. No one can teach us how to get along with others or how to have self-respect. As we grow from children into teenagers, no one can teach us how to deal with peer pressure. As we leave adolescence behind and enter adult life, no one can teach us how to fall in love and get married.

This shouldn’t stop us from looking for guidelines along the way. Teachers and parents  are valuable sources of advice when we’re young. As we enter into new stages in our  lives, the advice we receive from them is very helpful because they have already bad  similar experiences. But experiencing our own triumphs and disasters is really the only  way to learn how to deal with life.

 (232 words)

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• University Education Essay

IELTS Writing Example: The Aims of University

This IELTS writing example is on the topic of  university education . Take a look at the question:

Some people believe the aim of university education is to help graduates get better jobs. Others believe there are much wider benefits of university education for both individuals and society.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

In this essay, two  opposing opinions  need to be discussed.

This is the first opinion:

The aim of university education is to help graduates get better jobs.

This is the second opinion:

There are much wider benefits of university education for both individuals and society.

IELTS Writing Example

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Discuss both views andgive your opinion.

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

Write at least 250 words.

IELTS Writing Example - Model Answer

These days, more and more people are making the choice to go to university. While some people are of the opinion that the only purpose of a university education is to improve job prospects, others think that society and the individual benefit in much broader ways.

It is certainly true that one of the main aims of university is to secure a better job. The majority of people want to improve their future career prospects and attending university is one of the best ways to do this as it increases a person's marketable skills and attractiveness to potential employers. In addition, further education is very expensive for many people, so most would not consider it if it would not provide them with a more secure future and a higher standard of living. Thus job prospects are very important.

However, there are other benefits for individuals and society. Firstly, the independence of living away from home is a benefit because it helps the students develop better social skills and improve as a person. A case in point is that many students will have to leave their families, live in halls of residence and meet new friends. As a result, their maturity and confidence will grow enabling them to live more fulfilling lives. Secondly, society will gain from the contribution that the graduates can make to the economy. We are living in a very competitive world, so countries need educated people in order to compete and prosper.

Therefore, I believe that although a main aim of university education is to get the best job, there are clearly further benefits. If we continue to promote and encourage university attendance, it will lead to a better future for individuals and society.

(279 words)

The writer in this IELTS writing example has a clear thesis in the second sentence of the introduction, establishing that two sides of this issue will be discussed:

• While some people are of the opinion...others think that...

Looking at the structure , the topic sentences make it clear when the first opinion is being discussed:

• It is certainly true that one of the main aims of university is to secure a better job.

And when the writer is moving onto the next opinion

• However, there are other benefits for individuals and society.

Connectors ( To begin... Also... Firstly... Secondly ) are used well to introduce each new supporting idea. Further connectors ( For example...A case in point is that...As a result... ) are used to expand on these ideas.

Finally, the writer has demonstrated that they are able to use complex sentence structures ( While...that...in order to...as... ), and has discussed both views and combined this with his/her opinion, thus ensuring the question has been answered.

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• Task 1 Academic
• Task 1 General
• Task 2 (essay)

Education writing task 2 questions for IELTS

Here you can find common IELTS essay questions for "Education" topic.

Some students work while studying. This often results in lacking time for education and constantly feeling under pressure.

What do you think are the causes of this?

What solutions can you suggest?

Children are generally more successful in foreign language studies than adults. Thus, it is better to learn languages in childhood.

Do you agree or disagree?

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

Online education is becoming more and more popular. Some people claim that e-learning has so many benefits that it will replace face-to-face education soon. Others say that traditional education is irreplaceable.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

In contemporary society, everyone should have equal opportunities in education. Therefore, universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students in every subject.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Everyone deserves to be educated. It's unfair that intelligent people are not admitted to private universities because of their financial background. University education should be free for everyone.

Provide relevant examples if necessary.

Some people argue that girls and boys should be educated separately, while others think that it is more advantageous for children to study at the same school.

What is your opinion?

Nowadays university education is considered very important for people's future. However, there are a lot of successful people who didn't get higher education.

Do you think that higher education is necessary to succeed in life?

Justify your opinion with relevant examples.

Students should focus on learning in the classroom rather than show their status by wearing fashionable clothes. Therefore, all students have to wear school uniforms.

Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

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Education essay topics for IELTS writing task 2

Home  »  IELTS writing task 2 questions  »  Education essay topics for writing task 2 IELTS

Take a look at these sample Task 2 essay questions about education for your IELTS exam.

For an introduction on how to start IELTS writing task 2 click here .

• Some people think that a person improves intellectual skills better when doing group activities.  To what extent do you agree? Use specific details and examples to explain your view.
• Doing an enjoyable activity with a child can develop better skills and imagination than reading. To what extent do you agree? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.
• Students perform better in school when they are rewarded rather than punished.   To what extent do you agree or disagree?  Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Find the sample answer to this question here .
• Cramming and immersion are becomingly increasingly recognised methods of gaining knowledge in an area, other people disagree and say that only through lifelong learning can a subject be learnt. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
• University students nowadays have too much freedom and do not study enough. To what extent do you agree and disagree?  Explain your opinion, using specific reasons and examples.
• Things like puzzles, board games and pictures can contribute to a child’s development. What would you give a child to help him/her develop and why? Give details and examples in your explanation.
• Do you think it is better for students to work before their university studies?  Why? Use reasons and specific examples to support your choice. Find the sample answer to this question here .
• Some people think that schools have to be more entertaining, while others think that their sole purpose is to educate.  Which do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Nowadays computer education is compulsory for your learners in most schools. Do you think this is necessary or will children acquire these skills naturally from their daily interaction with technology everywhere? Provide your opinion and use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some people believe that children should do organised activities in their free time while others believe that children should be free to do what they want to do in their free time.  Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. Find the sample answer to this question here .
• Compared to the past, more people are now studying abroad because it is more convenient and cheaper than before. Do you think this is beneficial to the foreign student’s home country? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Some people think that children should be homeschooled when they are very young while others think it is better for them to attend a kindergarten. Which do you think is better? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Tuition for healthy children usually has top priority in most countries. However, teaching students with disabilities or mental issues is more difficult and even more important to support and develop. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Computers have become so advanced and interactive that students in the future will have no need for a human educator in the classroom. Do you agree? Why or why not? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.
• In some countries, health care and education are only partially funded by the government. Some people argue that the government should be responsible for covering the full cost of these services. Do you support or oppose the opinion? Explain your position.
• Some students do very well at school and never have problems while others fall behind. Are they capable of handling this challenge themselves or should teachers and parents help them? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• The internet has become so efficient and popular that many people rely on it for learning.  Some suggest that it could replace the use of books as the main source of knowledge for education. Do you support or oppose the opinion? Explain your position.
• What do you think is the best way to find a job: by gaining more knowledge and education or through more practical skills? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and details.
• Do you think that education and training should be completely free or it is better to require fully paid tuition? Which way do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Students should be completely free to choose whether to study or play games. They should be allowed to manage their own time. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
• Some people think that real-life skills like cooking, housekeeping and gardening should be included in the curriculum as compulsory subjects. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your opinion, using specific reasons and details.
• Childcare has always been of primary concern and importance. Do you think that courses designed to help mothers are necessary or can they acquire the essential knowledge through personal experience? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Gaming is argued to have a bad influence on young children but some people think that it could have a positive effect on them as well. Which view do you agree with? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? If students were given the choice between ‘not to study’ and ‘study most of the time’, they would choose ‘not to study’. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• School curriculum is selected by the central education authority rather than by the teachers, parents and students. Some believe that the latter should take part in the choice. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• In some countries, physical education is a compulsory subject for the leaving certificate. Some people suggest that this practice be abolished.  Which view do you agree with? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and details.
• Many universities have introduced tests for evaluation rather than the old written exams based on lessons from books. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some people say that school education is not useful and the essence of study can be acquired at home. Do you agree? Why or why not? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.
• Modern trends in early education focus on an array of practical school projects rather than developing traditional skills through maths, science and similar subjects. Which do you consider the better approach and why? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and details.
• In recent years, online education is becoming more and more popular. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this phenomenon? Use specific details and examples to explain your opinion.

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IELTS Writing Task 2/ Essay Topics with sample answer.

Ielts essay 244 - university education to help graduates get better jobs, ielts writing task 2/ ielts essay:, some people believe the aim of university education is to help graduates get better jobs. others believe there are much wider benefits of university education for both individuals and society..

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• Choosing Your College Essay Topic | Ideas & Examples

Choosing Your College Essay Topic | Ideas & Examples

Published on October 25, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A strong essay topic sets you up to write a unique, memorable college application essay . Your topic should be personal, original, and specific. Take time to brainstorm the right topic for you.

Table of contents

What makes a good topic, brainstorming questions to get started, discover the best topic for you, how to make a common topic compelling, frequently asked questions about college application essays, other interesting articles.

Here are some guidelines for a good essay topic:

• It’s focused on you and your experience
• It shares something different from the rest of your application
• It’s specific and original (not many students could write a similar essay)
• It affords the opportunity to share your positive stories and qualities

In most cases, avoid topics that

• Reflect poorly on your character and behavior
• Deal with a challenge or traumatic experience without a lesson learned or positive outlook

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Spend time reflecting on and writing out answers to the following questions. After doing this exercise, you should be able to identify a few strong topics for your college essay.

Writing about yourself can be difficult. If you’re struggling to identify your topic, try these two strategies.

Start with your qualities

After identifying your positive qualities or values, brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities.

Start with a story

If you already have some memorable stories in mind that you’d like to write about, think about which qualities and values you can demonstrate with those stories.

Talk it through

To make sure you choose the right topic, ask for advice from trusted friends or family members who know you well. They can help you brainstorm ideas and remember stories, and they can give you feedback on your potential essay topics.

You can also work with a guidance counselor, teacher, or other mentor to discuss which ideas are most promising. If you plan ahead , you can even workshop multiple draft essays to see which topic works best.

If you do choose a common topic, ensure you have the following to craft a unique essay:

• Surprising or unexpected story arcs
• Interesting insight or connections
• An advanced writing style

Here are a few examples of how to craft strong essays from cliché topics.

Here’s a checklist you can use to confirm that your college essay topic is right for you.

College essay topic checklist

My topic is focused on me, not on someone else.

My topic shares something different from the rest of my application.

My topic is specific and original (not many students could write a similar essay).

My topic reflects positively on my character and behavior.

If I chose to write about a traumatic or challenging experience, my essay will focus on how I overcame it or gained insight.

If I chose a common topic, my essay will have a surprising story arc, interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style.

Good topic!

It looks like your topic is a good choice. It's specific, it avoids clichés, and it reflects positively on you.

There are no foolproof college essay topics —whatever your topic, the key is to write about it effectively. However, a good topic

• Is meaningful, specific, and personal to you
• Focuses on you and your experiences
• Reveals something beyond your test scores, grades, and extracurriculars
• Is creative and original

Yes—admissions officers don’t expect everyone to have a totally unique college essay topic . But you must differentiate your essay from others by having a surprising story arc, an interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style .

