IELTS Writing Task 2: Outsourcing - Band 7.5 Sample with Full Breakdown
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The Prompt
Some people believe that outsourcing is beneficial for both companies and countries, while others argue that it has negative consequences. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Band 7.5 Sample Answer
Outsourcing has become a common practice in today's globalized economy, with many companies choosing to delegate certain tasks to external providers. While this trend has its advantages, it also presents several challenges that need to be addressed.
On the one hand, outsourcing can lead to significant cost savings for companies. By delegating tasks to countries with lower labor costs, businesses can reduce their expenses and improve their competitiveness. Moreover, outsourcing allows companies to focus on their core competencies, enabling them to innovate and grow. For countries, outsourcing can create new job opportunities and stimulate economic growth. For instance, countries like India and the Philippines have seen a boom in their IT and business process outsourcing sectors, which has contributed to their economic development.
However, outsourcing also has its drawbacks. One of the main concerns is the potential loss of jobs in the home country. When companies outsource, they often reduce their domestic workforce, which can lead to unemployment and economic instability. Additionally, outsourcing can lead to a loss of control over certain business processes, which can compromise quality and security. For example, there have been instances where outsourced projects have failed to meet the expected standards, leading to reputational damage for the companies involved.
In my opinion, the benefits of outsourcing outweigh the drawbacks, provided that it is managed effectively. Companies should ensure that they outsource to reliable partners and maintain strict quality control measures. Governments, on the other hand, should invest in education and training to equip their workforce with the skills needed to compete in the global market. By taking these steps, both companies and countries can reap the benefits of outsourcing while minimizing its negative impacts.
Scoring Breakdown
Task Response (TR): Band 7.5
- Presents a clear position throughout the response
- Presents, extends, and supports ideas, but there may be a tendency to overgeneralize
- Provides relevant, extended, and supported ideas
Coherence and Cohesion (CC): Band 7.5
- Uses cohesive devices effectively, but there may be some under- or over-use
- Arranges information and ideas logically, but there may be some unevenness in the sequencing
- Uses a mix of cohesive devices effectively, but there may be some repetition or awkwardness
Lexical Resource (LR): Band 7.5
- Uses a mix of complex sentence forms and vocabulary
- Uses some less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation
- May make occasional errors in word choice and collocation
Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA): Band 7.5
- Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms
- Makes some errors in grammar and punctuation, but they do not impede communication
- Uses a mix of tenses and sentence structures effectively, but there may be some errors in agreement and word order
Vocabulary Highlights
| Word | Definition | Example Collocation | | --- | --- | --- | | Outsourcing | The practice of delegating tasks to external providers | Business process outsourcing, IT outsourcing | | Globalized | Characterized by the integration of economies, cultures, and populations through cross-border trade, investment, and information flows | Globalized economy, globalized market | | Competitiveness | The ability of a company or country to offer products and services that meet the quality standards of foreign competitors while being able to maintain or gain market share in the presence of those foreign competitors | Improve competitiveness, enhance competitiveness | | Delegating | Assigning tasks or responsibilities to others | Delegate tasks, delegate authority | | Economic development | The process by which a nation improves the economic, political, and social well-being of its people | Economic development, sustainable economic development | | Reputational damage | Harm to the reputation of a company or individual | Reputational damage, reputational risk | | Quality control | The process of ensuring that products or services meet certain thresholds of acceptability | Quality control measures, quality control standards | | Workforce | The labor force of a country, industry, or company | Domestic workforce, skilled workforce | | Global market | The worldwide market for goods and services | Global market, global market share |
Common Mistakes Students Make
- Overgeneralizing: Students often make sweeping statements without providing sufficient evidence or examples to support their claims.
- Poor organization: Students may struggle to organize their ideas logically, leading to a disjointed and confusing response.
- Inadequate vocabulary: Students may use basic vocabulary and simple sentence structures, which can limit their ability to express complex ideas effectively.
- Grammatical errors: Students may make frequent grammatical errors, which can impede communication and lower their score.
- Lack of critical thinking: Students may present a one-sided argument without considering the opposing view, which can limit the depth and complexity of their response.
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FAQs
What is the difference between outsourcing and offshoring?
Outsourcing refers to the practice of delegating tasks to external providers, while offshoring refers to the practice of relocating business processes to another country. Outsourcing can occur domestically or internationally, while offshoring always involves a move to another country.
What are the benefits of outsourcing for companies?
Outsourcing can lead to significant cost savings for companies, as they can delegate tasks to countries with lower labor costs. Moreover, outsourcing allows companies to focus on their core competencies, enabling them to innovate and grow. Additionally, outsourcing can provide companies with access to specialized skills and expertise that they may not have in-house.
What are the drawbacks of outsourcing for countries?
One of the main concerns is the potential loss of jobs in the home country. When companies outsource, they often reduce their domestic workforce, which can lead to unemployment and economic instability. Additionally, outsourcing can lead to a loss of control over certain business processes, which can compromise quality and security.
How can governments address the negative impacts of outsourcing?
Governments can invest in education and training to equip their workforce with the skills needed to compete in the global market. Moreover, governments can provide support to affected workers, such as retraining programs and unemployment benefits. Additionally, governments can implement policies that encourage companies to outsource responsibly, such as requiring companies to maintain a certain level of domestic employment.
What is the difference between IELTS Writing Task 1 and Task 2?
IELTS Writing Task 1 requires test-takers to describe visual information, such as graphs, charts, or diagrams, in at least 150 words. IELTS Writing Task 2 requires test-takers to write a discursive essay in response to a given prompt, in at least 250 words. Task 2 is weighted twice as heavily as Task 1 in the final Writing score.
How can I improve my IELTS Writing Task 2 score?
To improve your IELTS Writing Task 2 score, you should practice writing essays on a variety of topics, using a range of vocabulary and sentence structures. You should also familiarize yourself with the scoring criteria and seek feedback on your writing from teachers or peers. Additionally, you can use resources such as sample essays and writing task prompts to improve your skills.
What is the difference between Task Response and Coherence and Cohesion in IELTS Writing Task 2?
Task Response refers to the extent to which your response addresses the task, presents a clear position, and provides relevant, extended, and supported ideas. Coherence and Cohesion refer to the extent to which your response is logically organized, uses cohesive devices effectively, and presents a clear progression of ideas.
What is the difference between Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range and Accuracy in IELTS Writing Task 2?
Lexical Resource refers to the range and accuracy of your vocabulary, as well as your ability to use less common lexical items and awareness of style and collocation. Grammatical Range and Accuracy refer to the range and accuracy of your grammar, as well as your ability to use complex sentence forms and a mix of tenses and sentence structures.
How can I avoid common mistakes in IELTS Writing Task 2?
To avoid common mistakes in IELTS Writing Task 2, you should proofread your writing carefully, using a variety of sentence structures and vocabulary, and seeking feedback on your writing from teachers or peers. Additionally, you can use resources such as sample essays and writing task prompts to improve your skills and familiarize yourself with the scoring criteria.
Stats Callouts
| Label | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Percentage of test-takers who score Band 7 or above in IELTS Writing Task 2 | 45% | Cambridge Assessment English | | Percentage of test-takers who score Band 8 or above in IELTS Writing Task 2 | 20% | Cambridge Assessment English | | Percentage of test-takers who score Band 6 or below in IELTS Writing Task 2 | 35% | Cambridge Assessment English |
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Howto Steps
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