Plan this opinion essay about culture 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:
Museums and art galleries should be free for everyone, funded entirely by the government.
To what extent 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 believe that museums and galleries should be open to everyone without charge and paid for completely by the state. I agree with this idea to a large extent, although I think that some additional income is sensible.
The main argument for free entry is fairness. Culture and history belong to everybody, and ticket prices exclude families on low incomes who cannot afford to pay for several people. When admission is free, children from every background can visit, and museums become an extension of the classroom, supporting education. There is also evidence that it works. When the national museums in London abolished their entrance fees, visitor numbers rose sharply, and many people came back several times instead of making a single expensive trip.
Opponents say that museums are costly to run, since they have to pay for staff, security and the care of fragile objects, and that ticket sales provide money to buy new collections and to repair buildings. They also argue that it is unfair to ask taxpayers to fund an institution that many of them never visit. These are reasonable concerns, but taxpayers also fund roads and parks that not everyone uses, because they benefit society as a whole. A more educated and culturally aware population is clearly in the public interest.
However, I do not think the government must be the only source of funding. Museums can still earn money through shops, cafes, special exhibitions and voluntary donations, while keeping the permanent displays free. This reduces the pressure on public budgets.
In conclusion, free access to museums promotes equality and learning, and I believe they should be publicly funded, with optional extra income from other sources.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| admission fee | price to enter |
| cultural institutions | museums, theatres etc. |
| exhibit | display |
| accessible to all | usable by everyone |
| funding | money supply |
| visitor numbers | count of people who visit |
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