Plan this opinion essay about economy 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:
The minimum wage should be raised so that all workers can earn enough to live comfortably.
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 argue that the minimum wage should be increased so that every worker can live comfortably. I largely agree, although the increase should be introduced carefully.
The strongest argument is fairness. A full-time employee should not have to live in poverty, yet in many countries cleaners, shop assistants and care workers earn so little that they rely on benefits or work two jobs to pay rent. A higher minimum wage would reduce this hardship and give such workers the time and energy to look after their families. It also benefits the economy, because people on low incomes spend almost everything they earn in local shops and services, which supports businesses and keeps money circulating in the community. In addition, better pay tends to reduce staff turnover, so employers spend less on recruiting and training. When Seattle gradually raised its minimum wage, for example, there was little evidence of the large job losses that critics had predicted.
However, there are legitimate concerns. Small businesses, such as family cafes, operate on narrow profit margins, and a sudden increase in wage costs could force them to cut hours, raise prices or close. If that happened, the very workers the policy aims to help might lose their jobs. For this reason, governments should raise the minimum wage in stages, giving employers time to adjust to the new costs, and they might offer tax relief to small firms during the transition.
In conclusion, a higher minimum wage would improve living standards, stimulate spending and encourage fairer employment, and the risks to business can be managed by gradual implementation. I therefore agree that the minimum wage should be raised.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| living wage | pay enough for basic needs |
| poverty line | income threshold for poverty |
| labour costs | money paid to workers |
| consumer spending | money spent by shoppers |
| low-paid workers | those with small salaries |
| wage floor | legal minimum pay |
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