The working week should be shorter and workers should have a longer weekend. Do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
The idea of a shorter working week with a longer weekend for employees has been a topic of wide discussion in recent years with some countries even experimenting with it. While it may seem appealing, I disagree with this proposal. A reduced working week could negatively impact productivity, increase operational costs, and hinder overall economic growthDelete, in my opinion.
Firstly, reducing working hours could lead to decreased productivity, particularly in industries where continuous productionconstant output is essential. Many businesses rely on a full five-day week to meet deadlines, manage workloads, and maintain efficiency. For instance, manufacturing and service industries often require consistent labour, and reducing the number of working dayscutting working days might result in delays, lower output, and dissatisfied clients. This could eventually harm a company’s competitiveness and profitability.
Secondly, shorter working weeks could lead to increased operational costs. Employers might need to hire additional staff to cover the hours no longer worked by existing employeescover the reduced hours of existing employees, especially in sectors that demand round-the-clock operations, such as healthcare, customer service, and logistics. This could not only strain companies’ finances but also leadwould not only strain company finances but could also lead to reduced salaries or job losses, negatively affecting workers' financial stability. Furthermore, a shorter working week could limit career-development opportunitiescareer growth and development opportunities. With fewer working days, employees may have fewer opportunities for trainingless time for training, skill enhancement, and professional networking. This could result in slower career progression and diminished job satisfaction in the long run.
In conclusion, while a shorter working week may offer potentialtemporary benefits such as increased leisure time, the potential drawbacks, including reduced productivity, higher costs, and limited career advancement, outweigh these advantages. Maintaining the traditional five-day workweek can support stabilityensures stability, efficiency, and sustained economic growth.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response maintains a clear position and develops a persuasive, well-organised case through specific consequences for productivity, operating costs, and career development. Its main limitation is that several predictions are asserted with limited examination of possible workplace adaptations or counterevidence. To improve further, qualify the causal claims and develop one or two arguments more deeply instead of relying on a sequence of plausible outcomes.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The position is explicit and consistently supported by several relevant, well-developed arguments and examples.
Strengthen the evaluation by acknowledging how flexible staffing or productivity gains might affect the central claims.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas are sequenced logically in focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader smoothly without drawing attention.
Refine the third body paragraph by signalling more clearly the shift from operating costs to career development.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is wide, precise, and appropriately formal, with effective control of topic-specific language.
Add slightly more nuanced evaluative language to distinguish likely effects from outcomes that are merely possible.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used accurately, and the response is largely free from grammatical error.
Polish the occasional heavy sentence by simplifying its coordination while retaining the same precise meaning.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
The working week should be shorter and workers should have a longer weekend. Do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.