IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 1. Nowadays, many people have to work longer time, and they feel more stressful than before. What are the reasons? What can employers do to make their life easier? Stress is a big problem in today’s workplace. While some stress is a normal part of the workplace, excessive stress can interfere with the employees’ productivity and reduce their physical and emotional health. This essay shall analyse some causes of stress at the workplace, and also suggest some steps that employers can take to. reduce it. There are a plethora of causes of stress in the workplace. To brain with, excessively high workloads, with unrealistic deadlines, makes people feel pressurized. Similarly, insufficient workloads, makes people feel that their skills are being underused and this too may cause stress. Then there may be a lack of interpersonal support ships leading to a sense of isolation. Moreover, there may be times when people are they have insufficient experience or training. Furthermore, stress can be caused by lack of job security, lack of career opportunities, or level of pay. It may also be caused by bullying, or harassment by management, which can leave employees feel undervalued and affect their self-esteem. Last but not least a poor physical working environment such as excessive heat, cold or noise, inadequate lighting, uncomfortable seating and malfunctioning equipment may also lead to stress. Employers can take a lot of steps to cope with workplace-stress. To begin with, they should diagnose what is causing stress. If overwork is causing stress in the businéss, then they should try to reduce people's workload. They should ensure that their employees targets are challenging, but realistic, and make sure that employees take their full holiday entitlement. They should check that individuals are well matched to the jobs they've got. From time to time they should review people's performance so that they know how they're doing. Then they ‘would be able to get feedback from their staff about potential problems and identify any training they may need. Employers should also consider whether the employee should work fewer hours, or otherwise vary their work. if any of the employees is sick, they should keep in touch. If their employee has experienced personal problems, such as a relationship break-up or an illness in the family, employers should take a sympathetic approach and if necessary, enable and encourage the employee to seek further help through their doctor or a counseling service. To sum up, stress at the workplace is an issue of great concern. Unless the employers take some steps to reduce the problem, it can reduce the efficiency of workers, which ultimately is detrimental for the company. Plan followed Intro: Para 1: Causes Para 2: More causes Para 3: solutions Para 4: More solution Conclusion: makkarlELTS | [Link] 131IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 2. Some companies and organizations require their employees to wear uniform. What are the advantages and disadvantages of wearing uniform? Setting a dress code in the workplace is becoming increasingly common. In the following paragraphs, | intend to delve into the advantages and disadvantages of wearing uniform at work. ‘One of the major benefits of a dress code within the office is that it establishes an atmosphere of discipline and uniformity. It ensures that inappropriate or dirty clothing is not worn to work. It is also a social leveller. if everyone is dressed to the same standard, there will be no judgments made towards other employees on the basis of their clothes. Having a uniform also reduces employee confusion: a clear dress code means they don't have to wonder "what" to wear or whether something would be appropriate to wear to work. ‘A dress code is also very important in non-office environments, such as in factories, for keeping employees safe. For example, if the employees work around machinery that a tie could get caught in, ties are not appropriate. The same is true of jewellery, belts, scarves, and long hair. Therefore, a dress code keeps employees safe from injury and also allows them to look presentable if clients or visitors come on site. This dress code is also very beneficial for other places of service, such as fast food, or grocery stores. It portrays a feeling of cleanliness when you know the staff is wearing their appropriate uniform, as opposed to if they were wearing their own clothing Furthermore, a dress code sets the "tone" of the company. For example, a law office with all the lawyers and associates wearing suits and formal business attire is viewed as being professional and able to handle court cases. How the public perceives a company is important to the type and amount of business it does. The disadvantages are that it can become very boring to wear the same clothes daily. Secondly, the uniform ‘may not be very comfortable to wear. These disadvantages can, however, be lessened by giving the employees ‘a say in the choice of uniform. To conclude, a dress code is very essential nowadays in the workplace. The disadvantages are negligible as compared to the advantages. Plan followed Intro: a balanced approach as it is a discuss essay, Para 1: Advantages Para 2: More advantages of uniform Para 3: More advantages of uniform Para 4: Disadvantages of uniform Conclusion: makkarlELTS | [Link] 132IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 3. More and more people are working at home rather than in the workplace. Some people say this will bring benefits to the workers and their families, but others think it will bring stress to the home. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Working from home with the help of telephone lines, or, in other words, telecommuting has become very popular especially where internet connections are fast and reliable. Some individuals are of the opinion that itis advantageous for the employees and their families where as others think it leads to tension at home. This essay shall discuss both sides of the issue. There are many advantages of telecommuting to employees and their families. To begin with, it saves time as no time is wasted commuting to and from the office. It also saves money as no spending on private or public transport has to be done. Furthermore the worker can look after minor family commitments like dropping the child to school etc. Although most of the work done by tele-workers is monitored, still a few minutes can be snatched at times. Finally, the tele-worker can do some side business side by side because of the time saved. On the other hand, there are some problems which telecommuters and their families face. Firstly, a corner of the house has to be reserved for office work and a good internet connection is needed. This is very important because a person working from home has to be connected with his colleagues and seniors at all times during the office hours. ‘What is more, the expectations from the family members also increase. They sometimes forget that the person ‘working from home has to concentrate on his office work and is only physically there with them. This leads to stress as it has generally been seen that telecommuters try to put in their best at work so that they are not laid off and keep reaping the benefits of telecommuting. To conclude, as every garden has weeds, similarly telecommuting too has its downside. On the whole, advantages are much more than the disadvantages and some amount of stress at the home is a small price to ay for the vast amount of benefits associated with telecommuting. Plan followed Intro: Discuss essay intro Para 1: Advantages of telecommuting Para 2: how it causes stress Para 3: other cause of stress Conclusion: makkarlELTS | [Link] 133IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 4. Nowadays, a lot of people are able to do their work from home. