Plan this advantages and disadvantages essay about work 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 companies have introduced a four-day working week with no reduction in pay.
Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
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 companies have introduced a four-day working week without reducing salaries. In my opinion, the advantages of this change outweigh the disadvantages, although it will not suit every sector.
The benefits for employees are clear. With an extra day off, workers have more time to rest, spend with family or pursue interests, which reduces stress and burnout and improves mental health. Employers also gain. Trials in the United Kingdom and Iceland found that staff were just as productive, or even more so, because they concentrated better and wasted less time in meetings, and companies reported fewer sick days and lower staff turnover. A shorter week can also help firms to attract talented applicants without raising salaries, and it can cut costs such as electricity and office supplies.
Nonetheless, there are drawbacks. In some sectors, such as hospitals, shops and emergency services, work cannot be compressed, and having fewer working days may mean longer shifts or the need to hire more staff, which raises costs. If the same tasks must be completed in fewer hours, some employees might experience greater pressure and tiredness during the four days they work. Customers may also find it harder to reach companies that are closed one day a week, and small businesses with tight margins may struggle to afford the change.
Even so, these problems can be solved with careful scheduling. Organisations can stagger days off so that services remain open, introduce the new system gradually and measure the results before making it permanent.
In conclusion, a four-day week improves wellbeing and can sustain productivity, and while it requires adjustment in certain industries, I believe its overall advantages are greater.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| compressed hours | full work done in fewer days |
| staff morale | how positive workers feel |
| work-life balance | balance between job and personal life |
| operating costs | running expenses of a business |
| productivity | efficiency of work |
| employee retention | keeping workers |
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