The government and individuals are spending too much money on national celebrations like the new year or festivals. Do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
In many countries, governments and individuals spend a significant amount of money on national celebrations such as New Year celebrations or other festivalsNew Year or other festivals. While some people believe this expenditure is excessive, I partially agree because such celebrations have both advantages and drawbacks.
On the one hand, spending money on festivals and national events can have social and economic benefitspositive effects. These celebrations bring people together and strengthenpromote cultural identity. For example, national holidays often include parades, performances, and community events, which help citizens take pride in their country and traditionsfeel proud of their country and traditions. Moreover, spending on festivals can boost the local economy. Businesses such as restaurants, shops, and hotels often earn more revenuesee increased income during these periods, benefiting both owners and employeeswhich benefits both owners and employees.
On the other hand, excessive spending can be an inefficient use of valuable resourcesa waste of valuable resources. Governments have limited budgets and should prioritize essential areas such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Spending millions on celebrations may divert funds from these critical sectors. Similarly, individuals who spend large amounts on personal celebrations may face financial difficulties or incurincrease personal debt. For instance, buying expensive gifts or organizing lavish parties can place unnecessary financial pressure on familiesput unnecessary pressure on families.
In conclusion, while national celebrations have cultural and economic benefits, I believe that both governments and individuals should be avoid excessive spendingcareful not to spend excessively. A balanced approach can ensure that people enjoy celebrations without compromising higher-priority social and financial needsmore important social and financial priorities.
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response presents a clear, balanced position and develops relevant cultural, economic, public-budget, and personal-finance considerations in a logical structure. Its main limitation is that it falls below the expected length, leaving otherwise sound ideas somewhat concise and general. The highest-priority improvement is to extend the analysis with deeper explanation of why the benefits do not justify excessive spending while preserving the current clarity and control.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response addresses the question with a clear qualified position and relevant discussion of benefits and drawbacks, but under-length development limits depth.
Exceed the minimum length by extending the reasoning behind the final judgement and developing one example in greater detail.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas are logically organised into focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader clearly throughout.
Use slightly less formulaic contrast markers and strengthen the conceptual link between each example and the paragraph's main claim.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied, appropriate, and generally precise across cultural, economic, and public-policy ideas.
Refine a few conventional phrases, such as describing debt as being incurred rather than increased, to improve precision further.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A broad range of complex sentence structures is used accurately, with strong control and very few noticeable errors.
Maintain this accuracy while varying clause openings and sentence rhythms to make the argument even more flexible and polished.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
The government and individuals are spending too much money on national celebrations like the new year or festivals. Do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.