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this development. ‘The modern era is an era of the IT revolution and all those jobs, which are dependent on the Internet can be done from anywhere. This has enabled many companies to provide their employees, with computers and a ‘good internet connection, to work from home. This is called telecommuting and has become very common in Fecent times. This is largely advantageous to both employees and employers but has a few disadvantages as well. On the positive side it saves time and money of employees as they don’t waste time commuting to and from Office and also do not need to spend on fares of public transport or on petrol and diesel if they use their own vehicle. The time they save in this way can be given to personal or family needs, which is very much needed in the fast-paced hectic lifestyle of today. They can also look after minor family commitments such as dropping their child to school. They also save on the clothes, as they don’t have to spend on formal office wear. Secondly, they can work for anyone on any corner of the world sitting in their homes. Telecommuting helps the employers also because they need to build and maintain big offices. We all know that land prices are exorbitant and even maintenance of offices is very expensive. Moreover, it has been seen that telecommuters don’t take much sick leave or other leave, which in turn benefits the employers. Then, there are advantages to the environment. Less people going and coming from offices means less traffic on the roads which means less petrol and diesel being burnt and so less pollution. Disadvantages of telecommuting to the employees are that they have to reserve a corner in their home for office as they have to sit there undisturbed during office hours. Secondly, they do not get the office atmosphere ‘to work and so it can get very boring at times. They can also be disturbed by the family, who fail to realise that the person sitting at home is not free. The employers also find it very difficult to supervise tele-commuters. To sum up, telecommuting has pros as well as cons but definitely the advantages have an edge over the disadvantages. Plan followed Intro: Para 1: Advantages of telecommuting Para 2: More advantages Para 3: Disadvantages Conclusion: makkarlELTS | [Link] 134IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 5. Nowadays, many families move overseas for job opportunities. Some people think this is beneficial for the children of these families, while others think children will find it difficult. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. The opportunities to work abroad are more today than they have ever been in the history of mankind. The big planet Earth has become a small global village and sovereign barriers seem to have disappeared. While working, in a foreign country, some individuals take their family with them. This situation has both merits as well as demerits but definitely the pros outweigh the cons. There are many obvious benefits of going abroad to work along with family. To begin with, individuals have more bonding with family. The family relationship is not weakened by distance. Some couples finally end up in divorce, as one or both of them cannot endure the long-term separation. Secondly, many people fee! homesick and lonely and therefore cannot adjust in the foreign country and return home, thereby missing the golden ‘opportunity of working abroad. The most important point is that children, especially who are in young ages, need the care from both parents. Childhood is a crucial phase of life and comes only once. If children are deprived of one parents love, it may have a considerable impact on their psyche. Therefore, working abroad with family can provide complete love and care to the children. On the other hand, there are some problems of working abroad with families. To begin with, living with family members abroad means more expenses. A single person can share a room with someone in the initial stages but 2 complete family needs a proper house. What is more, all the members face stress of adaptation to alien ‘surroundings. Parents themselves feel culture shock and therefore cannot help their children. To conclude, there are both advantages and disadvantages in any choice of this issue. Personally, | believe that people should decide according to their specific circumstances. if there are financial constraints, then itis better t0 go alone initially. However, the family should be called as early as possible. Plan followed Intro: advantages outweigh the disadvantages Para 1: Benefits Para 2: more benefits Para 3: disadvantages Conclusions: reiterate your opinion makkarlELTS | [Link] 135,IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 6. Most people take interviews to select a person for job. What are the other ways? What do you think is the best way to recruit new employees? . Recruiting new employees can be a long and painful process. The success of any business or organisation depends on the quality of its staff. Some employers conduct interviews to select new workers. However, there are various other approaches. This essay intends to analyze methods of hiring new employees and pick out the best one. Undoubtedly, an interview is an important method of recruitment. if selection has to be done merely on an interview, then the interview has to be well executed. It requires a detailed understanding of the organizational needs as well as a careful grasp of the prospective employees’ responses, it is not an easy task. If the recruitment is small scale and only a few employees are needed, it can prove fruitful otherwise alternative methods to hire have to be taken into account. There are many other methods, which can be employed to hire new personnel. These hiring methods are a combination of several step-by-step tests. Initially, job vacancies are advertised, after which the recruiters select resumes, which meet the basic requirements for that particular job position. Then the written test is conducted to judge the skills and knowledge of the person. This is followed by group discussions and some other skill tests. Then the shortlisted candidates are interviewed. After this, background checks and reference checks are done of those shortlisted after the interview. It is important to check the credit record and criminal record. The reference checks are done to ascertain the authenticity of what is written in the resume. Finally, the selected candidates are sent for a health check to rule out any communicable diseases. Analyzing the above mentioned methods it can be seen that no single method is perfect. Each job has its own requirements. Some jobs require qualification and some require experience. Big companies have a department devoted to human resources, which takes care of the hiring issues, but for small businesses finding the right ‘employees at the right times can be an especially time-consuming and frustrating struggle. External recruitment jencies can be assigned the task of searching suitable candidates for jobs, but it may be very expensive. However, | believe that spending on the recruitment of new