To decide on a good college essay topic , spend time thoughtfully answering brainstorming questions. If you still have trouble identifying topics, try the following two strategies:

• Identify your qualities → Brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities
• Identify memorable stories → Connect your qualities to these stories

You can also ask family, friends, or mentors to help you brainstorm topics, give feedback on your potential essay topics, or recall key stories that showcase your qualities.

Most topics are acceptable for college essays if you can use them to demonstrate personal growth or a lesson learned. However, there are a few difficult topics for college essays that should be avoided. Avoid topics that are:

• Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships)
• Not personal enough (e.g. broad solutions to world problems, inspiring people or things)
• Too negative (e.g. an in-depth look at your flaws, put-downs of others, criticizing the need for a college essay)
• Too boring (e.g. a resume of your academic achievements and extracurriculars)
• Inappropriate for a college essay (e.g. illegal activities, offensive humor, false accounts of yourself, bragging about privilege)

Here’s a brief list of college essay topics that may be considered cliché:

• Extracurriculars, especially sports
• Role models
• Dealing with a personal tragedy or death in the family
• Struggling with new life situations (immigrant stories, moving homes, parents’ divorce)
• Becoming a better person after community service, traveling, or summer camp
• Overcoming a difficult class
• Using a common object as an extended metaphor

It’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic. However, it’s possible to make a common topic compelling with interesting story arcs, uncommon connections, and an advanced writing style.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
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• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

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• How to end an email
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• Hope you are doing well

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Skills and Vocational Training (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 11 Comments

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay related to the topic of skills and vocational training or university education from the real IELTS exam.

It is a very common kind of question and these topics also come up a lot.

Be sure that you check out my exclusive IELTS Ebooks and materials on Patreon here (and recommend a friend if you can!).

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Skills and Vocational Training

Nations should spend more money on skills and vocational training for practical work, rather than on university education. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Real Past IELTS Exam

Many today feel that countries should prioritise vocational training over higher education due to changes in the labour market. In my opinion, though there are strong economic reasons to support this idea, university education holds greater value.

Those in favour of more practical skills training point out the financial benefits. Most university graduates are burdened with student debt and face uncertain job prospects. In contrast, training schools are cheap, fast, and ease students into steady employment immediately. The jobs they train for are also most likely recession-proof and durable, including positions as cooks, hotel managers, and skilled technicians. Someone who is firmly established in such a job in their early 20s does not have to deal with the pressures associated with university life and its incumbent debts. Instead, they can begin to set aside money for a house or start a family.

Nonetheless, lacking a university degree limits one’s options. The jobs available will pay well initially and be secure but offer narrow scope for advancement and virtually no opportunity to switch career paths. An individual with a university degree, on the other hand, might begin from a lower position but has a higher ceiling on future earnings. It is also possible for them to explore a variety of fields. Most good jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree even for simple internship vacancies. Lacking such a degree, means restricting oneself to manual labour or service industry jobs. The actual learning that takes place at university, particularly for those with multi-disciplinary majors or studying at liberal arts schools, also encourages students to consider a wide range of possible career options.

In conclusion, increasing funding for vocational training is an attractive yet short-sighted approach that curbs possibilities. Governments ought to continue to support higher education even in dark economic times in order to reap future rewards.

1. Many today feel that countries should prioritise vocational training over higher education due to changes in the labour market. 2. In my opinion, though there are strong economic reasons to support this idea, university education holds greater value.

• Paraphrase the overall topic for the essay.
• Give a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here .

1. Those in favour of more practical skills training point out the financial benefits. 2. Most university graduates are burdened with student debt and face uncertain job prospects. 3. In contrast, training schools are cheap, fast, and ease students into steady employment immediately. 4. The jobs they train for are also most likely recession-proof and durable, including positions as cooks, hotel managers, and skilled technicians. 5. Someone who is firmly established in such a job in their early 20s does not have to deal with the pressures associated with university life and its incumbent debts. 6. Instead, they can begin to set aside money for a house or start a family.

• Write a clear topic sentence with a main idea at the end.
• Explain your main idea.
• Use specific details to develop your main idea.
• Include specific examples.
• State the full results.
• Continue detailing the results.

1. Nonetheless, lacking a university degree limits one’s options. 2. The jobs available will pay well initially and be secure but offer narrow scope for advancement and virtually no opportunity to switch career paths. 3. An individual with a university degree, on the other hand, might begin from a lower position but has a higher ceiling on future earnings. 4. It is also possible for them to explore a variety of fields. 5. Most good jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree even for simple internship vacancies. 6. Lacking such a degree, means restricting oneself to manual labour or service industry jobs. 7. The actual learning that takes place at university, particularly for those with multi-disciplinary majors or studying at liberal arts schools, also encourages students to consider a wide range of possible career options.

• Write another topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
• Explain your main idea again.
• Use a hypothetical example if you don’t know a real one.
• Vary your long and short sentences.
• Keep developing the same main idea.
• Using counter-points to make your argument stronger.
• State the full results and add in any more development for the same main idea.

1. In conclusion, increasing funding for vocational training is an attractive yet short-sighted approach that curbs possibilities. 2. Governments ought to continue to support higher education even in dark economic times in order to reap future rewards.

• Summarise your main ideas and repeat your opinion.
• Add a final thought/detail. Learn more about conclusions here .

What do the words in bold below mean?

Many today feel that countries should prioritise vocational training over higher education due to changes in the labour market . In my opinion, though there are strong economic reasons to support this idea, university education holds greater value .

Those in favour of more practical skills training point out the financial benefits . Most university graduates are burdened with student debt and face uncertain job prospects . In contrast , training schools are cheap, fast, and ease students into steady employment immediately. The jobs they train for are also most likely recession-proof and durable , including positions as cooks, hotel managers, and skilled technicians . Someone who is firmly established in such a job in their early 20s does not have to deal with the pressures associated with university life and its incumbent debts . Instead, they can begin to set aside money for a house or start a family.

Nonetheless, lacking a university degree limits one’s options . The jobs available will pay well initially and be secure but offer narrow scope for advancement and virtually no opportunity to switch career paths . An individual with a university degree , on the other hand , might begin from a lower position but has a higher ceiling on future earnings . It is also possible for them to explore a variety of fields . Most good jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree even for simple internship vacancies . Lacking such a degree, means restricting oneself to manual labour or service industry jobs . The actual learning that takes place at university, particularly for those with multi-disciplinary majors or studying at liberal arts schools , also encourages students to consider a wide range of possible career options .

In conclusion, increasing funding for vocational training is an attractive yet short-sighted approach that curbs possibilities . Governments ought to continue to support higher education even in dark economic times in order to reap future rewards .

prioritise vocational training focus more on skilled training

higher education university

labour market jobs and employment

strong economic reasons good financial justifications

holds greater value has more importance

practical skills training vocational training for jobs such as cook, electrician, etc.

financial benefits monetary advantages

burdened with student debt have lots of money to pay back

face uncertain job prospects may struggle to get work

in contrast however

ease without effort

steady employment good job

recession-proof can survive difficult economic times

durable secure

skilled technicians electricians, plumbers, IT people

firmly established secure

deal with handle

pressures associated with stress related to

incumbent debts money owed that comes along with uni

set aside money save money

lacking not having

limits one’s options not as many choices

pay well initially make good salary at the beginning

secure safe

narrow scope not diverse, limited

virtually essentially

switch career paths find a new kind of job

university degree bachelor’s degree, masters, etc.

on the other hand however

lower position not as high up

higher ceiling on future earnings cap on what you can make in the future

explore look through

variety of fields lots of different jobs, areas

require at least must have at minimum

internship vacancies open unpaid jobs

restricting limiting

manual labour jobs that require hard work

service industry jobs hotels, restaurants, etc.

multi-disciplinary majors studying more than one subject

liberal arts schools schools where you focus on many subjects

encourages inspires

consider think about

wide range of possible career options many choices for a job

attractive appealing

short-sighted approach not a good long-term strategy

curbs possibilities limits choices

dark economic times when the economy is poor

reap future rewards get a lot out of it later

Pronunciation

praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz vəʊˈkeɪʃənl ˈtreɪnɪŋ   ˈhaɪər ˌɛdju(ː)ˈkeɪʃən   ˈleɪbə ˈmɑːkɪt strɒŋ ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈriːznz   həʊldz ˈgreɪtə ˈvæljuː ˈpræktɪkəl skɪlz ˈtreɪnɪŋ   faɪˈnænʃəl ˈbɛnɪfɪts ˈbɜːdnd wɪð ˈstjuːdənt dɛt   feɪs ʌnˈsɜːtn ʤɒb ˈprɒspɛkts ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst iːz   ˈstɛdi ɪmˈplɔɪmənt   rɪˈsɛʃən-pruːf   ˈdjʊərəbl skɪld tɛkˈnɪʃənz ˈfɜːmli ɪsˈtæblɪʃt   diːl wɪð   ˈprɛʃəz əˈsəʊʃɪeɪtɪd wɪð   ɪnˈkʌmbənt dɛts sɛt əˈsaɪd ˈmʌni   ˈlækɪŋ   ˈlɪmɪts wʌnz ˈɒpʃənz peɪ wɛl ɪˈnɪʃəli   sɪˈkjʊə   ˈnærəʊ skəʊp   ˈvɜːtjʊəli   swɪʧ kəˈrɪə pɑːðz ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsɪti dɪˈgriː ɒn ði ˈʌðə hænd ˈləʊə pəˈzɪʃən   ˈhaɪə ˈsiːlɪŋ ɒn ˈfjuːʧər ˈɜːnɪŋz ɪksˈplɔː   vəˈraɪəti ɒv fiːldz rɪˈkwaɪər æt liːst   ˈɪntɜːnʃɪp ˈveɪkənsiz rɪsˈtrɪktɪŋ   ˈmænjʊəl ˈleɪbə   ˈsɜːvɪs ˈɪndəstri ʤɒbz ˈmʌltɪ-ˈdɪsɪplɪnəri ˈmeɪʤəz   ˈlɪbərəl ɑːts skuːlz ɪnˈkʌrɪʤɪz   kənˈsɪdə   waɪd reɪnʤ ɒv ˈpɒsəbl kəˈrɪər ˈɒpʃənz əˈtræktɪv   ʃɔːt-ˈsaɪtɪd əˈprəʊʧ   kɜːbz ˌpɒsəˈbɪlɪtiz dɑːk ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk taɪmz   riːp ˈfjuːʧə rɪˈwɔːdz

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Many today feel that countries should p__________________________g over h______________________n due to changes in the l__________________t . In my opinion, though there are s_________________________s to support this idea, university education h____________________e .

Those in favour of more p________________________g point out the f_________________________s . Most university graduates are b__________________________t and f__________________________s . I_______________t , training schools are cheap, fast, and e_____e students into s________________________t immediately. The jobs they train for are also most likely r__________________f and d____________e , including positions as cooks, hotel managers, and s____________________s . Someone who is f_______________________d in such a job in their early 20s does not have to d______________h the p______________________h university life and its i_______________________s . Instead, they can begin to s__________________y for a house or start a family.

