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
Some people contend that mixed ability classes are more beneficial for children’s development than streaming them on the basis of judgement about their academic abilities. However, from my perspective, I disagree with this contention.
Admittedly, mixed ability classes provide a better environment for children’s all-round development. In such classes, children with different abilities study together and in turn they can learn from one another. From example, a student, who is good at academic study but weak in dancing or painting, can learn how to dance or paint form his peers. In this sense, mixed ability classes allow students to develop their abilities in different subjects instead of only academic abilities.
Despite the argument above, I believe streaming students brings more benefits to teachers and students. As for teachers, separating children with better academic abilities from others facilitates effective teaching. This practice helps teachers to control their students more conveniently and easily. Compared with mixed ability in which teacher should consider students’ differences when they are using teaching methodologies, streaming makes this situation simpler. To be more specific, students are at the same level of academic ability in a class, and in turn teachers can use the same methodologies for them all. In this way, the narrower the spread of ability in the class, the more convenient the teaching can be.
On top of this, steaming enables students to learn in an effective way. According to students’ different abilities, they are taught in different ways that are more suitable for them. In the top streams, students use more difficult materials, therefore, they can learn more. In sharp contrast, teachers can explain the material more slowly to those in bottom streams. Under this circumstance, students with different academic abilities can study effectively and efficiently.
In the final analysis, mixed ability classes are beneficial for students’ versatile development, but in my opinion, segregating students based on different academic ability is better for both teachers and students.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use natural noun phrase Original: study Suggested revision: subjects Why it matters: “Academic subjects” contrasts more naturally with dancing and painting.
- 2. Correct preposition spelling Original: form Suggested revision: from Why it matters: “Form” is a spelling error for the preposition “from.”
- 3. Make comparison parallel Original: instead of only academic abilities Suggested revision: rather than focusing only on academic abilities Why it matters: The replacement creates a grammatical comparison between developing varied abilities and focusing only on academic ones.
- 4. Remove redundant adverb Original: more conveniently and easily Suggested revision: more easily Why it matters: “Conveniently” and “easily” overlap here, so one precise adverb is enough.
- 5. Supply class noun Original: mixed ability in which Suggested revision: mixed-ability classes, in which Why it matters: The comparison requires the plural noun “classes,” and “mixed-ability” needs a hyphen before it.
- 6. Use plural noun Original: teacher Suggested revision: teachers Why it matters: The general reference to educators requires the plural noun “teachers.”
- 7. Use concise time clause Original: when they are using Suggested revision: when using Why it matters: The reduced clause is clearer and avoids an unnecessarily heavy continuous form.
- 8. Use natural comparison Original: the more convenient the teaching can be Suggested revision: the easier it is to teach Why it matters: The replacement expresses the comparative relationship in natural English.
- 9. Correct key term Original: steaming Suggested revision: streaming Why it matters: “Steaming” is a spelling error that changes the intended meaning of “streaming.”
- 10. Add definite article Original: those in bottom streams Suggested revision: those in the bottom streams Why it matters: The specific lower-level groups require the definite article “the.”
- 11. Use idiomatic phrase Original: Under this circumstance Suggested revision: In these circumstances Why it matters: “In these circumstances” is the idiomatic phrase for the situation just described.
- 12. Use natural assessment phrase Original: on the basis of judgement about their academic abilities Suggested revision: according to judgments of their academic abilities Why it matters: The replacement expresses the basis for grouping students more naturally and precisely.
Suggested Rewrites
- study subjects
- form from
- instead of only academic abilities rather than focusing only on academic abilities
- more conveniently and easily more easily
- mixed ability in which mixed-ability classes, in which
- teacher teachers
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response presents a clear preference for ability-based streaming and supports it with logically sequenced arguments about teaching and differentiated instruction. Its main limitation is that the case for mixed-ability classes is comparatively brief and some supporting claims remain general, while several awkward word choices and grammatical slips reduce precision. The highest-priority improvement is to develop both views with equally specific, convincing examples and then proofread collocations, articles, and agreement.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are addressed and a clear position is maintained, although the mixed-ability case is less fully developed.
Develop the first view with a more directly relevant academic example and compare its value more explicitly with streaming.
Coherence and Cohesion
The argument progresses logically through clear paragraphs, though some linking phrases are repetitive or slightly mechanical.
Use fewer formulaic transitions and strengthen the logical connection between each claim and its supporting explanation.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and topic-appropriate, but slips such as “steaming” and several awkward collocations reduce precision.
Proofread key terms and replace imprecise combinations with natural phrases such as “make teaching easier” and “students of differing abilities.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A good range of complex structures is used, with recurring but non-impeding errors in articles, agreement, and clause construction.
Check singular-plural agreement and article use, especially in sentences that compare teachers, students, and classes.
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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.