IELTS Task 2 sample essay: Taking a Gap Year
DiscussionEducation
The question
Some people believe students should take a year off between school and university to work or travel. Others think this wastes time. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Try writing your own answer first, then compare. Reading a model before you write tends to make you copy it.
The plan
Position: A planned gap year is worthwhile; an unplanned one can waste time.
- View A: it delays study and careers and some students lose momentum.
- View B and my view: work or travel builds maturity and helps students choose the right course.
Model answer
280 wordsSome people think that school leavers should spend a year working or travelling before starting university, while others regard this as a waste of valuable time. In my view, a gap year is worthwhile as long as it is planned with a clear purpose.
Those who oppose gap years point to the risk of losing momentum. After thirteen years of school, students are used to studying, and a year away from books can make it harder to return to essays and exams. A gap year also delays graduation and entry into a career by twelve months, which can mean a year less of earnings. For students who simply drift through the year without a plan, these costs are real and the benefits are few.
On the other hand, a well-used gap year can make a student far better prepared for university. Working in a shop or an office teaches responsibility and the value of money, while travelling alone forces young people to solve problems without their parents' help. Just as importantly, time away from school gives students the chance to reflect on what they actually want to study. A student who enrols on a law degree because her parents expect it may discover, after a year working with children, that she would rather become a teacher, and avoid an expensive mistake.
On balance, I believe the advantages outweigh the risks for most students, provided they treat the year as a chance to work, volunteer or learn rather than as an extended holiday.
In conclusion, although a gap year can delay study, a purposeful one builds the maturity and self-knowledge that help students succeed at university and choose the right path.
Scored by the MyBandPrep checker on 7 October 2026. An estimate, not an examiner’s mark. How scoring works
Why it works
- Task Response
- Both views are explained fairly, and the writer's opinion is clear in the introduction, the third body paragraph and the conclusion.
- Coherence and Cohesion
- View A, then view B, then a judgement: the structure mirrors the question exactly, with “Those who oppose” and “On the other hand” signalling each view.
- Lexical Resource
- Natural phrases such as “losing momentum”, “drift through the year” and “an expensive mistake”.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- A range of complex sentences, including a long example sentence that stays accurate.
Phrases worth reusing
- losing momentum
- drift through the year
- a well-used gap year
- avoid an expensive mistake
- rather than as an extended holiday
Compare: a band 6 version
249 wordsThe same question, answered the way many essays stuck at band 6 are. Read it, then the notes below.
Nowadays, many students want to take a gap year before they start university. Some people think it is a good idea, but other people believe it is a waste of time. This essay will discuss both views and give my opinion.
On the one hand, some people think that a gap year is a waste of time. When students stop studying for one year, they can forget what they learned at school, and it is difficult for them to start study again. Also, they will start working one year later then their friends, so they will earn less money. This is a big disadvantage for them and for their families.
On the other hand, other people think that a gap year is very useful. Students can work during this year and save money for university, which helps them to pay the fees. They can also travel to other countries and learn about the different culture. For example, my friend went to Australia for one year and he learned a lot of things there. Moreover, a gap year can help students to become more independent and mature.
In my opinion, a gap year has advantages and disadvantages. It is good for some students but it is not good for other students. Students should think careful before they decide.
In conclusion, both views have good points. I think that a gap year can be a good experience if students use it well, but it can also be a waste of time.
What holds it back
- Small grammar and word-form errors: “start study”, “later then”, “the different culture”, “think careful”.
- The opinion is vague: “good for some students but not good for other students” never commits to a view, which limits Task Response.
- Ideas are listed rather than explained: “learned a lot of things” never says what, or why it matters.
- A memorised framing sentence (“This essay will discuss both views”) and a personal example that proves little.
- The conclusion repeats the body without adding a clear judgement.
- Vocabulary is adequate but plain and repetitive (“good”, “waste of time”, “students”).
Now write your own
Answer this question in 40 minutes and get an estimated band with the sentences to fix.