IELTS Writing Task 2 Opinion Essays:
3 Model Answers with Analysis

Model Answer

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and automation has prompted widespread debate about the future of employment. I strongly agree that technology will replace the majority of routine human roles, although highly skilled and creative professions are likely to remain human-dominated for the foreseeable future.

The strongest evidence for technological displacement lies in manufacturing and service industries. Industrial robots can now perform repetitive assembly tasks faster and more accurately than human workers, while AI-powered customer service systems handle millions of queries daily without human intervention. Companies such as Amazon have already automated large portions of their warehouse operations, displacing tens of thousands of workers. This trend is accelerating: the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that up to 30% of all current job tasks could be automated by 2030.

However, this displacement will not be universal. Roles requiring empathy, creative judgment, and complex problem-solving — such as therapy, teaching, and original research — resist straightforward automation. A machine can diagnose a disease from a scan, but it cannot replace the nuanced support a doctor provides to a frightened patient. Similarly, engineers and artists create fundamentally new things that algorithms, trained on existing data, struggle to produce independently. The net effect may be fewer workers in repetitive roles, but sustained demand for highly skilled human professionals.

In conclusion, I maintain that technology will ultimately replace most routine jobs, fundamentally reshaping the labour market. Societies that invest in re-skilling workers for higher-complexity roles will adapt more successfully than those that do not.

Model Answer

Social media has transformed the way people communicate, share information, and form communities. While I partially agree that social media has caused significant harm — particularly to mental health — I believe its benefits to connectivity and information access are too substantial to conclude that the net effect is negative.

The most serious harm attributed to social media is its impact on psychological wellbeing. Studies consistently show that heavy use of platforms such as Instagram and TikTok correlates with increased anxiety and depression, especially among teenagers. The pressure to present a curated, idealised life online generates social comparison that erodes self-esteem. Furthermore, algorithmic design that rewards outrage and polarising content has deepened political divisions and spread misinformation at a scale previously impossible.

Despite these genuine concerns, the communicative advantages of social media are equally real. During the COVID-19 pandemic, platforms allowed isolated individuals to maintain social bonds that would otherwise have fractured entirely. For activists in countries with restricted press freedom, social media has provided a critical outlet to document injustice and organise resistance. Additionally, small businesses in developing economies have used platforms like Facebook Marketplace to reach customers without the cost of traditional advertising.

In summary, while social media has caused measurable harm to mental health and public discourse, its role in maintaining human connection and democratising information means I disagree with the view that it has done more harm than good overall. Reform of platform design, rather than abandonment, is the more appropriate response.

Model Answer

While a university degree remains the standard pathway into many professions, I disagree with the view that it is essential for career success. Vocational training, entrepreneurship, and self-directed learning offer equally viable routes to professional achievement for many individuals.

University education provides undeniable benefits in fields that legally require it. Medicine, law, and engineering impose professional licensing requirements that make a degree non-negotiable. Beyond regulated professions, however, the correlation between a degree and career success is weakening. Research from Harvard Business Review suggests that a growing proportion of Fortune 500 companies have removed degree requirements from job listings, recognising that practical skills often matter more than academic credentials.

Alternative pathways increasingly produce successful careers. Vocational programmes in construction, healthcare support, and digital technology offer faster, cheaper routes to employment than four-year degrees. Entrepreneurs such as Steve Jobs and Bill Gates famously succeeded without completing their studies, but more broadly, the growth of online credentialling through platforms like Coursera and LinkedIn Learning means that specialised skills can now be demonstrated without a traditional transcript. In economies facing graduate unemployment alongside skills shortages, the value of aligning training with actual labour market needs is increasingly recognised.

In conclusion, university education remains valuable and necessary in regulated fields, but it is not universally essential for career success. Societies that diversify their educational pathways and value skills alongside credentials will produce more career-ready graduates.