Some people think that employers should not care about the way their employees dress, because what matters is the quality of their work.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 2 question on IELTSX. Some people think that employers should not care about the way their employees dress, because what matters is the quality of their work.

Employers Dress Code Quality Work Matters - IELTS Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

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 7.5 ยท 294 words.

Nowadays, our image is important as ever before. Therefore, it is easy to see why some people are

encouraged to stick to a smart dress code at their workplace. However, there is an opposing view that prioritizes work performance over the way we look. I personally support the latter view.

On the one hand, wearing smart clothes could be necessary indeed. Many professions involve

interactions with the public. Thus, specialists representing those fields have to be credible. Dressing

smartly might help boost their credibility. Teachers, for example, are role models for their students, so they bear responsibility for setting certain norms. In addition, some people, the older generation in particular, hold conservative views, meaning that they still judge based on what we wear. According to their views, a suit represents diligence, confidence and authority, which, in turn, make a person look 'cooler'. Therefore, the role of formal dressing seems reasonable.

On the other hand, I believe that more tolerance must be shown to employees regarding the dress code. First of all, the world is shifting towards modernity and we must embrace it. The younger generation needs more freedom and more comfort since individualism is common now. If we encouraged people, especially the youth, to focus more on work rather than how they look, this would probably help to yield better results. Besides, if employees produce work of outstanding quality, even those with conservative views will start caring less about the looks. That is why we need to put a practical value of their work first.

In conclusion, I believe that we must change our conventional beliefs about smart, formal attire in

favour of open styles and even allow workers to express their personality through their outfits as long as their work performance remains high.

Examiner feedback

This is a strong essay that demonstrates clear logical progression and a very high level of grammatical control. The candidate presents a balanced view while maintaining a clear personal stance. To reach a higher band, the writer should focus on using more sophisticated academic vocabulary and providing more detailed, specific evidence to support the claims.

Task Response - 7

- The task is fully addressed, with a clear position maintained throughout the response. - Main ideas are presented and supported, particularly the idea of credibility and the shift toward individualism. - However, the argument could be further extended; for example, the second body paragraph could provide a concrete example of a high-performance industry where casual dress is the norm (like Silicon Valley tech firms).

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- Information is logically organized with a clear progression from the introduction to the conclusion. - Each paragraph has a clear central topic: one discussing the necessity of formal dress and the other advocating for flexibility. - Cohesive devices (e.g., 'On the one hand', 'Thus', 'In addition') are used effectively, though some are slightly mechanical. - Referencing ('those fields', 'latter view') is used appropriately to maintain flow.

Lexical Resource - 7

- A sufficient range of vocabulary is used to allow for some flexibility and precision (e.g., 'credibility', 'diligence', 'embrace', 'conservative'). - There is some awareness of style and collocation ('hold conservative views', 'yield better results'). - Some expressions are slightly informal or slightly misused (e.g., 'look cooler' is a bit informal for an academic essay; 'practical value of their work' is slightly clunky).

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 8

- A wide range of structures is used, including conditional sentences ('If we encouraged...') and complex clauses. - The majority of sentences are error-free. - Punctuation is generally accurate, though there are minor slips in comma usage after introductory phrases in a few spots. - Control over grammar is strong throughout the essay.

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