IELTS Writing Task 2: education / practical skills

Several students have asked me to help them with this IELTS question:

Some people think that school children need to learn practical skills such as car maintenance or bank account management along with the academic subjects at school. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Here are some suggestions (this is NOT an essay):

1. Introduce the topic then give your opinion
I would write that it is true that children learn academic subjects at school, but not many practical skills. However, I would then disagree that schools should teach skills like bank account management and car maintenance.

2. First supporting paragraph
I would write a paragraph about the importance of academic subjects like maths, science, languages etc. We live in a knowledge-based economy where independent thinking and problem solving are the most important skills. With timetables already full, schools do not have time to teach children anything else.

3. Second supporting paragraph
I would argue that bank account management is a 'life skill' that anyone can learn by simply opening a bank account. Most adults have no problem managing their finances without being taught accounting lessons at school. Other skills like car maintenance are not really necessary. Most people take their cars to a qualified mechanic.

4. Conclusion
Repeat the idea that schools are already doing a good job teaching the traditional academic subjects. If they start to teach practical skills, the study of important academic subjects will suffer.

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You want to apply for the following job. Write a letter to Mr. Moore describing your previous experience and explaining why you would be suitable for the job. 

Waiter/waitress required for evening work. Some experience necessary.

• You should write at least 150 words.
• You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

A type answer will follow. keep the tab on...

It is downloaded material., i have no claim on it

You are writing your first letter to a pen pal. Describe your previous studies and work experience, your current activities, hobbies and interests. 

Tell your pen pal that you will be visiting him/her.

• You should write at least 150 words.
• You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

model answer:

Dear Monica, 

Hi! My name is Jane Zhang, and I obtained your name and address from Pen Pals International. I am very glad to have this chance to write to you and become pen pals.

Let me first introduce myself. I’m currently working as a computer programmer in a large multi-national company. I graduated from Tsinghua University with a Bachelor’s degree in computer science in July 1996. While I enjoy my current job, I’m interested in pursuing a Master’s degree, and hope to begin graduate studies next September. My hobbies include listening to pop music (especially U2), playing the piano and erhu ( a Chinese instrument), and playing tennis. I’m also very interested in travelling, and have visited every province in Chinese at least once. 

This summer, I will be travelling with my mother to California. She will be attending a history conference at the University of California-Berkeley, and I have just received permission to go with her. We will stay in California for a total of 2 weeks – from August 2nd to 16th, 1999. If you are free, I would be very happy to meet you in person. Perhaps we could spend a day or two together. 

Well, let me finish here. I am already eagerly awaiting your reply to this first letter. Please tell me all about yourself and your interests. I hope that we can become good friends. 

Yours truly, 

Michael

Letter. 4.

You are going on a short training course at a college in Sydney, Australia. You need somewhere to live while you are there.

Write a letter to the accommodation officer at the college. In your letter:

Write a letter to the accommodation officer at the college. In your letter:

·                        explain your situation

·                        describe the accommodation you require

·                        say when you will need it

Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any address.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear __________

The amazing speed with which you break into tears and burst into laughter itself is amazing.

Many private sector organizations are found to be allocating huge amounts for meeting the needs of their corporate social responsibility. Some people look at it like it is just a brand building exercise whereas there are people who believe that it is a sign of their commitment to the society they work in.

Essay 078

·          How do you find these two views?

Corporate social responsibility basically is a brand building exercise. But such an attitude to this noble gesture remains confined to smaller and developing organizations. The highly established firms keep on spending money for this as a token of their commitment to society.

To begin with, today all private sector organizations face acute competition. In order to ensure visibility to their brand, companies adopt several ways. Spending on corporate social responsibility is one among them. For example, budding organizations are found to be spending money from their pocket to make people feel that the former is doing well, and what they spend on corporate responsibility is but a share of their profit. However, once they have achieved their brand image, many organizations back off, and go on with their business of making money. So in a sense it is a brand building exercise.

On the other hand, there are organizations that set aside huge amounts for this social responsibility even after long since they have made their brand images. Corporate giants like Microsoft, IBM, TATA, ITC, Apple, Coca cola and so on still allocate millions of dollars for development exercises. For example; the CEO of Microsoft has recently declared a funding programme for rehabilitating AIDS victims in India. This is a sign of Microsoft’s social responsibility. Obviously, Microsoft can do without it. But it won’t. That is commitment.

To conclude it, it is right to say that today development is a shared exercise, and corporate houses play a big role in it. So, either for boosting their brand images or for meeting their commitments, they do spend. That is more important than what is it spent for. 270 Words. Ajaypeesdoc

Promoting and protecting the health of women is of greater importance in terms of social welfare not only for the health of present generation but also for all the generations to come.

