Sometimes I like to show you a student’s essay, so that you can compare it with your own and see what other people are capable of. Below is one such essay from a student who uses my correction service.
I’m not going to tell you what band score she got and I would like you to tell me what you think. Take a look at the official IELTS Task 2 Band Descriptors and then take a look at the essay. What score would you give the essay for each of the four categories?
Knowing how the exam is marked is one of the keys to success in IELTS writing, so this should be a really useful exercise for anyone hoping to do the test soon.
Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes (for example, working for a charity, improving the neighborhood or teaching sports to younger children).
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
It is often argued that school curricula should include community work, and pupils ought to do it free of charge. This essay will show that such experience at school can be beneficial for children as they learn to be better people and more responsible citizens of their country.
Undoubtedly, volunteering teaches people to empathise with others, not to be indifferent to others’ needs and lend a hand to strangers when it is needed. It is crucial that children acquire these qualities since a very early age, and schools can provide a great opportunity to do that. Looking from my vantage point, I can say that the school where I used to study made me a kinder, more considerate person when my fellow pupils and I participated in a special programme that was aimed at helping older people do housework.
Many educators around the world claim that it is important to make even young children aware of the fact that they are citizens of their country, and that they have their rights and responsibilities. Community service can certainly raise this awareness by showing that even very young people can improve the world around them. For example, in my hometown in Russia, schoolchildren are encouraged to collect recyclable materials such as plastic, paper and glass, and everything that is collected by them accounts for three-quarters of all recyclables in the region.
In conclusion, unpaid labour for the sake of a better neighbourhood has many advantages such as learning to be caring to others and to be in charge of what happens in one’s community. While some countries such as Russia has partly adopted community service for their curricula, more countries can incorporate this element in theirs in the future.
Please let me know what you think in the comments below, or join the conversation on our Facebook page.
For more information, please check out our Task 2 page.
