Opinion essays

WRITING SAMPLES
In some countries, many more people are choosing to live alone nowadays than in
the past. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

In recent years it has become far more normal for people to live alone, particularly in
large cities in the developed world. In my opinion, this trend could have both positive
and negative consequences in equal measure.

The rise in one-person

person households can be seen as positive for both personal
persona and
broader economic reasons. On an individual level, people who choose to live alone
may become more independent and self
self-reliant
reliant than those who live with family
members. A young adult who lives alone, for example, will need to learn to cook,
clean, pay bills and manage his or her budget, all of which are valuable life skills; an
increase in the number of such individuals can certainly be seen as a positive
development. From an economic perspective, the trend towards living alone will
result in greater demand
emand for housing. This is likely to benefit the construction industry,
estate agents and a whole host of other companies that rely on homeowners to buy
their products or services.

However, the personal and economic arguments given above can be considered from
the opposite angle. Firstly, rather than the positive feeling of increased independence,
people who live alone may experience feelings of loneliness, isolation and worry. They
miss out on the emotional support and daily conversation that family or flatmates
fla can
provide, and they must bear the weight of all household bills and responsibilities; in
this sense, perhaps the trend towards living alone is a negative one. Secondly, from
the financial point of view, a rise in demand for housing is likely to pu
push up property
prices and rents. While this may benefit some businesses, the general population,
including those who live alone, will be faced with rising living costs.

In conclusion, the increase in one

one-person
person households will have both beneficial and
detrimental
imental effects on individuals and on the economy.

(306 words-band 9)

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The older generations tend to have very traditional ideas about how people should
live, think and behave. However, some people believe that these ideas are not
helpful in preparing younger generations for modern life.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this
thi view?

It is true that many older people believe in traditional values that often seem
incompatible with the needs of younger people. While I agree that some traditional
ideas are outdated, I believe that others are still useful and should not be forgotte
forgotten.

On the one hand, many of the ideas that elderly people have about life are becoming
less relevant for younger people. In the past, for example, people were advised to
learn a profession and find a secure job for life, but today’s workers expect much mor
more
variety and diversity from their careers. At the same time, the ‘rules’ around
relationships are being eroded as young adults make their own choices about who
and when to marry. But perhaps the greatest disparity between the generations can
be seen in their
eir attitudes towards gender roles. The traditional roles of men and
women, as breadwinners and housewives, are no longer accepted as necessary or
appropriate by most younger people.

On the other hand, some traditional views and values are certainly applicable
applic to the
modern world. For example, older generations attach great importance to working
hard, doing one’s best, and taking pride in one’s work, and these behaviours can surely
benefit young people as they enter today’s competitive job market. Other
characteristics
racteristics that are perhaps seen as traditional are politeness and good manners.
In our globalised world, young adults can expect to come into contact with people
from a huge variety of backgrounds, and it is more important than ever to treat others
with respect. Finally, I believe that young people would lead happier lives if they had a
more ‘old-fashioned’
fashioned’ sense of community and neighbourliness.
In conclusion, although the views of older people may sometimes seem unhelpful in
today’s world, we should no
nott dismiss all traditional ideas as irrelevant.

(299 words, band 9)

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Nowadays
owadays celebrities are more famous for their glamour and wealth than for their
achievements, and this sets a bad example to young people.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

It is true that some celebrities are known for their glamorous

glamorous lifestyles rather than for
the work they do. While I agree that these celebrities set a bad example for children, I
believe that other famous people act as positive role models.

On the one hand, many people do achieve fame without really working for it. They
may have inherited money from parents, married a famous or wealthy person, or they
may have appeared in gossip magazines or on a reality TV programme. A good
example would be Paris Hilton, who is rich and famous for the wrong reasons. She
spends her time attending parties and nightclubs, and her behaviour promotes the
idea that appearance, glamour and media profile are more important than hard work
and good character. The message to young people is that success can be achieved
easily, and that school
ool work is not necessary.

On the other hand, there are at least as many celebrities whose accomplishments
make them excellent role models for young people. Actors, musicians and sports stars
become famous idols because they have worked hard and applied th
themselves to
develop real skills and abilities. They demonstrate great effort, determination and
ambition, which is required for someone who wants to be truly successful in their
chosen field. An example is the actor and martial artist Jackie Chan, who has become
world famous through years of practice and hard work. This kind of self-made
self celebrity
can inspire children to develop their talents through application and perseverance.

(Add your own conclusion)

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When choosing a job, the salary is the most important
important consideration. To what extent
do you agree or disagree?

Many people choose their jobs based on the size of the salary offered. Personally, I
disagree with the idea that money is the key consideration when deciding on a career,
because I believe that other
her factors are equally important.

On the one hand, I agree that money is necessary in order for people to meet their
basic needs. For example, we all need money to pay for housing, food, bills, health
care, and education. Most people consider it a priority
priority to at least earn a salary that
allows them to cover these needs and have a reasonable quality of life. If people chose
their jobs based on enjoyment or other non-financial
non financial factors, they might find it
difficult to support themselves. Artists and musicians,
musicians, for instance, are known for
choosing a career path that they love, but that does not always provide them with
enough money to live comfortably and raise a family.

Nevertheless, I believe that other considerations are just as important as what we earn
in our jobs. Firstly, personal relationships and the atmosphere in a workplace are
extremely important when choosing a job. Having a good manager or friendly
colleagues, for example, can make a huge difference to workers’ levels of happiness
and general quality
ty of life. Secondly, many people’s feelings of job satisfaction come
from their professional achievements, the skills they learn, and the position they reach,
rather than the money they earn. Finally, some people choose a career because they
want to help others and contribute something positive to society.

In conclusion, while salaries certainly affect people’s choice of profession, I do not

believe that money outweighs all other motivators.

(275 words, band 9)

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Foreign visitors should pay more than local visitors for cultural and historical
attractions. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

It is sometimes argued that tourists from overseas should be charged more than local
residents to visit important sites and monuments. I completely
completely disagree with this idea.

The argument in favour of higher prices for foreign tourists would be that cultural or
historical attractions often depend on state subsidies to keep them going, which
means that the resident population already pays money to thes
thesee sites through the tax
system. However, I believe this to be a very shortsighted view. Foreign tourists
contribute to the economy of the host country with the money they spend on a wide
range of goods and services, including food, souvenirs, accommodation and travel.
The governments and inhabitants of every country should be happy to subsidise
important tourist sites and encourage people from the rest of the world to visit them.

If travellers realised that they would have to pay more to visit historical and
an cultural
attractions in a particular nation, they would perhaps decide not to go to that country
on holiday. To take the UK as an example, the tourism industry and many related jobs
rely on visitors coming to the country to see places like Windsor Castle or Saint Paul’s
Cathedral. These two sites charge the same price regardless of nationality, and this
helps to promote the nation’s cultural heritage. If overseas tourists stopped coming
due to higher prices, there would be a risk of insufficient funding for
f the maintenance
of these important buildings.

In conclusion, I believe that every effort should be made to attract tourists from
overseas, and it would be counterproductive to make them pay more than local
residents.

(269 words, band 9)

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