Some people think that it is a waste of time for high school students to study literature, such as novels and poems. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
Many today claim that studying literaturelearning about literature should no longer be a key component of the high school curriculum. In my opinion, there are practical reasons for this view, butthis sentiment but literature still serves a purpose.
Proponents of this reform argue that other subjects deserveargue other subjects deserve prioritisation. There is little doubt that in the 21st century, the most important subjects for students’ future careers are in scientific fieldsrelate to the sciences, such as engineering and computer science, or practical subjects such as businessthe practical humanities, like business. The earlier that students begin specialising, the more likely they are to gain a competitive advantagehave a head start on the competition and secure a well-paying job immediately after graduating from high school or universityafter graduating high school or university. In contrast, the novels and poems that students read in high school are usually completely forgotten within a few years and do not teach any tangible skills that will help them advance in the real world.
Nonetheless, literature contains many of the most fundamental truthsimportant and fundamental truths about the human condition. Life is about more than a career and great authors tackle the most fundamental philosophical and psychological questions. For example, the masters of 19th century Russian literature, including Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, are primarily concerned with human psychology and how this fits into a larger context of man’s search for meaning. Their exploration of these issues is relevant to everyone and cannot be replaced with a steady career. Moreover, the way in which great writers develop their themes, the aesthetic quality of their writing itself, imparts to careful readers the importance of artistic expression and may help them see outside the narrow modern confines of accumulating the most material wealth.
In conclusion, the utilitarian benefits of studying practical subjects do not outweigh the deeper values of literature. It is therefore advisable that literature be emphasised in high school classrooms.
Why this response received Band 8.5
The essay gives a clear, nuanced position and develops both the practical case against literature and its broader human value with persuasive, specific support. The argument is highly coherent and expressed through varied, sophisticated language, though a few formulations become slightly overstated or syntactically awkward. The main refinement is to tighten those isolated expressions so that every comparison and claim is as precise as the overall reasoning.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response addresses the issue directly, maintains a clear qualified position, and develops both sides with relevant, substantial support.
Temper a few absolute claims about career subjects and forgotten literature to make the otherwise persuasive argument more carefully qualified.
Coherence and Cohesion
Paragraphing, sequencing, and cohesive links guide the reader smoothly from the opposing rationale to the writer's considered conclusion.
Strengthen the final connection between artistic expression and the educational value claimed for all high-school students.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is wide, precise, and confidently used for abstract academic ideas, with only isolated awkward combinations.
Refine expressions such as replacing human insights with a career and accumulating the most material wealth for sharper idiomatic precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide variety of complex sentence forms is used flexibly and accurately, with only rare moments of awkward syntactic control.
Recast the sentence joining thematic development and aesthetic quality so its subject structure and agreement are completely transparent.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people think that it is a waste of time for high school students to study literature, such as novels and poems. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.