Nonetheless, l___________g a university degree l______________________s . The jobs available will p____________________y and be s__________e but offer n__________________e for advancement and v____________y no opportunity to s_____________________s . An individual with a u___________________e , o_______________________d , might begin from a l_______________n but has a h_____________________________s . It is also possible for them to e___________e a v____________________s . Most good jobs r_________________t a bachelor’s degree even for simple i_____________________s . Lacking such a degree, means r______________g oneself to m______________r or s_________________________s . The actual learning that takes place at university, particularly for those with m_________________________s or studying at l______________________s , also e______________s students to c____________r a w_____________________________________s .

In conclusion, increasing funding for vocational training is an a______________e yet s_________________________h that c________________________s . Governments ought to continue to support higher education even in d______________________s in order to r_______________________s .

Listening Practice

Listen about training in the United States and Germany below from The New York Times YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sun5FS6VKw

and here about this exact topic:

Reading Practice

Read more about this same topic from The Atlantic:

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2009/06/skip-college-and-get-a-job/20009/

Speaking Practice

Practice speaking with the following topics from the IELTS speaking test :

• Do you work or are you a student?
• What do you like about your work?
• What has changed at your work since you started?
• Do you like to work in the morning or afternoon?

Writing Practice

Write about the following related topic and check with my sample answer:

Full-time university students spend a lot of time studying. Some say they should do other activities too. To what extent do you agree or disagree? IELTS Writing Exam

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Full-Time University Students (Real Past IELTS Exam)

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11 Comments

The question was to what extent do u agree or disagree. But you are explaining both the views. Shouldn’t it be only a one-sided essay?

I think if the question was ” Do you agree or disagree you must explain just one side of the argument. As it says to what extend, I think you can express what other people’s opinions but not yours. That’s the reason Dave says ” those in favour” it’s not his opinion. Hope it is clear. Thanks

It is argued by many people that the countries must provide more skilled drill and should spend less on tertiary education. This essay agrees that more funds should be given for imparting work training as it will create more jobs and people tend to stay in their home country.

To commence with, it is quite evident that by giving job-specific training, young people will tend to obtain more jobs through these occupational-related practices. To illustrate, many students, who cannot afford to pay the university fees, seek professional instruction after completing their school and prepare themselves for work. It not only gives them confidence but ensures economic stability in their lives. Moreover, some children due to lack of jobs move to foreign countries, which leads to brain drain in the countries, as the overwhelming majority of the educated millennial shift to other countries.

Furthermore, due to the soaring fees for research or higher studies, students’ resort to easy courses which help them not only in securing a job, but also give them financial stability. For instance, in India, the government has started a vocational training program in schools, which promise a secured work to the students.

To conclude, it is clear that the benefits of work-related training programs, outweigh the disadvantages, by providing more employment to the youth, however, merits associated with university education such as research work should not be ignored. Thus, the government should fund short-term training on the one hand, but also promote higher education for the brighter future of the country.

Many countries are undetermined to where they spend most of their money in terms of education. Others believe that vocational training should receive more financial support instead of higher education. I strongly disagree with this belief because having a degree is more advantageous for students.

Those who argue in favor of skills training typically focus on monetary objectives. Financial instability is the primary reason why this program is popular. Also, it is believed that if individuals finished their vocational studies, they can instantly find a job. Electronics, welding, manufacturing, and other skilled tasks are examples of programs that people are taking. When people learn specific tasks in just a short period, it could allow them to find jobs easily. Thus, nations should come to the idea that giving attention to this field is a way of reducing the burden of their financial dilemma.

However, higher education is much important if a person is aiming for a long-term goal. A degree is an instrument that gives an edge to find a better job. Although university graduates can indeed have a low starting salary, it will eventually increase as they gain experience. For instance, several companies nowadays, such as call centers, hospitals, and offices, are searching for applicants that have a bachelor’s degree and professionals. The salary offer could be insufficient but their job could become satisfying as time progresses, in terms of learning and career growth. For this reason, university education is far more efficient for a better future.

In conclusion, although vocational courses are more striking and economical, I believe that countries should invest more in university education as it gives people bigger chances to succeed.

Good work, Jessica – seems you are one of the hardest working students I know!

are undetermined about whether or not to, (some good accuracy in this writing), careful with over-using linking expressions in your writing – it makes it sound a little robotic, is a far better option for the future.

Dear Dave, Thanking you for your time, I have an issue with the following:

“In contrast, training schools are cheap, fast, and ease students into steady employment immediately.”

Doesn’t it have to be “cheap AND fast, and ease students…”, for the first “and” connects parallel nouns and second connect “ease and are” as two verbs?

Thank you again

Yes, you are correct that would be another way to write it – both are correct but yours maintains the parallel structure more clearly. Thanks Hooshmand!

Yes I do wanna join

What would you like to join, Rohit?

The question represents the general opinion that vocational courses ought to be considered at prior to spend an extensive amount of money instead of university education. In my opinion, spending money on vocational courses is a healthy approach; if the budget on the university education gets minimized, thereby increasing the expenditure on vocational courses then it is explicitly unethical and can never be appreciable as university courses are also necessarily needed to grow country numerously; it is a must to balance budget impartially on the vocational training and university education to ensure the holistic development. Undoubtedly, society needs decorators, plumbers, electricians, painters, car repairers, hairdressers, and many more to run system smoothly. To exemplify, painters are needed to paint houses. Likewise, electricians are required to repair electrical appliances: fans, refrigerators, and many more. The vocational courses result in making people able to open small scale businesses and earn money sufficiently to sustain their survival. Apart from this, undeniably, globalization has break down boundaries for skilled people to work globally; the people good plumber, electrician, car mechanic and painter get opportunity to work in alien countries. For example, Dubai, Singapore, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Malaysia are the countries in which skilled workers are widely welcomed. However, if the abundant amount of money is expended on vocational courses particularly than that of university education then it would be unjustifiable because university education is majorly advantageous for society to ensure the massive existence of white-collar people predominantly: doctors, engineers, teachers, and lawyers; if there would be the lack of doctors, teachers, engineers in society, then how would it be possible to cure and teach a large number of people or even make bridges and buildings? Chiefly, university education assists individuals to be part of certain respectable professions: teaching, engineering, medical and ultimately earn a good amount of money along with dignity. So, impartiality is compulsory to spending money equally on vocational training and university education for the comprehensive development. In conclusion, in my opinion, it is fine to expend money on vocational courses; it is also obligatory to allocate budget on the university education without any prejudice then it would not be unfair. Otherwise, it would be unjustifiable as university courses are also significant for the betterment of country; it is a must to divide budget similarly on the vocational training and university education to develop nation holistically.

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Traditionally in the U.S. secondary education refers to school studies (grades 9 to 12) and culminates in a High School Diploma.

A typical next academic milestone is what is called higher education . Higher education is studies beyond high school.

Example : Higher education in the Western world is usually voluntary.

As a result of your studies you will hopefully receive an official recognition in the form of some qualification. General types of qualifications are:

Certificate – for short academic programs Diploma – university level programs shorter than a degree Degree – relatively long academic programs covering specific areas in great depth

Traditionally the first degree you acquire is the Bachelor’s . You can then apply for Master’s and PhD (doctorate).

Example : PhD courses may be a mix of theory and practice in your chosen subject.

To start your studies in a recognized university you normally have to meet specific requirements. Let’s talk about them using specific vocabulary.

Entry Admissions are requirements for prospective students and could be expressed as your minimum grade level during your previous studies, minimum score in specific standardized tests (like IELTS, TOEFL, ACT, GMAT, etc.). Another way to say it is entrance requirements.

While choosing your future institution you consider a number of aspects such as university rankings and curricula . Let’s stop here! Curriculum is another superpopular term. It means the content taught in a specific academic program. By curriculum we often mean courses offered by a school.

Example : Curriculum is one of the foundational elements of effective teaching.

Let’s continue. Another important thing you usually have to carefully consider is tuition and cost of attendance . Basically it’s money you have to invest in your studies. Tuition fees are what you pay directly to the university and the cost of attendance includes food, housing, transportation, books, and supplies. Top-tier institutions (another very useful expression which means leading or prestigious institutions) often charge thousands of dollars yearly. To ease the burden on their budget many students apply for financial aid. It could come in the form of a scholarship (scholarship is money for your education awarded based on various criteria defined by a sponsor).

Example : There are a number of scholarship schemes run by governments, charities, and other organizations.

There are other forms of financial aid which include bursaries, grants, fellowship, and scholarship.

• Scholarships are awarded for scholastic achievement.
• Bursaries are awarded on the basis of financial need, so it is a certain type of social financial help.
• Grants are funds provided by a certain party, often a government department, corporation, or foundation to an individual or institution.
• Fellowships usually refer to grants in support of post baccalaureate projects, or to pre baccalaureate projects pursued outside the standard curriculum.

All scholarships and fellowships are grants and need not to be repaid.

Example: Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called for cutting student debt.

Now let’s talk about learning modes. The typical decision for most students is to study full-time , but for those who work part-time studying can be a more realistic solution. You can also choose to study distantly or via some trendy online program (e-learning) . Or you might prefer a combination of on campus and distance studying which is called the blended mode .

Talking about online programs I will mention some other hot terms and concepts.

MOOC is a recent development in distance education rapidly gaining popularity. It stands for Massive Open Online Course. It is an online course that has open access and interactive participation published on the web.

Example : Coursera, which emerged thanks to Stanford University professors in 2012, has by far the largest number of offered courses.

Educational verbs

• to revise – to make changes especially to correct or improve (something); to study (something) again;
• to enroll (in a degree course) – to enter (someone) as a member of or participant in something;
• to take (someone) as a member or participant; to become a member or participant
• to review – to look at or examine (something) carefully especially before making a decision or judgment; to study or look at (something) again; to describe or show (a series of things or events from the past)
• to research – to study (something) carefully; to collect information about or for (something)
• to attend (classes) – to go to or be present at some event
• to major in a subject – to pursue an academic major
• to deliver a lecture – to carry out/conduct a lecture
• to graduate (from a university) – to earn a degree or diploma from a school, college, or university
• to keep up with (your studies) – to go or make progress at the same rate as others
• to demonstrate academic gains – to show academic progress/education achievement
• to broaden horizons – to enlarge / expand someone’s scope
• to fall behind (with studies) – lag behind
• to evaluate – to determine or fix the value of something; to determine the significance, worth, or condition of usually by careful appraisal and study to procrastinate – to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done
• And there is also a short list of great words that don’t fit into any category. You might already know some of them, others might appear to be new to you. Try to remember them or write them into your notepad and think of some examples with them! Practice makes perfect.
• Campus – the area and buildings around a university, college, school, etc.
• Essay – a short piece of writing that tells a person’s thoughts or opinions about a subject
• Debate – a discussion between people in which they express different opinions about something
• Attendance – the number of people present at an event, meeting, etc. the act of being present at a place; a record of how often a person goes to classes, meetings, etc.
• Compulsory – required by a law or rule; having the power of forcing someone to do something
• Inquisitive – tending to ask questions; having a desire to know or learn more asking too many questions about other people’s lives
• Dissertation – a long piece of writing about a particular subject that is done to earn an advanced degree at a university
• Discipline – a field of study Faculty – a branch of teaching or learning in an educational institution
• Peer – a person who belongs to the same age group or social group as someone else Literacy – the ability to read and write; knowledge that relates to a specified subject
• Alumnus (pl.-i-) – someone who was a student at a particular school, college, or university
• Assignment – a specified task or amount of work assigned or undertaken as if assigned by authority
• Thesis – a long piece of writing on a particular subject that is done to earn a degree at a university

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer: University education should be free to everyone, regardless of income. Agree or disagree?

