Completing university education is thought by some to be the best way to get a job. On the other hand, other people think getting experience and developing soft skills is more important. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
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Sample Response
There is ongoing debate about whether completing a university degree is the best way to obtain employment, or whether practical experience and soft skills matter more. Supporters of higher education argueProponents of higher education claim that university education provides students witha university degree equips students with specialist subject knowledgein-depth subject knowledge and recognised professional qualificationsprofessional qualifications. For example, graduates in fields such as engineering, law, and finance are often preferred by employers due to their formal credentials. Moreover, university study can developuniversity programs foster analytical and research skillsanalytical thinking and research skills, which are highly valued in many professional settingshighly regarded in many workplaces.
Conversely, otherssome argue that employers value practical experience and soft skills more than academic qualifications. Internships, part-time jobs, and volunteer work provide hands-on exposure and help develop communication, leadership, and teamwork abilities. In fast-paced or creative industries, practical competence can outweighoften outweighs academictheoretical knowledge.
Personally, I believe that both approaches contribute to employabilityboth approaches are important. While a degree provides essential knowledge and professional credibilityessential knowledge and credibility, gaining experience and developing soft skills enhances employability and prepareprepares candidates for real-world challenges. Combining university education with practical experienceCombining education with practical exposure is therefore the most effective strategy for career success.
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response is clearly organized and uses accurate, varied language to present both perspectives and a consistent balanced opinion. Its central weakness is limited development: at only 168 words, the discussion relies on brief assertions and broad examples, especially for the practical-experience side. The priority is to expand each position with a fuller causal explanation and a specific, developed example while retaining the concise structure.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views and a clear balanced opinion are addressed, but the substantially under-length response develops its supporting ideas only briefly.
Expand each viewpoint with a complete chain of reasoning and a specific example to meet the expected task depth.
Coherence and Cohesion
The three-paragraph structure creates clear progression, and cohesive devices connect the contrasting positions smoothly.
Use a separate introductory paragraph and develop the practical-experience discussion more fully to improve structural balance.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied, precise, and appropriately formal, with strong control of employment-related collocations.
Add more topic-specific language when extending the examples so the lexical precision is sustained in greater depth.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of simple and complex structures is used accurately, with consistently clear sentence control.
Preserve this accuracy while using more complex cause-and-effect structures to develop the supporting arguments.