Space exploration is much too expensive and the money should be spent on more important things. What is your opinion?
Sample Response
There is an argument that exploring space is a waste of money and that there are more urgent needs to be addressed on earth, such as reducing poverty and preventing environmental destruction. However, I completely disagree with this opinion for two reasons.
First of all, many of the technologies we take for granted today were originated thanks to space research. Take satellite technology, for example, which we depend on for broadcasting and weather forecasting. Without satellites, we would not be able to follow global events as they happen, nor give populations any warning of approaching storms. Space research has also led to the development of new lightweight materials that offer us heat protection and enable food preservation. Therefore, the challenge of sending human beings into space has often driven the development of new technologies that benefit our everyday lives.
Second, we cannot foresee the distant future, so we ought to develop the capability to escape from the earth. Gradually, we are learning how humans can survive for long periods in space and even travel to other planets in the future. If space exploration is halted, this valuable knowledge will never be acquired. It is true that environmental destruction is also a serious issue, but it is also true that we remain dependent on our environment if we never accept the challenge of exploring other worlds.
In conclusion, while we undoubtedly face serious problems on our own planet, it is imperative that we continue to explore space. This will promote further technological advances as well as provide a possible means of escape should Earth become uninhabitable in future. Ideally, all nations should cooperate in the advancement of space research.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Capitalize planet name Original: earth Suggested revision: Earth Why it matters: 'Earth' is capitalized when it refers to the planet by name.
- 2. Use precise noun Original: needs Suggested revision: problems Why it matters: 'Problems' fits the examples of poverty and environmental destruction more precisely.
- 3. Correct verb form Original: were originated thanks to space research Suggested revision: originated through space research Why it matters: 'Originate' is intransitive here and should not be used in the passive voice.
- 4. Improve warning collocation Original: give populations any warning Suggested revision: provide populations with any warning Why it matters: The 'provide someone with something' structure is more natural in formal writing.
- 5. Use natural collocation Original: offer us heat protection Suggested revision: provide heat protection Why it matters: Materials more naturally 'provide heat protection' than 'offer us' protection.
- 6. Use concise phrasing Original: everyday Suggested revision: daily Why it matters: 'Daily lives' is the more concise conventional phrase in this context.
- 7. Use natural expression Original: foresee the distant future Suggested revision: predict what the distant future holds Why it matters: The revised expression conveys the uncertainty more naturally.
- 8. Refine planetary reference Original: escape from the earth Suggested revision: leave Earth Why it matters: The concise phrase uses the proper name correctly and avoids the awkward article.
- 9. Prefer active voice Original: this valuable knowledge will never be acquired Suggested revision: we will never acquire this valuable knowledge Why it matters: The active form clearly identifies who would fail to gain the knowledge.
- 10. Use idiomatic time phrase Original: uninhabitable in future Suggested revision: uninhabitable in the future Why it matters: 'In the future' is more idiomatic when referring to a possible later time.
- 11. Use direct phrasing Original: cooperate in the advancement of space research Suggested revision: cooperate to advance space research Why it matters: The verb phrase is more direct than the abstract nominal expression.
Suggested Rewrites
- earth Earth
- needs problems
- were originated thanks to space research originated through space research
- give populations any warning provide populations with any warning
- offer us heat protection provide heat protection
- everyday daily
Why this response received Band 8.5
The response establishes an unequivocal position and develops two distinct reasons with clear explanations and relevant illustrations, particularly the account of practical technologies derived from space research. Its main limitation is that the future-escape argument is speculative and does not fully engage with the opportunity cost raised by the prompt. The highest-priority improvement is to defend that argument through a more realistic comparison of long-term benefits and urgent terrestrial spending.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The position is clear throughout, and both supporting reasons are substantially developed with relevant consequences and examples.
Address the cost trade-off directly and give the long-term survival claim a more evidence-based qualification.
Coherence and Cohesion
Paragraphing is purposeful, progression is highly logical, and cohesive links guide the reader without becoming mechanical.
Make the contrast in the second body paragraph slightly more explicit by linking environmental urgency back to spending priorities.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a wide and precise range of vocabulary for technology, environmental risk, and future capability.
Replace the awkward phrase were originated with originated or were developed to maintain fully natural word choice.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex clauses and varied sentence patterns are used flexibly and accurately, with only a very minor construction error.
Check verb patterns in passive constructions so isolated errors such as were originated are eliminated.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Space exploration is much too expensive and the money should be spent on more important things. What is your opinion?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.