Some people think that students in high or secondary school can choose courses freely, others think that courses such as mathematics must be compulsory. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
Many feel that is essential students be able to choose all their own courses in secondary schoolsecondary and high school. In my opinion, certain important classes must remain mandatory.
Those who argue for complete freedom to choosecomplete autonomy on thethat part of students believe it will encourage commitment. A well-known example of this would be free democratic schools that are popular infree democratic schools popular in various affluent communities in the United States. At these institutions, students have no required classes and are free to choose all their activities on a given day. The result is that students become more independent, motivated, and passionate about certain subject areas. They are then able to channel that passion into sustained efforttranslate that passion into dedication because of the freedom they are allowedbecause of the freedom allowed. However, it is worth noting thatit should be mentioned that the success of such schools could also be related to the socioeconomic status of many attendees.
Nonetheless, traditional core subjects are fundamental to later participation in societyfoundational for later integration into society. One of the keys to a cohesive society is a shared education. In most nations, students learn a similar curriculum that focuses on history, math, science, and art. Although students will not use most of what they learn for practical purposesfor a practice purpose in the future, it will serve as a basis for their later studies, work, and interactions. An individual who grows up without classes in history, for example, may not understand certain cultural references and feel alienated from the culture at large later in lifeat large later. The wide range of subjects in most schools prepares students to become well-rounded, functioning members of society capable of interacting and choosing among multiple career paths.
In conclusion, the utopian ideal of unfettered choice for students may be possible in some contexts, but most students should learnbut most should learn from a standardized curriculum to become part of society at large. When possible, students should possess a degree of choice within clear limitations.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response is strongest in its balanced treatment of both views and its clear, qualified position in favour of a compulsory core with limited student choice. The main limitation is occasional awkward or inaccurate phrasing, which interrupts an otherwise polished argument. The highest-priority improvement is to proofread sentence structures and collocations carefully so that every point is expressed with the same precision as the well-developed discussion.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are discussed substantively, and the writer's nuanced opinion is clear, relevant, and well supported throughout.
Develop the practical meaning of choice within clear limitations to make the final recommendation even more concrete.
Coherence and Cohesion
The essay follows a clear progression, with well-focused paragraphs and cohesive links that guide the comparison effectively.
Use the transition into the preferred view to show the weighing of the two positions even more explicitly.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a broad and generally precise academic vocabulary to discuss autonomy, education, and social integration.
Correct occasional awkward collocations such as practice purpose and autonomy on the part of students through careful proofreading.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex structures are varied and mostly well controlled, although several local grammatical slips remain noticeable.
Check introductory clauses and complement structures carefully, especially where a missing subject or preposition makes a sentence awkward.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people think that students in high or secondary school can choose courses freely, others think that courses such as mathematics must be compulsory. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.