Last updated: May 3, 2023

Here you can find IELTS Essay samples of Band 9, written by a native English speaker and a former IELTS examiner. Robert Nicholson is the co-author of ‘High Scorer’s Choice’ IELTS Practice Tests book series, created in collaboration with Simone Braverman, the founder of this website. New essays are being added weekly.

Click on one of the topics below to jump to essays on that topic.

Crime and Punishment
Education
Environment
Family and Children
Global Issues
Government and Laws
Health
Housing and Town Planning
Language
Media and Advertising
Science
Society and Social Matters
Sport and Exercise
Tourism
Work

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Crime and Punishment

Former prisoners commit crimes after release (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 1

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Education

Schools should teach their students how to survive financially in the world today (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 1
Some people believe that teaching music in schools is vital, while others think it is unnecessary (opinion) – Sample essay 2
Teachers should be required to conform to a dress code (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 3
Many people nowadays travel abroad for their university education (discuss) – Sample essay 4
Some schools insist that students have laptops in class (advantages/disadvantages) – Sample essay 5
Should governments or teachers be responsible for what is to be taught in schools (opinion)? – Sample essay 6
Do schools still need to teach handwriting and mental mathematics skills (opinion)? – Sample essay 7
Should boys and girls be educated separately (opinion)? – Sample essay 8
Should school children be given homework (opinion)? – Sample essay 9
Schoolchildren today take part in short work experience sessions instead of school (advantages/disadvantages) – Sample essay 10
Artificial Intelligence will take over the role of teachers (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 11

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Environment

Wildlife population around the world has decreased by around 50 per cent, what can we do to protect wildlife? – Sample essay 1
Increases in fuel prices are the only way to reduce world consumption of fuel (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 2
Ending the world’s reliance on fossil fuels will be a positive development (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 3

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Family and Children

Some parents think that children must do house chores (opinion) – Sample essay 1
Is using physical force to discipline children acceptable (opinion)? – Sample essay 2
Women, not men, should stay at home to care for children (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 3

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Global Issues

Some people believe that the world’s increase in population is unsustainable, while others think it is necessary and beneficial (opinion) – Sample essay 1
The world today is a safer place and governments should stop spending large amounts of money on their armed forces (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 2
With the scale of globalisation today, it would be best to have a single world currency (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 3
There is a moral necessity today for the richer countries of the world to help the poorer countries develop (agree/disagree)Sample essay 4

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Government and Laws

Should the government put a tax on fast food to reduce obesity (opinion)? – Sample essay 1
Some people believe that the problem of illegal drugs can be solved by legalising all drugs (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 2
Unemployment payments encourage people not to seek work (opinion) – Sample essay 3
Individuals should be responsible for funding their own retirement (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 4
Households should have a government-imposed limit on the amount of rubbish they produce (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 5

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Health

Some say that people should diet and exercise to lose weight, while others think they should eat better and change their lifestyle (opinion) – Sample essay 1

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Housing and Town Planning

Today’s governments struggle to create enough housing for increasing populations while protecting the environment (opinion) – Sample essay 2
In some countries private cars are now banned from city centres (advantages/disadvantages) – Sample essay 3
Is banning cars from city centres a positive or negative development? – Sample essay 4
The advantages and disadvantages of high-rise apartment living – Sample essay 5
Some people like to own their home while others prefer to rent it (discuss) – Sample essay 6

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Language

Is learning a foreign language essential or a waste of time (opinion)? – Sample essay 1

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Media and Advertising

The number of advertisements for charities is increasing, what is causing this? – Sample essay 1

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Science

Breakthroughs in medical science are the most significant advances over the last two centuries (opinion) – Sample essay 1

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Society and Social Matters

Some people believe that everyone has a right to access to the Internet and governments should provide it free (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 1
Should copyright materials such as music, films and books be freely available on the Internet (opinion)? – Sample essay 2
Can the society cope with the larger number of elderly people and how? – Sample essay 3
Athletes and entertainers’ enormous salaries reflect our dependence on entertainment (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 4
Is it acceptable that enormous sums are paid for pieces of art when many people around the world live in poverty? – Sample essay 5
Everybody should pay a small amount from their income to help people in poverty (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 6
Only people over 18 years old should be allowed to use social media (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 7
Libraries are not a necessity anymore because of the digital resources available today (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 8
Is fashion a significant part of society, or a waste of time and money (opinion) – Sample essay 9
Traffic on roads has become a problem in nearly every country in the world (solutions) – Sample essay 10

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Sport and Exercise

Some people think that sport in schools is a waste of time and resources, while others believe it is a vital part of education (opinion) – Sample essay 1

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Tourism

Should governments impose extra taxes to restrict tourism in order to reduce pollution? – Sample essay 1
In some cities the numbers of tourists seem overwhelming, why is this happening? – Sample essay 2

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Work

What is the best motivation for workers – salary, job satisfaction or helping others? – Sample essay 1
Having a salaried job is better than being self-employed (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 2
Is studying at university better than getting a job straight after school (opinion)? – Sample essay 3
People today find their lives more and more dominated by their jobs (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 4

The post IELTS Essay Samples of Band 9 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

This is a model response to a Writing Task 2 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is close to IELTS Band 9.