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IELTS Writing Task 2 essay with model answer

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic

University education should be free to everyone, regardless of income. To what extent do you agree or disagree.

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

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer :

One of the highly debatable issues today relates to whether college tuition costs  should be funded by the Government, or should individual pupils finance their higher education . I strongly disagree with the idea of providing tertiary education at no cost. In this essay, I am going to shed some light on this topic and then give my opinion on the matter. 

First and foremost, from a social viewpoint, free education promotes equality between the rich and the poor. Pragmatically, everyone should have equal opportunity to study despite his or her wealth . With a university degree, poorer students are able to obtain better employment upon graduation. In this sense, university education can be seen as a precursor to improving  the quality of life. Moreover, without equal opportunity for college, people are not only discriminated by the level of income, but also separated by the level of intelligence.

Secondly, there are many benefits of an educated workforce. From the financial perspective, a university graduate earns higher wages than those who did not go to college. With better wages, people are able to pay higher taxes. Initially, it may seem counter-intuitive for government to provide free university education for all; nevertheless, government could actually collect a higher amount of tax revenue in the long-term.

Finally, although I acknowledge that allowing university students to study for free has many advantages, such a statement is simply not feasible. It is unrealistic for the governments, especially those in developing countries to pay tuition fees for all enrolling students.

To conclude, I believe countries who can afford such policy should strongly embrace it. However, it is unlikely that all countries could afford such a pragmatic move.

Total Words: 283

Task Achievement: 8

Coherence & cohesion: 8, lexical resources: 8, overall score: band 8.0, ielts score calculators and estimators:.

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IELTS Topic: Education

Posted by David S. Wills | Jun 23, 2020 | IELTS Tips | 0

In this article, I am going to tell you all about education and IELTS. As you know (if you follow this website), the best way to learn new vocabulary is to study in terms of topics . There are many IELTS topics , such as environment , space , sports , health , and crime. We have talked about education many times in the past but today I will devote a whole article to it.

I intend to look at this topic in a structured way. We will explore it as such:

• Reading & Listening

You can either study the whole lesson or else skip to the part that is most interesting for you.

Education Vocabulary

If we look at the topic of education and IELTS , we can quickly see that there is a huge amount of vocabulary to learn. In fact, this is a vast topic. I will assume that you already know the basic words like “school” and “teacher” (or else you are probably not reading this right now). Instead, I will look at some more advanced vocabulary for IELTS education.

First of all, let’s look at some school subjects.

School Subjects

There many be some regional differences in the words used for these subjects (for example, mathematics is known as “maths” in British English and “math” in American English.

Depending on where you study, most people learn a subject called “science” when they are young and later this becomes several subjects, including chemistry, biology, and physics. We also have “social sciences.” This includes many areas of study. You can read about it here .

British English vs American English

I actually wrote in depth about the differences between British and American English last year . For now, though, I will focus on the differences in language when it comes to education. Here are a few ways in which we talk about these differences.

*The British and American school systems are quite different and what is known as “secondary school” in the UK lasts for up to six years. As such, this overlaps the American version. Anyway, those final years in the UK would more likely be called “fifth/sixth form” or “fifth/sixth year,” depending on which part of the country you come from. In England, it is usually “sixth form” and in Scotland it is “sixth year.”

Some other differences

American people talk about their school years in this way:

• Freshmen (1 st year)
• Sophomore (2 nd year)
• Junior (3 rd year)
• Senior (4 th year)

In the UK, we do not commonly use these terms but in the last few decades it has become normal to talk about “freshers” as people in their first year of university. For example, they often talk about “freshers’ week” as the first week in the university year because this is when the new students arrive.

Reading and Listening

Because education is something that affects pretty much everyone in the world, it is a topic that is really common in IELTS. It could appear in any part of the test , including the reading and listening sections.

When it does occur, you should be prepared. This means that you ought to know lots of vocabulary about this topic and also have some life experience and opinions on the matter. You can achieve that by including this topic in your regular reading.

There are many ways to achieve this. You can go on Google News (or any news service that you enjoy) and subscribe to their education feed.

Let’s take an article for an example and do a little practice. We will look first at a piece called “ With no students, small college town worries over its future .” Let’s look at the first two paragraphs:

What happens to a college town when the students disappear? Ithaca, a small upstate New York city nearby gorges and vineyards, is finding out. Most of the 24,000 students at Cornell University and 6,200 more from Ithaca College effectively vanished in March when the coronavirus pandemic struck, leaving behind struggling restaurants and shops. Locals still reeling from the outbreak and resulting exodus are wondering when — or if — things will get back to normal.

It is an interesting text that deals with a familiar situation: the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.

In this excerpt, you can see the word “exodus.” What do you think this means? Let’s isolate that sentence:

Locals still reeling from the outbreak and resulting exodus are wondering when — or if — things will get back to normal.

We can learn from the words around it. “Resulting” tells us that this thing happened because of the virus outbreak. We also know from the previous sentence that thousands of students are not coming to this place.

We can guess then, that “exodus” means “a mass departure of people.” This sort of skill is really important when it comes to IELTS reading. You need to be able to figure out the meaning of a word from context. Here is a video that shows you how to work out the meaning of difficult vocabulary:

I have covered the topic of education here many times, including this TED video lesson about making education better by introducing creativity to curriculums. (By the way, this is one of two possible ways to pluralise “curriculum”! The other is “curricula.”)

Here is another interesting video about education. This time it is about gender and education. Remember that sometimes IELTS topics overlap like this.

IELTS Speaking Topic: Education

The topic of education is really common in IELTS speaking. In fact, it is probably one of the most common topics that there is. As such, you need to be ready to answer these sorts of questions.

As you probably know, the first part of the IELTS speaking test is comprised of relatively simple questions that you should answer with one, two, or three sentences. You don’t need to develop your answers very much here.

Here are a few sample questions:

• Do you work or are you a student?
• Why did you choose that subject?
• Did you enjoy/Do you enjoy studying at school?
• Do you study English now?
• What kind of school did you go to as a child?
• Where do you study / Where did you study?
• What do you study/did you study in university?
• What was your favourite subject as a child?
• Who was your favourite teacher?
• Do you enjoy studying alone or with friends?

You don’t need to have dazzling grammar or vocabulary skills to answer these questions. You can just give pretty basic answers. For example:

Q: Do you work or are you a student?

A: I’m studying at the moment but I also have a part-time job.

Q: Where do you study?

A: I’m studying at Shanghai Jiaotong University . The word “jiaotong” literally means “traffic” but the common translation for the name is “Shanghai Communications University.”

Q: What are you studying there?

A: I’m studying English literature at the moment but I will move onto a business course next semester and continue studying English on the side. Literature was interesting for me but I don’t think it will help my career much.

Notice that there was very little specialist vocabulary here. The only word that I used that might require explanation is “semester.” A school year is made up of two semesters. (The word “term” can also be used but different countries have different systems. In some countries, an academic year is four terms, which means that two terms make up a semester. But this is not the same everywhere.)

There are countless possible education cue cards for IELTS speaking. You might be asked to describe one of the following:

• an important memory
• the actual school you attended

The list is extremely long, but let’s look at a few possible education cue cards in more detail.

Describe a Subject

You may well be asked to describe a subject that you studied in school or that you wish you had studied. Remember that it could be your favourite subject or a subject you hated. It is always important that you read the whole cue card and do not jump to conclusions.

Here is an example:

Describe a subject you enjoyed studying at school. You should say: – when and where you started studying it – what the lessons were like – what made the subject different from other subjects and explain why you enjoyed the subject

Describe a Lesson or Project

Describing a subject presents many possibilities. You can talk about many different aspects of your chosen subject, including the classes, the books, and the teachers. However, the cue card might present you with a more specific topic, like this one:

Describe a project that you did in school with your classmates or friends. You should say: – what the project was – what it was about – how you completed it and whether you enjoyed the project or not.

Describe a Period of Time

It can be harder to answer a cue card when the thing you must talk about is a memory or period of time. These can be a real challenge because thinking of the right vocabulary and grammar is quite difficult. When you are presented with this sort of question, you might have to be a little creative with your answers. Here is another example cue card:

Describe a period of time from your studies that was the most difficult for you so far. You should say: – when it was – why was it hard – what you were doing at that time and whether you felt you were successful in overcoming the difficulties.

Describe a Teacher

Finally, we come to the obvious IELTS speaking cue card: describe a teacher . This is definitely a common cue card and also quite an easy one. I think that most people who sit IELTS should be comfortable describing people like teachers. If you are not, you should look at my other lessons on how to describe people. You may also find this article about the good qualities teachers possess to be helpful.

There are lots of different ways that this could be phrases. It could be a teacher who influenced you, a teacher you liked, a teacher who helped you, your favourite teacher… and so on. There are numerous possibilities. But here is one example:

Describe a teacher from the past whom you remember. You should say: – what subject the teacher taught you – how old you were then – what were some special characteristics of this teacher and explain why you remember this teacher.

Of course, there are also lots of possible questions about education for part three of the speaking exam. In this section, you will most likely be asked questions like “are men and women equally capable of teaching?” and “should boys and girls be forced to take the same lessons?” The issues of gender , age, and other social issues will often intersect with the main topic.

Here are a few examples:

• What are some essential qualities every teacher should have?
• How are education priorities today different from those in the past?
• How well do you think schools should prepare young people for working life?

Education and IELTS Writing

When it comes to task 2 of the IELTS writing test, education is also a really common topic. Again, there are countless possible questions you could be given, so rather than prepare for any single question, it is better to build your skill in dealing with this topic.

You should be familiar with the vocabulary given at the start of this lesson and also with ideas about education on a global scale. It is ok to have different opinions from other people, but you should be aware of all sides of these issues.

Keep in mind that education does not just mean “school” or “university.” It involves much more: teaching, learning, childhood, adulthood, books, reading, etc. It could be about community colleges or distance learning. Do not be surprised by these questions and do not think that you can handle this topic just because you are comfortable talking about high school. There is much more to it than that.

Here, I will give you four sample band 9 answers to typical IELTS writing questions. Two are from task 2 and two are from task 1, both general and academic tests.

Question #1

Many businesses think that the new employees who have just graduated from schools lack interpersonal skills, such as working with colleagues as a team.

What has caused this and what are the solutions to this problem?

Sample Band 9 Answer

It is claimed by some business owners and recruiters that graduates nowadays tend to lack interpersonal skills. This essay will first explore why this is the case, before then suggesting how it may be remedied.

