Plan this opinion 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:
Children should be paid for doing household jobs in order to learn the value of money.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
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 children should be paid for doing household jobs so that they learn the value of money. I disagree with this idea to a large extent, although there is a place for pocket money.
The argument in favour is understandable. When a child earns money by washing a car or tidying a room, they see a direct link between effort and reward. They can then practise budgeting, saving for something they want, and they may develop a sense of independence. Parents who are worried that their children will become entitled or careless with money may feel that paid chores are a practical lesson in the working world.
Nevertheless, I think there are important objections. Household tasks are part of belonging to a family, and children should help because everyone shares the home, not because they will be rewarded. If every job carries a price, children may refuse to help unless offered cash, and they may learn that kindness and responsibility are only worth doing for payment. This can also weaken family values, turning cooperation into a business deal. Moreover, a child who is paid may decide that they can choose not to work and forgo the money, so the chores are not done at all. Financial lessons can be taught in other ways. A regular allowance, not linked to chores, allows children to manage a fixed budget and make their own mistakes, while parents can explain saving, prices and the difference between wants and needs in daily life. Extra paid jobs, such as washing the family car, could be offered occasionally for tasks beyond normal duties.
In conclusion, children should do basic chores without payment as part of family life, and money lessons are better taught through an allowance and discussion. I therefore disagree with the statement.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| household chores | regular jobs done at home |
| pocket money | small sum of money given to children |
| financial literacy | understanding of how to manage money |
| instil a sense of | teach gradually a feeling of |
| earn a reward | get something for effort |
| family duty | task one owes to the family |
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