With the growing popularity of online course platforms, an increasing number of high school students are choosing to take college-level courses over the internet and earn corresponding certificates before entering university. This trend has sparked debate: some argue that it breaks down barriers to educational resources, allowing more students to access higher education early; others worry that it will diminish the value of traditional university degrees and trap adolescents lacking self-discipline in fragmented learning. Against this backdrop, please discuss: should the core value of a university education be regarded solely as the acquisition of knowledge, or does it depend to a greater extent on interpersonal interaction and systematic guidance within the campus environment? Clarify your position and support it with reasons and concrete examples.
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