Essay Ideas about Salaries

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The essay question below is currently being used in IELTS writing task 2 and was reported last weekend.

In many countries in the world, some people earn extremely high salaries. Some people think that this good for a country. Others think that the government should not allow salaries above a certain level. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Why some people earning high salaries is good for a country:

  • people who are highly skilled and talented should be rewarded with high salaries.
  • high salaries are an incentive for others to work harder.
  • high salaries are important to entice people to do dangerous or unpleasant work.
  • having high salaries is a sign of a country’s wealth.
  • high salaries is a way for a country to express their gratitude for a person’s experience or expertise.
  • high salaries deter skilled or talented people leaving a country.

Why the government should not allow salaries above a certain level:

  • the government should ensure that wealth is evenly distributed throughout a country.
  • limiting high salaries would bring more equality.
  • it can be disheartening for some to receive a low salary while others receive a high salary without much justification.
  • capping high salaries will prevent the rich from gaining unfair control over certain aspects of society.
  • limiting high salaries will mean more funding for public services which will benefit all people in society.

See all writing task 2 lessons, tips and model essays: IELTS Writing Task 2

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The Function of Schools Essay Ideas

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Here is an essay title about the function of schools in the development of a child:

Some people think that schools are merely turning children into good citizens and workers, rather than benefiting them as individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

You can use the ideas below to help you answer the essay question.

Schools merely turn children into good citizens or workers:

  • schools teach discipline which turns children into effective workers.
  • children learn what is right and wrong in school.
  • schools instill the cultural values that are shared by society.
  • skills that enable children to succeed in the job market can first learned in school.

Schools benefit children as individuals:

  •  schools help children discover their potential.
  • children are able to choose the subjects that best suit them.
  • teachers are trained to help children understand their strengths and improve their weaknesses.
  • children can develop confidence as a person either through lessons or extra curricular activities.
  • through school education, children are able to develop an understanding about the world in which they live.

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IELTS Essay Ideas: Female Staff in Senior Positions

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Here is an IELTS writing task 2 essay about management positions and gender with ideas given below.

Most high level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 per cent female. Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these positions to women.
To what extent do you agree?

Why companies should give a percentage of senior positions to women

  • equal rights and opportunities for men and women
  • it avoids discrimination
  • it creates a pleasant work environment to have a better balance of the genders in management and senior levels
  • it creates a supportive work environment for other female employees to know that a certain percentage of management is also female
  • women have valuable skills of communication and diplomacy for high level positions

Why companies should not give a percentage of senior positions to women

  • it is unrealistic to stipulate a certain percentage of one gender
  • companies cannot be sure that they will receive suitable female applicants to fill a certain percentage of senior positions
  • this forces companies to fulfill percentages even though it may be to their detriment
  • senior positions should be allocated based on experience, skills and qualifications not gender

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Essay Ideas: Littering in Cities

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Ideas for an opinion essay

Littering in cities is an increasing problem which needs to be dealt with. Some people think that steeper fines is the best way to deal with the problem.

To what extent do you agree?

When you analyse a statement for an opinion essay, it is useful to ask yourself different questions regarding the topic. Think about the questions below and then decide your answer.

Questions for Analysis

  1. What is littering? Answer
    Dropping waste on the ground or in the streets rather than disposing of it correctly by putting it in the bin.
  2. Why do people litter?Answer
    Some litter because they don’t care about the effects and some do it just for convenience.
  3. It is already an offence to throw litter in the streets so why do people continue to do it?Answer
    Most people know it is wrong but they do it because they know they will not be caught.
  4. Would having a bigger fine stop them?Answer
    It is possible that a heavy fine might deter them but only if it is likely they will be caught and the fine imposed.
  5. Is having a bigger fine the best way to stop littering? Answer
    It’s one way to stop people but not everyone agrees that it is the best way.
  6. Are there other ways to stop littering? Answer
    Yes, one way is to put more bins in the streets so that people will use them rather than throw their litter on the floor. Educating children from a young age to dispose of their litter correctly is another way. Some people think that having more police on the streets would be a good deterrent because people will be less likely to attempt to litter the streets.

Now use your ideas and form them into an essay format. That means you should have two or three main ideas which are divided into two or three body paragraphs. After you have your essay ideas planned, check the model  body paragraphs below. Can you write the introduction and conclusion for the model essay below?

Model Body Paragraphs

Body Paragraph A: Having bigger fines is certainly one way to tackle the issue of littering. Increasing the fines will make people take littering more seriously. At present, many people litter the streets because they do not consider this to be a serious offence and for the convenience but by imposing a considerable penalty, people will think twice before they litter.

