Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes (for example working for a charity, improving the neighbourhood or teaching sports to younger children). To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
Many people emphasise that voluntary work ought to be a mandatory component of the high school curriculum. I completely agree with this opinion because it presents students with the opportunity to develop a strong senseinculcate a deep sense of civic responsibility and also provides a conducive environment in which they can develop transferable skillsso that they can foster transferable skills.
To begincommence with, unpaid communitypublic service would be a valuablegolden opportunity for high school students to develop a keen sense of social responsibility and awareness. By devoting their time and effort to addressing the needs of the local community, students can develop a profound understanding of the challenges facedunderstanding of challenges faced by marginalized people, thus inculcating a sense of responsible citizenship. For example, a pupil volunteering at a food banka pupil engaging in a food bank or soup kitchen programme may obtain valuable insight into the issue of food insecurity and may becometurn into a passionate advocate for policy changes that deal with this pressing issue.
Moreover, students can acquire essential life skills through unpaid community service. Taking part in voluntary programmes, such as charity work, community cleanup programmes or voluntary sports coaching for youngsters, pupils can actively contribute to their communitiessocieties, thereby gaining hands-on experienceexperiences. Through these experiences, they can hone their communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and team spirit. For instance, a student who volunteers at a community food bank may learn how to manage time and resources, collaborate closelyclosely collaborate with others, and empathize with vulnerable populations. Besides, the skills students attain through free public service enrich their resumes, demonstrating their commitment to noble causes and their ability to work cooperatively with others.
To conclude, I believe that unpaid community service should be obligatory for high school students because it instils a sense of social responsibility and helps young students gain social skills.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response is strongest in its direct position, well-developed reasons, and consistently precise examples showing how compulsory service can build civic responsibility and transferable skills. Its main limitation is minor repetition, particularly the reuse of the food-bank example, which slightly narrows the range of support. The priority is to diversify the evidence and sharpen a few word choices so each paragraph adds a clearly distinct dimension.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The essay fully addresses the proposition with a clear position and two well-developed, relevant reasons supported by specific examples.
Use a different example in the second body paragraph to make the supporting evidence more varied and independently persuasive.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information is sequenced logically, paragraphs have clear central topics, and cohesive devices guide the reader without obscuring progression.
Reduce minor thematic repetition between the two body paragraphs so their distinct contributions are even sharper.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is wide, precise, and flexible, with effective topic-specific choices and only occasional slightly overstated or less natural phrasing.
Replace stock expressions such as “golden opportunity” with more measured academic wording and keep collocations consistently natural.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used accurately and flexibly, with only minor lapses that do not affect clarity.
Polish small points of idiomatic control, such as countability in “hands-on experience,” to achieve greater consistency.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes (for example working for a charity, improving the neighbourhood or teaching sports to younger children). To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.