Essay 009

·          Substantiate this argument with evidence to support it.

·          How can we promote and protect the health of women?

Social welfare involves several factors, and most important one among them is the health status of people. In this respect, ensuring women’s health is more important than anything else. This is for today and for tomorrow, too. Of course, there are ways to achieve this goal.

When it comes to its greater importance, primarily, it is women who sustain human life. Naturally, their health plays a pivotal role in giving birth to healthy lives, both boys and girls. Obviously, these boys and girls are what we call future generation. For example, a healthy female child will naturally become a healthy woman, and she in turn continues the process. If we look at it from a social welfare angle, it is again right that women play the most crucial role in managing the health of the family. And healthy families contribute greatly to social welfare.

Obviously, there are ways to sustain women’s health. Health as such involves several factors. It is not simply being free from diseases. So, right and deserving education, enough employment opportunities, food security, affordable medical care, amiable family atmosphere with enough freedom for decision making, problem solving and socializing are some of the contributory factors that make women healthy. Needless to say, there should be enough provision for all these in a society that expects to be healthy today and tomorrow.

Concluding it, I would like to add that sustaining women’s health is the best thing a society or a system of government can do to its present and future welfare. And I am sure the suggestions I have made are of some significance.

As the whole world remains concerned about environmental problems, there is an argument that all development measures need to be environment-friendly whereas there are some who argue that no development initiative is possible without causing some harm to the environment.

1

How do you view these two arguments?

It is a fact that there are differing views on whether it is possible to make all development initiatives environment-friendly or it is difficult to have developments without doing some harm to the environment. I feel that the former argument is an impossibility whereas the latter a possibility.

In order to prove the point, let me take an example. It is accepted world over that power security is a must to have developments. But is it possible to have power security without establishing power plants? No many would refute the fact that it is impossible to make all modern power projects environment-friendly. Or, if at all we go for some environment-friendly energy sources, we cannot meet the mounting demands for power. Therefore, it is right to argue that development without power is impossible.

On the other hand, there are certain areas where we can have a balanced approach. For example, we can have many tourism development initiatives causing minimal harm or no harm to the environment. It is known that tourism developments need infrastructure and the same would cause some effect on the surroundings. But, there are ways to ensure that such measures do not do much harm to the environment. Furthermore, there are certain tourism genres, which are absolutely environment-friendly: eco tourism, dark tourism, heritage tourism etc.

Winding it up, it is right to say that development incurs environmental concerns, either big or small. But, there are some areas where we are able to sustain the environment and enjoy developments. It is all in our attitude towards developments. 

Task I 

20 mnts.

Survey result

Hundred samples each

People of a residential complex

Entertainment options

Number of hours per month

	13-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+
Internet	69	78	56	32	12
Film/Videos	90	69	45	34	7
TV programs	90	80	70	60	21
Reading	30	24	20	16	40
Sports & games	69	56	28	14	7

Jaypeesdoc. 14.12.012.www.jpsukham.blogspot.com

Task II

40 mnts.

Practicing multiple careers is very common among younger professionals these days. Some people view this as an excellent idea for many-sided growth, whereas some others are of the opinion that it is likely to upset their work life balance.

·        How do you look at these two views?

Speak about a skill you wished to learn

·        What that was

·        When you wanted to learn

·        Why you failed to learn it

Well, we all need to horn some skills in our life.

Some are able to master all the skills they wish to learn.

Some others fail in some.

The same, way I too wished to learn a skill.

It was driving.

And I wanted to learn it while I was doing my higher education.

And I had even made arrangements with a driving school.

And as per the arrangement, I was supposed to undergo road training for 30 days, and my master wanted me to be ready in the early morning, at 6.00 every day.

Unfortunately, that was not the right time for me, and the school was not able to give me a suitable time either.

Somehow I attended a few days’ classes.

And after a few days, I turned irregular, and it went on for a long time, and finally, I was forced to quit that effort midway through.

And now, at times, I feel that I had made a big mistake.

Now we have a car, and my brother and father drive it. But sadly enough, my liking for driving is still there, it gets intense whenever I see them drive.

Sadly enough, now I find it more difficult to go for driving class than it was before when I went attending, and later abandoned.            2 mnts.

An instance in which you helped someone.

• When that was
• Whom you helped
• What help you offered
• What you felt after that.

Well, sir, as part of my personal life and professional life,

I have had many opportunities to help others.

Among them, I would like to speak of one which I particularly remember.

It happened last year. And it was like this:

I was on my way to Pondichery on a train.

