Plan this opinion essay about crime 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:
Fraud, bribery and other financial crimes by powerful people are, in many countries, punished less severely than street crime. This is a positive development.
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
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Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
In many countries, fraud, bribery and other financial crimes committed by powerful people are punished less severely than street crime, and some regard this as positive. I strongly disagree.
Those who defend the situation might say that white-collar crimes are non-violent. Nobody is physically attacked in a case of tax fraud or insider trading, and offenders are often first-time criminals who are unlikely to repeat the offence. Imprisoning them is expensive, and fines or loss of professional licence may seem enough to punish and deter them. The courts may also feel that the offenders have already suffered through public shame.
However, I believe this leniency is unjust and harmful. Financial crimes can have devastating consequences. The collapse of a bank due to fraud, for example, can wipe out the savings of thousands of ordinary people and cause unemployment on a large scale, as happened in the 2008 financial crisis. Bribery by officials weakens public services and discourages honest businesses, while corruption deprives governments of money that should be spent on schools and hospitals. The total damage is often far greater than that of burglary or robbery. Moreover, giving lighter punishments to the wealthy creates the impression of one law for the rich and another for the poor, which undermines public trust in the justice system. Such offenders are also more likely to be able to afford expensive lawyers and thus avoid punishment altogether. Powerful people are in a position to understand the law and commit crimes deliberately and calculatedly, which suggests that firm penalties would act as a stronger deterrent.
In conclusion, financial crimes by powerful individuals cause enormous harm, and treating them more leniently than street crime is unfair and dangerous. They should be punished at least as strictly.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| white-collar crime | non-violent financial crime |
| bribery | giving money to get favours |
| equality before the law | principle that everyone is treated the same |
| public confidence | trust in an institution |
| be held accountable | take responsibility |
| corruption | dishonest behaviour by people in power |
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