If it is true that graduates now lack the interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in the modern workplace, then that surely can be blamed on the exceptionally high level of theoretical knowledge necessary to achieve a good degree. As universities have become more competitive, the requirements for achieving a degree have gotten much more stringent, and students are required to spend all their time reading books and preparing for difficult assessments. It seems likely that this hinders their opportunities to socialize or work with others on productive tasks.

Solving this problem should not be terribly difficult. In fact, university faculties should pay attention to these complaints and implement solutions into their courses. Perhaps the most obvious suggestion is that students must be required to participate in more group activities throughout their education. For example, rather than studying all day and night to write an essay or sit an exam, students could be asked to prepare a group presentation together with their peers. Ideally, these groups should be picked at random to ensure that students develop the necessary skills to work with others whom they would not have previously chosen to work.

In conclusion, it appears that universities are failing students by not educating them in how to develop their interpersonal skills, and as a result they are struggling in the workplace. These universities should thus require students to develop their communicative abilities through specific group-based tasks.

Question #2

Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be encouraged. Others believe that children who are taught to co-operate rather than compete become more useful adults.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

People disagree over how to raise their kids, with many parents and teachers suggesting that competition is detrimental to their development. They think that children should be taught cooperation instead. This essay will look at both views, before deciding that these need not be mutually exclusive.

The argument against competition in children essentially revolves around the idea that it is unhealthy for children to be pitted against one another. Rather than teaching them to compete, these people argue, we should teach them to work together. Natural selection dictates that some children will invariably be winners while others will be losers, and in the modern era, this seems like an out-dated concept. All children should be winners.

On the other hand, competition is a part of life and therefore children should be exposed to it from the beginning. It needn’t be unfair, of course. When children are taught healthy attitudes towards competition – such as sportsmanship – then it is actually tremendously beneficial for them. They can learn how to participate in natural activities and then deal healthily with the result, whether that is victory or loss.

However, it seems to me that there is no real distinction between competition and cooperation. Team sports, after all, involve both these elements. If children play football, basketball, or rugby, then they will work with their teammates to compete against another team. In the end, both aspects are learned.

In conclusion, there is no need to separate competition from cooperation, and neither should be removed from a child’s education or environment. Both are important for child development.

Question #3

You recently did a short cookery course. The cookery school has asked for your feedback on this course.

Write a letter to the course director at the cookery school. In your letter

• describe what you enjoyed about the course
• say how much cooking you have done since the course
• suggest another cookery course you’d like the school to offer

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in response to your request for feedback on the cookery course I recently attended. I am happy to give you some of my thoughts on the course.

First of all, I really enjoyed it. I had wanted to study French cooking techniques for several years and so I was really excited to see that this course became available. It certainly did not disappoint me, and I was delighted by the processes that I learned during that amazing week.

Since the course, I have been cooking and baking for my friends and family at every opportunity. They have been really impressed with my newfound skills, and I will continue to practice what I have learned.

As for suggestions, I do think that it would be worth adding some other sorts of cuisine to the courses on offer. I would love to learn how to cook Thai food, for example.

David S. Wills

Question #4.

There is a bar chart and a pie chart containing information taken from a survey on adult education. The bar chart describes why adults go into education and the pie chart shows who the respondents think should pay for it. People mostly go into education out of interest, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it is believed that they should pay for it themselves.

According to the data, forty percent of adults go into education due to some sort of interest in a particular subject, while thirty-eight percent do it to gain qualifications. These are far and away the most common reasons, as the next most frequently cited reason was almost half this value. Several reasons were picked by about twenty percent of people, including the fact that it may help them earn a promotion at work. The least frequently stated answer was that adult education is a good way to meet new people.

The survey results showed forty percent of people believe the individual should pay the costs of a course. This matches quite well with the previous data, as the same percentage of people did these courses purely out of interest.

About The Author

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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University Education Should be Free for all Students- IELTS Writing Task 2

Updated On Jan 25, 2024

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The Essay Writing section of the IELTS Writing Module can be a difficult task for many IELTS Aspirants. Thus, it is vital that you polish your essay writing skills before attempting the IELTS.

Below is a sample IELTS Essay for the IELTS Essay topic:

University education should be free for all students. To what extent agree or disagree?

Opinion Essay

Introduction

Sentences 1&2 – Summarise the topic with the use of synonyms to create a basic understanding.

Sentence 3 – Mention that the essay will understand the need to make university education free.

Body Paragraphs

Paragraph 1 – Talk about how high university fees affect a family and its finances.

Paragraph 2 – Mention the benefits of making university education free, like high attending rates and upliftment of adjacent pointers like happiness index, etc. Mention relevant examples here.

Paragraph 3 – Acknowledge the flipper side of the argument, but talk about the unending advantages of making university education free.

Restate your views.

Sample Essay 1

University education is among the costliest “investments” a person can make. Consequently, there has been a cry to formalize a law to make university education free for everyone in recent times so that everyone can avail it. I feel this is a positive step, and this essay will expand my understanding of why I agree with it.

To begin with, university education costs can run well into hundreds of thousands of dollars, which may not be financially viable for every person. In a realistic scenario, even if a family is well off financially, this can become a burden as many will take educational loans to cover these costs. On top of this, books, accommodation, food, and other essentials are not factored in the tuition fees. Hence, such astronomical education costs can be a pecuniary nightmare.

On the same note, making university education cheaper really unfurls a wave of universal availing of higher education. For instance, many European countries’ public colleges charge zero for their courses. These countries, like Sweden, Germany, Finland, etc., show a very high rate of education, along with other pointers like high per capita income, high happiness index, and low tax evasion rates. Making university education free not only increases education across a country but has a positive direct and indirect effect on so many germane lifestyle pointers.

Some believe that countries, governments in general, benefit from high education rates, while others remark that free university education for all can become an obligation for the government. I feel that there are other means and ways of earning money, and earning money at the cost of a deserving person’s future is outrightly wrong. Additionally, making higher education free has one too many benefits to ignore.

Hence, university education should be free for all students keeping in mind that it is embezzled neither by the country nor the students.

Sample Essay 2

Having a qualification of tertiary education has become essential in the present. It is generally believed that universities should not charge any fees whatsoever. I agree with the given notion considerably, and I will support my angle of view in subsequent paragraphs.

To commence with the agreement side, providing tertiary education for free can elevate the education level of a whole country. To elaborate, providing free education will encourage more and more students to enrol in university courses. Students who cannot afford to pay university fees and, therefore, opt to get jobs after secondary education will also receive an opportunity to educate themselves further. More students enrolling in universities will increase education overall in a country.

Moreover, providing free university education can lead to a country’s prosperous economy. To make it clear, it is generally noticed that people, who are university graduates, have a pay scale significantly higher than that of high school graduates as university students have received specialized education in a specific field and have honed their skills within that particular field. Providing free tertiary education can encourage more and more students to enrol and specialize in a specific area which will help them to secure a hefty paying job. It will eventually help the country’s economy to grow further.

Now, looking at the disagreement side, if higher education is provided for free, students might take it for granted and start to avoid their duties. The number of university dropouts will increase as students have not paid any fees, and they are not losing anything financially by dropping out. There is a possibility that students may get swayed by the lousy influence of their peers and may get involved in immoral activities like bullying or drug trafficking without fearing expulsion as they have not paid any fees.

To conclude, providing free tertiary education can help a nation achieve greater heights in terms of education level and economy, but it may come with a price of students not taking the free education seriously because of not having to pay any fees.

Meaning – give (something) legal or formal status. Example – The government formalized a law to protect our right to privacy.

Meaning – capable of working successfully; feasible. Example – Motorsports are introducing viable financial plans amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

• Astronomical 

Meaning – (of an amount) extremely large. Example – The college tuition fees are astronomical.

Meaning – make or become spread out. Example – The ship unfurled its sails.

• Outrightly  

Meaning – wholly and completely. Example – The way he stood against the teacher was outrightly wrong.

Meaning – to steal (money or property) despite being entrusted to take care of it Example – .The conman embezzled a huge amount of money from the poor people.

Meaning – relating to or consisting of money. Example – You should enrich your pecuniary knowledge and take care of your assets.

Meaning – bound to do certain things Example – We have an obligation to fulfil our duties towards our parents and country.

Meaning – the act of avoiding something that you do not want to do or deal with Example – Tax evasion is one of the prevalent crimes in our country.

Meaning – relevant and appropriate Example – His speech was germane to the event of the day.

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Janice Thompson

Soon after graduating with a Master’s in Literature from Southern Arkansas University, she joined an institute as an English language trainer. She has had innumerous student interactions and has produced a couple of research papers on English language teaching. She soon found that non-native speakers struggled to meet the English language requirements set by foreign universities. It was when she decided to jump ship into IELTS training. From then on, she has been mentoring IELTS aspirants. She joined IELTSMaterial about a year ago, and her contributions have been exceptional. Her essay ideas and vocabulary have taken many students to a band 9.

Explore other Opinion Essays

Nehasri Ravishenbagam

Whitney Houston

Post your Comments

Posted on Apr 1, 2022

Having access to academic tuition at university is considered a basic right of everyone by some individuals and they believe that irrespective of their socioeconomic background students should get a chance to study free of charge. To my mind, introducing this idea in most societies may generate some social problems and can also result in universities losing their value. Enabling general access to university education in the modern world can lead to a serious repercussion. To elaborate this, easily accessible academic training will attract huge numbers of students and this will cause imbalance between the number of job hunters and vacancies available. Consequently, the country might end up with a rising population of specialists with a university degree who are unemployed due to the limited number of jobs offered. Furthermore, charging no fees for tertiary education can change students’ attitude towards university education. In other words, it is highly likely that the opportunity to acquire free knowledge at higher education institutions may be taken for granted in a long-term run. As a result, universities might lose their status as a supreme source of obtaining quality education. To illuatrate this, my cousin was granted a chance to study for free by an organization which helped ambitious young people to achieve their dream of studying at higher institutions. Even though he was initially extremely excited about training at university his interest started to decline as he was not paying tuition fees himself and thus did not realize the value of free education. To sum up, free and easily accessible education at the university level has some drawbacks, namely, social problems like unemployment among specialists with a university degree and the change of students’ attitude towards higher education. Therefore, I believe that this is rather a negative development for the society.

Band Score – 5

Concentrate on correct use of articles, punctuation and subject verb agreement.

Use more transitional words.

Since it is an opinion essay, you are also required to write one line of contrast after the two opinionated body paragraphs.

There is a lack of paragraph division. Please take care of it.

Iqbal singh

Some people propose the idea that the cost of tertiary education of all students should be borne by the government to make education more accessible. I, however, do not agree with this proposition because in my opinion, doing so will do more harm than good.

The first and the foremost argument to support my view is that sponsoring the higher education of all students will put an enormous financial burden on government’s shoulders. As government has to spend its limited resources on various crucial aspects of a nation’s growth such as providing health care, developing infrastructure and conducting social welfare schemes, bearing the cost of all prospective students will result in a severe shortage of funds. To generate more funds, the government will have to either levy heavier taxes or reduce its spending on other areas. In both scenarios, the one who will be at a disadvantage is the common man. For example, a raise in taxes will give birth to inflation which will make it extremely difficult for people to even afford basic needs. Similarly, a reduction in governmental spending on pivotal areas will make those people suffer who rely heavily on govermental support.

