In many countries, too much money was spent by the government and individuals on national celebrations such as New Year and religious festivals. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
It is true that many nations allocate substantial amountsvast sums of public and private funds to celebratecommemorate national holidays and religious festivals, often at the expense of essential services and individual financial stability. I partially agree that while such lavish outlays can divert critical resources and place financial burdens on householdsimpose burdens on households, they also generate meaningful economic stimulus and reinforce cultural cohesion.
Admittedly, excessive festival spending can indeed divert resourcessiphon off resources from more pressing societal needs and strain personal finances. When governments channel excessivelavish budgets into elaborate fireworks displays and grandiose parades, the opportunity cost is clear: reduced allocations for healthcare and education undermine long-term public welfare. At the household levelOn the domestic front, low-income families frequently take out loans to pay forresort to loans to afford customary holiday gifts and festivities. This can lead to long-term debtprecipitate enduring debt and financial insecurity long after the celebrations conclude.
Conversely, the economic and social dividends of festival expenditure are substantial and merit consideration. Regarding economic benefits, the surge in travel, food, and entertainment demand during celebratory periods provides a valuable economic stimulusprovides an invaluable economic stimulus for local industries. This in turn boosts revenuedrives a revenue boost for small businesses and sustains jobs that might otherwise falter. Beyond commerce, communal celebrations foster cultural cohesion and national identity. For instance, Lunar New Year reunions strengthengalvanise family bonds and intergenerational unity, thereby strengthening the social fabric that underpins societal resilience. Thus, I am strongly convinced that festival expenditure functions as a catalyst for both local economic activity and stronger cultural cohesion and national identitya catalyst for both economic stimulus for local industries and the reinforcement of cultural cohesion and national identity.
In conclusion, although I acknowledge that excessive spending on public festivities can detract from vital services and exacerbate household debt, I also recognise that such expenditures play an indispensable role in energising local economies and nurturing communal solidarity.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response’s strongest feature is its balanced, well-developed treatment of both the costs and benefits of festival spending, supported by relevant public and household examples. Its main limitation is a slight shift from the qualified position in the introduction to stronger endorsement near the end of the third paragraph. Keep the degree of agreement consistently explicit and sharpen a few overextended claims.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response directly addresses the extent question with a nuanced position and develops both sides using relevant explanations and examples.
Maintain precisely the same qualified degree of agreement throughout, especially when drawing conclusions within body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through clearly focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices generally guide the reader smoothly without obscuring relationships.
Reduce minor repetition when summarising the economic and cultural benefits at the end of the third paragraph.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise vocabulary is used confidently to discuss public finance, household pressure, economic activity, and social cohesion.
Prefer slightly more measured collocations where expressions such as “invaluable economic stimulus” or “galvanise family bonds” sound overstated.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A broad range of complex structures is handled with consistently strong control, and errors are exceptionally rare.
Continue refining sentence economy so dense multi-clause statements remain as direct as the otherwise highly accurate grammar.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
In many countries, too much money was spent by the government and individuals on national celebrations such as New Year and religious festivals. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.