In today's knowledge-driven economy, the value of a university education is being reevaluated: one camp argues that the primary mission of universities is to cultivate "whole persons" equipped with critical thinking and humanistic literacy, rather than directly serving the job market; the other insists that, given soaring tuition costs and fierce employment competition, universities that fail to provide graduates with clear vocational skills and employment security betray the expectations of both students and society. In light of this debate, what do you believe should be the core goal of university education—shaping "liberally educated talents" or "workplace instruments"? Please articulate your stance and support it with specific reasons and 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