Task 2 essay
IELTS Writing Task 2: Taking a gap year
Question type: Advantages and disadvantages
The question
Some young people take a year off between finishing school and starting university in order to work or travel.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing this?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Write your own answer first. Then get an estimated band and corrections from our AI marker.
Answer this questionHow to approach it
- The question does not ask which side is stronger, so describe both fairly. A short overall comment in the conclusion is enough.
- Cover both working and travelling, since the question mentions both.
- Explain each point. Say how a gap year makes someone mature, not only that it does.
Model essay
279 words (minimum 250). Written to show the features of a Band 8-level answer.
It is increasingly common for school leavers to take a gap year before beginning their degree, either to earn money or to see the world. This essay will discuss the benefits and the drawbacks of this choice.
One clear advantage is that a year away from study allows young people to mature. Someone who has held a full-time job or travelled independently has had to manage money, solve problems and deal with unfamiliar people, and these experiences build confidence. Students often return with a clearer idea of what they want to study, which makes them less likely to drop out of a course they chose in a hurry. Those who work can also save towards tuition fees and so reduce the amount they need to borrow.
Work experience gained during the year is valuable in itself. Employers tend to look favourably on graduates who have already shown that they can turn up on time and work in a team, so a gap year can strengthen a later job application.
However, there are also risks. The most obvious is losing the habit of studying. After twelve months without essays or exams, some students find it hard to return to academic work, and a few never go back at all. A gap year spent travelling can also be expensive, which puts it out of reach for families on low incomes. Finally, students start their careers a year later than their classmates.
In conclusion, a gap year can make young people more mature, more focused and more employable, but it may interrupt their studies and cost a great deal. Whether it is worthwhile depends largely on how well the year is planned.
Useful language from this answer
- one clear advantage is that…
- introducing the first benefit
- … is valuable in itself
- saying something is worth having for its own sake
- however, there are also risks
- moving to the disadvantages
- puts it out of reach for…
- saying some people cannot afford something
- depends largely on…
- ending with a balanced comment
Common mistakes with this question
- Writing a strong personal opinion throughout. This question type asks you to describe both sides.
- Talking only about travel and forgetting the students who spend the year working.
- Using a personal story as the whole of a paragraph. An example should support a point, not replace it.
Now write your own answer
Reading a model helps, but writing is what improves your band. Answer this question and get an estimated band for all four criteria, with corrections taken from your own sentences.
This model answer was written by TestWise Prep to show the features of a high-scoring answer. It is not official IELTS material. Use it for ideas and language, not to memorise.