Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like. Others believe that they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as those related to science and technology. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
Whether university students should study subjects of their own choice or be obligedor should they be obliged to study career-oriented subjects like technology and science is a widely debated issue. Both of these views have arguments for and against them. This essay delves into both views and expresses an opinion that tertiary education should grant freedom to its students when it comes to the subject they want to study.
On the one hand, the supporters of university students studying career-oriented subjects contend that offering a wide range of subjects based on learners' choicesaccording to learners' choice has little practical value. A recent study shows that a predefined syllabus at a university bindsbound a student to study regularly and prepare for the exam while the freedom to take any subject or major they like dramatically increases the number of students who drop outnumber of dropout students. This is an alarming outcome, and this is why university authoritiesthe university authority needs to think twice before implementing the policy. Furthermore, the development of a nation these days depends heavilya nation, these days, highly depends on a technologically sound workforce and universities should developyield such a workforce for the country. From this perspective, it seems quite logical for universities to teach technology and science-related subjects to most of their pupils.
On the other hand, others opine that a university is the highest level of educationhighest citadel for education, and helps build the next generation who would lead the country. In this regard, the education and teaching policy of the university affects the whole nation. When students at the university are given certain freedom while picking their majors, it helps create wellall-rounded individuals who are ready to lead the nation. Forcing them to study some selected subjects for future employment would turn them into office workersmake them become workers for offices, not leaders for the country. They also express that letting them study a wide range of subjects, including history, arts, commerce and so on, would make them far more knowledgeable and prepared to take on future challenges. Society needs artists, filmmakers, writers, journalists, politicians and so on, and not only scientists, doctors and engineers.
To conclude, universities have to consider the pros and cons of any policy adopted including whether the students are free to pick their subjects or not. Personally, I believe that letting university students prefer their subjects has far more benefits and seems more logical in a broader sense.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response addresses both perspectives fully, maintains a clear preference for student choice, and supports each side with logically developed social and economic reasoning. Its main limitation is occasional awkward or overstated wording within an otherwise fluent argument; the priority is to refine collocations and strengthen the evidence behind the claimed link between unrestricted choice and dropout rates.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are explored in depth and the writer’s preference for student choice is clear and consistently supported.
Qualify or substantiate the claimed connection between subject choice and dropout rates so the opposing case rests on stronger evidence.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas are logically sequenced in focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader effectively through both sides and the conclusion.
Tighten the introduction and conclusion by removing generic statements that do not advance the comparison.
Lexical Resource
A broad topic-specific vocabulary communicates complex educational arguments clearly, despite several awkward or overly ornate choices.
Prefer natural phrases such as well-rounded individuals, produce a skilled workforce, choose their subjects, and centre of learning.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex sentences is generally controlled, with occasional errors in agreement, tense, and clause phrasing.
Proofread verb agreement and tense in evidence statements, especially when the subject is singular or the source is introduced as recent.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like. Others believe that they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as those related to science and technology. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.