Some people believe that modern technology is increasing the gap between rich and poor, while others disagree and say that it is helping reduce the gap. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
Opinions vary regarding the impact of modern technology on the socio-economic divide between wealthy and low-income individualssocio-economic gap between affluent and impoverished individuals. While some contend that technological advancements are reducing disparities, others argue that they further exacerbate the divide. In my viewFrom my standpoint, technology tends to widenescalate the gap between the rich and the poor mainly because ofdue to various reasons, primarily the unequal access to and utilisationutilization of technology.
Advocates of the view that technology can narrow the wealth gaptechnology's role in diminishing the wealth gap argue that technological advances provide wider accessadvancements provide broader access to information and opportunities. For instance, internet connectivity and e-learning platforms offer educational resources to disadvantagedunderprivileged communities, potentially enabling them to acquire skills for improved employment prospectsbetter job prospects. Similarly, technological innovation in microfinance and online entrepreneurship might help marginalised populations gain economic independencemight facilitate economic empowerment for marginalized populations.
Conversely, the proliferation of technology predominantly benefits the affluent, perpetuating the wealth gap. Wealthier individuals have superior access to cutting-edge technology, leading to better education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. This unequal distribution of resources widens the economic chasm between the rich and the poor. For instance, the digital divide persists in many developing regions, hindering equal access to quality education and job opportunities for disadvantaged populations.
In my opinion, technology tends to widen the socio-economic gap due to its uneven distribution and utilisation. While it offers prospects for advancement, the unequal access to resources and opportunities exacerbates existing disparities. The disproportionate technological access between the rich and the poor perpetuates socio-economic inequality rather than mitigating it.
In conclusion, while technology can provide avenues for socio-economic upliftment, its unequal distribution and utilisation aggravate the wealth gap. Bridging this gap requires addressing the disparities in access and ensuring equitable technological distribution to harness its potential for all strata of society.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The essay addresses both perspectives directly and sustains a clear opinion, with especially strong explanation of how unequal access reinforces advantage. Its main limitation is repetition: the separate opinion paragraph largely restates the preceding argument and conclusion rather than adding analysis. The highest priority is to deepen the causal comparison between technology’s inclusive potential and the conditions that prevent it, then integrate the personal judgement without duplicating points.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are relevantly developed with examples, and a clear opinion is stated and maintained throughout the response.
Deepen the comparison by explaining why the benefits of education, microfinance, and entrepreneurship remain insufficient when access is unequal.
Coherence and Cohesion
The essay has clear thematic paragraphs and logical progression, although the opinion paragraph repeats ideas from the preceding body paragraph and conclusion.
Integrate the personal evaluation into the two discussion paragraphs or use the opinion paragraph to add a distinct comparative judgement.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise range of topic vocabulary conveys complex ideas effectively, with only occasional slightly strained combinations.
Prefer natural collocations such as widen the gap and equitable access to technology instead of escalate the gap and technological distribution.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A broad range of complex structures is used accurately and flexibly, with errors rare and communication consistently clear.
Polish parallel structures around access to and use of technology so the strongest sentences are consistently concise as well as accurate.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people believe that modern technology is increasing the gap between rich and poor, while others disagree and say that it is helping reduce the gap. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.