Yet another argument is that making third-tier education cost free will also result in the system being abused. With college education becoming free, universities will get flooded with non-serious students who will take admission for the sole purpose of enjoying student life. This will not only affect the decorum of universities negatively but will also result in universities producing graduates with severely limited knowledge. This, in turn, can prove to be a hindrance in a country’s progression as the development of any nation relies on how well educated its citizens are. On top of that, implementing this system will also lead to higher drop-out rates. When the students will realise that they are not bound to pay even a single penny from their own pocket, they will not hesitate in leaving their education in the middle and thus wasting governmental resources. To conclude, without a doubt, providing university education to all is of paramount importance today to ensure the success of a nation, but making government bear its financial burden is not a judicious step as it will do more harm than any good. Nevertheless, the government must keep those students in mind who are either studious or extremely poor and help them in getting the college education by offering scholarships and interest-free loans.

Concentrate on correct use of articles, verb forms and punctuation.

Use C2 level of words.

Posted on Feb 22, 2022

Education is the key factor to assess the growth of an individual, society and a nation infact. It brings forth the innate talents of a person, thus making one capable and efficient. The more, the percentage of educated people in a country, the lesser the unemployment and the more developed it is. I believe that the education is also a basic necessity besides the food, clothing and shelter. But unfortunately, due to lack of money or facilities, many children are deprived of being educated. Hence ‘Free university education’ is need of the hour to break the shackles of unemployment and surge ahead.

I opine that each country has to set up an education fund from various taxes collected from the citizens. The best investment any country can make is in its future tax payers. Many destitute who cannot afford to meet the tuition fee expenses gets an access to education, thus increasing the average literacy rate of the country. The employment index goes high, thus increasing the number of tax payers which in turn increases the GDP. We come across many students who do part time jobs to earn a living and save money for studies. Such students can intensively and completely be dedicated to studies, if education is free.

Social equality is brought in the society irrespective of gender, caste, race, rich, poor etc. One can witness a rapid progress in technological innovations thus strengthening the roots of a nation. An educated society brings a major impact on the political system. Wise decisions can be made in electing the eligible and deserving leaders.

I find no significant and justifying reasons to disagree on this subject except for the one reason that some students might take studies for granted if it is provided at free of cost, although it might not be case with many.

To sum up, free education plays an integral role in success of an individual, society and nation as a whole. It helps for a country to grow financially, technologically and in allied areas.

Band score: 5

Concentrate on the usage of articles, prepositions Use “c2” vocabulary

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Topics: Education

By ieltsetc on July 21, 2017

Education is a key topic in the Writing Test.

This lesson breaks down 2 typical essay questions related to education (What is the best way to learn? Who should pay?).

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Education Vocabulary: Word Lists and Pronunciation

This is the essential vocabulary for education about schools, subjects, studying and university. There is an audio to listen to the pronunciation of the words. These are the most common words and collocations which you will need to learn in order to talk or write about school or university successfully. After each section of vocabulary, there are exercises for you to practice using the words.

Click here to download the PDF version of this page:  Education Vocabulary PDF . Please note that the PDF does not contain the answers – you must check your answers on this page.

Educational Institutions

• kindergarten = pre-school education
• primary school
• secondary school
• college = further education
• higher education = university education = tertiary education
• post-graduate school = university for students studying beyond degree level

School Subjects

• natural science
• religious studies
• information technology (IT)
• physical education (PE)
• cookery = domestic / food science
• handicrafts

Vocabulary Exercises: School Subjects

• One of the reasons that I didn’t like ……………… was because of the lab work which sometimes involved dissection.
• I’ve always enjoyed learning about how chemicals react with one another so I decided to choose …………. as one of my main subjects.
• When I was a child, we practiced ………………… three times a week which was fine in summer but was freezing during the winter when you have to football or hockey outside.
• My teacher encouraged us to take part in ……………………… in order to develop skills beyond what is taught in scheduled lessons.
• I used to find complicated calculations difficult as well as algebra but when we got a new ………… teacher, it all become much easier to understand.
• One of my favourite subjects was …………………… because you had a chance to get out of the classroom and learn more about the environment.
• Teachers were really strict on ……………… in exams. The exam invigilators won’t even let you have your bag in the exam room.
• Poetry should be taught more in ………………. lessons in order to help students develop a deeper understanding of their language and culture.
• I always loved studying maps. We spent a lot of time in our ……………. lessons tracing the borders of countries and learn the capital cities of different countries.
• My worst subject at school was …………… because I was completely tone deaf.
• physical education
• extra curricular activities
• math’s

Useful Language & Collocations

• lab work = laboratory experiments
• dissection = cutting up animals for scientific research
• scheduled lessons = lessons which are planned and written into a school curriculum
• algebra = formulas and equations in mathematics
• to give out or assign homework / to do or complete homework
• to complete high school / to graduate high school
• to do, to participate or to take part in school activities or sport
• tracing = copying, outlining in pencil
• tone deaf = without an ear for music = unable to appreciate or hear different music and notes

Types of Schools – Same-Sex & Co-Ed Schools

Watch this video to learn the advantages or single-sex schools and the plus points of mixed schools. This video contains ideas and vocabulary to help you express your ideas clearly.

University Vocabulary

University Courses

• BA / BSc = Bachelor of Arts Degree / Bachelor of Science Degree
• MA / MSc = Masters of Arts / Masters of Science
• PhD = Doctorate

Other Courses

• Certificate = a lower level qualification often offered at colleges rather than universites. This is also the word used the for documentation received for completing any type of course or degree (she received her certificate for her BA degree).
• Online Course
• Distance Learning Course
• Vocational course = a course which teaches you skills for a specific job, for example engineering.
• Non-vocational course = a course which is not related to a job but to a general subject instead, such as Biology.

Useful Verbs & Nouns for University

• to graduate from a university = complete a degree course / to finish university
• to enroll on a degree course = put your name down for a degree course
• to major in physics = to choose physics as your main subject at university
• to attend a lecture = to go to listen to a speaker at university often with a large audience in a lecture theatre
• to attend a tutorial = to go to a meeting with a professor usually in small group held in his/her office
• deliver a lecture = to give a talk or presentation
• to lecture in media studies = to talk about media studies or to teach media studies at university
• the faculty of business = a department specialising in business at university
• to read history = to study history
• to do or complete coursework = doing project work or assignments as part of your course
• undergraduate (n) = someone currently doing their first degree
• graduate (n)  = someone who has completed a degree course
• note-taking = being able to take notes in a lecture while the lecturer is talking
• keeping up with the work load = being able to maintain the level of studying required
• fall behind with studies = fail to keep pace with the school / university work

University Work

• presentations
• dissertation
• project work

Vocabulary Exercises: Universities

Complete the following sentences are university education using no more than one word.

• People who have ……….. from university stand a better chance of finding a good job.
• I hope to enroll ………. a degree in law next year in the UK.
• There is a lot of competition to get a ……………….. but without it I won’t be able to afford the universities fees.
• One of the keys to successful  ……………. is knowing where to look for information and how to judge which information is most current and relevant. Knowing the best sources of materials is essential.
• scholarship

Other Useful Vocabulary for Education

• literate = to be able to read and write
• illiterate = unable to read and write
• the literacy rate = the percentage of people in a country or region able to read and write
• comprehensive education = a well-rounded, broad education covering a variety of subjects
• scholarship = an award of either free or supported education for high achievers
• student loan = money taken by a student to pay for their education which they must pay back after graduating
• pay off a student loan = to repay money borrowed for university education
• intensive course = a course which runs over a short period of time but contains a lot of information and training
• play truant / truancy = not attending school / being absent from school without permission
• gap year = to take a year out between high school and university

Vocabulary Exercises: Useful Education Vocabulary

Complete the sentences using no more than two words.

• The rate of …………… is higher in developed countries than in under developed countries.
• Schools should offer a ………………… which includes subjects relating to all minority groups.
• The rise in university fees has led to a large proportion of students taking out ………………… which can often be difficult to pay back.
• Students who take a …………… often find it difficult to get back into their studies again.
• Rather than the government offering free university education for all people, they should, instead, ensure that a certain number of gifted individuals receive a ……………….
• comprehensive education
• student loans

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Hi Liz. I am Andre Fatur from Indonesia. i would say thank you cause i have a lot of knowledge about vocabulary in Education.

I’m glad it was helpful 🙂

Hi Liz , i’m really glad that i found your website and actually one of my teachers showed me you . your vocabs and the voices you have for them is the best specially for the ones who aren’t local englishman and are learning english as a second one just like me . me and my friends see your videos every session in our class . I wish you all the best

So glad you enjoy my lessons 🙂 Best wishes to you and your classmates 🙂

Great. Thank you so much, it help me a lot. Stay blessed

You’re welcome 🙂

Its a great help. Thank you so much Liz. May god bless you with all happiness…

I’m glad it’s helpful 🙂

Hi I am currently enrolled in school for nursing and I feel very uncomfortable when it comes to my vocabulary, I had brain surgery twice & suffered with seizures for 3years, I am happy to say I am better now and the Tumor is gone completely ,however I am depressed when it comes to my vocabulary because I don’t remember much at all and I often get my words mixed up when speaking so this is a big deal for me to learn and expand my vocabulary, thank you but I have no clue of where to begin at this point. I love to read so I have been reading a lot on your website, I must say I have learned some information just reading the comments. what do you suggest? thanks (my name is MINDY)

Hi Mindy, I do sympathise. I know what it is like to have language impairment due to neurological problems. The key is to take it slow and start incorporating the new words in your daily language until they become part of your natural English. Try my ideas e-book – it includes useful vocabulary and ideas for over 150 essay topics (which are also speaking topics). It’s on 55% discount this week: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . There’s also a grammar e-book which might help a lot as it also contains great vocab. But don’t rush through it. Aim to absorb 70% of the vocab for each topic. Use those words daily by a) speaking to yourself about the topic – express your thoughts, have debates with yourself b) write an essay about it c) read further on google about the topic. Continue to repeat this until some words stick in your mind. Then repeat the process over and over again. The other thing I want to you do is not push yourself and do NOT give yourself any pressure or fixed goals. The learning must be natural and come from the pleasure of learning. Learn for enjoyment, not because you have a goal. This will make a huge difference. The harder you push yourself, the further away your goal often gets. Do small amounts each day and no more. Take breaks as often as you need. To learn IELTS exam techniques, see my Advanced Lessons in my store and also review all my free lessons and tips. I hope this helps. Good luck 🙂

Thank you very much Liz. I always follow your IELTS lesson to use not only for myself but also for my students. All your materials are helpful to improve my English for an IELTS exam. All the best.

Glad my site is useful. Wishing you all well 🙂

Thanks a million for the strenuous efforts you exerted.

I admire you how Being a good teacher. You are the best, no need to follow others for IELTS . love Zeliha

Thanks for your kind comment 🙂 I hope your IELTS preparation is going well 🙂

Lovely ! Thanks a lot Liz.

What does it mean “I can’t stress enough” ?

