IELTS Writing Task 2: Some people think that only staff who worked in a company for a long time should be promoted to a higher position. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Some people think that only staff who worked in a company for a long time should be promoted to a higher position.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
One of the reasons why companies choose to promote some staff is seniority. While length of service is undoubtedly an important factor, my belief is it should certainly not be the only criterion for deciding who should be promoted. Rather it would be better for companies to have a more varied policy in this area.
There are without question sound arguments for promoting employees who have been working for a company for a number of years. The first of these is that these more experienced employees would be able to adapt themselves to being in a higher position, as they would understand the culture and policies of the company better. Again, on a practical level, if they were not promoted, they might well leave the company to find a higher position and earn a larger salary. This could have serious consequences for the company, which might lose a significant amount of business to its competitors.
Despite these reasons, there is a strong argument in favour of also promoting staff because of their performance. This can be seen by how some multi-nationals use annual performance and development reviews when deciding on promotion. Under this system a supervisor can set targets for an employee and if those targets are met, then the employee can be promoted, even if they are relatively junior. The benefit of this approach is that it encourages staff to work harder and rewards merit and not just long service.
In conclusion, there is no doubt a case for implementing a policy of promoting long-serving members of staff, but I believe that it is also wise to take account of the performance of more junior members of staff.
(279 words – Dominic Cole) 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Differences between countries become less evident each year. Nowadays, all over the world people share the same fashions, advertising, brands, eating habits and TV channels. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this?

Differences between countries become less evident each year. Nowadays, all over the world people share the same fashions, advertising, brands, eating habits and TV channels.
Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this?
It is undoubtedly the case that the world today has become a global village. One of the effects of this is that increasingly people in all corners of the world are exposed to similar services and products and adopt similar habits. My view is that this is largely a beneficial process and in this essay I will explain why.
The first point to make is that there are some downsides to this process of cultural globalisation, but these are relatively minor. The most significant of these disadvantages is that it can weaken national culture and traditions. For example, if people watch films and television programmes produced in the United States, sometimes they adopt aspects of the lifestyle of the American characters they see on television. Typically, however, this only affects minor details such as clothing and does not seriously threaten national identity.
When we turn to the other side of the argument, there are two major points to make in favour of this process. The first of these is that the more we share habits, products and services, the better we understand each other and this reduces prejudice against other nations. The other point relates to modernity. It is a sign of progress in a society that people no longer are restricted to brands and advertisements from their own society but are able to access more international goods. If, for example, there were unable to drink Coca Cola or wear Nike, then that would mean their society was not part of the international community.
In conclusion, I understand the point of view of people who worry about cultural globalisation because it is a threat to national traditions. However, this is outweighed by its positive impact on international understanding and the fact that it represents progress within a society.
(298 words – Dominic Cole) 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Some people say that parents should decide on what kind of medical care their children should receive, while others believe that this is the state’s responsibility Discuss both views and give your opinion

Some people say that parents should decide on what kind of medical care their children should receive, while others believe that this is the state’s responsibility

Discuss both views and give your opinion


Although almost everyone agrees about the necessity to provide children with the best healthcare, there is some dispute about whether parents or the government should decide what that care is. My own view is that while governments may adopt a general policy for children’s medical care, parents should normally have the ultimate say.

There are good grounds for arguing that the state should decide on the form of medical provision for children. One of these is that typically the state is better able to make informed decisions because it has access to all the latest medical research. Another is that occasionally there are epidemics in schools and it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that illnesses should not be spread unnecessarily. In this case, it might justifiably order compulsory vaccination.

Equally there is a very strong argument for allowing parents to decide on what care their children receive. This is because one extremely important principle is that everyone should have the right to choose what care they receive. For children who are too young to make their own choice, it is only natural that their parents should make that decision for them. This is particularly important for families that come from a culture where certain medical interventions such as blood transfusions are forbidden. In this case, it seems quite wrong for the government to order something that may go against religious beliefs.

In conclusion, I do accept that there are good reasons for the state to outline what care children should receive, but parents should be able to have the last word particularly when religious principles are at stake.

(271 words – Dominic Cole)

IELTS Writing Task 2: Science and technology have improved the standards of living in all over the world. Some people claim that the role of the arts has become insignificant. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Science and technology have improved the standards of living in all over the world. Some people claim that the role of the arts has become insignificant.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

There is no doubt that the quality of our lives in the 21st century has been greatly improved by various scientific and technological advances. Despite this, the arts and humanities too still have much to teach us about ourselves and life in general.

One area in which we can learn from the arts is that concepts such as beauty matter in and of themselves, whereas in the world of science and technology the only true measure is whether something works or not. This is a limited view of the world and the arts differ in that they offer us an alternative and more spiritual outlook. For example, if we listen to Mozart we can learn about harmony and joy through the medium of music or if even we read an author like PG Wodehouse we learn about the value of humour. These essential aspects of life are absent from the clinical world of science and technology.

The other way in which artists can teach us more about life is that enjoying art encourages the habit of self- reflection. If you walk into an art gallery, attend a concert or even just stay in to read a book, you will almost certainly begin to think about your inner values. For me, this is a invaluable lesson in life because if we begin to reflect about ourselves, we begin not just to become more human, but also consider the lives of others too.

So while science and technology may have made our physical lives more comfortable in the 21st century. It remains true that the arts and humanities are still absolutely necessary for ordinary people as they promote a more spiritual and reflective view of life that is essential to our humanity.

(289 words – Dominic Cole)

IELTS Writing Task 2: In the past lectures were the traditional method of teaching large numbers of students. Nowadays new technology is increasingly being used to teach students. Do the advantages of this new approach outweigh the disadvantages?

In the past lectures were the traditional method of teaching large numbers of students. Nowadays new technology is increasingly being used to teach students.
Do the advantages of this new approach outweigh the disadvantages?

As we move into the twenty-first century, technology is affecting many different areas of life and education is no exception. Indeed, in some institutions traditional forms of education have been revolutionised by new technology to the extent that the lecture is no longer the main method of delivery. While there are a variety of benefits to this new approach, there are also significant drawbacks.

Perhaps the greatest bonus of the introduction of technology is the flexibility it offers. This is evident in two different ways. Firstly, it is now no longer essential for students to be present in the lecture theatre for their courses. This means that part-time courses for adults who are in employment and distance learning courses for people in other countries are now much more practical. Another area of flexibility is of course that the lecturer and tutor are able to use Moodles, interactive whiteboards and other tools to deliver their courses in a more stimulating way to large numbers of students.

Not everything, however, about the introduction of this new technology into education is positive. One major problem is that not all students are comfortable with using technology, even if they are part of the digital native generation. This is a serious issue as they may suffer from their lack of technological skills. Another related issue is that education is a human activity and it works best with as much human interaction as possible. Impersonal technology cannot replace the human contact found in traditional face-to-face tutorials and seminars.

As we have seen, there are major benefits to the introduction of technology into education, not least because it enables modern forms of education such as distance learning courses. This is balanced, however, by the fact that it can be too impersonal for some and disadvantages others for their lack of technological skills.

(305 words – Dominic Cole)