Some Experts Believe That It Is Better
Written by Lilie
7.5 in Academic Writing
May 26, 2021
Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
This essay question is from Cambridge IELTS 9 Test 1 Writing Task 2.
Sample Essay
Some experts believe that starting learning another language at primary level is better than at secondary level. I think the downside of this outweighs the upside because young pupils may have a great workload as a result.
On the one hand, young children are better language learners than older ones. Primary school-aged children are at an early stage of learning, and therefore tend to be very open to new ideas. That is to say, they are less likely to find the different pronunciation and grammar of a foreign language strange and difficult to learn than their counterparts at secondary school. However, I do not think this gives them a major advantage in life because many people have become successful, either professionally or financially, without mastering a second language.
On the other hand, studying a new language at primary level can greatly increase young pupils’ workloads. One more language to learn means more classes to take and more schoolwork to do. Take China, where English is compulsory at all primary schools. Chinese schoolchildren often spend about half an hour every weekday just on their English homework. And to outperform their peers, many of them enrol in weekend English classes. I think this puts young children at a great disadvantage because at their age, they should spend more time enjoying leisure activities rather than burying themselves in endless academic tasks.
In conclusion, although primary school-aged children tend to be good at acquiring a foreign language, I believe this advantage is far outweighed by the disadvantage of the heavy workloads that come with it.
261 Words
How to Vary Your Language
A foreign language
at primary school
Pupils vs Students
How to Answer “Do the Advantages Outweigh the Disadvantages” Question
For example, my opinion is that the disadvantage outweighs the advantage. So in my first body paragraph, I first discussed the advantage, and then explained why it isn’t a big advantage (the red part). I then went on to discuss the disadvantage in the second body paragraph and explained why it’s a huge disadvantage (the red part).
19 CommentsLeave A Comment
Isn’t that an openion based essay as they asking for our openion. So can we go for discussing our openion or advantage and disadvantages?
In your cause and solution video you mentioned that if one paragraph consist more than one idea then i’ll wont fulfil the requirement of task response, i am actually struggling to understand how this paragraph’s structure or your other outweighing paragraphs are fitting into that criteria.
Check out my YouTube videos on “outweigh” questions.
Introduction and conclusion differ from each other here. Check it!
They are the same. I used the active voice in the introduction but the passive voice in the conclusion.
You are right.
Here, in the questions they mentioned plural like advantages outweigh disadvantages ? In your body paragraph you develop only one idea is it ok or we should develop at least two ideas as it’s a plural question?
Hi, I explain in this video how to answer an outweigh question: https://youtu.be/c_iMuGaIXd8
Hi lilie it’s great pleasure for me to learn something new from ur YouTube as well as blogs from website. I have question you have used pupils several times in essay is it ok to use it again and again?
Hi Shivam, sorry for the repetition. I made some changes and now ‘pupils’ is used only twice.
Isn’t pupils informal? If I use this instead of students will I lose marks?
Use ‘pupils’ if you write in British English but use ‘students’ if you write in American English.
Ma’am they didn’t ask for our opinion so is it ok to write like I do not think…. And so on ?
Hi Harmeet, all task 2 questions ask our opinions. For this question, you can think it this way: Do YOU think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Hi Dear, It is rare to find any blog/website which has examples of each type of essay of task 2 and task 1 as well. I am sure it is helping a lot students like me.
Thank you so much for all your hard work!!
Appreciate the kind words and happy new year!😊
Hi dear, it’s really beneficial for me, it gave many ideas. Would you plz suggest me how u prepped for writing task?
It’s my first visit to your blog. I think it is an excellent help to many students who are preparing themselves to take IELTS test. I read many of your essays which a very good source of writing lesson. Thank you very much for your kind help.
Thanks for the kind words, Rina.