Some people think that it is better for older schoolchildren to study a large number of subjects and develop a range of knowledge. Others argue that they should study a smaller number of subjects and focus in details.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 2 question on IELTSX. Some people think that it is better for older schoolchildren to study a large number of subjects and develop a range of knowledge. Others argue that they should study a smaller number of subjects and focus in details.

Older schoolchildren study large number subjects develop range knowledge study smaller number subjects focus details - IELTS Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

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 ยท 306 words.

Nowadays, there is a debate about whether older schoolchildren should study many subjects to get a wide range of knowledge, or study fewer subjects and learn about them in more detail. Both views have some good points, and I will discuss them in this essay.

On one hand, some people think studying many subjects is good for older students. This is because students can discover which subjects they are good at and what they are interested in before they decide their future career. For example, if a student studies science, arts and business subjects together, they can find out which area suits them best. Also, having a wide range of knowledge can help students become more flexible and understand different topics, which is useful in daily life and in many jobs nowadays.

On the other hand, other people believe that studying fewer subjects in more detail is better for older schoolchildren. They think that when students are older, they should already know what career they want to follow, so they should focus on subjects related to that career. For example, if a student wants to become a doctor, it is more useful for them to study biology and chemistry in depth, rather than studying many unrelated subjects. This can help students to become experts in their chosen field and perform better in university or their future job.

In my opinion, I think a combination of both approaches is best. When students are younger, they should study a wide range of subjects, but as they get older, they should slowly focus on fewer subjects that are related to their future career goals.

In conclusion, both studying many subjects and studying fewer subjects in detail have their own advantages, but I believe students should gradually move from a broad to a more focused education as they grow older.

Examiner feedback

The essay provides a well-structured and clear response to the prompt. It achieves a Band 7 by consistently addressing the task, maintaining logical organization, and using a variety of accurate grammatical structures. To improve, the candidate should focus on expanding their vocabulary and deepening the analysis of their supporting points.

Task Response - 7

- The essay addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both viewpoints and providing a clear personal opinion. - Main ideas are relevant and supported with examples, though some points could be more deeply developed. - The position remains consistent throughout the response.

Coherence & Cohesion - 7

- Information is organized logically with a clear progression from the introduction to the conclusion. - Cohesive devices like "On the one hand" and "On the other hand" are used effectively to signal shifts in perspective. - Each paragraph focuses on a distinct central topic, making the argument easy to follow.

Lexical Resource - 7

- The vocabulary is sufficient for the task and allows for some precision in meaning. - Common collocations such as "future career goals" and "wide range of knowledge" are used correctly. - To achieve a higher score, the student could use more sophisticated synonyms for repetitive words like "subjects" or "students."

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 7

- A good mix of simple and complex sentence structures is used throughout the essay. - Most sentences are error-free, demonstrating a high degree of control over grammar and punctuation. - Use of conditional sentences (e.g., "if a student studies...") adds to the variety of the grammatical range.

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