Plan this two-part 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:
Many young people are expected to work in their family's business rather than choose their own career. Why might this be the case? Is this a positive or negative situation?
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.
In many places, young people are expected to work in their family's business rather than choose their own career. This essay will explain why this expectation exists and argue that it is generally a negative situation.
There are several reasons for it. Family businesses are often built over generations, and parents hope to preserve what they have created and keep it in the family. The business is also a source of income and security, so relatives feel responsible for each other's livelihood. Young people who join gain a ready-made job, and in societies where unemployment is high this is attractive. In many cultures there is also a tradition of respect for family duty, which makes refusing difficult. Trust is another factor: owners may feel more confident in relatives than in outsiders, especially where legal protection is weak.
There are advantages for some individuals. They can learn directly from experienced relatives, take on responsibility early and perhaps inherit a successful enterprise. Family loyalty may also motivate them to work harder than ordinary employees.
However, I believe the drawbacks are greater. Young people who are pressured into a career they do not want may feel resentful and unfulfilled, and their talents in other fields, such as science or art, may be wasted. If they lack interest or ability, the business may suffer as well. Conflicts at work can spill over into family life, making personal disagreements harder to resolve. Moreover, young people lose the chance to experience different workplaces and develop independent skills.
A better approach is to let them decide freely, perhaps after gaining experience elsewhere, so that those who return do so by choice.
In conclusion, expectations to join the family firm arise from tradition, security and trust, but they restrict personal freedom and can harm both the individual and the business.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| family business | company owned by relatives |
| follow in someone's footsteps | do the same job as a relative |
| job security | assurance of keeping a job |
| personal fulfilment | satisfaction from your own achievements |
| inherit | receive after someone dies or retires |
| succession | passing a role to the next person |
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.