In many countries, higher education is regarded as an essential pathway to stable careers and substantial income, while others argue that the core value of a university lies in cultivating independent thinking and civic virtue, rather than directly serving the job market. Against the backdrop of limited resources and rising tuition fees, should higher education prioritize economic returns, or should it uphold its humanistic and academic mission? Please articulate your stance, providing reasons and concrete examples to support your viewpoint.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Band Descriptors
Task Response: Address all parts of the task, present a clear position, support ideas with evidence
Coherence and Cohesion: Logical paragraphing, clear progression, appropriate linking devices
Lexical Resource: Wide range of vocabulary, accurate and natural collocations
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Variety of sentence structures, error-free grammar
Overall band score is 0-9, each criterion weighted equally.
Answering Tips
Spend 5 minutes planning your position and main arguments
Use the structure: Introduction - Body 1 - Body 2 - Concession - Conclusion
Develop each body paragraph with: topic sentence + explanation + example + summary
Use a variety of linking words, avoid repetition
Reserve 5 minutes at the end to check grammar and spelling