The gap between the rich and the poor is becoming wider; the rich are becoming richer, and the poor are getting even poorer. What problems can the situation cause? What can be done to reduce this gap?
Sample Response
The economic differences in society create inequality among people. The difference between rich people's and poor people's incomesThe differences between rich people and poor people’s income has increased in recent yearsare increasing in recent years. The reasons for this gapThe reason for them can be attributed tocan be classified into improper government policies and individual talentthe individual's talents. Tax policies introduced by governmentsintroduced by the governments are favourable tofor the high net worth people to reduce their tax liabilityevade the tax. For instance, entrepreneurs have different tax bracketsslabs that allow them to claim tax exemptionsmake them avail tax exemptions like, opening an office in a special economiceconomy zone can result in substantialgood savings and an increase in profit. However, we cannot discount individual talentthe individual talents in making enormous profits. Talent is something that can be developed through experienceacquired by experience or inherited from one'sthe family. There are several start-up companies foundedstartup companies created by talented individuals who become wealthymake it to the rich people category in a matter of a few years. In addition, there are a few notable peoplethere are few interesting people from the wealthy segment who use their talents to bridge the income gap between the rich and poor. For example, companies like Microsoft and Google are spending their earnings onspending hard-earned money for the betterment of society by investing in child education and infrastructure. If all the organisations and the individuals spend a fraction of their enormous income on the country's infrastructure, education and economic growth, then there are bright chances to fill in the gap of the income difference. I firmly believe that rich people spending the money on improving the lifestyle of poor people and better government tax policies will increase the chances of closing the income difference between the rich and poor.
Why this response received Band 5.5
The response offers relevant ideas about tax policy and private investment, and its meaning remains generally clear. However, it largely discusses causes of inequality instead of explaining the problems the widening gap can create, so a major part of the task is under-addressed; the single-paragraph format also weakens organisation. The priority is to plan separate, developed sections for consequences and solutions, each supported with a clear explanation.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Some workable solutions are proposed, but the essay largely replaces the required discussion of problems with an account of possible causes.
Directly develop at least two consequences of the widening gap before explaining specific government and societal solutions.
Coherence and Cohesion
The argument has a discernible sequence, but presenting the entire response as one paragraph obscures the shift from causes to solutions.
Use an introduction, a paragraph on resulting problems, a paragraph on solutions, and a concise conclusion.
Lexical Resource
The response uses an adequate range of economic vocabulary, although several collocations are imprecise or unnatural.
Use more natural phrases such as 'income disparity,' 'tax avoidance,' and 'narrow the gap,' and avoid vague wording like 'bright chances.'
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Simple and complex sentences are both used, but recurring errors in tense, articles, agreement, and clause construction limit accuracy.
Check each sentence for consistent tense, correct determiners, and complete grammatical structures, especially around examples and conditional claims.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
IELTS Writing Task 2
The gap between the rich and the poor is becoming wider; the rich are becoming richer, and the poor are getting even poorer. What problems can the situation cause? What can be done to reduce this gap?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.