Some people think that studying history is a waste of time while others think it is essential for us to learn history. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
There are differing opinions on whether studying history is a worthwhile pursuit or a waste of time. Those who argue that history is a waste of time often believe that it has no practical applications in modern society, while others contend that it is essential to learn from the past in order to make informed decisions about the future. In this essay, I will discuss both views, but, personally, I think that studying history is not essential.
On the one hand, proponents of studying history believe that it is essential for us to learn from the past in order to avoid repeating the same mistakes. History provides a framework for understanding the present and helps us to appreciate the context in which we live. It also allows us to learn from the successes and failures of previous generations, and to build on their achievements.
On the other hand, those who believe that studying history is a waste of time argue that it is irrelevant to modern life. They claim that the past is gone and cannot be changed, so there is no need to dwell on it. Furthermore, they argue that history is subjective, with different interpretations of events depending on who is telling the story. This can lead to confusion and a lack of agreement on what actually happened.
In my opinion, studying history is not vital and can often kill our valuable time. Some say that without a thorough understanding of our past, we cannot shape the future. But in reality, no matter how much knowledge we gather about wars and conflicts of the past, the world will always have wars and conflicts. In addition, studying history is not only irrelevant but also impractical, as it does not provide any tangible benefits in terms of employability or career advancement.
In conclusion, while there are differing views on the value of studying history, I firmly believe that it is not an essential pursuit. Through studying the past, we can gain very few valuable insights about the future. Moreover, they are not practical and have little value in today's job market.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Remove extra commas Original: but, personally, Suggested revision: but personally Why it matters: The adverb does not need to be isolated by commas in this clause.
- 2. Remove unnecessary comma Original: previous generations, and to build Suggested revision: previous generations and to build Why it matters: The comma unnecessarily separates two coordinated infinitive phrases.
- 3. Fix the collocation Original: kill Suggested revision: waste Why it matters: English normally uses ‘waste time’ for time spent unproductively.
- 4. Use precise attribution Original: Some say that Suggested revision: Some people argue that Why it matters: The revision makes the attribution clearer and more appropriate for an argument.
- 5. Use natural phrasing Original: Through Suggested revision: By Why it matters: ‘By studying’ is the more natural way to express the method here.
- 6. Avoid awkward emphasis Original: very few valuable insights Suggested revision: few useful insights Why it matters: The revision expresses the limited value more naturally and concisely.
- 7. Clarify the reference Original: they are not practical Suggested revision: these insights are not practical Why it matters: The pronoun ‘they’ has an unclear referent at the start of the sentence.
- 8. Reduce essay signposting Original: In this essay, I will discuss both views Suggested revision: This essay considers both views Why it matters: The revision states the essay’s scope more directly and avoids first-person procedural wording.
- 9. Use concise wording Original: in order to avoid repeating the same mistakes Suggested revision: to avoid repeating the same mistakes Why it matters: The shorter infinitive expresses the same purpose without unnecessary words.
- 10. Use a simpler collocation Original: framework Suggested revision: basis Why it matters: ‘Provides a basis’ expresses the same idea more directly in this context.
- 11. Streamline the verb phrase Original: helps us to appreciate Suggested revision: helps us appreciate Why it matters: The bare infinitive after ‘helps’ is more concise and fully grammatical here.
- 12. Remove redundant wording Original: past is gone and cannot be changed Suggested revision: past cannot be changed Why it matters: ‘Is gone’ and ‘cannot be changed’ repeat the same underlying point.
Suggested Rewrites
- but, personally, but personally
- previous generations, and to build previous generations and to build
- kill waste
- Some say that Some people argue that
- Through By
- very few valuable insights few useful insights
Why this response received Band 7.5
The essay presents a clear position, discusses both sides in a balanced structure, and develops its reasoning with relevant explanations. Its main weakness is occasional imprecision or awkward phrasing, particularly in the final paragraph, alongside some claims that could be supported more concretely. Strengthen the argument by replacing absolute assertions with specific evidence and checking pronoun reference and natural collocation.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are fully addressed and the writer's position remains clear, with relevant ideas that are generally well extended.
Support the claims about recurring conflict and employability with a concrete example or more nuanced reasoning.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through well-focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices usually connect sentences and viewpoints smoothly.
Reduce repeated restatement of the central contrast and make the final pronoun reference fully explicit.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and generally precise, though a few combinations such as kill our valuable time are unnatural or overstated.
Choose more idiomatic academic phrasing and avoid absolute wording when a qualified expression would be more exact.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used with strong control, with only occasional awkward constructions and reference errors.
Check concluding sentences for unambiguous subjects and revise isolated awkward patterns such as Through studying the past.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people think that studying history is a waste of time while others think it is essential for us to learn history. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.