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 young people take a year out to travel or work after school before going to university or starting a career.
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 young people take a year out to travel or work after finishing school, before going to university or starting a career. I believe the advantages of this choice outweigh the disadvantages, provided the year is used constructively.
The main benefit is personal development. Travelling or working independently teaches maturity, adaptability and problem-solving, as young people must manage money, deal with unfamiliar situations and communicate with people from different backgrounds. After a long period of exam-focused schooling, a break can also restore energy and motivation, and many students return with a clearer idea of what they want to study. Evidence suggests that they often perform better at university as a result. A year of volunteering or paid work also builds a CV, earns money towards fees and develops skills that employers value, such as responsibility and teamwork. A student who spends twelve months teaching English abroad, for example, gains confidence that is hard to learn in a classroom.
However, there are drawbacks. Travel can be expensive, and not every family can afford to fund it, which gives wealthier students an advantage. Some young people lose momentum and find it difficult to return to study, or waste the year with no clear plan. Delaying education also means starting a career a year later and therefore earning less over a lifetime, and friends may have moved ahead, which can feel discouraging. There are safety risks involved in travelling alone as well.
These problems can be reduced with preparation. Students should set goals for their year, such as learning a language, gaining work experience or volunteering, and secure a university place in advance where possible. Organised programmes can offer support and lower costs.
In conclusion, a gap year can bring maturity, motivation and useful experience, and with planning its disadvantages can be avoided, so I think it is generally beneficial.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| gap year | a year between school and next step |
| life experience | knowledge from real living |
| personal development | self-improvement |
| delay education | postpone study |
| volunteer work | unpaid helping work |
| sense of direction | clear goals |
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