IELTS Writing Task 2:
Working Parents (Discussion) — Band 6/7/8/9 Model Answers

IELTS Writing Task 2 Working Parents Discussion Topic

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Prompt: Some people believe that working parents have a negative influence on their children. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view? Give relevant support for your answer.

Model Answers (Band 6-9)

Band 6 Answer

The problem of working parents is a very serious one. Many people say that working parents are bad for children. I agree with this opinion because children need their parents to be at home.

First of all, working parents have no time for their children. They come home late and are too tired to play with kids. Children feel sad and lonely. Second, children who have working parents often have bad behavior. They do not listen to teachers and fight with other children.

On the other hand, some people say that working parents can give better life to their children. This is true but not very important. Children need love and care more than money.

In conclusion, I think that working parents are not good for children. They should stay at home and take care of their kids.

Band 7 Answer

The impact of working parents on children has become a contentious issue in modern society. While some argue that employed parents negatively affect their children's development, others believe that this perspective is overly simplistic.

On one hand, working parents may indeed struggle to allocate sufficient time to their children. With demanding jobs, they often return home exhausted, leaving little energy for meaningful interaction. This lack of quality time can potentially lead to emotional distress in children, as they may feel neglected or less important than their parents' careers. Additionally, some studies suggest that children of working parents may exhibit behavioral issues due to the absence of consistent parental guidance.

Conversely, it is important to consider the potential benefits. Many working parents provide financially stable environments, which can offer children better educational and extracurricular opportunities. Furthermore, children of working parents often develop independence and resilience as they learn to navigate challenges with less direct supervision.

In conclusion, while there are valid concerns about the potential negative impacts of working parents, it is essential to acknowledge the potential benefits. The key lies in finding a balance between career demands and family time.

Band 8 Answer

The debate surrounding the influence of working parents on their children's well-being has gained significant traction in recent years. While some contend that employed parents adversely affect child development, others posit that this perspective fails to capture the nuances of modern family dynamics.

Proponents of the negative view argue that working parents often face time constraints that compromise their ability to engage meaningfully with their children. The demanding nature of many careers can lead to prolonged absences and emotional detachment, potentially resulting in feelings of abandonment or low self-esteem in children. Moreover, research indicates that children of working parents may exhibit higher levels of behavioral issues, attributed to the lack of consistent parental guidance and role modeling.

Conversely, it is imperative to recognize the potential advantages. Many working parents contribute to financially secure households, enabling access to superior educational resources and enrichment activities. Additionally, children of working parents often cultivate independence and problem-solving skills as they learn to manage responsibilities with minimal parental oversight.

In conclusion, while the potential drawbacks of working parents cannot be dismissed, it is crucial to adopt a balanced perspective. The key lies in fostering open communication, prioritizing quality time, and seeking support systems that can help mitigate the challenges associated with dual-income households.

Band 9 Answer

The discernible impact of working parents on their offspring's development has sparked a contentious debate, with proponents of both viewpoints presenting compelling arguments. While some assert that employed parents exert a deleterious influence on their children's well-being, others contend that this perspective is overly reductive and fails to account for the multifaceted nature of contemporary family structures.

Advocates of the negative view posit that working parents often grapple with temporal constraints that impede their capacity to engage in meaningful interactions with their progeny. The exigencies of many professions can result in prolonged absences and emotional detachment, potentially engendering feelings of neglect or diminished self-worth in children. Furthermore, empirical evidence suggests that offspring of working parents may manifest elevated levels of behavioral issues, attributed to the paucity of consistent parental guidance and exemplification.

Conversely, it is paramount to acknowledge the potential benefits. Many working parents contribute to economically stable households, facilitating access to superior educational opportunities and extracurricular pursuits. Additionally, children of working parents often cultivate autonomy and problem-solving acumen as they learn to navigate responsibilities with minimal parental supervision.