It means I am stressing the importance of something. It is an expression in English 🙂

Many thanks!

That’s an awsome work! I really admire ur job here 🙂

You are so important to us that I can` just thank you enough.

THANKS A LOT!

Hi Liz! I have a plan to do the academic IELTS test , I live in the UK , in the speeking test if I used contraction or words like ,wanna ,gonna would that be acceptable or I have to say Iam going ,Cannot etc…

See this page for your answer: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-speaking-free-lessons-essential-tips/ . All main pages are accessed through the RED BAR at the top of the website.

Hello Liz, Please I am a stay-at-home mom so I’d like to know how to construct my answer when I’m asked to talk about my work. please note that i have worked as a consultant in an agricultural firm, but i was made redundant.

IELTS speaking is not a trick test. It is an informal chat with the examiner. Just be open, honest and chatty: “I used to work as a consultant in an agricultural firm, but now I’m a stay-at-home Mom.”. When you give this answer, the examiner will note your use of two grammar tenses and good vocabulary. The examiner will then decide whether to continue to talk about your work in the past, or change it and talk about your home. This will be the examiner’s choice – the examiner makes the decisions of topics. So, be open, friendly and chatty at all times.

You are really touching lives. Thank you sooo much.

Indeed she is!

Thank you so much Liz , I find this lesson really helpful .

It is the first time I access there. It involves a wide range of vocabulary. Thanka to all the leaders

In my point of view, there is no subject name MATHS. It is Mathematics and we call it as math.

The word “math” is US English. The word “maths” is UK English.

Thank you for clarifying me 🙂

Hi Liz, You talked about math’s teacher. If it would Science or English then also we will use ” ‘s “?

In British English we say “maths”, in US English it is “math”.

There’s this slight confusion I’ve got. There are some words which can be used with an S as well as a Z, for e.g Realized, Exercize. Which one is correct?

“z” is american spelling and “s” is British English spelling. Don’t mix them. Choose which spelling you will use and stick with it.

What is the difference between agree or disagree and to what extent do you agree or disagree types question?

https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-essay-instructions-agree-disagree-to-what-extent/

Hello… Take my cordial thanks Liz. I purchased your writing videos and I find it very useful. I’m looking for at least 6.5 band before I thought that it was too difficult to get 6.5 in writing segment but after watching these videos my confident level is increased. And your all tips and lessons are wonderful, to be honest. That is why, again thanks s lot 😘😘😊😊❤️❤️

Make sure you aim for accuracy in your writing – all errors reduce marks. Also spend time analysing the question, you must address all issues directly. Avoid using learned phrases – all sentences must be your own. So, you can learn vocab and linking words but not phrases. Good luck !! 🙂

The work that you do for us, learners of English from all over the world, cannot be valued. Thank you for putting your heart and soul in making us more literate in English! I wish you luck and success!

what is best way of writing process chart

See all my tips for writing task 1 on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

Hi Liz, I am so grateful to you that I can know everything about IELTS from your website. It is a very useful and perfect one for me.You are a great teacher.

Best Regards, Mai

I achieved 6.5 with the help of you because I watched your all video. It’s very beneficial thanku so much u are great teacher

Well done !

your lessons are amazing and very useful, thank you

Hello Liz , You are the great teacher in the world..I spentmy whole day on this site.there many things which help me in many situations..m so happy that I have great great teacher..May God bless youuu😊☺️..thnx a lot Liz

Thanks so much for telling me you find my site useful 🙂

My exam will be held on 13 october nd m weak in listening nd reading . pls mam u send me some listening Mp3 in my email

You can find online listening on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-listening/

HI liz my name is nyom nyom i am from Indonesia could you help me how the way to improve my writing skill? please send in my email thanks before

See my advanced lessons if you need help with writing task 2: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

Thanks to my best teacher!

hi i am going to appear for my ilets exam next week but i am not sure about my reading skills. can you give me some good tips to improve my skills in reading

https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-reading-tips-how-can-i-improve-my-score/

Dear Liza, Hello Liz, I am Totok Eko Suwito, I am an English teacher in Indonesia, I want to practice my listening especially because I ‘m going to have the IELTS test, if you don’t mind, Would you send me the script and audio MP3 of the listening above to my email. thank a lot your sincerely Totok Eko Suwito

https://ieltsliz.com/liz-notice-2015-2016/

Hello Liz, Please liz l wonder when I want to get 7 score I found different types of vocabulary for examle the 8or 9 band’s vocabulary in some video more different than band7??

There is no such thing as band 7 vocab and band 9 vocab. Your vocab score is not marked in that way. It is based on range, accuracy, collocations and also the number of errors – and spelling.

I am so weak in listening vocabulary. Give me some tips.

That is really superlative vocabulary and it can play an indispensable role in IELTS test. Thanks Liza and i would like to say one thing more, your expressions are really appreciated. All the best. Mazhar Ishfaq

Thanks Liz. I accidentally came upon your site and found my essay shared by someone on your blog. I liked your feedback. I have rewritten this essay for the next edition of my book – A Wealth of Academic IELTS Essays.

Great. Good to know my feedback is useful 🙂 Liz

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The Personal Statement Topics Ivy League Hopefuls Should Avoid

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Yale University

A compelling personal statement is a critical component of an Ivy League application, as it offers students the unique opportunity to showcase their personality, experiences, and aspirations. Kickstarting the writing process in the summer can give students a critical advantage in the admissions process, allowing them more time to brainstorm, edit, and polish standout essays. However, as students begin drafting their essays this summer, they should bear in mind that selecting the right topic is crucial to writing a successful essay. Particularly for students with Ivy League aspirations, submitting an essay that is cliche, unoriginal, or inauthentic can make the difference between standing out to admissions officers or blending into the sea of other applicants.

As ambitious students embark on the college application process, here are the personal statement topics they should avoid:

1. The Trauma Dump

Many students overcome significant hurdles by the time they begin the college application process, and some assume that the grisliest and most traumatic stories will attract attention and sympathy from admissions committees. While vulnerability can be powerful, sharing overly personal or sensitive information can make readers uncomfortable and shift focus away from a student’s unique strengths. Students should embrace authenticity and be honest about the struggles they have faced on their path to college, while still recognizing that the personal statement is a professional piece of writing, not a diary entry. Students should first consider why they want to share a particular tragic or traumatic experience and how that story might lend insight into the kind of student and community member they will be on campus. As a general rule, if the story will truly enrich the admissions committee’s understanding of their candidacy, students should thoughtfully include it; if it is a means of proving that they are more deserving or seeking to engender pity, students should consider selecting a different topic. Students should adopt a similar, critical approach as they write about difficult or sensitive topics in their supplemental essays, excluding unnecessary detail and focusing on how the experience shaped who they are today.

2. The Travelogue

Travel experiences can be enriching, but essays that merely recount a trip to a foreign country without deeper reflection often fall flat. Additionally, travel stories can often unintentionally convey white saviorism , particularly if students are recounting experiences from their charity work or mission trips in a foreign place. If a student does wish to write about an experience from their travels, they should prioritize depth not breadth—the personal statement is not the place to detail an entire itinerary or document every aspect of a trip. Instead, students should focus on one specific and meaningful experience from their travels with vivid detail and creative storytelling, expounding on how the event changed their worldview, instilled new values, or inspired their future goals.

3. The Superhero Narrative

Ivy League and other top colleges are looking for students who are introspective and teachable—no applicant is perfect (admissions officers know this!). Therefore, it’s crucial that students be aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and open about the areas in which they hope to grow. They should avoid grandiose narratives in which they cast themselves as flawless heroes. While students should seek to put their best foot forward, depicting themselves as protagonists who single-handedly resolve complex issues can make them appear exaggerated and lacking in humility. For instance, rather than telling the story about being the sole onlooker to stand up for a peer being bullied at the lunch table, perhaps a student could share about an experience that emboldened them to advocate for themselves and others. Doing so will add dimension and dynamism to their essay, rather than convey a static story of heroism.

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Similarly, many students feel compelled to declare their intention to solve global issues like world hunger or climate change. While noble, these proclamations can come across as unrealistic and insincere, and they can distract from the tangible achievements and experiences that a student brings to the table. Instead, applicants should focus on demonstrable steps they’ve taken or plan to take within their local community to enact positive change, demonstrating their commitment and practical approach to making a difference. For instance, instead of stating a desire to eradicate poverty, students could describe their extended involvement in a local charity and how it has helped them to discover their values and actualize their passions.

5. The Sports Story

While sports can teach valuable lessons, essays that focus solely on athletic achievements or the importance of a particular game can be overdone and lack depth. Admissions officers have read countless essays about students scoring the winning goal, dealing with the hardship of an injury, or learning teamwork from sports. Students should keep in mind that the personal essay should relay a story that only they can tell—perhaps a student has a particularly unique story about bringing competitive pickleball to their high school and uniting unlikely friend groups or starting a community initiative to repair and donate golf gear for students who couldn’t otherwise afford to play. However, if their sports-related essay could have been written by any high school point guard or soccer team captain, it’s time to brainstorm new ideas.

6. The Pick-Me Monologue

Students may feel the need to list their accomplishments and standout qualities in an effort to appear impressive to Ivy League admissions officers. This removes any depth, introspection, and creativity from a student’s essay and flattens their experiences to line items on a resume. Admissions officers already have students’ Activities Lists and resumes; the personal statement should add texture and dimension to their applications, revealing aspects of their character, values and voice not otherwise obvious through the quantitative aspects of their applications. Instead of listing all of their extracurricular involvements, students should identify a particularly meaningful encounter or event they experienced through one of the activities that matters most to them, and reflect on the ways in which their participation impacted their development as a student and person.

7. The Pandemic Sob Story

The Covid-19 pandemic was a traumatic and formative experience for many students, and it is therefore understandable that applicants draw inspiration from these transformative years as they choose their essay topics. However, while the pandemic affected individuals differently, an essay about the difficulties faced during this time will likely come across as unoriginal and generic. Admissions officers have likely read hundreds of essays about remote learning challenges, social isolation, and the general disruptions caused by Covid-19. These narratives can start to blend together, making it difficult for any single essay to stand out. Instead of centering the essay on the pandemic's challenges, students should consider how they adapted, grew, or made a positive impact during this time. For example, rather than writing about the difficulties of remote learning, a student could describe how they created a virtual study group to support classmates struggling with online classes. Similarly, an applicant might write about developing a new skill such as coding or painting during lockdown and how this pursuit has influenced their academic or career goals. Focusing on resilience, innovation, and personal development can make for a more compelling narrative.

Crafting a standout personal statement requires dedicated time, careful thought, and honest reflection. The most impactful essays are those that toe the lines between vulnerability and professionalism, introspection and action, championing one’s strengths and acknowledging weaknesses. Starting early and striving to avoid overused and unoriginal topics will level up a student’s essay and increase their chances of standing out.

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Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at UF are kicked out of school for up to 4 years

• Vivienne Serret, Fresh Take Florida

GAINESVILLE — In secretive hearings, the University of Florida set aside recommendations to lightly punish some of the college students arrested after pro-Palestinian protests on campus and kicked them all out of school for three to four years.