employees can prove to be a good investment, as 00d employees can breathe new life into your business. To sum up, finding suitable employees is an arduous task and has to be a combination of written tests, group discussions, interviews and reference checks. Plan followed: Intro: Para 1: Importance of interviews Para 2: Other methods Para 3: More methods and own opinion Conclusion: makkarlELTS | [Link] 136IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 7. Some people believe that no one should be allowed to continue working after the age of 65. However, others say there shouldn't be a limitation on age and anyone should be allowed to work regardless of their age. Discuss both views, give your own opinion and include relevant examples. It is true that mandatory retirement age is being extended in many nations and this is causing some problems in society. Nonetheless, | disagree that such workers should be retired. A number of arguments surround my opinion. To begin with, we have to face the reality that today we belong to a graying society and the latest demographic trends show that very soon one in four persons will be over the age of 60. Can we afford to retire such a huge population? The answer is a definite ‘no’. If they don’t work they are a liability on the government, as then the government has to provide pensions. But, if they work they remain independent and at the same time pay taxes. Another reason for keeping such people working is that they have years of experience, which can go waste if they retire early. No doubt, young people are more energetic and work more enthusiastically, but the older employees know the ins and outs of the company. Someone has rightly said that ‘a new broom sweeps clean but an old broom knows the corners’. What is more, these employees also do not do job-hopping and are more loyal to the company they work for. They are also prepared to work for less, which is ultimately beneficial to the company or organisation they work for. Those who wish to see them retired soon, have the problem of unemployed youth in their mind. Undoubtedly, youth unemployment also is a big problem as it leads to violence and crime in the society. The young people are very energetic and if this energy is not channelized in the right direction then they can go astray and cause problems. Job openings should be created for them in some way or the other. However, if the elderly are retired earlier, we shall be adding more burden on these young shoulders to support a burgeoning dependent population. To sum up, retiring people above 60 would be unwise and unpractical d demographic trends towards an ageing society. jon, considering the changing Plan followed Intro: | disagree that such workers should be retired. Para 1: 1st reason why the older people should not be retired Para 2: 2nd reason Para 3: Opponents view and then refute it Conclusion: reiterate opinion makkarlELTS | [Link] 137IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 8. Many people prefer to stay in the same type of work all their life, whereas others prefer to change the type of work. Discuss both sides and state your own opinion. ee ‘The world is changing rapidly. People today face numerous challenges in achieving a meaningful and fulfilling life. That is perhaps why some people change their job many times during their lifetime. However, there are still ‘some who stick to the same job for life. This essay shall look into the benefits of both approaches. There are many reasons why some people like sticking to one job. Firstly, the chances of promotion are much more because of longevity of service. Furthermore, they find greater depth of satisfaction from their working relationships. There is also much better work-life balance if a person’s job is stable and secure. On the other hand, there are some strong benefits that can come from job-hopping. One of the major reasons for changing jobs is a better pay package, which can help to lessen the financial burden of an individual or family. Secondly, the experience that is formed through a change in job can be beneficial in the future. Individuals with a wider range of job experiences and skill sets are seriously considered for new job openings. ‘Moreover, those who have a wide range of careers under their belt also have more job security. If they lose their job, they can seek out jobs in different career fields, as opposed to one career field. What is more, it is generally seen that earlier on in life people settle for whatever job they can get. Job satisfaction at that time is not given any priority. But, later on when the person is a bit comfortable, then changing the job and doing something, which the heart desires is better because it gives more personal fulfillment. By changing jobs a person may finally discover a job, which gives him the maximum job satisfaction. To sum up, it can be said that changing jobs several times during a lifetime, may bring some challenges in life, but overall itis a positive development. Plan followed Intro: Discuss essay intro Para 1: reasons why some people like sticking to one job Para 2: benefits that can come from job hopping Para 3: More benefits Conclusion: changing jobs is better makkarlELTS | [Link] 138IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 9. Some people prefer to be self-employed, whereas others like working for companies or institutions. Which is a better approach? Many people prefer to work in a company or institution where as some choose to open their own business and be self employed. It is necessary to look into the pros and cons of both before deciding which situation is more advantageous. ‘One of the main advantages of being self-employed is that you are completely self-reliant and can make decisions on your own. This can give you a great sense of freedom and allow you to do exactly what you want without any interference. What is more, your working day can be p'snned for your convenience allowing you to ‘work when you want rather than when you have to. Moreover, if your business is successful, people will know that you alone should be given the credit. Finally, if you work for yourself, you decide your pay check. If you ‘want more, you work more; that is the bottom line. On the other hand, there are obvious advantages of working for companies or institutions. The main advantage is that you don’t have to make any investment and so you have nothing to lose. You also get hands-on training in companies and the work environment is also very good. Additionally, if your company does well, you get bonuses and perks from time to time. Another important benefit is that, you get your regular pay check even if the company is going in loss. Finally, working for a reputed company is a status symbol. | believe, it is better to work for few months or a couple of years in a company to get the know-how before ‘embarking on your own business. Being self-employed can be very gratifying but it can also be very challenging. Many self employed people have said that in order to be successful in business you have to be prepared to work long hours and sacrifice your personal life. As [Link] once said,” If you don’t drive your business, you'll be driven out of business”. A 1996 study found that over a quarter of businesses run by newly self-employed people failed within the first two years. To conclude, being self-employed can be very fulfilling but not without difficulties, so working for a company would be a much safer option. Plan followed: Intro: Para 1: Advantages of