Body Paragraph B: However, the best way to deal with the problem of littering would be a long-term solution involving educating the younger generation. Littering is common due to the fact that many people are not fully aware of the environmental and health impacts that it has. By raising awareness and building a habit of disposing of waste correctly, this problem can be eradicated in coming generations.

Body Paragraph C: Finally, another possible solution would be to have more litter bins available to the public. The reason being that the majority of people littering the streets do so because there are no bins available to put their waste in and they do not wish to carry their rubbish with them until they find a bin. By having more bins available, it would not only be more convenient for people to dispose of their waste properly but it would also act as a reminder for them to do so.

 

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IELTS Essay Ideas: Banning Mobile Phones

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A recent essay question reported on Jan 31:

Some people think that the use of mobiles (cell) phones should be banned in public places such a in libraries and shop and on public transport. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Ideas

Reasons for Banning Mobile Phones in Public Places

  • Phones can be intrusive. (uninvited noise to others)
  • Phones can disturb others when they are concentrating, for example in a library.
  • They are antisocial as people are too busy sending messages to talk to the people in front of them, for example in a shop when they are being served.
  • The signal can cause problems in some public places, such as hospitals, by interfering with delicate instruments or equipment.
  • In some public place, such as libraries, music halls or galleries, phones can annoy and ruin the experience for others.

Reasons for Not Banning Mobiles Phones in Public Places

  • Mobiles do not need to be intrusive as they can easily be turned to silent or vibrate.
  • Phones can be useful in case of emergencies, for instance accidents in public places.
  • Phones can provide entertainment when travelling on tedious journeys, particularly on public transport.
  • Phones are multi-functional and can be used as recording devices or cameras so shouldn’t be banned in public.
  • They are useful for families overseas to get in touch with each other.
  • They provide a safety for youngsters as parents can easily get in touch with them wherever they are.

Concessions

  • mobile phones should be banned in places where they interfere with equipment, interrupt a service or break rules, such as in a library, but in all other public places they should be allowed as long as they are used with respect to others

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Please note that some of the above ideas are not connected to the exact essay question (for example, they include ideas about banning phones in hospitals or museums – these are ideas just to help you with the general topic rather than the exact essay question)

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Single-Sex Schools Vs Mixed Schools

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Learn useful ideas to talk about the advantages or single-sex and mixed sex schools. This topic can appear in IELTS writing task 2:

Some people think that children perform better in a single-sex school compared to a mixed school. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Single-Sex and Co-educational Schools

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Tourism and The Local Community

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Below are some ideas for the advantages and disadvantages which tourism brings to a community. These ideas can be used both for speaking part 3 and also writing task 2 in IELTS.

Essay Question

Over the last few decades, there has been an increase in international tourism. Some people think that tourism is beneficial for local communities and should be encouraged.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Speaking Part 3 Questions

  1. Do you think tourism is a good thing?
  2. Why do you think some people  believe tourism to be bad for local communities?
  3. Do you think local communities change as an effect of tourism?
  4. Do you think there are more advantages than disadvantages of tourism for local communities?

Don’t forget we are looking at the effects of tourism as an industry rather than a tourist as a person. Don’t confuse the two.

Advantages of Tourism

  1. Tourism brings money and boosts the economy.
  2. It offers employment to local people.
  3. It offers fresh perspectives on life and culture.
  4. Locals usually need to learn English to talk to tourists which can have beneficial long term effects.
  5. To boost tourism, local communities often invest money on improving the infrastructure which has lasting positive effects.

Disadvantages of Tourism

  1. Tourism can create a economic dependency which can be detrimental to the community if it is not sustainable.
  2. Tourism can have a negative impact on the local environment in terms of pollution.
    1. noise pollution from tourist entertainment
    2. air pollution from increased transportation
  3. Tourism can cause friction between locals and tourists, if local culture is not respected.
  4. The bulk of the money brought in by tourism rarely finds its way into local hands and instead lines the pockets of the middle man (the tour operator).

 

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Solving Traffic and Pollution Problems: Essay Ideas

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Below are some ideas for the following IELTS writing task 2 essay question.

Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?
What other measures do you think might be effective?

There are two questions to answer:

  1. Do you think increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems?
  2. What other measures do you think might be effective to solve traffic and pollution problems?

Increasing the price of petrol:

  • if the price is increased, less people will be able to afford it
  • if less people can afford petrol, less people will drive cars
  • if less people drive cars, there will be less congestion on the roads
  • if less people drive, there will be less air pollution

Other ways to solve traffic and pollution problems:

  • traffic problems can be solved by improving public transport to encourage more people to use it rather than to use their own cars
  • public transport can be improved by having more public transport available, making it more punctual and reducing the price of tickets to make it more affordable to the average person
  • another measure is to have no traffic zones in city centers which will  reduce both congestion and pollution in urban centers.

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