IELTS Writing Task 2 essay with model answer

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic

Some people think that the government should pay one of the parents of very young children to stay at home to look after their children.

What do you think would be the advantages and disadvantages of this policy?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

In today's era, maintaining a moderate lifestyle has become increasingly difficult with exorbitantly high housing prices, education expenses and other daily life amenities, therefore in most households both parents are equally contributing financially. In this scenario child care has become an issue. Some believe that the government should help out by paying one parent to stay at home and look after children. This essay will illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of this notion.

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To begin with, the basic reason a parent is compelled to leave home and earn is to provide for their children. It is every parent’s dream to be able to give them the best of this world. In this process they end up neglecting them because they have to work for long hours and thus leave their kids with either their grandparents or at a daycare center. This affects the kids in the long term as they gradually become emotionally detached from their parents. Researchers have shown that kids of working parents tend to be more stubborn and develop certain bad habits to attract elders' attention. Moreover, young children are quite fragile and need constant supervision which is unlikely when they are away from parents. Statistics have shown young kids to be more prone to minor accidents and injuries in daycare centers and play areas. Although the staff is quite vigilant but the natural instincts of a mother or father are irreplaceable.

Owing to these reasons, people argue that the government should pay one of the parents so that he or she stays at home. Although this would help parents to some extent since they will dedicate their complete attention to the upbringing of their children, the drawbacks of this measure would be greater. Firstly, the government is already under great pressure as they provide free health care, primary education and other facilities through several government institutions, this added expenditure would burden the national treasury and catalyze an increase in taxes. Secondly, people will slack off and start depending solely on this stipend which would be a bad example for kids. In UK, for example, for the first two years after childbirth, parents are given half of their salary without having to go to work. This is quite beneficial for both the baby and the mother's emotional and physical health but people are now exploiting this policy and are planning more and more kids as they do not feel financially burdened. This is affecting the whole country as there is increased pressure on the economy. As a result the whole financial system might collapse.

To conclude, the disadvantages of this policy are greater than its merits. Governments should try to help parents in other ways such as reducing working hours and making arrangements for workplaces to have day care facility.

Total Words: 464

Task Achievement: 9

Coherence & Cohesion: 9

Lexical resources: 9

Grammar: 9

Overall Score: Band 9

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