Some people think that universities should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace. Others think that the true function of a university should be to give access to knowledge for its own sake, regardless of whether the course is useful to an employer. What, in your opinion, should be the main function of a university?
Sample Response
Education is more important in the modern era than it was in the past and the percentage of students who complete their university education is rising significantly. Many people argue that university education should be aimed at better job prospects whereas others believe that the primary objectiveprime objective of a university is to provide better knowledge. However, I believe that university curriculauniversity education curriculum should be modified to include more professional training and courses to help students with their future careersto help students for their future career.
There is no doubt that university education is expensive. People mostly go to universities to secure a well-paid jobensure a demanding job and better career prospects. Obviously, there are other reasons for people to attend higher education but having a better career is the most dominating factor these days. If students could applyIf the students could have applied to any job after they complete their schools, I am sure the percentage of students attending universitythe university going students would have decreased dramatically.
In my belief, universities should include workshops and practical sessions in their curriculum because the practical sessions are both job oriented and have greater effects on learning. For instance, those who enrol in nursing coursesgo to the nursing courses have a specific goal in mind – to become a successful nurse. Similarly, if a medical student says that he is not studying to become a successful doctor, rather, to understand the human body and mind, we can take it as a possible lie. So if the universities only provide theoretical knowledge, after graduation students will find it tough to apply theirthe knowledge in their field of workwork field. Every government funded university costs a huge sum of money and the government has an aim for all the cost it bears –to make honest, skilled and better performing employees for the state. This single example reveals how important it is for universities to focus on creating future professionals with appropriate knowledge and skill set.
In addition, unemployment is a severe problem worldwide these days and the number of unemployed graduates is a daunting issue. If the universities focus more on the career-oriented education, this problem would significantly decrease. Many organisations recruit talented and experienced individual and those sortssort of people have a better prospect of career development. Hiring fresh graduatesAppointing fresher in jobs is burdensome for many companies because they need to train them for several months and overall output and productivity will decline during these periods. If the university education includes some courses related to job prospects, students can perform well immediately after their graduation.
On the other hand, some argue that university education should be for improving the knowledge level of students. Including workshop or job oriented courses will reducedecline the value of education and it will increase the course duration. They opine that better education makes people more adaptablemakes people to a have better adaptability and even though they require some initial training, they outperform others in the long run with their knowledge.
Taking everything into consideration, it can be summarised that university education should be aimed to help students to prepare for their career. Adding workshops and job-related courses will enhance their knowledge and they will perform well in the future. It is more beneficial for each individual and for the society.
Why this response received Band 7.0
The essay sustains a clear position and develops it through a well-organized sequence of relevant arguments about practical training, employment, and productivity. Its main limitation is that several claims are overstated and the case for knowledge for its own sake receives only brief treatment; develop that alternative more fully, then compare the two functions directly to justify why career preparation should remain primary.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The essay gives a clear opinion that universities should mainly prepare students for careers, while acknowledging the knowledge-for-its-own-sake view. The argument is relevant and extended, though some claims are overstated and the opposing view is handled more briefly.
Strengthen the balance by explaining why pure knowledge still matters, then show precisely why workplace preparation should remain the main function.
Coherence and Cohesion
Paragraphing is effective and the progression is easy to follow: introduction, career rationale, practical training, employment problem, counterargument, conclusion. Cohesive devices are generally controlled, though some paragraphs are lengthy and could be more concise.
Trim repeated statements about careers and use clearer internal signposting for examples and consequences.
Lexical Resource
There is a good range of academic and employment vocabulary, including curriculum, practical sessions, unemployment, productivity, and adaptability. A few collocations are unnatural or wordy, such as better knowledge and university going students.
Use more precise academic collocations such as intellectual development, employability, vocational training, and theoretical knowledge.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The essay uses varied complex sentences with generally good control. Errors remain in articles, word forms, prepositions, and occasional awkward phrasing, but they do not usually impede communication.
Proofread for article use and noun phrases, especially around university education, career-oriented courses, and government-funded institutions.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people think that universities should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace. Others think that the true function of a university should be to give access to knowledge for its own sake, regardless of whether the course is useful to an employer. What, in your opinion, should be the main function of a university?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.