Model answers for Cambridge IELTS Book 14 Task 2 Essays. [book 15 answers here] Written by Mike Wattie, IELTS examiner and author.
Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion
Some believe that it’s important to be accepting of negative circumstances when they occur whereas others emphasise that it’s better to try to seek solutions in such situations. This essay discusses both perspectives and why I believe that the arguments for seeking solutions are stronger.
There are two main reasons why people believe that we must be accepting of bad circumstances. First of all, we often cannot avoid bad situations. Since these situations can’t always be avoided it’s best to just accept the reality. For instance, economic downturns can lead to the company we work for going bankrupt and in this case, we should not feel hard done by if we lose our job. In addition, unnecessary stress can be caused by dwelling on our current circumstances. If we are accepting of our circumstances this can allow us to maintain a positive mood and to continue enjoying our life despite a setback.
However, others argue that we should have a proactive attitude and find solutions to any negative predicament. The main benefit of this approach is that it may lead to eustress which helps to motivate us to find solutions. For instance, if we lose our job we should focus on finding a new job to solve the problem of being unemployed. Additionally, focusing on solutions can divert some of our negative emotions such as a feeling of bad luck or guilt into more positive emotions such as feelings of empowerment in our ability to solve our problems.
In conclusion, I believe both sides of the argument have merits. However, I believe it’s better to focus on finding solutions because it increases the likelihood of solving our problems and maintaining a positive mental attitude, which is far more important than the benefits of avoiding stress through being accepting of our circumstances.
Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion
While many believe that the extinction of certain species is the greatest threat to our environment, others feel that there are more pressing environmental issues. This essay discusses both perspectives and why I believe that there are more critical issues than the loss of species.
There are two main reasons why people might believe that the extinction of certain plants and animals is the most serious issue. The first of these concerns the way that plants and species are interrelated and how the loss of one species can lead to the loss of other species. For instance, if coral dies many of the fish and marine life that feed off it also die. Moreover, many people note the importance of the biodiversity of the planet and point out that when a species dies this is reduced. This biodiversity is important because we are constantly finding that certain species have important applications such as in the field of medicine.
However, others consider that there are more serious environmental issues. One of the reasons is that the extinction of a species can be considered a part of nature. For instance, we know that the dinosaurs died out due to naturally changing weather patterns, and life of our planet still continues. In addition, man-made problems are emerging such as Global warming that are so serious they have the potential to wipe out all life on our planet. If the earth continues to experience rising temperatures it will start to become uninhabitable even for humans.
In conclusion, in my opinion both sides of this argument have their merits. However, it seems that man-made global warming is the most serious problem because it ultimately threatens to not only destroy certain species but also destroy all life on our planet including humans. Moreover, it seems that we are not taking enough steps to mitigate this catastrophic problem.
Some people say that music is a good way of bringing people of different cultures and ages together
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion
[Please note that this is an extremely difficult topic. It’s definitely in the top ten most difficult topics I have ever seen and I’ve seen over a thousand topics! In the end, I wrote two different types of essays. The first is structured by age and culture and it is easier to write. I think the second way of structuring by two reasons is more challenging to write but can lead to a better end result.]
model answer 1 structured by age and culture.
Many people believe that music can connect people from diverse cultures and generations together. I totally agree because people can feel closer through enjoying music and it is a medium that helps people understand each other better.
I believe music is an excellent way to break down cultural barriers. This is because people from different cultures can enjoy listening to music together and through this fun shared experience they can feel closer. For instance, we had a cultural music festival at my school and we all had fun listening to music from each other’s cultures; and by enjoying this, bonds were strengthened between students from different nationalities. Moreover, we can learn about other cultures by listening to their music and by understanding other cultures better we can feel a closer connection with them.
I also believe that music can reduce the social distance between different generations. When different generations listen to the same type of music they can have fun together and this can become a bonding experience. For example, when a family counts down the New Year and sings Auld Lang Syne together, it can be a great bonding experience and help to boost cohesion amongst the family. Moreover, when families spend quality time together they are likely to continue to do family activities more in the future and this leads to stronger bonds amongst the family.