being self-employed Para 2: Advantages of working for others Para 3: Challenges of being self-employed Conclusion: working for others is better makkarlELTS | [Link] 139IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 10. Many people strive to maintain a successful career and happy family life at the same time. What problems can this situation create? What are the possible solutions? : = ns It is undeniable that everyone dreams to have both - a prosperous career and a contented family. However, there seem to be a lot of problems preventing people from achie that goal. This essay shall discuss these problems and suggest some solutions. The first problem is that today’s world is ruled by money and so people devote a lot of time to their work or business. They have become workaholics. As a result, they fail to draw a line between work and family. Second Feason is the cut-throat competition of today. Young people, new to their job have to put in their time and effort to meet the expectations of their employers. Similarly, those who run their own businesses have to drive their business otherwise their business can drive them out. Another problem is that the family expectations are soaring higher and higher day by day. The earning hand is expected to fulfil all those expectations as well as give time to his family. Sometimes, it becomes difficult to live up to those expectations and this leads to stress. The solutions are not simple. People have to learn to set their priorities. Some things have to be sacrificed for the sake of others. Effective time management is very important. The most severe problem existing among ‘most people tends to be their unsuccessful time management. Then, people should learn to switch the office button off, once they come home. Practicing some exercise regime for a few minutes every day can keep a person physically fit enough to have a successful work-life balance. The non-working members of the families too can help in this respect. They should try to support, to care and to understand the efforts that others are making. One meal of the day should be fixed which all members have to have together. A more practical way to be considered might be setting up family plans, for example, a monthly family trip or weekly picnic, to share some happy time and memories together. ‘Summing up, | believe that with a mutual understanding of each other and continuous efforts, people will eventually find the balance point of their life and work. Plan followed Intro: This essay shall discuss these problems and suggest some solutions. Para 1: Problems Para 2: Solutions Para 3: More solutions Conclusion: makkarlELTS | [Link] 140IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 11. Nowadays, some celebrities such as film stars, sportsmen and pop musicians are paid too much money. Do you agree or disagree? Which jobs should be highly paid? peak ee ee ‘The high incomes of celebs in the field of sports and entertainment have always been a matter of dispute. | agree that they are getting high remuneration for what they are doing but | also firmly believe that they well deserve it. In the following paragraphs | shall put my arguments to support my opinion, and also suggest some other jobs, which should be highly paid. My first argument in favour of the high salaries of these celebrities is that they have a major contribution in the lives of people. They provide entertainment and inspiration and they also bring name and fame to our country. They are role models for the society and people follow them and listen to them. Secondly, they have a very short career span. Most of the people in the sports and entertainment field start their career at the age of 19-20 and retire by 33-35 years. Whatever these celebs earn is during these few years and after that they face struggle. ‘My final argument is that these celebs sacrifice their personal life completely and so they do deserve these high salaries. They cannot enjoy the common things of life ike the common man does. They are always followed by the paparazzi and their children too always need security. This is too much price to pay for the high salaries they receive. There are many other professions, which require high salaries. Doctors, teachers and nurses also serve the humanity and deserve higher salaries. Then, there are people working in our defense services such as the army, navy and air force. Because of them, we are leading secure lives. That is why they deserve higher pay-packages. Furthermore, people working in high-risk professions such as fire-fighters and security guards should be paid ‘more and finally people in administrative posts such as IAS and IPS officers should have higher salaries. ‘To sum up, people in the field of sports and entertainment well deserve their high incomes. However, there are ‘many other professions, which also deserve high salaries. Plan followed Intro: agree Para 1: Reasons Para 2: More reasons Para 3: Other professions, which require higher salaries Conclusion: makkarlELTS | [Link] 141IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar [Link] companies promotions to high positions should be given to employees inside the company, not to someone from outside or new hiring. Do you agree or disagree? It is a highly debatable issue whether promotions should be given to employees from within or new hiring should be done. The given statement is in favour of in-house hiring. It is necessary to look at the pros and cons of promoting from within the company before forming an opinion. There are many benefits of hiring from within. To begin with, the employee is familiar with the company. No special training needs to be given. The person knows about the general working of the business. Moreover, employees feel that they will be rewarded for their extra effort and hard work. So, an employee who has been tested and has excelled at a lower level can be shifted to an upper level. On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of hiring from |. Sometimes, the established policy of hiring from within makes some employees feel that they are entitled to promotion just because they have spent time with the company. Secondly, this can hurt the feelings of other employees who are not promoted. They may feel that they deserved the position better. In my opinion, a manager or business owner needs to remember that all the hiring decisions need to be made with the idea of strengthening the business. This means that sometimes a person from within can be moved up and sometimes a highly qualified person can be hired from outside. To conclude, each promotion needs to be done on a case-to-case basis and at all times the HR manager needs to do what is in the best interest of the company. Plan followed Intro: It is necessary to look at the pros and cons of promoting from within the company before forming an opinion Para nefits to hiring from within Para 2: disadvantages of hiring from within Para 3: sometimes a person from within can be moved up and sometimes a highly qualified person can be hired from outside. Conclusion: each promotion needs to be done on a case to case basis makkarlELTS | [Link] 142IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 13. Some people think that managers alone should make decisions in the company, while others think that employees should be involved in the decision-making process too. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. am A company may have the best product, the most competitive prices, the best workforce and the best managers, but if it lags in decision-making, it won't last long. People are divided on the issue of - who should be the decision makers, whether it should be the managers alone or whether employees too should have a say. This essay intends to analyse both perspectives. | side with the latter view for trivial routine decisions and with the former view for the crucial top-level decisions ‘Managers are seasoned men. They manage. They are educated in management skills and are trained to handle crucial tasks. A well-trained manager, who has risen to the helms of affairs of any company, is obviously a better person for the job. Moreover, decision-making is an activity which requires only the selected few managers and ‘owners. It can only happen when the owners and managers are well versed about the company’s goals, aims, objectives, policies and conditions. Furthermore, confidential matters are shared only in the top brass of the organisation. Only the top managers know the loopholes and trade secrets of a company and can handle the things better. On the other hand, the view to involve the employees in the decision making process is an evolving one. It has become the need of the hour to delegate and decentralize not just the responsibility to the employees, but the authority as well. An employee who does the same activity every day is a better judge and decision maker, for that very activity. He shouldn't be made to seek permissions for trivial matters. For example, if an operator is made responsible to assemble 50 motors, he should get a matching authority to decide for his activity too. Moreover, when employees are involved in the decision-making connected to their respective activity, they feel motivated. They come up with better and newer ideas. They build a bond with the company and their job. They even perform better when their voices are heard. To sum up, having discussed both views, the best approach would be to strike a subtle balance between the two. With authority should come responsibility and responsibility should be backed by authority. It would be best to involve the employees in the day-to-day decisions and keep the key level decisions to the managers alone. Plan followed Intro: Discuss essay Para 1: Why managers are better Para 2: Why employees should have a say Para 3: More reasons in favour of employees Conclusion makkarlELTS | [Link].com_ 143IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 14. Many students take part-time jobs while studying in university. Do you think it is a good idea or bad idea? Itis irrefutable that the cost of tertiary education has become very high and students have to work part time to fund their education. This situation has both positive and negative effects. In the following paragraphs, | shall discuss the issue in depth. There are many reasons why working part-time is beneficial while studying in university. Firstly, higher education is very costly and students need to do part time work to fund their education. Secondly, the habit of working hard right from early years makes students realise the dignity of labour and they are better placed in life later on. What is more, students do not indulge in any violence and crime and drugs. This is because they don’t have time for such activities. This also instils some discipline in their lives because they have to manage time effectively so that their studies don’t suffer. Finally, while doing these jobs, they develop a network of friends doing different courses and from diverse backgrounds. Itis a negative development because it leads to stress and strain. Sometimes, students cannot strike a balance between work and study, which may result in stress. Consequently, when students face failures or can’t cope with the pressures they can have suicidal tendencies. On balance, | believe that being pushed to hard work is a positive development. However, there should be a limit to the number of hours students are allowed part time work, otherwise studies will suffer. Plan followed Intro: situation has both positive and negative effects Para 1: Why it is positive Para 2: How itis a positive Para 3: How it is a negative development Conclusion: reiterate opinion makkarlELTS | [Link] 144IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 15. In many places women are taking jobs, which are traditionally done by men. What do you think make these changes happen? What's your opinion about it? The physical and genetic differences between men and women equip them for different activities and skills. However, in today’s scenario it has been seen that women are proving their mettle even in the traditionally male-dominated jobs. This essay shall delve into the reasons for this change. The first and foremost reason is the opportunity today’s women are getting. Nowadays, as more and more women in different countries have started working outside the [Link], it is clear that they are able to perform jobs that were traditionally only held by men. Secondly, today’s woman is also going for higher education and because of this, even the highest positions in science, politics or law, for example, can be held successfully by women. Another reason is that today anyone can be trained to do any type of job. There is also increasing scientific evidence that individual differences between people may be more important than gender differences. In other words, some women may be physically stronger than some men, while some male individuals may be more sensitive, or more caring than some women. | believe that today societies are becoming more egalitarian. Earlier, women worked in the homes in most cultures. The girl child was even denied education in many places. Even if there were employed women, they tended to dominate the so-called ‘caring professions’ such as teaching, nursing or social work. But today, men and women are walking shoulder to shoulder in every field and the line of demarcation between them has faded. To sum up, in the modern world individual men and women can be trained to develop similar abilities. Differences in aptitude and talents are greater at the individual level than at the gender level. That is why women are taking up jobs traditionally thought to be men’s jobs. Plan followed Intro: This essay shall delve into the reasons for this change. Para 1: Reasons Para 2: more reasons Para 3: your opinion Conclusion makkarlELTS | [Link] 145IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar [Link] people believe that young people bring more profits to a company. Others say that older people actually bring more profits. Discuss both views and give your opinion. _ In this world of ever-changing technology and fast-paced innovations in the business world, it has become a much-debated issue whether the younger employees are more productive or the older ones. Some people are of the opinion that the tech-savvy youth make an organization more profitable and others opine that the experienced older employees are more important. |, however, believe that a combination of the creativity and innovation of the younger workers along with the wisdom and experience of the older employees would lead to the success of any company. There are many benefits of hiring young workers. They are energetic, creative and bring new innovative ideas with them, which are very important factors of making any business successful in this age of competition. They are more efficient and productive, because of their energy and enthusiasm. Younger people are also more ‘suitable for the jobs, which