Set 3 General Training book, Practice Test 13

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Traffic on roads has become a problem in nearly every country in the world. What can be done to reduce the amount of traffic at a society level? What could individuals do to help?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

In nearly every city around the world, the volume of traffic on roads has become a significant problem. Society’s dependence on the car has led to nearly all families owning at least one car and often two. Changing this situation will not be easy, but a series of social reforms and education could allow the numbers of cars on today’s roads to be reduced.

To decrease traffic, multiple social reforms could be imposed. First of all, fuel prices could be raised, while simultaneously public transportation improved. The aim would be to make more people rely on public transportation. Another method to decrease traffic in cities would be to decrease the number of parking slots in the city and increase the cost for these. This method also aims at encouraging the usage of public transportation, as it would make public transport more appealing than parking. Yet another social reform could be to give tax breaks, if proven, that the person is using public transport on a regular basis.

In addition to social reforms, each individual would need to be educated to increase awareness of the environment. This could be achieved through addressing the matter using multiple media. Within this campaign, the environmental as well as the individual benefits of decreasing the usage of cars would have to be highlighted. As a result, the likelihood of voluntary cooperation would increase, because people would become motivated to reduce their reliance on cars.

In conclusion, only when individuals become aware can social reforms function properly. Success would mean more people using public transport and fewer people using cars. When this goal is achieved, stress on the environment will be decreased.

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The post IELTS essay, topic: Traffic on roads has become a problem in nearly every country in the world (solutions) first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

This is a model response to a Writing Task 2 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is close to IELTS Band 9.

Set 5 General Training book, Practice Test 23

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

In some cities, the numbers of tourists seem to be overwhelming. Why is this happening? What are the effects of this on individuals and society?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

With the rise of cheaper airlines and with technology and affluence allowing people to travel more easily, tourism is an industry that has experienced a significant increase. This caused the numbers of tourists in some popular cities to become greater than desirable and created some effects on both individuals and society.

People feed on the positive experiences of others, and vivid images on social media, shared by happy holiday-makers, attract more and more visitors to iconic cities. This creates a snowball effect where increasing numbers of people cause an even bigger influx of tourism by sharing their experiences online. Affordable airfares and modern websites that make finding accommodation easier also play a significant role in making certain cities extremely attractive to tourists.

One positive effect of this phenomenon for both individuals and society is that it is an indicator that people are travelling to different countries. Travel is a great way to broaden the mind and develop more understanding and acceptance of other cultures and beliefs. Individuals will become more tolerant and society should be more integrated and peaceful. Another positive effect is that jobs and businesses are created and supported by the tourism industry, thus generating taxes to help support government infrastructures.

There are negative effects though, especially for the residents of the cities with high numbers of tourists. It is well known that excessive tourism dilutes the authentic culture of the destination, the prices go up and the quality of products and services goes down. The historic centres of too many popular cities now seem to only feature the same chain stores and services, and food tends to become more internationalised rather than offering the authentic food of the country and region. The centres of very busy tourist towns become overly geared towards providing accommodation for rent, whether it is hotels, hostels or private apartments. This reduces the amount of housing for locals, as well as driving up rental and purchase prices.

To sum up, tourism has many positive effects, but when the numbers of tourists get so high, it can spoil the authenticity of a destination, which is negative for local and visiting individuals and society as a whole.

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The post IELTS essay, topic: In some cities the numbers of tourists seem overwhelming, why is this happening? first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

This is a model response to a Writing Task 2 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is close to IELTS Band 9.

Set 2 Academic book, Practice Test 9

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

There is a moral necessity today for the richer countries of the world to help the poorer countries develop in terms of feeding the population, education and health care. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

The world today is often divided into two categories, more developed and less developed countries. This division is significant in terms of health, wealth and education. To minimise this gap, it is argued that richer countries are morally responsible to support the less wealthy. I, personally, feel that the prosperous countries are obligated and expected to to contribute to the development of countries with weaker economies.

To address this argument, the history of the wealthy countries is relevant. Many less developed countries are former colonies, therefore the wealthy countries had a historical impact on the less wealthy. Thus, richer countries’ economies were dependent on the currently less developed countries for their rich status. Furthermore, even today the wealthy countries contribute to the wealth inequality by exploiting the inhabitants of less developed countries, giving workers lower wages than people within their own countries. Due to this dependence on poorer countries and the influence that the richer countries have had on the imbalance, it can be concluded that richer countries are indeed morally obliged to help the less wealthy countries.

