Some high schools require all students to wear school uniforms. Other high schools permit students to decide what to wear to school. Which of these two school policies do you think is better? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
Sample Response
It is true that some secondary schools require their students to wear uniforms, while others allow their students to wear free clothing. Both policies have their own positive points, but I personally think that it is better for high school students to wear uniforms.
To begin with, it is common that some high schools do not require their students to wear uniforms. They believe that uniforms should not be the main concern of education, and schools should focus more on the curriculum quality and learning process than focusing on dresses. Besides that, they also believe that spending on school uniforms is also a waste of money, as the fund could be allocated for other important matters such as books or stationary.
On the other hand, for a number of reasons many secondary education institutions necessitate their students to wear school uniforms. These institutions believe that by wearing school uniforms, students will learn about discipline; and how to wear proper and formal clothing. By allowing the students to wear free clothes, there might be a risk that students will wear inappropriate clothing during school hours. And then with the existence of school uniforms, it will not differentiate the economic class of students. Although some students might come from a wealthy family, they must wear the same quality clothing as the other students who come from various backgrounds.
In conclusion, it is a fact that wearing school uniforms has become mandatory for several secondary education institutions, but there are other institutions who allow their students to decide their own clothes. Both points of views have their own advantages, but I believe that wearing school uniforms for high school students is more favourable than wearing free clothes.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use natural expression Original: free clothing Suggested revision: clothes of their choice Why it matters: Free clothing usually means clothing supplied without charge, not unrestricted clothing choices.
- 2. Use precise noun Original: positive points Suggested revision: advantages Why it matters: Advantages is the concise academic term for the benefits of the two policies.
- 3. Correct clause pattern Original: it is common that some high schools do not require Suggested revision: it is common for some high schools not to require Why it matters: The adjective common takes a for-plus-infinitive construction in this sentence.
- 4. Correct noun phrase Original: the curriculum quality Suggested revision: the quality of the curriculum Why it matters: The of construction is the natural way to express the curriculum's quality.
- 5. Improve comparison wording Original: than focusing on dresses Suggested revision: rather than on clothing Why it matters: Rather than completes the contrast, and clothing is more suitable than dresses for general school attire.
- 6. Use formal linker Original: Besides that Suggested revision: Moreover Why it matters: Moreover links the second supporting reason more concisely in an academic paragraph.
- 7. Add the missing object Original: spending on school uniforms is also a waste Suggested revision: spending money on school uniforms is a waste Why it matters: Spend requires an expressed object here, and also is redundant after the preceding linker.
- 8. Use the intended noun Original: the fund Suggested revision: the money Why it matters: Fund refers to a designated pool, while the sentence means the money not spent on uniforms.
- 9. Correct the spelling Original: stationary Suggested revision: stationery Why it matters: Stationery is the noun for writing materials, whereas stationary means not moving.
- 10. Add introductory comma Original: for a number of reasons many Suggested revision: for a number of reasons, many Why it matters: A comma should separate the introductory phrase from the main clause.
- 11. Correct verb pattern Original: necessitate their students to wear Suggested revision: require their students to wear Why it matters: Necessitate does not take a person-plus-infinitive complement in this way.
- 12. Remove incorrect semicolon Original: discipline; and Suggested revision: discipline and Why it matters: A semicolon cannot separate two coordinated objects within the same clause.
Suggested Rewrites
- free clothing clothes of their choice
- positive points advantages
- it is common that some high schools do not require it is common for some high schools not to require
- the curriculum quality the quality of the curriculum
- than focusing on dresses rather than on clothing
- Besides that Moreover
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response is strongest in maintaining a clear preference for uniforms and supporting it with relevant points about discipline, appropriate clothing, and reduced visibility of economic differences. Its main limitation is that these reasons remain general and the requested specific examples are missing, while some awkward vocabulary and grammar weaken precision. The highest-priority improvement is to develop the equality argument through a concrete school scenario and explain more directly why its benefit outweighs the cost and freedom objections.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Response
A clear opinion is sustained and supported by several relevant reasons, but development remains general and no specific example is provided.
Add a concrete example showing how uniforms reduce social pressure or clothing-based comparison and explicitly connect it to the preferred policy.
Coherence and Cohesion
The essay follows a clear progression through the alternative policy, the preferred policy, and a consistent conclusion, with effective paragraphing.
Make the comparison sharper by linking each objection to non-uniform clothing directly to a corresponding benefit of uniforms.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is adequate for the topic, but recurring awkward collocations, repetition, and an incorrect word choice reduce precision.
Replace phrases such as “free clothing,” “focus on dresses,” and “necessitate their students” with natural alternatives, and use “stationery” for school supplies.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response uses both simple and complex structures, but errors in agreement, articles, punctuation, pronouns, and sentence openings recur.
Check subject-verb agreement and avoid fragments or loosely attached sentences beginning with “And then.”
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some high schools require all students to wear school uniforms. Other high schools permit students to decide what to wear to school. Which of these two school policies do you think is better? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.