The journey up to Coimbatore was really interesting

as I happened to meet many people, including students,

professionals and ordinary folk.

When we reached Coimbatore, as usual, a lot of passengers got in and out of the compartment. But no sooner than the train left the station, one of my newly met friends had started panicking and shouting out, that someone had stolen her bag.

She broke down like anything because she had all her belonging in that bag except her certificates.

I felt really sorry for her first, but soon, I tried to console her with encouraging words

and offered her all the help. Within a few minutes she came back to her normal mood.

When we reached Pondichery, I took her to my place, and I made her comfortable.

On the following day, I accompanied her to the hospital where she was going to attend an interview. She attended the same, and I arranged for her return trip to Kerala.

When it comes to the feelings on the incident, frankly speaking,

I didn’t expect anything, She thanked me a lot and the same made really glad.

But after some three four weeks, I received a call from her.

She told me that she got selected in the interview.

That was the best of all phone calls I have ever received.

Now she is working there, and we are thick friends.

That is all about the incident in which I helped someone.

Jaypees.doc

• Three IT majors
• Recruit entry level staff
• Their qualifications and experience needed
• Annual salary offered.

Companies	Type of job	Qualifications	Experience		Salary/year*
WIPRO	Entry level	Any Degree	On the job training		2-3
MICROSOFT		Any Science Degree with Com.DIPLOMA	Two years		3-4
IBM		IT Eng. Degree	Three years		5-6

Amounts in hundred thousand INR

Here is a table that sets down particulars pertaining to what is required to get an entry level placement in three major IT giants, and the pay package they offer.

Among the three companies, Wipro demands the least in terms of qualification and experience. Here the job is open for any degree holder, and no experience is needed, rather the company is ready to pay on the job training. And the pay?  They offer the least as well, 2/3 hundred thousand per year.

In contrast, IBM offers two times the salary offered by Wipro. But the qualification and experience expected are much higher too. Here the post is open only for IT engineering degree holders. Coupled with this is the three years’ experience.

Among the three Microsoft seems to be taking a middle course though. Any science graduate is eligible to apply for provided he or she has an additional computer diploma up his sleeve. Experience-wise, the demand is not that big either; two years. The pay package is not that bad either; 3-4 hundred thousand.

In short, it may be said that higher is the pay, greater is the requirement and qualifications. 

Letter to the Editor

Sir,

The news that a new project is going to come up at our place called Kumarakom is alarming. I understand that this new project is aimed at processing the waste generated by Kottayam town.

This in my view is going to be a serious environmental and economic issue as Kumarakam is a tourist destination which promotes various aqua tourism activities, and the annual revenue generated by this place crosses millions. The marine and avian life in the sanctuary is bound to face problems too.

Therefore, it is extremely important to look into the environmental and social aspects of this particular project covering some ten acres of land. Further, there is going to be great threat of epidemics too as waste dumped in here may get mixed with the lake waters.

So, I would like the authorities to look into this issue and halt the project for the time being.  And your Daily’s concern towards issues of common interest is known for all, and I am hopeful that this letter would reach the right people.

A responsible citizen

170 words

Letter to the Editor

Sir,

The news that a new project is going to come up at our place called Kumarakom is alarming. I understand that this new project is aimed at processing the waste generated by Kottayam town.

This in my view is going to be a serious environmental and economic issue as Kumarakam is a tourist destination which promotes various aqua tourism activities, and the annual revenue generated by this place crosses millions. The marine and avian life in the sanctuary is bound to face problems too.

Therefore, it is extremely important to look into the environmental and social aspects of this particular project covering some ten acres of land. Further, there is going to be great threat of epidemics too as waste dumped in here may get mixed with the lake waters.

So, I would like the authorities to look into this issue and halt the project for the time being.  And your Daily’s concern towards issues of common interest is known for all, and I am hopeful that this letter would reach the right people.

A responsible citizen

170 words

When it comes to recruiting new staff, some premier employers give more importance to job aspirants who have got some experience in voluntary service to their community than those who have got experience in their respective fields.

• Why is this shift of interest towards voluntary work?
• Do you think it is good to do some voluntary work to community? 

Today, employers look for many things other than qualifications and experience when they recruit. Some even go to the extent of preferring voluntary work experience to industry-ready experience. There are reasons, and I think it is good to be going voluntary for a while.  

Let me see why some leading organizations give preference to voluntary work. The thing, I think, is that being prepared to work is an excellent attitude and this attitude today is governed more by monetary benefits than by their being service-minded. Needless to say, a select few employers look for the latter because if the former is there, the attitude, the latter will follow. This attitude is again heightened by the fact that, today, there are great many who have relevant experience, but people with selfless attitude to work are rare. Obviously, some employers look for such rare people. 

