Some people think that schools should not test and grade students. Others think that grades are important. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
Many believe that schools should test and grade students, while others feel these stressful evaluations can be counter-productive. In my opinion, although testing can be useful, schools could be improved if there were no grades and students could learn with less pressure.
On the one hand, standardized testing allows students to measure their progress. Students and teachers are both able to utilize grades to understand if a student is excelling or struggling in any given subject. For example, in most high schools, students take a test before being placed into a mathematics course. If they excel at math, they will be placed in an advanced class and if their math skills are weaker, they will receive the support they need at a lower level. Over time and through repeated testing, students can move up or down levels and receive relevant practice and individualized learning. This is the basis of most educational systems and facilitates the practical organization of levels.
On the other hand, schools with reduced focus on grades encourage healthier growth. This approach is common in certain progressive European nations like Finland and Norway, which are famous for their de-emphasis on grades. Schools in Finland attempt to foster a positive learning environment where students feel free to make mistakes, play, and develop a lifelong passion for learning. With less anxiety and less of a burden to excel, students can focus on what they care about most and not become overly obsessed with gaining the esteem of their teachers and parents. The result is that Finland has consistently ranked as one of the strongest school systems internationally.
In conclusion, although grades are important for categorization, their elimination would allow students to learn better and flourish. Where possible, schools should seek to focus more on learning and less on testing.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Clarify what improves Original: schools could be improved Suggested revision: education could improve Why it matters: This wording identifies the educational process rather than suggesting that the buildings or institutions improve.
- 2. Use precise phrasing Original: utilize grades to understand if Suggested revision: use grades to determine whether Why it matters: The replacement is more concise and uses the formal alternative whether for an indirect question.
- 3. Name the placement Original: at a lower level Suggested revision: in a lower-level class Why it matters: This makes clear that the level refers to the class in which the student is placed.
- 4. Add relation between levels Original: move up or down levels Suggested revision: move between levels Why it matters: Between expresses movement from one academic level to another more naturally.
- 5. Clarify school organisation Original: facilitates the practical organization of levels Suggested revision: helps schools organize students into appropriate levels Why it matters: The revision states clearly what is being organized and why the levels are useful.
- 6. Add missing article Original: schools with reduced focus on grades Suggested revision: schools with a reduced focus on grades Why it matters: The singular countable phrase reduced focus needs an article here.
- 7. Use formal example marker Original: European nations like Suggested revision: European countries such as Why it matters: Such as is a more precise formal marker for the examples that follow.
- 8. Improve collocation Original: less of a burden to excel Suggested revision: less pressure to excel Why it matters: Pressure to excel is the natural collocation for the anxiety described here.
- 9. Use precise social aim Original: esteem Suggested revision: approval Why it matters: Approval more directly expresses the external validation that students may seek from adults.
- 10. Use concise reference Original: in any given subject Suggested revision: in a particular subject Why it matters: A particular subject expresses the same meaning more directly.
- 11. Specify suitable practice Original: relevant Suggested revision: appropriate Why it matters: Appropriate more clearly indicates that the practice matches each student's level.
- 12. Sentence rewrite Original: The result is that Finland has consistently ranked as one of the strongest school systems internationally. Suggested revision: As a result, Finland has consistently ranked among the countries with the strongest school systems internationally. Why it matters: Finland is a country rather than a school system, so the comparison needs an explicit country reference.
Suggested Rewrites
- schools could be improved education could improve
- utilize grades to understand if use grades to determine whether
- at a lower level in a lower-level class
- move up or down levels move between levels
- facilitates the practical organization of levels helps schools organize students into appropriate levels
- schools with reduced focus on grades schools with a reduced focus on grades
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response presents a clear position, addresses both perspectives directly, and develops each side with relevant, well-explained examples in a highly coherent structure. Its main limitation is that a few claims about national education systems are broad and asserted rather than carefully qualified. The highest-priority refinement is to make supporting evidence more precise and nuanced while preserving the essay's direct argument and fluent progression.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The essay fully discusses both views, maintains a clear opinion, and develops relevant arguments with effective examples.
Qualify broad claims about particular countries so that the evidence supports the position with greater precision.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through well-focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader naturally without drawing attention to themselves.
Vary the framing of the two opposing body paragraphs slightly to make the organisation feel even less formulaic.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise vocabulary supports nuanced discussion, with natural collocations and consistently appropriate academic tone.
Replace occasional broad expressions such as claims about progressive nations with more exact, evidence-sensitive wording.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A broad range of complex structures is used accurately and flexibly, with only negligible lapses.
Refine punctuation in longer conditional sentences to make already clear relationships even more polished.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people think that schools should not test and grade students. Others think that grades are important. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.