Some people believe that university education should focus on the skills of employment for the future. Others think they should focus on academic study only. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
A university degreeA higher education degree is now a must for suitablerespectable employment. As a result, some individuals feel that colleges shouldfeel colleges should focus on developing students’ professional abilities, while others believe universities should focus on theoretical knowledge. From my perspective, educational institutions should take both prioritiesfactors into consideration. In the following paragraphs, I shall discuss both views and give reasons to support my opinion.
On the one hand, some people place emphasis on the practical value of university education. In many cases, students’ sole goal is to improve their employment prospects, so skills should take precedence over other considerations. In this sense, if colleges can assist students in enhancing their vocational talents and turn them into skilled employees needed by society, graduates will be able to find an ideal job that will benefit their future growth, especially at a time when youth unemployment is a major concern.
On the other hand, others believe that colleges exist solely to conduct academic study since theoretical knowledge can assist individuals in developing their abilitiesbecoming capable. Academic education provides learners with the chance to build abilities that are useful in their daily lives. Students can use critical and logical thinkingcritical thinking and logical thinking, for example, to help them solve problemsdifficulties they will encounter at work. Furthermore, academic knowledgeAcademic knowledge, on the other hand, can broadenextend learners’ horizons. Professors’ ideas might expose them toeducate them with unique and insightful perspectives and help them examine situations from differing viewpoints. This will allow students to generate creative ideas, preparing them for academic study and employmentqualifying them for academics and employment.
In conclusion, professional skills and academic knowledge are essential components of higher education. Thus, these two elements should be considered, and students must be encouraged to apply theory to practice.
Why this response received Band 7.5
The response is well organised, maintains a clear balanced position, and develops both sides with relevant cause-and-effect reasoning. Its main limitation is that the case for academic study sometimes shifts back toward employability and relies on broad claims, while several collocations are awkward. Strengthen the distinction between the two views with a specific academic example and revise imprecise phrases for more natural expression.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views and the writer's balanced opinion are clearly addressed, although the academic-study argument is less distinct and specifically supported.
Add a concrete example of knowledge pursued for academic value and explain why it matters independently of immediate employment outcomes.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response follows a clear paragraph sequence, with cohesive devices and referencing supporting smooth progression from the two views to the conclusion.
Sharpen the internal progression of the academic-study paragraph so each supporting point builds directly on its central claim.
Lexical Resource
A varied academic vocabulary conveys the argument clearly, though several collocations are imprecise or unnatural despite their understandable meaning.
Prefer established combinations for employment, intellectual development, and academic careers, and remove vague evaluative wording.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex sentence forms is handled with strong accuracy and consistently clear control across the response.
Refine occasional participial and infinitive constructions so their logical subjects and intended relationships are completely unambiguous.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people believe that university education should focus on the skills of employment for the future. Others think they should focus on academic study only. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.