Let me se how good it is to be doing some voluntary work. If all the educated and aspiring job seekers are willing to put in some free service to their community during free times, their society would witness great changes in terms of say, better sanitation, waste and water management, energy conservation, education on environment, health and hygiene, and the list may go endless. For example, a State cannot meet all the needs of its citizens, and individuals themselves have a moral obligation to serve their community voluntarily. It is a social gesture, because society is people.   

In brief, there is no wonder why some employers prefer voluntary-minded recruits to others. I think it is a sign of their commitment to social welfare. Such a professional look into voluntary work is likely to make any society better in terms of its welfare.

285 words

Ajaypeesdoc. 6.7.12

Voluntary contributions, in terms of time, money and energy, to one’s immediate society are very much part of all civilized social setups. But this humane gesture is getting extinct throughout the world due to many factors.

• Try to find out some of those factors.
• See how this development is going to impact human life in general.

It is quiet human to serve one’s society voluntarily. Unfortunately, of late, this very human generous gesture is fading out due to several factors. Obviously, this shift in peoples’ attitude is bound to impact human life in many ways.

Innumerable reasons can be attributed to fading signs of voluntary service from the face humanity. The foremost thing that comes to my mind is that people these days are much more selfish and unfeeling than the people of the past. Secondly, today, thanks to many advancements, human life as such has become better, and the majority are much well off. For example, today, it is very difficult to find people who expect their fellow beings to be doing some voluntary work. Thirdly, now the social order is nuclear in nature, and most of the families are after their immediate wellbeing. In this rush, there is hardly time for others or society.

Needless to say, this unfeeling life is not a sign of any social structure. Man’s being social is based on the very principle called mutual dependence. So, a society sans voluntary service lacks social feel. Mutual human development, social interaction, giving something back to one’s society, instilling in children the spirit of helping others and being helped by others and the like are extremely important for any civilized society. So, a society that lacks the will to voluntarily participate in the general human life cannot be called refined society.

Looking at the factors that lead to poor voluntary work and its social impact, I find it right to conclude that it is an unfortunate development, and a society without this basic human gesture is nothing but a poor society. Humans basically need to be humane.  

280 words

Ajaypeesdoc. 6.7.012

Many developing nations now strengthen their education so as to mould a new generation of quality workforce. Some say this is not that useful as job opportunities are very limited in such nations.  

To what extent can endorse the view that job opportunities are prerequisite for strengthening education?   

A nation running short of resources to generate enough employment opportunities for the educated does not need to make fresher investments in education.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view?

It is greatly believed that volunteering is much more rewarding and educative than taking up academic courses and getting qualified.

What is it that makes volunteering so powerful?

Why is volunteering not that common these days?  

A few different looks at films as an entertainer and a reforming instrument.

Film as an entertainer is often criticized as a medium which is able to generate huge false impressions in the minds of the young. This is reason enough for some to argue that films that distort the young need to be banned from screening.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this argument.

Film as an entertainer is often criticized as a medium which is able to generate huge false impressions in the minds of the young. This is reason enough for some to argue that films that distort the young need to be banned from screening.

Argue for and against this view.

Film as an entertainer is often criticized as a medium which is able to generate huge false impressions in the minds of the young. This is reason enough for some to argue that films that distort the young need to be banned from screening.

Do you think films need to concentrate more on moulding the youth than on entertaining the public?

Film as an entertainer is often criticized as a medium which is able to generate huge false impressions in the minds of the young. This is reason enough for some to argue that films that distort the young need to be banned from screening.

Why is film able to make lasting wrong impressions in the young when compared to other forms of pastimes?

A few strings of thought on waste and its manifestations 

1.

On Sundays, poor people of this place/ go out for a couple of hours/ engaging themselves in cleaning their immediate surroundings/ which is being littered/ by the callousness of the rich/ who have the rare reputation/ of leaving the lives of others unmanageably miserable/ by making their own lives/ more and more comfortable / and /discomforting for all the species/ of this very Planet they are living in.  69 words

2.

This voluntary noble gesture of the poor seems to be able to make some changes in the minds of those rich who move out in palatial cars and dump plastic carry-bags of wastes at remote corners of the street in the early hours of all days; a welcome attitudinal change in their way of life necessitated by the sublime behaviour of the poor which has the reflection of the philosophy our Gandhi has been able to promote across the world; show the other cheek, it is called - that is let the poor keep on cleaning up when the rich go littering. 100

3.