Opposing this is the view that each country is in charge of their own inhabitants and that therefore they need to provide health, education and basic necessities for themselves. In addition, simply providing these three services would not lead to closing the wealth gap. It would rather be helpful to invest sustainably in poorer countries and help them create their own systems, allowing these countries to be self-sufficient.

In conclusion, while there is a moral necessity for wealthy countries to aid the poorer ones, simply providing basic necessities is not sufficient. A more sustainable idea would be to teach countries to plan and provide for themselves by giving economic incentives.

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Set 6 Academic book, Practice Test 30

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people like to own the place where they live, but other people like to rent where they live. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

The debate over whether it is better to own or rent the property in which one lives is one that has strong supporters on each side. There are persuasive arguments for both points of view.

One of the main advantages of renting a property is flexibility. Usually, a tenant only has to give a month’s notice before changing where he or she lives. If a property is owned and a change is needed, the property must be put onto the market and it is frequently a long and stressful process to get a sale completed. Sometimes, the wrong time of year or a bad market can mean that a sale is not possible. Another advantage of renting is that a large amount of a family’s capital is not tied up in the property. Property can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and often a lot more. If one rents, this money can be spent on other things to help improve the family’s quality of life. If the property is on a mortgage, then the deposit, also often very large, is tied up in the property and the pressure of having to make substantial payments every month can cause a lot of stress.

Owning a property does have various advantages, though. Even though people usually have to service a mortgage every month with payments, this money is then built up with the property. With renting, the money is lost to the landlord, but at the end of the term of the mortgage, the whole property is owned by the family. This makes the process of living in a property a type of investment. In addition, the property’s value often goes up after time, frequently creating a substantial profit. Owning the property where one lives can also create a sense of well-being and self-actualisation.

The decision to whether one rents or owns the property in which one lives really boils down to individual preference. My opinion is that it is much more preferable to own a property, mainly because it creates a valuable asset for the family.

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Set 6 General Training book, Practice Test 29

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

People today find their lives more and more dominated by their jobs. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

It is certainly true that many people around the world find their lives dominated by the work that they have to do. This is shown when you realise how people’s work, and how much time, effort and resources they devote to it, is often the subject of conversation.

Most people depend on their jobs to generate an income to pay for their lives’ necessities and luxuries, and so work can naturally become a dominating focus. As this is an important part of nearly everyone’s everyday life, it can seem that people’s lives are indeed becoming more influenced by their jobs. Whether this emphasis on work is more significant now than in previous years is debatable. In many developed countries around the world, there are procedures in place to help people with finding work, providing unemployment benefits, ensuring education, and offering pension payments. In times past, these provisions were not in place and a job or business was required to provide the necessary income.

Therefore, in spite of increases in the cost of living in many places around the world, it can be argued there is actually less pressure than in previous years to keep one’s job and perform well at it. This, in turn, would lead to people’s lives being less influenced by their jobs today. It is also true that in the past, people were as responsible and focused on doing well in their responsibilities as today and so, in this respect, the people of the past would be equally dedicated to their work as people are today.

While I agree that people’s lives today are often dominated by their jobs, I feel that the current situation is not necessarily worse than before. In fact, it may be more positive, due to the fewer pressures to earn money in many countries.

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Set 6 Academic book, Practice Test 29

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

It must be a woman who stays at home to care for children. Men are not suited to this kind of work. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

Traditionally in many parts of the world, it has been women who have stayed at home to care for children. This has led to the ideology and expectation that women are more suited to this type of work than men.

The overwhelming status quo where women stay at home to care for the children probably derives from the fact that women are the ones who have to actually give birth to children and, following that, they are the ones who for the early part of a child’s life have to feed the child until it is weaned. In times past, this state of affairs probably led to the women assuming the permanent role of carer for the home and children, whilst men went out to work, whether it was to gather food or work in fields or factories.

In spite of the fact that this became what was expected in family dynamics, it does not mean that men are necessarily less suited to caring for a child than women. It is very possible for men to care for a child, even from birth onwards in today’s world. Babies’ milk formula can be mixed by anyone and fed to a child. The fact that many women today choose not to do this again does not mean that they are better suited by nature to care for the child.

Suitability for childcare is a matter for individual temperament and aptitude. Not many people, whether they are men or women, feel totally confident and knowledgeable about how to care for a baby or young child at the start. They need advice from their own mothers and fathers, midwives or from books. It is only from experience that skill with childcare comes and this skill can be acquired regardless of gender.