In conclusion, listening to music can lead to social cohesion between different cultures and age groups. This is because people will feel closer when they have fun together and also because they can have a greater understanding of their differences through these shared experiences. Therefore, I believe music should be used more as a way to break down barriers amongst different types of people.
291 words
model answer 2 structured by reason
Many people believe that music can connect people from diverse cultures and generations together. I totally agree because people can feel closer by enjoying music together and it is a medium that helps people understand each other better.
The main reason why I agree is because enjoying music allows different types of people to bond. This is because people from different cultures and ages can enjoy listening to similar genres of music together and through this fun shared experience they can feel closer. For instance, at New Year large groups of people, of different cultures and ages, can count down the New Year and sing Auld Lang Syne together, and this can be a great bonding experience and break down barriers between people. After singing it is common to see people of different ages and nationalities hugging each other and genuinely wishing each other well-being and prosperity in the New Year. Consequently, it’s clearly evident, at this time, that people feel closer and more connected despite differences.
I also believe that music can increase the understanding between different cultures and generations. This is because when a person listens to the preferred music genre of another group of people they can know more about that group of people. For instance, when I listened to the famous Australian folksong called Waltzing Matilda, I was able to understand Australian culture so much more. Moreover, I could understand the struggles that previous generations faced in Australia. This increased my understanding of Australians and older generations and made me empathise with them, and understand why they behave in certain ways. Consequently, this increased my ability to bond with them.
In conclusion, I completely believe that music can bring different types of people closer together. This is because fun shared experiences lead to bonding and increased understanding of others leading to empathy and an increased ability to bond. Therefore, I believe music should be used more as a way to break down barriers amongst different types of people.
Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed, rather than to work for a company or organisation.
Why might this be the case?
What could be the disadvantages of being self-employed?
Many people these days decide to work for themselves instead of being employed by others. This essay discusses the reasons for this and also the drawbacks of this choice of career.
There are two main reasons why people are choosing to become self-employed. The main one is that people feel motivated to become entrepreneurs. This is because they see running their own businesses as an exciting challenge. For instance, I was bored with my regular job teaching at a school and so I started my own online IELTS teaching company in order to have a more stimulating work day. In addition, running your own business can lead to better long-term career prospects. If you work hard at your business and develop enthusiastically satisfied customers you will be deriving all the benefits rather than passing these on to an employer.
Running your own business is not without its drawbacks. The biggest downside is the risk of venturing out on your own. If the business is not successful you will not have an income. For instance, my uncle opened a restaurant, but it turned out his cooking skills were not as good as he thought and he could not attract enough customers to pay all his bills and finally, he became bankrupt. As well as this, it can be extremely stressful to run your own business. This can often be due to the lack of resources to help you with issues such as the need to run your own website.
In conclusion, many people are venturing out on their own due to their interest in running their own business and believing that they will have a better career. However, it should be kept in mind that this can be risky and stressful. Therefore, this type of career is not suited to all people.
[305 words]
Some recent Essays I corrected:
Every country should have a free health service, even if this means that the latest medical treatments may not be available through the service because they are too expensive.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Some people believe every nation should have free healthcare, even if this doesn’t include new medical procedures that are expensive. I completely agree with this opinion because a minimum level of protection is a human right and also because free procedures are often necessary to protect the health of an entire nation from medical emergencies.
The main reason why I believe a minimum standard of health care is needed is because it’s a human right to have some level of access to health services. In some situations, such as when a person doesn’t have a job, basic healthcare should be available. For instance, if somebody has a life-threatening car accident emergency services should be available free of charge. This is because it is not humane to let a person die just because they don’t have sufficient funds to pay for treatment in this sort of situation.