In conclusion, while the potential adverse effects of working parents cannot be summarily dismissed, it is essential to adopt a nuanced perspective. The crux of the matter lies in fostering open lines of communication, prioritizing quality time, and establishing support systems that can help ameliorate the challenges associated with dual-income households.

Scoring Breakdown

Band 6 Answer

• Task Response (TR): 4.5 - Presents a clear position but with limited development of arguments.
• Coherence and Cohesion (CC): 5.0 - Ideas are logically organized but with some mechanical cohesion.
• Lexical Resource (LR): 5.0 - Uses some less common vocabulary but with errors and limited range.
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA): 5.0 - Attempts complex sentences but with frequent errors.

Band 7 Answer

• Task Response (TR): 6.0 - Presents a clear position with some development of arguments.
• Coherence and Cohesion (CC): 6.5 - Ideas are logically organized with appropriate cohesion.
• Lexical Resource (LR): 6.5 - Uses a mix of common and less common vocabulary with some errors.
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA): 6.5 - Attempts complex sentences with some errors.

Band 8 Answer

• Task Response (TR): 7.0 - Presents a clear position with well-developed arguments.
• Coherence and Cohesion (CC): 7.5 - Ideas are logically organized with clear progression and cohesion.
• Lexical Resource (LR): 7.5 - Uses a range of vocabulary with some less common lexical items.
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA): 7.5 - Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms with some errors.

Band 9 Answer

• Task Response (TR): 8.0 - Presents a clear position with fully developed arguments and relevant support.
• Coherence and Cohesion (CC): 8.5 - Ideas are logically organized with clear progression and sophisticated cohesion.
• Lexical Resource (LR): 8.5 - Uses a wide range of vocabulary with less common lexical items and idiomatic expressions.
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA): 8.5 - Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms with minimal errors.

Vocabulary Highlights

1. Contentious (adj.) - causing or likely to cause people to argue

• Example: The contentious issue of working parents has sparked debate.

1. Compelling (adj.) - convincing and demanding attention

• Example: Proponents present compelling arguments.

1. Deleterious (adj.) - harmful or damaging

• Example: The deleterious influence of working parents.

1. Exigencies (n.) - urgent needs or demands

• Example: The exigencies of many professions.

1. Engendering (v.) - causing or giving rise to

• Example: Prolonged absences may engender feelings of neglect.

1. Empirical (adj.) - based on observation or experiment

• Example: Empirical evidence suggests behavioral issues.

1. Manifest (v.) - to show or display clearly

• Example: Children may manifest elevated levels of behavioral issues.

1. Autonomy (n.) - the ability to make your own decisions without being controlled by anyone else

• Example: Children cultivate autonomy and problem-solving acumen.

1. Acumen (n.) - the ability to make good judgments and take quick decisions

• Example: Children develop problem-solving acumen.

1. Nuanced (adj.) - having or showing sensitive awareness of the fine shades of meaning, expression, or importance

• Example: It is essential to adopt a nuanced perspective.

1. Crux (n.) - the most important point of a matter

• Example: The crux of the matter lies in fostering open communication.

1. Ameliorate (v.) - to make something bad or unsatisfactory better

• Example: Support systems can help ameliorate the challenges.

1. Progeny (n.) - a person's children or descendants

• Example: The impact on their progeny's development.

1. Paucity (n.) - a lack of something

• Example: The paucity of consistent parental guidance.

1. Exemplification (n.) - the act of showing something to be true by giving examples

• Example: The lack of consistent parental exemplification.

Common Mistakes Students Make

1. Overgeneralization - Making sweeping statements without sufficient evidence or examples.
2. Lack of Cohesion - Failing to connect ideas logically, leading to disjointed paragraphs.
3. Repetitive Vocabulary - Using the same words repeatedly without exploring synonyms or varied expressions.
4. Grammatical Errors - Making frequent mistakes in sentence structure, verb tenses, or subject-verb agreement.
5. Inadequate Task Response - Not fully addressing the prompt or presenting a one-sided argument without considering counterpoints.

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