Considering that adults spend much of their lives at work, having job satisfaction is extremely important. What factors contribute to job satisfaction? How realistic is the expectation of job satisfaction for all employees?
Sample Response
In this essay, I will state two main factors that contribute to job satisfaction, namely fulfillment and flexibility, and explore possible reasons why job satisfaction, although certainly an objective for many, cannot be achieved by all.
Though many companies advertise their employees as satisfied and content, it is undeniable that this cannot always be the case. Few people would believe a manager saying that their factory workers are satisfied. I believe this has a lot to do with the factors that determine job satisfaction. For instance, in most cases, in order for someone to be satisfied at their job there must be something for them to succeed in, be it a personal or shared goal. The factory example works perfectly: people working in a factory hardly find a purpose in what they are doing different to generating a stable monthly income.
Flexibility is a second element to be taken into consideration. What is meant by this is not flexible working hours, though those can certainly help too, but rather a chance to do and work on different tasks or projects and maybe even a possibility to scale them. This allows for a use of different skills, or a space to learn them, and constant new stimuli. Unfortunately, many jobs do not offer this kind of opportunity, resulting in repetitive and forced labour and effort.
In conclusion, there are many ideas to be developed when talking about factors influencing job satisfaction, such as flexibility and fulfillment, and if some jobs offer both, the vast majority offers neither, which makes it impossible for every employee to experience satisfaction at their jobs.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use accurate verb Original: advertise Suggested revision: describe Why it matters: Companies can describe employees this way, while “advertise” does not express the intended reporting meaning.
- 2. Clarify reference Original: this has a lot to do with Suggested revision: this skepticism relates closely to Why it matters: Naming the skepticism makes the reference to the preceding sentence explicit.
- 3. Correct preposition Original: at Suggested revision: with Why it matters: The adjective “satisfied” takes “with” before the source of satisfaction.
- 4. Clarify achievement Original: something for them to succeed in Suggested revision: a goal for them to achieve Why it matters: The replacement expresses the intended idea of meaningful achievement more precisely.
- 5. Fix comparison structure Original: what they are doing different to generating Suggested revision: what they do beyond earning Why it matters: The original “different to” construction does not form a grammatical contrast with the gerund phrase.
- 6. Use concise wording Original: element to be taken into consideration Suggested revision: factor to consider Why it matters: The shorter phrase states the same point more directly and naturally.
- 7. Remove faulty pairing Original: a chance to do and work on Suggested revision: a chance to work on Why it matters: “Do and work on” redundantly combines verbs that do not share the following objects naturally.
- 8. Correct word choice Original: repetitive and forced labour and effort Suggested revision: repetitive and unrewarding work Why it matters: “Forced labour” has a specific coercive meaning that does not match the point about monotonous jobs.
- 9. Supply plural subject Original: the vast majority offers neither Suggested revision: the vast majority of jobs offer neither Why it matters: Adding the plural head noun makes the comparison explicit and gives the verb a clear subject.
- 10. Use natural preposition Original: at Suggested revision: in Why it matters: “Satisfaction in their jobs” is the more natural expression for an employee’s experience of work.
- 11. Use precise verb Original: state Suggested revision: identify Why it matters: “Identify” is a more precise verb for introducing the factors the essay will discuss.
- 12. Use natural noun Original: an objective for many Suggested revision: a goal for many Why it matters: “Goal” is the more natural term for something employees hope to achieve.
Suggested Rewrites
- advertise describe
- this has a lot to do with this skepticism relates closely to
- at with
- something for them to succeed in a goal for them to achieve
- what they are doing different to generating what they do beyond earning
- element to be taken into consideration factor to consider
Why this response received Band 7.5
The essay presents a focused argument through two clearly organised factors, and its controlled complex sentences make the discussion easy to follow. The main limitation is that the claim that satisfaction is unrealistic for all employees is asserted more strongly than it is demonstrated. Develop that second question with a fuller explanation of why particular jobs cannot offer fulfilment or flexibility, supported by a specific contrasting example.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both questions receive a clear answer, and the two factors are explained, but the realism issue is supported by a narrow and somewhat generalised case.
Explain more fully why universal job satisfaction is unrealistic, considering differences among roles, workers, or employment conditions.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through well-focused paragraphs, with cohesive devices and referencing used effectively throughout.
Strengthen the link between the factory example and the broader conclusion so the second question develops as explicitly as the first.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and generally precise, with only occasional awkward choices such as advertising employees as satisfied or scaling tasks.
Refine the few unnatural collocations by choosing simpler expressions that convey the intended workplace concepts exactly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is handled with strong control, while occasional agreement and phrasing errors do not impede meaning.
Proofread subject-verb agreement in long sentences and streamline clauses whose grammatical relationships become slightly awkward.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Considering that adults spend much of their lives at work, having job satisfaction is extremely important. What factors contribute to job satisfaction? How realistic is the expectation of job satisfaction for all employees?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.