require more physical work and are labor-intensive, like construction work. Providing more job opportunities to the youth also helps solving the unemployment problem. The importance of having older and experienced employees cannot be denied. They have the knowledge and skills, which the younger employees will take years to attain. There are certain work areas, which deal with confidential information that cannot be shared with a newly hired person. A manager would be more comfortable dealing with an older, loyal employee, when it comes to sensitive or confidential work-related information. It has been rightly said, “a new broom sweeps clean, but an old broom knows all the corners”. So, an older employee would know the ins and outs of the work, whereas, a company might need to spend Fesources on training and induction of a new inexperienced, younger employee. In my opinion, for any business or company to be successful, both innovation and experience play an indispensible role. The loyalty, trust and experience of the older employees are as important as the new ideas, Creativity and enthusiasm of the younger employees. The younger and older employees are like the wheels of a car. If even one of the wheels is missing, we cannot drive the car. To recapitulate, it can be said that we cannot chose between youngsters and older employees. There should be @ right balance of both for any work or business to be successful. Plan followed Intro: Discuss essay Para 1: benefits of young workers Para 2: Benefits of older workers Para 3: Own opinion- combination of both Conclusion makkarlELTS | [Link] 146IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 17. Which is more important - A high salary or job satisfaction? Many people choose their jobs based on the size of the salary offered. Personally, | disagree with the idea that ‘money is the key consideration when deciding on a career, because | believe that other factors such as job satisfaction are equally important. On the one hand, | agree that money is necessary in order for people to meet their basic needs. For example, we all need money to pay for housing, food, bills, health care, and education. Most people consider it a priority to at least earn a salary that allows them to cover these needs and have a reasonable quality of life. if people chose their jobs based on enjoyment or other non-financial factors, they might find it difficult to support themselves. Artists and musicians, for instance, are known for choosing a career path that they love, but that does not always provide them with enough money to live comfortably and raise a family. Nevertheless, | believe that other considerations are just as important as what we earn in our jobs. Firstly, personal relationships and the atmosphere in a workplace are extremely important when choosing a job. On average we spend a great deal of our time in the workplace, which means that if we are not happy with our job, we are also unhappy with our personal life. Having a good manager or friendly colleagues, for example, can make a huge difference to workers’ levels of happiness and general quality of life. Secondly, many people’s feelings of job satisfaction come from their professional achievements, the skills they learn, and the position they reach, rather than the money they earn. Low job satisfaction often leads to low productivity levels and work stress. Finally, some people choose a career because they want to help others and contribute something positive to society. In conclusion, it is clear that choosing a career that one loves has many advantages. If you love what you do, your chances of success are pretty high and money will follow. High salary is also important but job satisfaction is definitely more significant. Plan followed: Intro: Para 1: Importance of high salary Para 2: Importance of job satisfaction Para 3: Importance of job satisfaction Conclusion: Job satisfaction is more important makkarlELTS | [Link] 147IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 18. In many countries, teenagers are encouraged to do part-time jobs. What's the situation like in your country? What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of doing part-time jobs? Some countries such as the USA and UK encourage their secondary school students to do part time jobs. There are many pros and cons of this practice, which shall be discussed in this essay. On the positive side, a teenager's job can teach work skills that will serve him well in college and prepare him for careers in adulthood. The right jobs may expose him to new work possibilities and set him on the path to a lifetime career. Teens also gain useful, marketable skills such as improving their communication, learning how to handle people, developing interview skills and filling out job applications. To add to it, he can acquire confidence, develop a sense of responsibility and feel more independent. Earning ‘money will enable him to buy things he wants and will provide an opportunity for learning responsible money ‘management. What is more, studies find that students who work a moderate amount—no more than 10 to 15 hours a week during the schoo! years—tend to earn higher grades than those who don't work at all. Furthermore, if parents work outside the home, an after-school job can give the teenager adult supervision in those crucial afternoon hours. Finally, On the other hand, working more than 13 to 20 hours a week is associated with lower grades. Teens who work too many hours find it difficult to keep up extracurricular activities and social relationships. Some studies have found that teens who work long hours are more likely to engage in such risky activities as using illegal drugs or alcohol - in part because they are exposed to older co-workers who lead them astray. Finally, early entry into a negative or harsh work environment may encourage negative views of work. This would depend greatly on the ‘maturity level of the teenager and the type of job obtained. In india, teenagers generally do not work part time. This practice has recently starte: popular yet. big cities butis not very Summing up, teenagers are definitely benefited by working part time. However, the type of work should be carefully chosen and they should not be allowed to work more than 10-15 hours a week. Plan followed Intro: Discuss essay intro Para 1: Advantages Para 2: More advantages Para 3: Disadvantages Para 4: Situation in India Conclusion: Advantages more than disadvantages makkarlELTS | [Link] 148IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 19. Nowadays doctors can become very rich. Maybe they should not focus on profitable activities such as plastic surgery or looking after rich patients and concentrate more on patient's health, no matter how rich they are. Do you agree or disagree? a It is irrefutable that the medical profession is a very lucrative field, but | disagree that doctors should not delve into money-making'plastic surgeries and treatment of rich patients and focus on patients’ health instead of looking at his pocket. A number of arguments surround my opinion. To begin with, | would like to say that, it takes years to become a doctor and medical education is also very expensive nowadays. No doubt, doctors must serve the society, but to serve the poor or needy, first they have to generate their own sources of income. For a doctor the status of the patient is not important and he has to treat anyone who comes to him. By rendering his services to the rich, he can provide help to the