In some countries, students pay their college or university fees, while in some others, the government pays for them.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 2 question on IELTSX. In some countries, students pay their college or university fees, while in some others, the government pays for them.

Government paying college or university fees for students - IELTS Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Do you think the advantages that the government pays the money outweigh the disadvantages?

Write at least 250 words.

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 8 ยท 297 words.

People hold differing views as to whether government funding for university tuition is a positive or negative development. While some argue that it brings substantial benefits, others believe that it may give rise to a range of significant drawbacks. This essay will examine both sides of the argument before explaining why I believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

To begin with, there are several compelling advantages associated with this development. The most significant advantage is that it guarantees equal educational opportunities regardless of socio-economic status, allowing talented students from lower-income households to pursue higher education without financial barriers. Furthermore, another notable benefit is that it relieves young graduates of the crushing burden of student debt, enabling them to invest in homeownership or start businesses earlier in life. Equally importantly, a fully funded higher education system fosters a highly skilled workforce that drives economic innovation and productivity, which explains why this trend is widely regarded as beneficial.

That being said, this development is not without its disadvantages. One of the primary drawbacks is that it places an enormous financial burden on taxpayers and public budgets, potentially diverting critical funds away from healthcare and national infrastructure. In addition, another concern is that students who bear no direct tuition costs may take their studies less seriously, resulting in higher dropout rates and prolonged graduation times. Perhaps the most significant downside is that universities relying entirely on public funds may suffer from budget cuts and resource shortages, leading to overcrowded classrooms and a decline in educational quality, which may have far-reaching consequences for both individuals and society.

In conclusion, although this development undoubtedly presents certain challenges, I am firmly convinced that its advantages are considerably more significant than its disadvantages. Therefore, I believe that this is an overall positive development.

Examiner feedback

This is an exceptionally well-written essay that addresses the prompt comprehensively with sophisticated arguments and precise language. The structure is logical, and the grammatical and lexical control reflects high-level proficiency.

Task Response - 8

- Fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both perspectives and providing a clear, well-supported position. - Presents well-developed main ideas with relevant extensions such as economic impacts and equity. - Maintains a consistent and clear stance throughout the essay.

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- Sequences information and ideas logically with a clear overall progression. - Manages cohesive devices skilfully without mechanical transitions. - Uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately to separate distinct arguments.

Lexical Resource - 8

- Uses a wide range of vocabulary flexibly to convey precise meanings. - Demonstrates skilled use of less common lexical items like socio-economic status and crushing burden. - Produces virtually no errors in spelling or word formation.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 8

- Uses a wide and varied range of complex sentence structures accurately. - The majority of sentences are error-free with excellent grammatical control. - Employs punctuation effectively to support clarity and flow.

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