In some countries, marriages are arranged by the parents but in other cases, people choose their own marriage partner. Discuss both systems and state which one do you think is better.
Sample Response
The idea that a marriage should be arranged by the parents of the couple, or by other members of the family, is quite acceptable into some societies, yet completely out of the question for others. It all depends on your cultural expectations. In so-called Westernwestern societies, it is very unusual for marriages to be arranged. Most young people would not welcome the idea that their parents have the right to choose their life partnertheir partner for life. They feel that arranged marriages deny them their fundamental right to choose, even if they make a bad decision. However, in practiceif we are honest about it, we might acknowledge that some parents organise their children's lives in such a way that they are likely to meet and marry partners the parents approve ofapprove o£ This isIt could be said that this is, to some extent, similar to an arranged marriage. It is always better when families support the relationship and welcome the grandchildren. People for whom arranged marriages are the cultural norm often argue that the likelihood of the marriage lasting is greater when it is arranged in this mannerset up in this manner. Parents can be assured that their children are joining a family of similar standing and cultural background, and this, in the long run, makes for a more stable society if your parents' marriage was arranged, and has worked well, then why should you question the custom? The important thing to ensure is that people are never forced into a marriage thatwhich will make them unhappy or lead to an unequal relationship in which one partnerrelationship where one partner is exploited by the other. This applies in all societies and situations.
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response’s strongest feature is its nuanced consideration of cultural context and the potential benefits and risks of arranged marriage. Its main limitation is that it never clearly states which system is better, despite that being an explicit requirement, and its presentation as one long paragraph weakens readability. The highest priority is to give a direct comparative position and organise each side into a clearly developed paragraph.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both systems are discussed with relevant reasoning, but the required judgment about which is better remains unclear.
State a direct preference and justify it by explicitly comparing the two systems against clear criteria.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through personal choice, family influence, and arranged marriage, although the single-block presentation and one run-on transition reduce clarity.
Use distinct paragraphs for each system and a separate conclusion so the comparison is easier to follow.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a flexible and generally precise range, including appropriate expressions about cultural norms, stability, and exploitation.
Proofread for isolated slips and choose consistently precise wording, especially around parental influence and approval.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used with generally strong control, and most sentences are error-free.
Check sentence boundaries carefully to prevent long clauses from running together and obscuring their logical relationship.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
In some countries, marriages are arranged by the parents but in other cases, people choose their own marriage partner. Discuss both systems and state which one do you think is better.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.