Many governments think that economic progress is their most important goal. Some people, however, think that other types of progress are equally important for a country. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
Many people todayMany today have made the argument that governments are overly focused on economic development to the detriment of more valuable areas of progress. In my opinion, though economic progress is often the catalyst for different forms of growth, the other areas are at least equally as important.
Supporters of economic progress point out its importance for individuals and societies generally. A thriving economy allows the average citizen to improveincrease their quality of life in various ways. Individuals who are provided with good jobsprovided good jobs and lucrative opportunities are able to afford better healthcare, potentially own a homeown a home potentially, purchase luxuries, and take holidays. In the aggregate, all these individual benefitsall these minor additions combine to form the basis of a satisfying and happy lifeground a satisfied and happy life, though they are naturally not absolute guarantees. The clearest evidence of the value of this approach is that voters in democratic nations like the United States typically base their decisions primarily on economic factors.
However, economic progress is the basiseconomics is the basis for other areas of progress. These other areas include educationThis relates to education, standards of living, infrastructure, and, most importantly in the 21st century, the environment. In past centuries, individuals could be forgiven for considering economics to be the most important priority for governmentsthe most important duty of governments. Today, the possibility that the Earth will face cataclysmic changes in the next century has dramatically shifted that calculus. Most researchers agree that overpopulation and the manufacturing and consumption of consumer goods are greatly exacerbating climate change and may lead to seismic disruptions for all life on Earth. Therefore, simply prioritizing the economic activities that degrade the environmentthe economic causes of a degrading environment would be short-sighted.
In conclusion, though economics is the basic foundation of modern civil societies, governments today should not neglect equally as crucial aspects such as the environment. The economy is a means of enactingis means for enacting other reforms, not an end in itself.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response's strongest feature is its mature, well-supported argument, which discusses both priorities and maintains a clear view that economic growth should enable wider national progress. Its main limitation is that the second body paragraph sometimes blurs the distinction between economic and non-economic progress. Sharpening that paragraph around distinct areas such as environmental protection, education, and infrastructure would make the comparison even more direct and fully balanced.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response addresses both views, sustains a clear position, and develops its arguments with relevant explanation and an example.
Make the discussion of non-economic progress more explicit by developing one or two distinct areas rather than framing them mainly through economics.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through clearly focused paragraphs, with cohesive devices and referencing used effectively throughout.
Clarify the opening link in the third paragraph so its contrast with the preceding economic argument is immediately apparent.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise vocabulary conveys complex ideas naturally, with only isolated awkward collocations.
Refine phrases such as “combine to ground a satisfied and happy life” and “economic causes” for more idiomatic precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response uses a broad range of complex structures accurately, and the few errors do not impede communication.
Proofread articles and fixed noun phrases, particularly the missing article in “The economy is means,” to improve final accuracy.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Many governments think that economic progress is their most important goal. Some people, however, think that other types of progress are equally important for a country. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.