All in all, I do not agree with the statement that men are less suited to childcare than women. I believe that aptitude to look after children is a matter of individual temperament, not gender-specific inherited qualities.

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Set 6 General Training book, Practice Test 28

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Many people in cities today live in high-rise apartment blocks. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this type of living?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

High-rise apartment blocks are a common sight in cities around the world. They are especially popular in large cities and in locations where building land is scarce. Living in such buildings has various advantages and disadvantages for town planners and the inhabitants themselves.

The most significant advantage of high-rise apartment blocks is probably for the town planners. With land often being at a premium in large cities, one way to maximise space is to build upwards, so that the population density per square kilometre can be increased. The demand for housing in big cities can therefore be more easily met. There are also disadvantages for town planners. The heavier population density can put added pressure on social facilities, for example sewage and other waste disposal, and the provision of adequate school and medical services.

There are also advantages and disadvantages for the actual inhabitants of high-rise apartment blocks. With the demand for housing being reduced, prices are therefore not as high, making housing more affordable. Many people also like not having to be responsible for a garden, and living in an apartment has this advantage. Finally, with so many people living in the same area, many friendships can be made and a community spirit can be built up. It appears the most significant disadvantage is that, in practice, living in high-rise apartment blocks is just not the lifestyle many people want. In some city neighbourhoods, these living spaces can often be associated with poor living conditions and undesirable social elements. In addition, many people view high-rise apartment blocks as being unsafe. For example, in the case of fire, tall buildings are difficult or impossible to evacuate safely.

It is clear that high-rise apartment blocks have benefits and drawbacks. It is also clear, however, that due to the need to house increasing numbers of people in cities, these architectural features are here to stay, whether people like them or not.

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Set 6 General Training book, Practice Test 27

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people feel that fashion is like art and a significant part of society, while others feel that fashion is a waste of time and money.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

The fashion industry today is an important component of society and people’s lives. It is true that many people care little for clothes and scorn the importance that others attach to them; however, this does not mean that the significance that people give to fashion is a waste of time and money.

When one considers that areas of the world suffer from poverty, disease and inadequate access to food and clean water, the emphasis attached to fashion by the developed world can seem out of proportion. Many people would contend that the resources put into developing and creating fashion would be more ethically spent on creating some level of equality in terms of the right to live a healthy and happy life. This point is hard to argue with. However, it is also true that people in the developed world cannot be expected to send all their spending money to people in need and that wanting to look good is an unalterable human trait.

The fashion industry contributes to the society much like most other industries. It provides jobs and income to millions of people around the world and the money that changes hands generates taxes that contribute to the fabric of society. There is more to fashion than trying to look better than others and excessive luxury. The high level of fashion is indeed a kind of art form and, like other art forms, there will always be people who appreciate it, want to create it and want to spend money on it. It is part of the development of civilisation and this is not likely to change.

I therefore feel that, although the gap between the rich and the poor sometimes makes it seem that fashion is a waste of time and money and an unethical use of resources, fashion is an important part of today’s society and economic output. This leads me to believe that trying to strike a balance between selfish greed and a more altruistic way of living should be an individual choice.

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Set 6 Academic book, Practice Test 27

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Many people believe that studying at university is the best way to develop oneself, learn new skills and find a well-paid job. Other people believe that more is learned from getting a job straight away after school and learning whilst working.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

There are many ways to learn new knowledge and skills. Traditional educational routes, such as school followed by college or university is one route that is generally accepted and respected by today’s society. It can be argued, however, that this is not always the best way. A more vocational route can be more appropriate for certain people and for particular jobs.

Universities generally have deference given to them and, due to this, most schools tailor their programs to help students get university admission. Universities usually have respected and highly qualified teachers who have the knowledge and the skills to take their students to very high levels of knowledge and expertise. The very difficulty of gaining admission, getting through the duration of the course and passing final exams ensures to employers that graduates have the necessary self-discipline, intelligence and ability to get through the courses.

Universities are also particularly well suited to the teaching of various subjects, for example, medicine, law and literature and these subjects need students’ full-time attention in order to do well. Although vocational experience is necessary, a certain grounding in basic concepts to a high-level is important. Once this knowledge has been acquired, students can then integrate their knowledge with practical understanding.

This, however, is not the case for all areas of learning, especially ones where the quantity of high level knowledge is not required or is possible to be learned whilst working at the same time. Young people studying to be an electrician or a plumber are good examples. To do this work well requires a lot of experience, yet also a sound understanding of theory. The learning here can be and is done working and studying at the same time, often through apprenticeships and vocational courses involving significant amounts of work experience.

Therefore, in my opinion, there are more ways than one to acquire a profession. Whether learning should take place at university alone or whilst working depends on the course and the end job.

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