Another reason why I support the notion that free health you should pre-provided is due to the fact that it is sometimes necessary to protect the health of all citizens. Certain medical situations, such as an outbreak of a virus, require quick and widespread medical attention. This can best be achieved by having a free medical system, in order to circumvent financial issues that might prevent certain individuals from having access to treatment. For example, the current coronavirus is spreading more rapidly in countries without free healthcare because people are often reluctant or unable to seek attention if they have to pay for it.
In conclusion, I completely agree that every country should have basic minimum level of health because it is a basic human right and it’s necessary to prevent widespread medical crises such as the Corona virus.
Would you like to use my writing correction service?
the working work should be shorter and workers should have a longer weekend . do you agree or disagree ? give reasons for you answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experiences .
some people argue that the working hours of employees should be reduced and have a longer weekend . l strongly agree with this point because it helps their mental health .
firstly , having a longer weekend helps the employees with their mental physical health which can be caused due to the stress and overworking them hence making resulting into their mental physical health . for stance , workers that dedicate most of time working have issues of health problems which is triggered by overworking themselves leading to poor health .
secondly , workers that take shorter breaks cannot be able to spend their time with family making them miss out on most important things happening in family such as birthdays of their beloved offspring and taking care of them where necessary due to their dedication in work leading to misunderstanding in the family .
to sum up , employees should be able to take longer weekends for their mental health and also being able to take care of families .
please evaluate my work to know where l stand in band score .
around band 5
1. write more [only about 170 words]
2. use capital letters to start sentences
3. put in more effort in your study…this looks like you spent very little time on it!!
i would to send my work for a review if possible sir .
details of my writing correction service here:
https://www.ieltsanswers.com/writing-correction-ielts.html
IELTS writing correction and feedback service by Mike Wattie, an ex-examiner, to increase your score. I check your writing tasks and give you feedback on errors and ways to improve your writing. I will also give you a score for each of the four grading criteria. My service isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach; it’s a personalized, deep-dive analysis in to your unique writing style and skill set. I scrutinize every facet of your writing—from lexical resource and grammatical accuracy to coherence and cohesion—all while strictly adhering to the authentic IELTS format. My tailored feedback, delivered in an expedited timeframe, provides you with actionable insights that can dramatically improve your performance. Choose my service to turn each of your writing attempts into an invaluable learning experience, guiding you precisely towards your targeted IELTS score
Sir can you please evaluate my essay
Government investment in sports is a waste of money. Government must invest this money in public services instead.
To what extent you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Some people believe that the government should invest significantly in sports sector, while other refute it, arguing that investing in sports is a waste of money and they should invest more developing public sector. I fully agree with the statement because some public services lack infrastructure and should be more focused, additionally sports competitions occur rarely, so investing a significant amount would be unjustified for other crucial sectors.
The most significant rationale is that public services lack basic infrastructure and facilities. The services provided by the government such as transport, electricity, water supply, and education doesn’t get enough funding from the authority which results in poor ecosystem. For instance, in my area public transport system is inadequate and infrequent which results in traffic jams and inconvenience in daily commutes.
Moreover, sports tournaments and championships occur rarely and are for a shorter duration which questions the huge investment to sports sector. Investing huge amount of money for sports tournaments which are infrequent and costs a fortune for a country to train their athletes to play at their best is unjustified to other developing sectors. For example, Qatar invested significant amount of money on training their athletes for Olympic which in turn affected their economy and education sector.
In conclusion, I agree with the view that the government should not waste money on sports, and they should invest more in improving public sector and economy because investing in sports will cost a plethora of money and which would result in cutting cost in other public sectors, additionally sports tournament occur rarely so investing a significant amount of money on sports is unjustified.
Band Score Estimates:
Task Achievement (6.0 – 6.5)
The essay maintains a clear position throughout.
Arguments are relevant but lack depth and elaboration (e.g., more specific examples or counterarguments would strengthen the argument).
Some claims are too general (e.g., “sports competitions occur rarely”—this is not necessarily true on a global scale).
The conclusion repeats previous points rather than offering a final thought or implication.
