Avoid knee-jerk 'footballers earn millions' outrage. Weigh the short careers, elite rarity, market economics, entertainment value, and health risk against the social-value gap with nurses and teachers. Use a named sport.
40 min·≥ 250 words·Cambridge IELTS sample
How to crack it
A 5-step plan for the essay
Read the question twice.
Underline every keyword. The instruction word ("agree", "discuss") decides your structure. Answer each instruction and keep your position clear.
Plan for 5 minutes.
Two body paragraphs. One main idea each. Pick examples BEFORE you write the intro.
Write your intro last in your head.
Once you know the conclusion, the intro writes itself. Paraphrase the question, don’t copy it.
Aim for 270–290 words.
Write at least 250 words. A 270–290-word target can help time management, but length alone does not determine your band.
Leave 3 minutes to proofread.
Hunt articles ("a/an/the"), subject-verb agreement, and "make/do" mix-ups. They’re your usual suspects.
What loses you the band
The four traps this question sets
Off-topic intro
Paraphrase the question. Don’t broaden it.
A new reason in the conclusion
Summarise your answer and reasons already developed in the body. Do not introduce an unsupported argument.
"Make a damage"
Collocation slip. Use "cause damage".
"Furthermore. Moreover."
Pick one. Both = robotic.
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