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IELTS Essays – Band 8

IELTS Writing – Band 8 IELTS Sample Essays

IELTS essay, topic: People should follow the customs and traditions of their new country (agree/disagree)

This essay topic was seen in a recent IELTS test in India

People should follow the local customs and traditions, when they come to live in a new country. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Sample Band 8 Essay

The globalised world these days makes it simpler than ever before for people to relocate and start building a life in a new country. As everyone comes from their own cultural background, a question arises of whether or not people should be expected to follow the customs of their host country. I completely agree with the view that while learning about the local customs may require some time and effort, it is valuable and will aid the integration of the newcomers into society.

In many cultures following the local customs means showing respect, which is an important moral value in nearly every culture. The opposite is also true: disregarding traditions is often seen as a sign of disrespect. In order to establish good neighbourly relationships and feel welcome in the new place, it is important to demonstrate the effort to become part of the community. By expressing an interest in learning traditions, new arrivals gain a chance to interact with their neighbours and colleagues, get to know them and build some connections in the new country.

Another positive aspect is the enhanced feeling of belonging that people get from participating in activities others around them are doing. When a national festival is in full swing, standing on the sidelines might make people feel excluded and perhaps even homesick, whereas joining others opens up opportunities to attend special events together, go to parties, meet new people and feel part of the celebrations. In Australia, for example, Easter is a very special time of the year and some of the traditional activities include Easter egg decoration and gifting, and baking hot cross buns; sharing your designs and recipes with others is an excellent conversation starter.

In conclusion, learning the customs and traditions of one’s new country doesn’t mean a loss of their own culture. On the contrary, it is an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of cultural connections and should be embraced as a positive experience.

Teacher’s comment: The writer gave a thoughtful response to the task prompt, including relevant, expanded, and supported ideas that completely satisfy the requirements of the task. He/she properly handled all cohesion issues, logically organised the information and thoughts, and used paragraphing appropriately and effectively. A broad range of vocabulary is evident. There are essentially no errors in the word choice or collocation; uncommon lexical items have been used appropriately throughout the entire essay. The writer has used a range of language structures, while ensuring that the majority of the sentences are error-free. These elements work together very well and make an IELTS Band 8 or 8.5 for this essay quite likely.

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IELTS essay, topic: Museums and art galleries should present only the national art (agree/disagree)

This essay topic was seen in a recent IELTS test in India

Many people argue that museums and art galleries should present the nation’s art, as opposed to artworks from other countries. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Sample Band 8 Essay

The cultural value of engaging with museums and art galleries is unquestionable; they exert a great deal of influence on our perception of the world. It is only reasonable to ponder whether or not these outlets of culture should concentrate their efforts on presenting the nation’s own art, and not that of other countries. In my opinion, there should be an attempt to strike a balance and put the objects of national art in the spotlight, while allowing the public to get acquainted with foreign artworks to a certain extent.

If people were to only find sculptures and paintings by national artists in their local museums, that would have a number of positive effects, such as the fame the artists of that country would gain and the pride its citizens would feel for their fellow countrymen. It would promote patriotism and strengthen the image of the country in the eyes of its inhabitants. Local artists would also receive more financial assistance from the government as their works would generate a significant amount of interest, potentially resulting in further development of the local art. However, in order to evolve art needs fresh ideas, and without exposure to a wider range of creativity the world provides, the evolution of local arts may be hindered.

People enjoy art because it appeals to their inner sense of beauty and triggers strong emotions, and whether the masterpiece that causes these feelings belongs to a local or foreign artist is irrelevant. Talent knows no geographical boundaries; therefore, the emphasis should be on how much joy or amazement the work of art brings, rather than on its origin. If that principle were to be followed, we would never have to choose between local and international art. Reducing our museums or galleries’ collections to local art works, in my view, would be harmful and go against the democratic nature of art.

To sum up, it seems to me that a country has nothing to lose by allowing its people to admire art created elsewhere in the world. A conscious choice by the government to support local artists while hosting exhibitions from other countries could prove the most beneficial.

Teacher’s comment: The writer provided a well-developed response to the topic with pertinent, expanded, and supported ideas that fully address all aspects of the task. He/she rationally arranged information and ideas, effectively handled all areas of cohesiveness, and made adequate and effective use of paragraphing. There is a broad range of vocabulary used with flexibility and fluency to convey clear concepts. The uncommon lexical items have been used appropriately, with almost no flaws in word choice and collocation. The writer employs a variety of sentence forms while ensuring that most of the sentences are free of errors. The combination of these factors makes IELTS Band 8 or 8.5 very likely for this essay.

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