Many people argue that in order to improve educational quality, high school students are encouraged to make comments or even criticism on their teachers. Others think it will lead to loss of respect and discipline in the classroom. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
Finding ways to improve educational quality is often one of the top priorities in every education system. In some cultures, high school students are encouraged to give their opinions about teachers, but I believe that this can also give rise to a lack of respect and discipline in the classroom.
On the one hand, it is true that feedback from learners may contribute to an improvement in educational quality. In many cases, the level of comprehension of students relies very much, not on the content of the lesson but on the way teachers conduct it. If, for example, the class is slow, it will be ineffective for teachers to teach too fast so that most students fail to retain the information. Without the comments of students, it would be difficult to know whether the speed of the lesson is appropriate for the class, which may eventually impair the quality of the lesson.
However, there are several drawbacks of allowing students to make comments and criticism on their teachers. Firstly, teachers can be vulnerable to the negative words of students. Many will feel that their efforts in delivering the lesson deserve praise rather than criticism or any form of feedback. This idea is commonly shared by teachers in the education systems of many Asian countries. Secondly, the classroom may be in chaos due to the massive numbers of comments. Opinions vary from students to students, and it would be impractical for teachers to work out a way of teaching that can satisfy all students.
In conclusion, it seems to me that encouraging high school students to comment about their teachers does not necessarily mean an improvement in education quality.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use correct preposition Original: in Suggested revision: for Why it matters: For more naturally links a priority to the system that holds it.
- 2. Use direct wording Original: contribute to an improvement in educational quality Suggested revision: improve educational quality Why it matters: The direct verb is clearer and more concise than the nominalized expression.
- 3. Use natural possession Original: comments of students Suggested revision: students' comments Why it matters: The possessive form is more concise and idiomatic here.
- 4. Correct the preposition Original: of Suggested revision: to Why it matters: Drawback takes the preposition to when followed by a noun or gerund phrase.
- 5. Correct prepositions Original: comments and criticism on their teachers Suggested revision: comments about and criticism of their teachers Why it matters: Comments takes about and criticism takes of in this construction.
- 6. Use natural collocation Original: negative words of students Suggested revision: negative comments from students Why it matters: Negative comments is the natural phrase for critical feedback.
- 7. Improve verb pattern Original: efforts in delivering Suggested revision: efforts to deliver Why it matters: Efforts is conventionally followed by a to-infinitive when describing an intended action.
- 8. Use measured wording Original: massive numbers of comments Suggested revision: large number of comments Why it matters: A large number is more natural and suitably formal in this context.
- 9. Use singular pattern Original: from students to students Suggested revision: from student to student Why it matters: The fixed distributive expression uses singular nouns on both sides of to.
- 10. Use precise preposition Original: about Suggested revision: on Why it matters: Comment on is the standard formal construction for giving an opinion about someone.
- 11. Sentence rewrite Original: In many cases, the level of comprehension of students relies very much, not on the content of the lesson but on the way teachers conduct it. Suggested revision: In many cases, students' level of comprehension depends heavily on how teachers conduct the lesson rather than on its content. Why it matters: The revision fixes the awkward possession, verb choice, and contrast structure while preserving the original claim.
- 12. Sentence rewrite Original: If, for example, the class is slow, it will be ineffective for teachers to teach too fast so that most students fail to retain the information. Suggested revision: If, for example, students learn slowly, teaching too quickly will prevent most of them from retaining the information. Why it matters: The revision replaces the unclear description of the class and removes the unintended purpose meaning of so that.
Suggested Rewrites
- in for
- contribute to an improvement in educational quality improve educational quality
- comments of students students' comments
- of to
- comments and criticism on their teachers comments about and criticism of their teachers
- negative words of students negative comments from students
Why this response received Band 7.5
The response is well organised and presents a clear opinion while giving relevant attention to both perspectives, with the strongest development appearing in the explanation of how learner feedback can improve teaching. The main limitation is that the opposing case is less convincing and sometimes relies on broad assertions. Prioritise developing the link between criticism, respect, and classroom discipline with more precise reasoning and a concrete example.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are discussed and the writer's position is clear, but the case against student criticism is not fully substantiated.
Explain more directly how unrestricted criticism would cause lost respect or discipline rather than merely inconvenience teachers.
Coherence and Cohesion
The argument progresses clearly through well-focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader naturally.
Strengthen the transition from teachers' emotional responses to the broader classroom consequences in the opposing paragraph.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a sufficiently wide range of topic-specific vocabulary to express ideas clearly and flexibly.
Improve collocational precision in phrases such as criticism on teachers, massive numbers of comments, and opinions vary from students to students.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Varied complex structures are handled well overall, though several awkward constructions and agreement errors remain noticeable.
Review prepositions, singular-plural agreement, and clause logic, particularly in sentences describing lesson speed and student opinions.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Many people argue that in order to improve educational quality, high school students are encouraged to make comments or even criticism on their teachers. Others think it will lead to loss of respect and discipline in the classroom. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.