Developing countries should be encouraged to implement high tariffs to grow their local industries. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
In recent years, there has been considerable debate regarding whether developing countries should impose high tariffs to protect and nurture local industries. While there are compelling arguments in favor of this approach, on balance, such a strategy may not always be the most effective solution for fostering sustainable economic growth.
On the one handOn one hand, high tariffs can provide temporary protection for fledgling industriesprovide temporary relief to fledgling industries in developing countries. By imposing tariffs on imported goods, local businesses are protected from international competition, allowing them to grow and improve their productivity without the immediate threat of cheaper foreign products undercutting local producersforeign products undercutting the market. For example, in countries like Vietnam, tariffs on foreign electronics and automobiles have given local manufacturers a chance to scale up their operations, upgrade their technologyimprove technology, and create jobs locallyjobs for the local workforce. In such cases, tariffs act as a shield, fostering the development of domestic industries and enabling them to become more competitive in the global market over time.
However, high tariffs can lead to higher prices for consumers and harm key industriesimpact core industries. In a developing economy, where many people already struggle with low wages, the imposition of tariffs can make essential goods more expensive, therebyfurther exacerbating inequality. For example, in certain Southeast Asian countries, high tariffs on imported agricultural equipment have made it more expensive for local farmers to access modern machinery, limiting their productivity and overall income. FurthermoreRelatedly, if industries are protected from competition for too long, they may not innovate or improve their products and services, as they are not under the same pressure to compete with more efficient global companies. In some cases, this results in the growth of uncompetitive industries that fail to meet global standards. Despite high tariffs on foreign rice in countries like India, the local rice industry has struggled to modernize and remain competitive with other rice-exporting nations such as Vietnam and Thailand.
In conclusion, while high tariffs can offer short-term benefits for developing countries, I believe they should only be implemented cautiously and with a clear focus on long-term strategies. A balanced approach that combines targeted protection for emerging industries with efforts to increase global competitiveness.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response offers a nuanced, consistent position and develops both the protective value and economic risks of tariffs through specific, logically connected examples. Its principal weakness is the unfinished final sentence, which slightly weakens an otherwise polished conclusion; the highest-priority improvement is to complete that recommendation and state precisely how targeted protection should be combined with long-term competitiveness measures.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The question is directly answered with a clear qualified position and well-developed consideration of benefits and drawbacks.
Make the final policy recommendation fully explicit by specifying the limited extent and conditions under which tariffs are justified.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is logically sequenced, with cohesive progression from temporary protection to consumer and industry costs.
Complete the concluding thought so the final paragraph closes the argument as decisively as the body develops it.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied, precise, and appropriately academic, with effective control of economic terminology and collocation.
Refine the few broad expressions, such as 'impact core industries,' by naming the exact economic effect intended.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used accurately and flexibly, with one conspicuous sentence fragment at the end.
Turn the final noun phrase into a complete sentence with a finite verb and explicit subject-predicate relationship.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Developing countries should be encouraged to implement high tariffs to grow their local industries. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.