Some people think that schools should select students according to their academic abilities, while others believe that it is better to have students with different abilities studying together. Discuss both views and state your own opinion.
Sample Response
There are mixed opinions in regards to whether streaming students according to their academic ability into separate schools is utilisable to the education system. Some assert that it is more beneficial to students’ development if students attend in the mixed ability schools. However, I believe that it would be more effective and efficient in terms of both teaching and learning when streamings of students are implemented.
It is evident that students with various abilities studying together are more likely to achieve positive outcomes in all-round ability development. Mixed abilities classes offer students opportunities to learn from each other, thus, to develop the abilities that were absent from them previously. For example, a student with an excellent academic ability can learn how to dance or paint from peers who are less academic but rather artistic. In this sense, mixed classes encourage students to develop their multi-dimensional abilities rather than single academic ability.
Despite the argument above, I believe streaming students generates more benefits to teachers and students. As to teachers, it is more convenient to discover suitable teaching methodologies to accommodate a group of students with similar academic abilities. Compared with mixed ability class, in which teachers need to acknowledge the ability differences among each student, streaming students makes it much simpler to teachers. As to students, this system enables them to learn in an effective way, as specific teaching methods, timeframe and teaching materials distributed to different schools in order to accommodate more specific learning. In this way, the narrower the spread, the more convenient the teaching can be and the more effective the learning can be.
To conclude, mixed ability classes encourage students developing all-round abilities; however, it is the streaming students that facilitate the more specific teaching and learning, which is proved to be more effective and efficient.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use fixed expression Original: regards Suggested revision: regard Why it matters: The standard expression is “in regard to” or “with regard to.”
- 2. Use natural wording Original: utilisable Suggested revision: beneficial Why it matters: “Utilisable” does not naturally express educational benefit in this context.
- 3. Remove preposition and articles Original: attend in the mixed ability schools Suggested revision: attend mixed-ability schools Why it matters: “Attend” takes a direct object, and the schools are discussed generally.
- 4. Use uncountable form Original: streamings of students Suggested revision: student streaming Why it matters: “Streaming” is an uncountable process noun in this context.
- 5. Fix clause connection Original: thus, to develop Suggested revision: and thus develop Why it matters: The conjunction creates a parallel verb phrase and removes the misplaced comma.
- 6. Use concise phrasing Original: the abilities that were absent from them previously Suggested revision: abilities they previously lacked Why it matters: People lack abilities; abilities are not normally described as absent from them.
- 7. Remove unnecessary article Original: an excellent academic ability Suggested revision: excellent academic ability Why it matters: “Academic ability” is used as an uncountable quality here.
- 8. Improve contrast Original: less academic but rather artistic Suggested revision: less academically inclined but more artistic Why it matters: The replacement uses parallel and natural descriptions of the two aptitudes.
- 9. Add article Original: rather than single academic ability Suggested revision: rather than a single academic ability Why it matters: The singular countable noun phrase requires an article.
- 10. Correct preposition Original: to Suggested revision: for Why it matters: Benefits provided to a group are described with “for” here.
- 11. Use clear transition Original: As to teachers Suggested revision: For teachers Why it matters: The shorter transition introduces the group more naturally.
- 12. Use precise collocation Original: convenient to discover Suggested revision: easier to identify Why it matters: Teaching methods are identified rather than discovered in this context.
Suggested Rewrites
- regards regard
- utilisable beneficial
- attend in the mixed ability schools attend mixed-ability schools
- streamings of students student streaming
- thus, to develop and thus develop
- the abilities that were absent from them previously abilities they previously lacked
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response discusses both arrangements and maintains a clear preference for academic streaming, with its comparison of teacher workload and tailored instruction providing the strongest support. Its main limitation is that several claims remain asserted rather than demonstrated, and recurring grammatical and collocational errors reduce precision. Prioritise a concrete example showing how ability grouping improves learning outcomes while addressing the social benefits of mixed classes more critically.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are addressed and a clear opinion is maintained, with generally relevant explanation and one useful mixed-class example.
Add a specific example of successful ability grouping and explain why its academic benefit outweighs mixed classes' broader development.
Coherence and Cohesion
The essay is clearly paragraphed and progresses logically from mixed classes to streaming and a consistent conclusion.
Make the comparison more explicit by linking the main advantage of each system directly before the final judgement.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary covers the educational topic adequately, but recurring awkward collocations and word forms reduce naturalness.
Refine expressions such as 'utilisable to the education system', 'streamings', and 'more convenient to teachers'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A range of complex structures is used, though agreement, articles, missing verbs, and verb-pattern errors recur.
Check subject-verb agreement and complete passive forms, especially where teaching methods and materials are described.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people think that schools should select students according to their academic abilities, while others believe that it is better to have students with different abilities studying together. Discuss both views and state your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.