weaker sections and thus help society. Secondly, | would like to add here that cosmetic surgeries are also part of people's health. They are part of ‘mental health, which is also very important. It is not just the celebrities who go in for such surgeries. People having accidents in. which facial features are affected, also need to go in for such surgeries. Can you imagine the ‘mental status of a woman who has lost her external ear or has disfigured her nose in an accident? Finally, there are children born with cleft lip or palate, who also need plastic surgery. Therefore, it would be wrong to say that doctors should not focus on such surgeries. There are doctors who are doing plastic surgeries absolutely free for children suffering from cleft lip and palate. They charge their rich patients but they never say ‘no to a poor and needy one. Also, itis a well-known fact that as in any other profession, it is not all who earn very high. To sum up, a doctor's duty is to treat patients and there is nothing wrong if he charges money from those who can afford to pay as'iong, as he is looking after the poor ones too. It would also be wrong to label all cosmetic surgeries as un-needed and profitable activities as they are also part of the health of the patients. Plan followed Intro: | disagree Para 1: it takes years to become a doctor and medical education is also very expensive nowadays. Para 2: cosmetic surgeries are also part of people’s health ~ mental health Para 3: children born with cleft lip or palate, who also need plastic surgery Conclusion: reiterate opinion makkarlELTS | [Link] 149IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 20. According to a survey, people involved in certain occupations and professions are seen to be honest. What is the situation [Link] country? Why? It is well known that some professions require people to demonstrate extra levels of honesty than other Professions. For instance, those working in the medical and the teaching profession are seen to be more honest than advertisers and insurance agents. The situation is the same all over the world and my country is no ‘exception. In the following paragraphs, | shall put forth some reasons for this phenomenon. In some professions being honest is the best way to maximize profits in the long run. Let us take the example of a businessman. The most effective way for a businessperson to maximize profits over a long period of time is to follow the highest standards of ethics. Ethical conduct will gain a company the kind of good reputation that earns repeat business. Treating suppliers, customers and others fairly is likely to result in their reciprocating, Moreover, in some professions there is no room for dishonesty. For instance, in the medical profession you have to tell the correct diagnosis to the patients. A lawyer has to stick to facts and cannot afford to distort them based on his judgments. Similarly, journalists must provide news based on facts and cannot afford to present ill- founded news. ‘On the other hand, there are some professions such as the insurance agents and advertisers, who are seen to be less honest than others. This dishonesty may not be apparent, as they may not be lying about their products or services; they may just be hiding facts. Thus, undue concern with honesty in these cases might result in lower profits and perhaps ultimate business failure. However, its difficult to generalize professions based on honesty. For instance, in the medical profession, some doctors may be prescribing an un-necessary battery of tests just for their benefit and some insurance agents ‘may be telling all the positive and negative points of their insurance plans to their clients. To conclude, some occupations seem to be more honest than the others. The situation is the same all over the world. To survive in the long run, honesty always pays. Mary Kay Ash has rightly said that, “Honesty is the cornerstone of all success, without which confidence and ability to perform shall cease to exist.” Plan followed in the essay Intro: Start with a quotation. Acknowledge the statement and tell about the situation in your country. Para 1: One reason for honesty ~ beneficial in the long run Para 2: Another reason — some professions have no room for dishonesty Para 3: Reason for dishonesty in some professions with example Para 4: Difficult to generalize honesty — individual variation Conclusion: makkarlELTS | [Link] 150IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 21. Although there are more and more women police officers in reality, are they really suitable for this job? _ aad Increasing numbers of women are choosing to work in the police force nowadays and have showed their mettle in this field. The issue raised is whether women are actually suited for such jobs. | believe that not only are women suited for such jobs, they are in fact better than men in many areas of police jobs. In many of the areas of police activity, women are especially adaptable and can even perform better than men. For example, policewomen are especially suitable for working for special police prostitution groups, dealing with trafficking in women within the larger cities. They are also better in dealing with domestic violence and juvenile affairs. Policewomen are generally more acceptable to women and children who have been the victims of the misdeeds of men. Girls and young children have more confidence in women. What is more, the field of crime prevention is becoming more important to police agencies and here policewomen play their greatest role. They are also gifted in gaining the confidence of small children and in determining whether behaviour is normal or antisocial. The employment of policewomen offers the best method of finding out the real problem, and then determining the best course of action to pursue. Research conducted internationally clearly demonstrates that women officers use less physical force and are therefore better at dealing with violent confrontations with citizens. Additionally, women officers often possess better communication skills than their male counterparts and are better in obtaining the cooperation and trust required in their job. They are considered at least equal to male officers in most areas of police work. They have shown no differences in the quality of their performance in street patrolling. Those skeptical about their role of police officers base their argument on women’s lack of physical strength. However, with proper training even this factor can be overcome. To conclude, female officers are equally capable as their male counterparts. In some situations they have even proved themselves better than men. No wonder, we are seeing more and more women in police force. Plan followed in the essay Intro: Give your opinion and write a thesis statement. | have said women are suitable for these jobs and are even better at places. Para 1: Give examples where women are better than men ~ Prostitution, juvenile crime Para 2: More examples of where they are better ~ crime prevention Para 3: Better communication skills ~ as good in street patrolling. Opponents view ~ less physical strength — negate it Conclusion: Reiterate your views. makkarlELTS | [Link] 151IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 22. Nowadays some professionals such as doctors, lawyers and engineers are paid much higher than ordinary workers. What do you think of this trend? Are there any jobs, which you think should offer higher salaries? Itis irrefutable that doctors, lawyers and