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:
More workers now earn a living through short-term jobs and freelance contracts rather than permanent employment.
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.
More people now earn a living through short-term jobs and freelance contracts instead of permanent employment. In my opinion, the disadvantages of this trend are greater than the advantages, though it suits some workers well.
The main advantage is flexibility. Freelancers can choose when, where and for whom they work, which suits students, parents and people with other commitments. A graphic designer working from home can organise the day around family needs and take on projects that match personal interests. The arrangement can also bring higher earnings to skilled professionals, who sell their services to several clients and are not limited by one employer's salary scale. For companies, the benefit is the ability to hire specialists only when needed, which reduces costs and allows quick responses to changing demand.
However, insecurity is a serious drawback. Gig workers usually have no guaranteed income, so a quiet month can create financial stress, and it is hard to get a mortgage or plan long-term. They often lack paid holidays, sick pay and pension contributions, which are normally provided to permanent staff. Food-delivery couriers working through apps, for example, may earn less than the minimum wage once expenses are deducted, and they have limited protection if they are injured. There is also less opportunity for training and career development, and workers may feel isolated without colleagues.
These problems could be reduced by stronger regulation, such as minimum payment rates and insurance schemes for self-employed workers. Without such protection, flexibility often benefits employers more than employees.
In conclusion, freelance work offers freedom and variety, but it also brings insecurity and weaker rights, and I believe the disadvantages currently outweigh the benefits.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| gig economy | economy of short-term work |
| freelancer | self-employed worker |
| job security | assurance of ongoing work |
| employment benefits | sick pay, pension, etc. |
| self-employed | working for oneself |
| fixed-term contract | job for a set period |
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.