If followed across the spectrum, the rich would have to behave themselves in the immediate future because nothing is more disheartening and disgusting for ourselves than making someone clean our waste; a by-product of our own bloody lack of commitment, poor civic consciousness and dogging insensitivity to the very place we are part of; some call it ecosystem, or whatever name you may call it by, it, in my opinion, emphasizes a noble thought called coexistence.   75

4.

Waste, as matter of fact, has always been part of human life, and, of late, the quantity and quality and variety of wastes being generated by us humans is so huge, poor and great that waste management has become a big headache for the system as well as for the people in general who are generally are under the impression that they have the moral duty to generate waste and the State has the responsibility to clean it up; an utopian concept being propagated by the advocates of consumerism, retail and market economy. 90

5.

Need-based life, maximum utilization of finished products, responsible shopping, principle of localism, take only what is needed and give back as much as possible, ecological housekeeping, inclusive thinking, shunning luxuries, sharing wealth and showing compassion towards whatever is natural and national, in my opinion are potential instruments through which we will be able to tide over whatever issues that are getting generated by waste; something that we humans alone create. Ashamed aren’t you!

Presenting age groups

Age groups in Task I ielts

• 5-12, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49,50-59, 60+ (above)
• Teens, Under 30s, 40s, 50, 60, 70+
• 11-18, 20-26, 27-34, 35-45, 46-55, 55 and above

1. Children in their 5-12 age group
2. Those in their teens
3. Youngsters in their 20-30 age group
4. Those who are in their 40-49 years
5. The older age groups like 50-59 and 60 and above
6. People in their middle age like 35-45 years
7. The age groups 20-29, and 30-39
8. As people grow older, say, when they are in their 50s
9. While people are younger, say when they are under 30 years
10. Senior citizens in their 60s and 70s
11.  Students in their teens
12.  children above five and below ten years
13.  Boys in their teens
14.  Girls in their teens
15.  People in their 20s and 30s
16.  Under 30s
17.  Those who are under their 30s
18.  When younger age groups, ………older age groups like,,,
19.  While males in their 20s………females in the same age groups…..
20.  The corresponding figures of the age group 30-40……. 

Writing of process charts: INTRODUCTIONS:

We all like instant coffee, but many of us are not…….

Coffee is a simple enough beverage, but how it is ……..

Safety clips are known to us, but do we really…….

The need for water recycling is much higher today, but how it is….

We cannot imagine of a life without power, but how power is generated……

Who doesn’t like chocolates, but how knows how it is ………………

We all visit offices, but how an office is constituted,

Ajaypeesdoc. 3.8.012

We are going to see, here is a report on/ let me show how/ this process tells us… p

1. The process involved in the……..
2. The different steps go into the making of
3. How ………….produced/manufactured.
4. How something is prepared
5. There are ---------number of steps involved in the
6. Pictogram shows how………….is done
7. This pictorial representation tells us how……….
8. This is about the process of making …….
9. The various stages of the production of…….
10. What are the elements that constitute a……..

• First of all,……………
• Firsty, …………..prepared/formed/made
• The first step involved is…………
• In the initial stage………….is put into a ……….
• The next step is called…………….
• What follows next is ………………….
• At the end of this process, there starts the second……..
• This is followed……………..
• Now it is taken to a……….where it is ………..(3)
• This is done to make it ………………
• Once it is done, there is another step called………
• There are different functions in ……………..
• There are some complicated procedures involved in….
• A machine checks it for………………
• The quality control machine identifies……….
• This part of the process leads to the second stage……
• And finally………..
• At the end……………
• That is the final stage of…………….
• This is what is involved in the process of………….
• This is all about the process that go into the making…….

The graph is about the value of companies

The graph presents the values in US dollars of three companies selling farming equipments every five years and their projected value for the year 2015.

It is clear that Greenacres recorded a steady growth from 1960 to 1990. Its initial worth of 2000,000 dollars got doubled to 4000,000 in 30 years. However, it suffered a great loss soon and its value scaled down to its 1960 position in 2000. Anyway, there was quick recovery, and it touched 350,000 dollars mark in 2010. If it keeps this tempo, its value is projected to go above 4000,000 dollars in 2015.

With a starting value of mere 500,000 dollars, Carsons Ltd kept on growing, with slight fluctuations in between, and it is projected to touch 1500,000 dollar mark in 2015, recording a three times growth. 

And, finally, Farm Implements, which started trading only in 1980, had an opening value of 1000,000 dollars. Successive periods witnessed steady growth and it fared almost equally well with Greenacres’ value in 2010; around 3500,000. It stands poised to cross 3500,000 mark in 2015.

When Farm Implements and Carsons Ltd. had a constant growth over the years, Greenacres’ value spiraled down once in between and fared well ahead of all others.