The decisions by the new dean of students, Chris Summerlin, overruled what were effectively sentencing recommendations by the juries, known as hearing bodies, who heard testimony and watched police video of the protests and arrests during the disciplinary cases.

The students were among nine people whom university police and Florida state troopers arrested April 29 during a demonstration on a plaza on the University of Florida campus. They were among the first college arrests in Florida, and all remain banned from university property.

In at least two cases, the hearing bodies recommended probation for Keely Nicole Gliwa, 23, of Gainesville — a master’s student who expected to graduate May 2 — and a deferred suspension for Parker Stanely Hovis, 26, of Naples. The university withheld Gliwa’s diploma and suspended both Gliwa and Hovis for three years.

In other cases, the hearing body recommended a one-year suspension for Tess Jaden Segal, 20, of Weston and Allan Hektor Frasheri, 21, of Largo, but UF suspended Segal for three years and Frasheri for four years.

The university suspended Roseanna Yashoda Bisram, 20, of Ocala for three years, the same duration as the hearing body recommended. Augustino Matthias Pulliam, 20, a freshman theater major from Jacksonville, also was suspended three years. Charly Keanu Pringle, 21, of Jacksonville said she had been suspended for three years in a separate disciplinary process at nearby Santa Fe College, but that was not true. Pringle hadn’t been a student there since spring last year, according to school records, and administrators said she had not been suspended.

The seven students said they have submitted appeals to overturn their punishments, which they said were pending.

The suspensions mean that each would need to reapply for admission to UF. The only worse punishment would have been to expel them, which would have prevented them ever from returning.

Meanwhile, all nine people arrested at UF said they have turned down deferred prosecution agreements offered to them by the Alachua County State Attorney’s Office under plea bargains. Under such deals, a defendant would plead no contest or guilty and the charges would effectively be dropped from their records if they committed no further crimes during a period of time, usually 12 months. None of the nine had any prior criminal convictions.

“We did not resist arrest, and we are prepared to fight our charges,” Hovis said in a statement. “We’re standing in solidarity with each other, and collectively demanding that the state drop the charges against us.”

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Their court cases were expected to unfold over the summer. The state attorney, Brian Kramer, is a Republican facing reelection in November.

Of the nine, Ember Boerboom, 24, of Chesapeake, Virginia, was a former UF student, Pringle was a former Santa Fe student and Jinx Rooney, 23 of Valrico had no apparent affiliation with the university.

All faced misdemeanor criminal charges of resisting arrest without violence except Frasheri, whom prosecutors charged with felony battery on a police officer. Hovis also faces another misdemeanor, a trespass count. Police said at the protest Hovis declined to say whether he would leave, so they arrested him.

Under university disciplinary rules, Summerlin was permitted to reject the recommendations of the hearing bodies, which are typically composed of faculty members. Summerlin, who started his job at UF in April, the same month as the arrests, declined Tuesday through a spokesperson to say why he handed out tougher-than-recommended sanctions in nearly every case.

The outcomes of the disciplinary hearings — which happened during May and June — were described in a news release Tuesday distributed by the students. The privacy of the school’s disciplinary process is protected under federal law, and only the students involved can lawfully disclose what happened behind closed doors. Two of the UF students, including Segal, are Jewish, they said.

“I stand in solidarity with Palestinians not in spite of my Judaism, but because of it,” she said in a statement.

Meanwhile, newly released law enforcement video appears to capture the moment that one of the protesters was accused of spitting on a police officer in the most serious case.

Prosecutors have accused Frasheri of spitting on the right arm of university police Officer Kristy Sasser as she was helping a state trooper walk away with another protester under arrest. Sasser, who also testified in at least one university disciplinary hearing, said in court papers that Frasheri “walked up to us and spit on me. His spittle landed on my right arm. I disengaged from the escort and arrested Frasheri for battery.”

In video of the arrests obtained from the Highway Patrol under Florida’s public records law, Frasheri is seen fidgeting with a water bottle with a medical-style mask down to his chin, joining the crowd in screaming “shame” at the officers arresting their peers.

As Sasser walked by, the top part of Frasheri’s body appeared to lunge sharply toward her as he held a water bottle. Sasser turned and appeared seconds later behind Frasheri to arrest him. Frasheri is expected at an upcoming court hearing July 24 for an update in his case.

UF President Ben Sasse, during a May news conference, praised police: “What you have done in the face of being spit on, being shouted at with profanities, has been amazing,” Sasse said.

The university has declined so far to release other police video showing the arrests, despite a reporter’s request for copies April 30 — 70 days ago — under state law. The school also hasn’t turned over requested copies of communications among its general counsel, Sasse and police departments.

One of the government’s expected witnesses in the upcoming criminal trials for the defendants is identified in court records as Aaron Michael Sarner, 24, of Hollywood, a UF law student listed as vice president of the group Students Supporting Israel. Sarner did not respond to phone calls or messages over several days asking about his role in the cases.

Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect that Charly Keanu Pringle was formerly a student at Santa Fe College and was not suspended as she claimed.

This story was produced by Fresh Take Florida, a news service of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. The reporter can be reached at [email protected] . You can donate to support our students here .

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• Grand Rounds

Plastic Surgery Weekly Didactic and Conference

Wednesday, july 10, 2024 at 8:00 am.

This grand round has already taken place.

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Plastic Surgery topics are presented by experts in their fields and are selected as highly relevant and important to the development of a current base of medical knowledge necessary to maintain a high level of care. These presentations are intended to introduce resident, faculty and medical students the most current and accepted approaches to the discipline of Plastic Surgery including medical problem solving, surgical skills, and new techniques in diagnosis and treatment.

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Dates and times.

Start: 7/10/2024 8:00 AM End: 7/10/2024 10:00 AM

1. Discuss the concepts of beauty and aesthetic principles of the brow and periorbital region. Incorporate this information into comprehensive facial analysis.

2. Demonstrate the techniques of brow lift, and other methods for treatment of the aging brow.

3. Discuss the complications of aesthetic brow lift surgery, their prevention and treatment.

Dept. of Surgery Conference Room HSC Level 19 Rm 020 Stony Brook, NY 11794

The School of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The School of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook designates this live activity for a maximum of 2.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits ™ . Physicians should only claim the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

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Tips on Detecting & Improving AI-generated Text

As generative AI tools become increasingly sophisticated and widely used, the ability to distinguish between AI-generated and human-written text has become a hot topic. While AI can be an incredibly powerful tool for writing and research, it’s important to understand its strengths, limitations, and potential “tells” that may indicate its use. Below are some tips for detecting AI-generated text and, more importantly, how to improve and personalize AI-assisted writing to make it truly your own.

Last week’s Inside Higher Ed offers tips on how to distinguish AI-generated text from human-written text.  The author, a literature professor, generated 50+ essays with AI and compared them to characteristics she had come to expect from text written by humans.  Her findings are in bold below, supplemented by my own experience.

• AI-generated essays are often confidently wrong.

Oh yes, I’ve found the confidence thing to be absolutely true.  Generative AI is like the world’s biggest people pleaser.  It tells you what it thinks you want to hear and goes all in on its response. But it’s worth noting that many times, it’s confidently right .  So here’s my first tip, and it’s a big one: It’s up to you as the user to do your due diligence in vetting the response.

• AI essays tend to get straight to the point and AI-generated essays are often list-like

Yeah, these two can be AI “tells,” but they also point to one of the major strengths of generative AI:  organization of ideas.  I frequently use AI to refine my own writing to help me order my thoughts and cut to the chase.

Sometimes it organizes its responses into lists.  So, here’s my 2nd tip – and it’s a theme I’ll be repeating throughout:  if you don’t want a list, then ask it to put it in narrative or some other format.  Generative AI is really good at following directions so tell it exactly what you want.

• AI-generated work is often banal,  AI-generated essays are often repetitive, the paragraphs of AI-generated essays also often begin with formulaic transitional phrases , and AI-generated text tends to remain in the third person

Yes, I’ve seen all these things in AI-generated writing.  Out-of-the-box, it can be formulaic and fairly bland.  But I’ve also seen it generate some really wild and creative stuff when I’ve asked it to do so.

So, I’m going to repeat my 2nd tip: If you don’t want it to be banal, repetitive, formulaic, or in the third person, then tell it that.  Be descriptive enough in your prompts to direct it to do what you want.  Tell it who you are, who your reader is, and what tone you’re looking for.  Think of the responses it provides as suggestions for you to take or leave.  In exchanges with AI, I’ll often say something like, “No, I don’t like that.  Try this instead.”  Or “Yes, that’s what I was thinking of.  Give me more of that.”

And remember that 1st tip again: AI may have helped you or even fully generated the text, but if you’re putting that text out into the world, you better make sure that you’re comfortable and confident having your name on it.  Always vet the content.

• AI-produced text tends to discuss “readers” being “challenged” to “confront” ideologies or being “invited” to “reflect” on key topics

Yeah, using flowery, sophisticated-sounding words is something I’ve observed.  In fact, there’s a new study from Cornell that explores “excess word usage” as a way to detect generative AI use in academic texts.  The authors examined abstracts in PubMed from 2010-24 and found that there was an “unprecedented increase in excess style words” in recent scholarship which they attribute to ChatGPT usage.

Per the article, the following real 2023 abstracts illustrate this ChatGPT-style flowery excess language:

By meticulously delving into the intricate web connecting […] and […], this comprehensive chapter takes a deep dive into their involvement as significant risk factors for […]. A comprehensive grasp of the intricate interplay between […] and […] is pivotal for effective therapeutic strategies. Initially, we delve into the intricacies of […], accentuating its indispensability in cellular physiology, the enzymatic labyrinth governing its flux, and the pivotal […] mechanisms.

So, going back to tip 2, if you don’t want it to use these types of flowery, sophisticated-sounding excess words, then prompt it to put it in another tone.  You’d be amazed at the many different tones and voices it can give you, such as 1st-year law student, new associate, or experienced attorney.  You can also ask it to put it in the tone of a specific Supreme Court Justice or well-known author.  Whether this raises IP issues is another ball of wax.

I recommend reading the full Inside Higher Ed article for further discussion of each point.

As someone who uses AI almost every day and teaches law students about the ethical and effective use of generative AI, I believe it’s valuable to be aware of these potential “tells” while also recognizing their limitations. While there are indeed characteristics that may hint at AI-generated content, it’s important to remember that they are not foolproof indicators.

The key is not to focus solely on detection, but rather on how to use AI effectively and ethically as a writing tool. By providing clear, specific prompts and actively refining AI-generated content, we can use the power of AI while maintaining our unique voice and ensuring the final product reflects our own thoughts and insights. This approach transforms AI from a potential shortcut into a valuable writing assistant, much like spell-check or grammar tools.

Remember, the goal is not to outsource our thinking to AI, but to use it as a tool to enhance our own abilities and productivity. As we continue to explore the possibilities and challenges of AI in research and writing, I encourage you to experiment with these tools responsibly and always prioritize your own critical thinking and analysis.

And by way of full disclosure: I used Claude.AI to help me organize my ideas and suggest phrasing for this post.  Can you tell?