engineers are paid much higher than ordinary workers. In the following Paragraphs, | shall discuss this issue at length and also suggest some other occupations, which deserve higher salaries, To begin with, professions, such as medical, engineering and law, require far more years of study than what ‘ordinary workers have to do. For example, for a basic M.B,B.S degree, more than 5 years of study is required, and after that to specialize in any specific field another three to five years are required. A person with a simple M.8:B.S degree does not earn all that high. Similar is the case with engineering and law professions. They have to undergo many years of struggle and training to finally reach their telephone-figure salaries. Secondly, it requires a lot of financial input to attain these degrees. Many students have to take loans to study, which they have to repay later on. They may remain in debt for many years while they pay off their student loans. Therefore, their higher salaries are justified. Ordinary workers, on the other hand, do not have to spend huge amounts on their college and university fees. What is more, some of these professions are round-the-clock Professions very challenging physically as well as emotionally. Finally, it would not be wrong to say that not all such professionals are highly paid. Many of them keep struggling throughout their lives. There are many other jobs, which merit higher salaries. | believe that teachers and nurses are doing commendable jobs for the society. They should be paid lucrative salaries so that people want to join these ‘occupations. Then, there are people working in our defense services such as the army, navy and air force. Because of them, we are leading secure lives. That is why they deserve higher pay-packages. Furthermore, People working in high -isk professions such as fire-fighters and security guards should be paid more and finally People in administrative posts such as IAS and IPS officers should have higher salaries. To sum up, there is no doubt that doctors, lawyers are receiving high salaries, but they rightly deserve them and ‘many other professions are there which need to be paid more. Plan followed Intro: agree Para 1: 1st reason Para 2: 2nd reason Para 3: Other professions, which need higher pay Conclusion: Reiterate what you have already said makkarlELTS | [Link] 152IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 23. In some countries, it is common for women to participate in the workforce when their children are young. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this? The mother’s employment status does affect the families and children. These effects can be both — positive and negative which shall be discussed in this essay. (On the positive side, two family incomes are very important to make both ends meet. So women work and add to the financial status of the family. This additional income helps to provide better education and other facilities to the children. What is more, it has been seen that the children of working mothers do better academically, have better behaviour and adjust themselves better socially. Another advantage is that, most families ‘accommodate to the mother's employment and in doing so provide a family environment that works well. In ‘two-parent families, the fathers take on a larger share of the household tasks and child-care and this seems to have benefits for the children. Furthermore, employed mothers have a higher level of well-being than those who stay at home and this, in turn, affects their parenting in positive ways. Therefore, the mother's employment itself does not seem to have the negative effects on the children. The society also has changed and today we have affordable and quality day care centres, which are a blessing for working mothers. Finally, women have proved their mettle in many fields and the modern workplaces need their services more than anything else. ‘The disadvantages, on the other hand, are that children need the loving and affectionate care of mothers in the early years of their lives and if mothers go to work then they are deprived of this to some extent. Women also need some rest after child birth as it is a physically and emotionally challenging time for them. Some people ‘opine that juvenile delinquency is on the rise because mothers do not give time to their children because of going to work. ‘To sum up, it can be said that there are both advantages and disadvantages of women going to work when their children are young. However, the pros far outweigh the cons. Plan followed Intro: Balanced intro as itis a discuss essay Para 1: advantages Para 2: more advantages Para 3: Disadvantages Conclusion: advantages outweigh disadvantages makkarlELTS | [Link] 153IELTS GT Essays and Letters From The Past Exams | Dr. Kiranpreet Kaur Makkar 24. Some employers want to be able to contact their staff at all times, even on holidays. Does this development has more advantages than the disadvantages? = Technological innovations have revolutionized every aspect of our lives, especially the workplaces. One of the developments of these advancements is the way the employers and employees communicate. At some workplaces, the managers or bosses expect their employees to be available to take work related requests at all times, even on weekends and on holidays. | believe that such expectations from the employers have more negative effects than positive. Admittedly there are some benefits of the 24/7 connectivity between the employer and the employee. The first is that it leads to better relations between them, if used wisely. If they are well connected through the mobile phones or emails, then there will be fewer misunderstandings, better rapport and a certain amount of comfort level, even for the employee. This further helps the employee being more creative and productive. To add to it, in some emergency situations, requiring immediate attention, critical decisions can be taken without any delays. Having looked at the benefits, undoubtedly the drawbacks of this development are many and worrisome. It is one of the leading causes of the work-life imbalance. The employee is not able to give time to the family or sometimes has to leave a family outing or a meal or any important family occasion, to deal with the work related problems. This leads to many problems in their personal lives. Furthermore, the employee may always be stressed about the fact that the employer can call them at anytime and so, they are not able to enjoy anything fully. This may also create a rift in the employee-employer relationship. To add to the above mentioned points, the employee may not be able to cope up with the stress, which not only affects the productivity and efficiency at work, but also leads to many health related problems, like hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and so on. Moreover, such employees are more likely to be resented by others at the workplace and again this will add to the pressures and anxieties they are already dealing with. To conclude, it can be reiterated that if used prudently, the communication technology can be a boon for both the employees and employers. However, the detrimental effects can be quite grave, if the employer doesn’t respect the staff’s personal and family time. Plan followed Intro: Para 1: Advantages of the 24/7/employer employee relation Para 2: Disadvantages of the 24/7/employer employee relation Para 3: More disadvantages of the 24/7/employer employee relation Conclusion: makkarlELTS | [Link] 154