Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like. Others believe that they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as those related to science and technology. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Sample Response
Whether university students should study subjects of their own choice or should they be obliged to study career-oriented subjects like technology and science is a widely debated issue. Both of these views have arguments for and against them. This essay delves into both views and expresses an opinion that tertiary education should grant freedom to its students when it comes to the subject they want to study.
On the one hand, the supporters of university students studying career-oriented subjects contend that offering a wide range of subjects according to learners' choice has little practical value. A recent study shows that a predefined syllabus at a university bound a student to study regularly and prepare for the exam while the freedom to take any subject or major they like dramatically increases the number of dropout students. This is an alarming outcome, and this is why the university authority needs to think twice before implementing the policy. Furthermore, the development of a nation, these days, highly depends on a technologically sound workforce and universities should yield such a workforce for the country. From this perspective, it seems quite logical for universities to teach technology and science-related subjects to most of their pupils.
On the other hand, others opine that a university is the highest citadel for education, and helps build the next generation who would lead the country. In this regard, the education and teaching policy of the university affects the whole nation. When students at the university are given certain freedom while picking their majors, it helps create all-rounded individuals who are ready to lead the nation. Forcing them to study some selected subjects for future employment would make them become workers for offices, not leaders for the country. They also express that letting them study a wide range of subjects, including history, arts, commerce and so on, would make them far more knowledgeable and prepared to take on future challenges. Society needs artists, filmmakers, writers, journalists, politicians and so on, and not only scientists, doctors and engineers.
To conclude, universities have to consider the pros and cons of any policy adopted including whether the students are free to pick their subjects or not. Personally, I believe that letting university students prefer their subjects has far more benefits and seems more logical in a broader sense.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Keep the structure parallel Original: or should they be obliged Suggested revision: or be obliged Why it matters: The second alternative should share the auxiliary from the first part of the 'whether...or' structure.
- 2. Use a natural phrase Original: according to learners' choice Suggested revision: based on learners' choices Why it matters: Subjects are offered based on choices rather than according to choice.
- 3. Use present-tense agreement Original: bound Suggested revision: binds Why it matters: The singular subject 'syllabus' requires the present-tense verb 'binds'.
- 4. Use the natural expression Original: number of dropout students Suggested revision: number of students who drop out Why it matters: The original noun phrase is awkward and can imply students already classified as dropouts.
- 5. Use the plural institution Original: the university authority Suggested revision: university authorities Why it matters: The general reference to decision-makers is naturally plural.
- 6. Fix adverb placement Original: a nation, these days, highly depends Suggested revision: a nation these days depends heavily Why it matters: The revised order places the frequency phrase and degree adverb naturally.
- 7. Use the correct verb Original: yield Suggested revision: develop Why it matters: Universities develop a workforce rather than yield one.
- 8. Replace the strained metaphor Original: highest citadel for education Suggested revision: highest level of education Why it matters: The original metaphor is unnatural and obscures the intended meaning.
- 9. Use the standard expression Original: all Suggested revision: well Why it matters: 'Well-rounded' is the established adjective for broadly developed people.
- 10. Use a concise phrase Original: make them become workers for offices Suggested revision: turn them into office workers Why it matters: The replacement expresses the result clearly and idiomatically.
- 11. Sentence rewrite Original: Society needs artists, filmmakers, writers, journalists, politicians and so on, and not only scientists, doctors and engineers. Suggested revision: Society needs not only scientists, doctors, and engineers but also artists, filmmakers, writers, journalists, and politicians. Why it matters: The correlative structure 'not only...but also' makes the contrast grammatically complete.
- 12. Sentence rewrite Original: Personally, I believe that letting university students prefer their subjects has far more benefits and seems more logical in a broader sense. Suggested revision: Personally, I believe that allowing university students to choose their subjects offers greater benefits and is more logical overall. Why it matters: The rewrite corrects the unnatural collocations while preserving the stated opinion.
Suggested Rewrites
- or should they be obliged or be obliged
- according to learners' choice based on learners' choices
- bound binds
- number of dropout students number of students who drop out
- the university authority university authorities
- a nation, these days, highly depends a nation these days depends heavily
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response addresses both perspectives fully, maintains a clear preference for student choice, and supports each side with logically developed social and economic reasoning. Its main limitation is occasional awkward or overstated wording within an otherwise fluent argument; the priority is to refine collocations and strengthen the evidence behind the claimed link between unrestricted choice and dropout rates.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are explored in depth and the writer’s preference for student choice is clear and consistently supported.
Qualify or substantiate the claimed connection between subject choice and dropout rates so the opposing case rests on stronger evidence.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas are logically sequenced in focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader effectively through both sides and the conclusion.
Tighten the introduction and conclusion by removing generic statements that do not advance the comparison.
Lexical Resource
A broad topic-specific vocabulary communicates complex educational arguments clearly, despite several awkward or overly ornate choices.
Prefer natural phrases such as well-rounded individuals, produce a skilled workforce, choose their subjects, and centre of learning.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex sentences is generally controlled, with occasional errors in agreement, tense, and clause phrasing.
Proofread verb agreement and tense in evidence statements, especially when the subject is singular or the source is introduced as recent.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like. Others believe that they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as those related to science and technology. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.