Several languages are in danger of extinction because they are spoken by very small numbers of people. Some people say that governments should spend public money on saving these languages, while others believe that would be a waste of money. Discuss both these views and give your opinion.
Sample Response
It is true that some minority languages may soon disappearsome minority languages may disappear in the near future. Although it can be argued that governments could save money by allowing them to disappearallowing this to happen, I believe that these languages should be protected and preserved.
There are several reasons why saving minority languages could be seen as a waste of money. Firstly, if a language is only spoken by a small number of people, expensive education programmes will be needed to ensure that more people learn itmake sure that more people learn it, and the state will have to pay for facilities, teachers and marketing. This money might be better spent on other public services. Secondly, it would be much cheaper and more efficient for countries to use a single common languagehave just one language. Governments could cut various costsall kinds of costs related to communicating with each minority group.
Despite these argumentsDespite the above arguments, I believe that governments should try to preserve languages that are less widely spoken. A language is much more than simply a means of communication; it is closely tied to the cultural identityhas a vital connection with the cultural identity of the people who speak it. If a language disappears, an associated way of life may also be losta whole way of life will disappear with it, and we will lose the rich cultural diversity that enriches societiesmakes societies more interesting. By spending money to protect minority languages, governments can also preserve traditions, customs and practicesbehaviours that are part of a country’s history.
In conclusion, it may save money in the short term if we allow minority languages to disappear, but in the long term this would have an extremely negative impact on our cultural heritage.
Why this response received Band 9.0
The response fully addresses both views and sustains a clear opinion through relevant, well-developed reasoning. Its strongest feature is the controlled progression from the financial case against preservation to the cultural case for it, supported by precise and highly accurate language; its only minor limitation is that the discussion remains general. A useful refinement would be one brief concrete illustration of successful language preservation while retaining the essay's concise focus.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are fully explored, the writer's position is explicit throughout, and the supporting ideas are relevant and thoroughly developed.
As an optional refinement, add a concise real-world illustration without reducing the depth or balance of the existing argument.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response progresses seamlessly through a clear four-paragraph structure with cohesive devices used naturally and unobtrusively.
Maintain this controlled progression while ensuring any added example remains integrated into the relevant paragraph.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is wide, precise, natural, and flexibly used to express both economic and cultural arguments.
Continue selecting precise topic language and avoid unnecessary embellishment that could weaken the current economy of expression.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of sentence structures is used with full control, accurate punctuation, and consistently error-free grammar.
Preserve this level of grammatical control when introducing any additional detail or more complex qualification.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Several languages are in danger of extinction because they are spoken by very small numbers of people. Some people say that governments should spend public money on saving these languages, while others believe that would be a waste of money. Discuss both these views and give your opinion.
Your response
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