Plan this discussion essay about family with the ideas and outline below, write it on a 40-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people believe that parents should help choose their children's marriage partners. Others think young people should decide for themselves.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
Pick two or three points from one or both columns. You do not need all of them, and your own examples score better than memorised ones.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 250 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
Some people believe that parents should help to choose their children's marriage partners, while others think young people should decide for themselves. In my opinion, individuals should make the final choice, although parental advice can be valuable.
Supporters of parental involvement offer sensible reasons. Parents have more life experience and can judge a potential partner's character, family background and compatibility without being blinded by romance. In many cultures, marriage is seen as a union between two families, and a match approved by both sides can bring stronger support, shared values and financial stability. Arranged marriages are often said to have low divorce rates in countries such as India, since couples enter the relationship with realistic expectations and commit to making it work.
However, I believe that the individual must have the final say. A marriage lasts for decades, and the two people involved are the ones who will live with the consequences. Compatibility, affection and trust are personal matters, and a partner chosen purely for status or wealth may lead to unhappiness. Forcing someone to marry a person they do not want can cause emotional distress, and in the worst cases it is a violation of human rights. Young adults today are also better educated and more independent, so they are quite able to make informed decisions. Moreover, a low divorce rate does not necessarily mean a happy marriage, as some couples stay together because leaving is socially difficult.
A sensible compromise is for parents to introduce suitable candidates and offer honest advice, while allowing their children to meet and get to know them and to refuse if they do not feel comfortable.
In conclusion, although parents can contribute wisdom, the decision about whom to marry should ultimately belong to the young people themselves.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| life partner | person you marry or live with long-term |
| compatibility | how well two people suit each other |
| have a say in | be allowed to influence |
| family approval | agreement from relatives |
| life-changing decision | choice that alters your future |
| autonomy | freedom to decide for yourself |
Answer random Part 1, 2 and 3 questions on an exam timer.
Average your four skill bands, rounded the way IELTS rounds them.
Compare an IELTS band with TOEFL, Duolingo and PTE scores and CEFR levels.
Look up the IELTS score a university asks for, with the source.