Coherence and Cohesion (5.5 – 6.0)
Ideas are logically organized, but transitions between them could be smoother.
The introduction is somewhat awkwardly phrased, and the thesis statement is unclear due to structural issues.
Repetitive phrasing in the conclusion and body paragraphs affects coherence.
Some linking words are misused (e.g., “additionally” in the conclusion does not fit naturally).
Lexical Resource (5.5 – 6.0)
Vocabulary is sufficient but lacks variety.
Some word choices are inappropriate or awkward (e.g., “refute” should be “oppose”; “plethora of money” should be “a large amount of money”).
A wider range of precise and academic vocabulary would improve lexical resource.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy (5.0 – 5.5)
Multiple grammatical errors throughout, including subject-verb agreement (“education doesn’t get enough funding” should be “education doesn’t get enough funding”), article usage, and sentence structure.
Some sentences are awkwardly constructed (e.g., “sports tournament occur rarely” should be “sports tournaments occur rarely”).
There are run-on sentences and missing commas that affect readability.
Better control of complex sentence structures would improve the score.
There are conflicting views on determining the primary environmental problem facing the world today. For some people, that should be the loss of specific flora and fauna species, while others argue there are more urgent issues on the priority list. I tend to agree with the second opinion, as climate change is a more imminent threat to us.
On the one hand, biodiversity plays an indisputable role in maintaining the balance of our planet and therefore should be preserved. In fact, the disappearance of a particular type of plants or animals can cause disruption in the food chain and therefore affect the rest of the ecosystem. For example, the extinction of seaweeds and marine algae could immediately reduce the number of fish in the ocean, which in turn limits the food sources of human and leads to food scarcity in the world.
On the other hand, it is climate change that creates more intimidating consequences to the entire human race. Due to the emission of greenhouse gases, global temperature has increased noticeably, which causes the melting of polar ice and subsequent sea level rise. Not only land for cultivation but also that for natural habitats will be lost. In addition, climate change may also lead to more frequent natural disasters or harsher living conditions. All living species on this planet will find it more difficult to survive if this trend continues in the next 10 or 20 years.
In conclusion, the extinction of some kinds of herbivores or carnivores is truly a crucial environmental problem of our time. However, climate change and its resultant effects are considered more prominent and should receive the most attention from the public.
Hello Sir, I found your writing really professional specially usage of synonyms and vocubs I wish I could learn these skills and could you please give me some instruction on it?
The best thing is to practice the skill. It is needed for all parts of the test.
You might like to see this link:
https://www.ieltsanswers.com/synonyms-choosing-similar-words.html
ALso check out some of my writing videos as I always pararhapse the topic in the introduction.
https://youtu.be/yS2NnsE2u58
Good day sir,
I like your writing . I have learnt a lot how to develop paragraph and write paraphrase.
Thanks, I am glad you have learnt these skills.
sir, why does these opinion essays have only 4 paragraphs instead of 5
Four is enough and it means the essay can be completed on time.
How you check our writing? that is , is it necessary to write down on screen?
is it not necessary to check our handwriting?
Either way is ok for me. If you are handwriting please send clear photos.
Thank you mr.Wattie 🙂
First one answer is not relevant and appropriate. Because personal opinion (example)is not good for getting best score.
The text “give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience” for EVERY task!
This clearly means that personal examples ARE a great idea!
Sir the language usage ” the main reason why I am agree ” is it an informal usage????
Formal and it should be ” the main reason why I agree ”
In which types of essay is it ok to write about personal experience in examples?
And is it compulsary to provide an example in every single essay?
So confused by these two questions
In which types of essay is it ok to write about personal experience in examples?
Any, the instructions for ALL essays state this.
And is it compulsary to provide an example in every single essay? Not at all. If you don’t want to use examples
then give detailed explanations.
Dear Sir
Is possible to get IELTS 15?
As far as I’m aware this is not available yet… I would expect it next year.
Sir kindly tell me please which type of essay is it ?
Happy to help, but there are four essays on that page. Which one are you asking about?