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 the government funding should not be used for supporting art and culture, others think supporting cultural activities may be beneficial for the population and the culture. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

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

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

With the scarcity of government funding, wise choices need to be made to allocate the money. A segment of the population believes that spending on art and culture will be advantageous to the citizens, whilst others hold a contrarian view. I take the view that the government should only spend minimal amounts on art and culture, and allocate their funds to more important causes.  

Some believe that art and culture should be supported by the government to ensure the nation’s heritage and identity are protected. Although preserving the nation’s heritage and identity does not directly impact the nation’s economic well-being, doing so would improve the population’s sense of togetherness and belonging and boosts patriotism. For example, the government of China spends large amounts of money to re-acquire works of art lost during its Cultural Revolution in order to provide its public a meaningful repository of art and culture to appreciate. 

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On the other hand, others believe that government spending should not be used to support art and culture as there are more important needs for the funds. For example, healthcare and education would more directly impact on the lives of the population, with the funds spent in these areas directly benefiting the population through better health, and improved skills with which to compete globally. This in turn may boost the livelihood of the people, and eventually grow the net revenues of the nation. 

In summary, I hold the view that whilst governments need to support art and culture in order to reach a larger population of people, the bulk of government spending should be made on more pressing needs of the people such as health and education. Spending on more important priorities would also enable the  government to improve the lives of the people and their revenues, which is a self-perpetuating cycle of then having more funds with which to spend on art and culture.  

Total Words: 315

Task Achievement: 8

Coherence & Cohesion: 8 

Lexical resources: 8

Grammar: 8

Overall Score: Band 8

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