IELTS Essays – Band 8

Some people say that all popular TV entertainment programmes should aim to educate viewers about important social issues. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Sample Band 8 Essay

It is often said that all influential TV entertainment programs should be geared towards raising people’s awareness about social issues that matter. While some TV programs could be suitable for this purpose, I disagree with the view that it should be mandatory for all of them, as the decision whether to do so must take into account the nature of the TV content and the channel’s audience.

There is a large group of professionals who would benefit from deepening their understanding of what is happening in the world. Stock traders and bankers, for example, must always keep track of numerous business trends on a global scale, and they would appreciate this type of information on their favourite TV shows. Young people are another suitable audience due to the fact that they enjoy learning about popular topics from TV programmes. For instance, SDGs or the Sustainable Development Goals has now become an important topic to learn for children at school. Educational TV would provide a welcome alternative to textbooks, making learning more fun.

Despite the potential advantages of incorporating educational content in TV programs, it is important to remember that the purpose of entertainment TV is for people to escape reality, to take a break from their hectic lives. Being reminded about some troubling social issues would not be appreciated by those who just want to unwind after a long day at work. Another consideration is how the content is perceived by the audience, because broadcasting serious topics as part of a comedy show might lead some viewers to believe they are of lesser significance. This would make TV shows of light-hearted nature a poor choice for inclusion of content on pressing social issues.

In conclusion, entertainment TV programs can be an effective form of education for some people and a great tool to spread information. However, not all of them should be used for this purpose as there are various ways people appreciate them.

Teacher’s comment: The writer presented relevant ideas in this well-developed response and expressed their position clearly. The order of information and use of paragraphing makes this essay easy to read. A good level of coherence was achieved through the use of linking words and referencing. The writer has a wide range of vocabulary and is able to express ideas flexibly and precisely, while keeping most sentences error-free. Overall, this essay is worthy of Band 8

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In many countries, young people are finding it harder and harder to find permanent jobs. Why is this happening? What can be done to improve the situation?

Sample Band 8 Essay

In this fast-moving age, with the development of education and modern technologies, people strive to have a secure job after graduating from colleges and universities. Despite their efforts, so many young adults in different parts of the world have a negative experience of finding a long-term job.

It so happens that most colleges and universities focus on students’ academic performance much more than their practical skills. Unfortunately, many companies reserve permanent job opportunities for experienced applicants because there is no need to invest much in their training. Lack of practical experience in new graduates puts them at a disadvantage as far as companies are concerned. The situation is made worse by the abundance of advanced technologies that can easily replace human labor. Robots and computers work more efficiently and with higher precision than humans. That shrinks the pool of available job placements even more, as companies only need to hire highly educated and experienced staff.

Fortunately, there is a number of solutions that can help inexperienced workers gain permanent employment. An obvious one is that universities could offer internships to their students, or arrange workshops in addition to classwork. This would help students to get training and experience in their respective fields. Also, the government could examine the demands of changing labor market and steer young people towards professions that will be popular in the coming years. Together with colleges and universities the government could create special awareness programs for graduates, providing them with an overview of various job offers and their benefits. This way students would be able to choose the right jobs for themselves.

To sum up, lack of demand in the labour market and insufficient experience are two major reasons why many young people have trouble finding a permanent position. Helping them gain hands-on experience as part of their studies and educating them about career options early on is key to improving the employment outcome for them.

Teacher’s comment: This is a well-developed response that addresses all parts of the task. The writer discussed the reasons why young adults have trouble finding permanent jobs and also offered some solutions. The information is organised well and there is clear progression throughout. The writer used a wide range of vocabulary with great flexibility and their control of grammar and punctuation is impressive. Well done, this essay is worthy of Band 8.

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