IELTS Writing Task 2: Divorce - Band 9.0 Sample Answer with Full Breakdown
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The Prompt
Many people believe that divorce is harmful to society and should be discouraged. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Model Answers at Different Bands
Band 6.0
The Divorce Problem
Divorce is bad for society because it causes many problems. Children suffer when their parents divorce. They feel sad and their school marks go down. Also, divorce is expensive because people have to pay lawyers and split their money. Some people think divorce is easy, but it is not good for families or children. Society should make divorce harder so people stay together.
Scoring Breakdown
- Task Response (5.0): Presents a position but development is limited and unfocused.
- Coherence and Cohesion (5.0): Ideas are arranged in paragraphs but logical flow is simplistic.
- Lexical Resource (5.0): Limited vocabulary with frequent errors and lack of sophistication.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy (6.0): Mostly simple sentences with frequent grammatical errors.
Band 7.0
The Impact of Divorce on Society
The rising divorce rate has become a contentious issue. While some argue that divorce undermines social stability, I believe it can be beneficial under certain circumstances. On one hand, divorce can negatively affect children, causing emotional distress and academic difficulties. On the other hand, staying in unhappy marriages can also harm families. Therefore, society should focus on providing support rather than discouraging divorce.
Scoring Breakdown
- Task Response (7.0): Presents a clear position with some development and relevant examples.
- Coherence and Cohesion (7.0): Ideas are logically organized with clear progression.
- Lexical Resource (7.0): Sufficient range of vocabulary with some less common lexical items.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy (7.0): Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms with some errors.
Band 8.0
The Complexities of Divorce in Modern Society
The issue of divorce has sparked considerable debate. In my view, while divorce can have detrimental effects, it is not necessarily harmful to society. Proponents of discouraging divorce argue that it leads to family breakdown and emotional turmoil for children. However, forcing couples to stay together in dysfunctional relationships can also have negative consequences. Society should aim to provide counseling and support to help families navigate these challenges effectively.
Scoring Breakdown
- Task Response (8.0): Presents a clear position with thorough development and relevant examples.
- Coherence and Cohesion (8.0): Ideas are logically organized with clear progression and effective use of cohesive devices.
- Lexical Resource (8.0): Uses a wide range of vocabulary with some less common lexical items and some sophistication.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy (8.0): Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms with frequent error-free sentences.
Band 9.0
The Socio-Economic Implications of Divorce
The phenomenon of divorce has become increasingly prevalent, eliciting divergent perspectives on its societal impact. While some contend that divorce erodes social fabric, I posit that it reflects evolving social dynamics and individual autonomy. Critics argue that divorce leads to emotional distress for children and financial strain on families. However, compelling evidence suggests that staying in unhappy marriages can perpetuate dysfunctional family structures. Society should prioritize providing comprehensive support systems, including counseling and legal frameworks, to mitigate the adverse effects of divorce and promote healthier family dynamics.
Scoring Breakdown
- Task Response (9.0): Presents a clear position with thorough development, relevant examples, and nuanced argumentation.
- Coherence and Cohesion (9.0): Ideas are logically organized with clear progression and sophisticated use of cohesive devices.
- Lexical Resource (9.0): Uses a wide range of vocabulary with sophisticated and less common lexical items.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy (9.0): Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms with frequent error-free sentences and varied structures.
Vocabulary Highlights
- Contentious (adjective): Causing or likely to cause disagreement or argument.
- Example: The issue of divorce has become increasingly contentious.
- Determental (adjective): Harmful or damaging.
- Example: The detrimental effects of divorce on children's emotional well-being.
- Dysfunctional (adjective): Not operating normally or properly.
- Example: Staying in a dysfunctional relationship can have negative consequences.
- Eliciting (verb): To draw out or bring forth a response.
- Example: The phenomenon of divorce has elicited divergent perspectives.
- Evolving (verb): Developing gradually.
- Example: Reflecting evolving social dynamics and individual autonomy.
- Perpetuate (verb): To make something continue indefinitely.
- Example: Staying in unhappy marriages can perpetuate dysfunctional family structures.
- Prevalent (adjective): Commonly existing or occurring.
- Example: The increasingly prevalent phenomenon of divorce.
- Prioritize (verb): To arrange or deal with things in order of importance.
- Example: Society should prioritize providing comprehensive support systems.
- Manifestation (noun): The display or embodiment of something.
- Example: Divorce can be seen as a manifestation of individual autonomy.
- Nuanced (adjective): Having or showing subtle differences in meaning or tone.
- Example: Presenting a nuanced argumentation on the issue of divorce.
- Comprehensive (adjective): Including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something.
- Example: Providing comprehensive support systems for families.
- Framework (noun): A supportive structure or system.
- Example: Legal frameworks to mitigate the adverse effects of divorce.
- Autonomy (noun): The right or condition of self-government.
- Example: Reflecting individual autonomy and evolving social dynamics.
- Mitigate (verb): To make something less severe or painful.
- Example: To mitigate the adverse effects of divorce.
- Divergent (adjective): Differing, especially in opinion or character.
- Example: Eliciting divergent perspectives on the issue of divorce.
Common Mistakes Students Make
- Overgeneralization: Making sweeping statements without sufficient evidence or examples.
- Lack of Balance: Failing to present a balanced argument, especially in agree/disagree essays.
- Inadequate Vocabulary: Using limited vocabulary that lacks sophistication and precision.
- Grammatical Errors: Frequent grammatical errors that detract from the overall quality of the essay.
- Poor Coherence: Ideas are not logically connected, making the essay difficult to follow.
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