This article will help you answer task 2 opinion essay and give you two sample answers.
This will focus on IELTS task 2 opinion (agree or disagree) essays. It will recommend a sentence by sentence structure to help you in the exam, as well as two sample answers.
The two example questions are:
- Governments should spend more money on education than on recreation and sports.Do you agree or disagree?
- Most high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 percent female. Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these positions to women.Do you agree?
I recommend that students should completely agree or disagree with the statement in these kinds of questions. This will lead to a clear argument and a more coherent essay. You can show the other side of the argument in concession statements, but these should be only one or two sentences. Concession statements are used to briefly show the other side of the argument. Also, don’t let personal feelings get involved. The examiner does not have to agree with your opinion and you do not have to write about how you actually feel about the issue. Pick the side you feel most comfortable writing about i.e. the one you can back up with explanations and examples.
Structure
I recommend a simple four paragraph structure.
Paragraph 1- Introduction
- Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question
- Sentence 2- Thesis Statement
- Sentence 3- Outline Statement
Paragraph 2- Supporting Paragraph 1
- Sentence 1- Topic Sentence
- Sentence 2- Explain Topic Sentence
- Sentence 3- Example
- Sentence 4- Concession Sentence
Paragraph 3- Supporting Paragraph 2
- Sentence 1- Topic Sentence
- Sentence 2- Explain Topic Sentence
- Sentence 3- Example
- Sentence 4- Concession Sentence
Paragraph 4- Conclusion
- Sentence 1- Summary
- Sentence 2- Prediction or Recommendation
Question One
Governments should spend more money on education than on recreation and sports. Do you agree or disagree?
Reasons why governments should spend more money on education than on recreation and sports:
- Education benefits an economy in the long term
- Education has social benefits
- Education is a human right
- Education is more costly than recreation and sports
Reasons why governments should spend more money on recreation and sports:
- Sports and recreation have health benefits
- Sports and recreation can promote learning too
- Education always receives a higher budget and sports are overlooked
I agree with this statement and I will therefore use ideas in the first list. I am working on a four paragraph structure therefore I only need two supporting ideas for my two main body paragraphs. I can also use ideas in the second list but these will only be concession statements.
Answer
It is argued that countries should allocate more funds to education than to leisure and competitive games. It is agreed that national budgets should prioritise schools and universities over sports and play. This essay will discuss firstly, the economic benefits education can bring to a nation and secondly, the social benefits it has; followed by a reasoned conclusion.
Investment in its education system is one of the best ways to improve a country’s economy in the long term. The more students entering third level education, the more skilled a workforce will be and this leads to higher innovation and productivity. For example, South Korea and Finland took the decision to invest a large proportion of their budget in education and this has reaped benefits in the form of high tech companies such as Samsung and Nokia. However, people cannot work hard all the time and these companies do provide leisure facilities for their workers.
Education is not just about improving the economy it also has many social benefits. Well educated people tend to be more aware of social evils such as drugs, alcohol and sexual health. For example, Singapore educates all of its citizens on the dangers of drugs and this has resulted in one of the lowest levels of drug abuse in the world. Despite this, sports can also teach children valuable soft skills, such as team work and work ethic which also help curb social ills.
In conclusion, education should take precedence over sports when it comes to funding due to the many socio-economic benefits it brings. It is recommended that governments continue to pump money in to schools and universities in order to realise long term goals.
Question Two
Most high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 percent female. Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these positions to women. Do you agree?
Idea Generation
Reasons why companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of high-level positions to women:
- Equal pay for equal performance
- Women can bring qualities to work place that men do not have
- Women currently outperform men at university
- A balance of genders leads to higher productivity and a more harmonious workplace
Reasons why companies should not be required to allocate a certain percentage of high-level positions to women:
- Certain jobs require skills only men have
- Positions should be allocated to people on merit not gender
- Women can take large amounts of time off to have children
Answer
It is argued that corporations should be compelled to give a certain proportion of their executive level roles to females given that that over half of the workforce is female in the West. It is agreed that businesses should be obliged to assign a significant percentage of top-level posts to women. This essay will discuss firstly, that women should be paid an equal amount of money for doing the same job as a man, and secondly, the fact that girls are currently outperforming boys on many university courses; followed by a reasoned conclusion.
Despite years of so called ‘equal rights’ for women in the work place they continue to be underpaid. Many women who do exactly the same job as their male colleagues earn less money and this is unfair. For example, a recent survey of accountancy and legal firms in the United Kingdom found that women earn on average 17% less than men with identical roles. However, this may be due to women taking maternity leave and falling behind their male counterparts.
This unfairness is compounded by the fact that females are currently getting higher grades in most university courses. Even previously male dominated fields, such as law and medicine, now see women in the ascendency and they should therefore be rewarded with top roles. For example, females recently outperformed males for the first time in law in U.K. universities. Despite this, employers should bear in mind that roles should be handed out on merit, not gender alone.
