Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
We live in an advanced and globalised world which necessitates that all people must learn a foreign language to cope with the modern trend. The optimum age for learning a new language is a matter of public debate which in my opinion is better to start as early as possible as the advantages of it are far more than the disadvantages. On the one handOn one hand, the main disadvantages of teaching children another language at primary school are that - firstly, it could affect their ability to learn their mother tongue properly and they might get confused by learning many different languages with different grammar and pronunciation at the same time. Secondly, it could be a waste of their study time which could be spent on learning core subjects such as mathematics, sciencesciences, technology etc. Finally, learning a foreign languagethe learning of foreign language places a greater burdenadds more loads on these young kids and takes some of their fun time. On the other hand, knowingother hand knowing a foreign language at a young age is easier and takesneed less time than learning at an older age. The children could pick up the pronunciation more easily as they learn it subconsciouslysub-consciously. Also, they learn without shynesswith no shy and talk freely without any fear of making mistakes. Moreover teaching young children a foreign languageteaching young children foreign language has a positive impact on their personality as it broadens their horizonshorizon and improves their social skills in dealing with foreign people and exposesexposing them a wide range of cultures. Furthermore they will benefit from knowing a foreign language in their upcoming studies and work career as well, and still, they could find learning a new languagelearning new language enjoyable, for example, by usingenjoyable for example: use some games and illustrationsillustration for them as a teaching method. In conclusion, learning an international languagelearning, an international language is a demanding skill that I think should be introducedis demanding skill that I think it should be starting at primary school as the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
Why this response received Band 6.0
The response gives a clear judgement that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and supplies several relevant points on both sides, including confusion, study pressure, easier pronunciation, confidence, and future benefits. Its main weaknesses are list-like development, the absence of paragraphing, and frequent language errors that make some benefits difficult to follow. Develop fewer points more fully, group each side into a paragraph, and simplify inaccurate constructions.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
A consistent position answers both formulations of the question, and both advantages and disadvantages are relevant, though several ideas remain briefly listed rather than explained.
Select two strongest benefits and drawbacks and explain how each affects children, using one specific classroom example.
Coherence and Cohesion
The two sides are signposted and broadly ordered, but the single-block format and mechanical sequencing obscure the essay’s structure.
Use separate introduction, disadvantages, advantages, and conclusion paragraphs with one controlling idea in each body paragraph.
Lexical Resource
There is sufficient topic vocabulary and some useful variation, but frequent awkward collocations such as ‘more loads’ and ‘learn with no shy’ reduce precision.
Use natural phrases such as ‘an additional workload’, ‘without feeling shy’, and ‘broaden their horizons’.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A range of structures is attempted, but agreement, article, complementation, and sentence-construction errors are frequent and sometimes impede clarity.
Prioritise complete subject-verb structures and accurate articles, especially in sentences describing the benefits of early learning.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.