In conclusion, women do deserve an equal share of the good jobs available, namely because they are capable of doing an equally good job as men and are achieving higher academic standards than men at university. It is recommended that companies heed the advice in this essay and make their hiring practices fairer.
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kishan kalaria says
Hi Chirs
Such a great site ever come across…
can you please comment on essay, just tried to follow you structure.
Many developed countries are giving financial aid to the poor countries. However ,this could not solve the poverty in these nations and so other types of help are needed.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
The developing countries are receiving monetary help by the developed nations. In other side, these nations are unable to clear up necessity therefore in the other area aid are needed. It is agreed that undeveloped countries are required many other types of help. This essay will discuss, firstly only economic help do hardly progress and secondly how by giving support to healthcare, education and technology improve status of country, followed by a reasoned conclusion.
Only commercial help never fulfil the requirement of the societies. In current time, corruptions are dramatically increasing. Therefore, that may be possible that a few money is used to develop countries. A prime example is that developed countries like United State and Britain are given a lot of money to poor countries but there is not found any noticeable change. However, there are many countries who used international grant in various development and achieve success.
In addition, by helping in school and university, nation may be progress in economically as well as in literacy. If they provide opportunity in prestigious institution with scholarship, it can be open the door for getting valuable job. Furthermore, it is good idea to offer free education in schooling and colleges and establish new infrastructure and offer vocational course, its develops soft skills which lead to reduce unemployment rate. Moreover, developed countries can distribute medication and vaccine free. In contrast, these are also possible with financial help; develop countries are not aware about the basic demand and what kind of lack person faces.
Overall, urban countries should help to undeveloped countries as per requirement of nations. It is predicted that in future, developed countries invest money in poor nations.
Christopher Pell says
Hi Kishan
Thanks for your essay. Unforutanetly, I don’t have time to correct all of the essays that people send me, but I do have an essay correction service you can use.
Here is the link- http://ieltsadvantage.com/2015/07/23/essay-correction-service/
Hamdan says
I have ilets test soon and I like your way of explaining which is really helpful.
Can you help me on the place of ajdverbs for below paragraph
Firstly, this essay will discuss about positive contribution of female workforce, and secondly, the fact that girls outperforming boys on many university courses; followed by a reasoned conclusion.
Should I say ” , and secondly,” or ” and, secondly,”
Also, shall is use ” ; ” or ” , ” before (followe by reasons conclusion)
Christopher Pell says
Hi Hamdan
The first way you said it is fine. You should also change outperforming or outperform.
Venkkhatesh Peddigarri says
i have never seen like this website..i searched a lot but i couldn’t found good website….thank you sir to developed a nice website……..
Christopher Pell says
Thanks.
subin says
Sir I want you to check my introduction ….
Majority of people consider that intense motion picture and videogames are provoking harsh behaviour amid youngsters. It is agreed that extreme movies and videogames are paramount for harsh behaviour among children. Firstly this essay will discuss the impact of anti social scenes effecting young minds and secondly it will discuss other problems caused by viewing violent pictures
Christopher Pell says
Your structure is fine but your vocabulary and grammar could improve. Remember that you should only use synonyms if you know exactly what they mean and the grammar is correct.
Lemuelle Bryan says
Thank you for the response. Can you give me an idea of topic about the police and armed forces? So, in this task, I failed for the cohesion and coherence?. Let’s put an example for this essay. What if I did not answer the question? will it be a big loss for my task 2?
Lemuelle Bryan says
Kindlu please do evaluate..
Women should have an equal role alongside men in both police and armed forces. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
It is argued that the same title role for female alongside male in both law enforcement and military forces. It is agreed that military services should have a balance of genders in the position. Firstly, this essay will discuss about positive contribution of female workforce, and secondly, the fact that girls outperforming boys on many university courses; followed by a reasoned conclusion.
Despite the years of so called ‘equal rights’ for women in the workplace they continue out place by men in most fields. Many armed services choose men over women, for this reason male force outperformed female force in this field. However, women can bring qualities to workplace that men do not have. One very good sample is that women have greater patience when it comes to office works and an area that requires skill of motherly role, that only female workforce has. Moreover, a balance of genders leads to a high productivity and a more harmonious workplace.
University courses such as medicine and law that once dominated by men, now see women getting interested and involved. This gender discrimination is that female is currently getting higher grades in most university courses. For instance, female recently top the bar exam for law and medicine in Philippines. In spite of this companies should bear in mind positions should be weigh to people on excellence not gender alone.
In conclusion, women do worthy to have the same part in the workplace as men and they succeed on top than men at university. It is recommend that fair treatment of assigning a position and evaluation should base in the achievements attain.
christopherpell444 says
This would be a very good essay if it was about men and women in the work place generally. Your structure is very good and you have expanded on your ideas very well. However, the question talks about the police and armed forces and you should therefore focus on answering this specific question.