IELTS Writing Task 2 (Exercises): GAP YEAR

Topic : GAP YEAR

Useful words and phrases:

1. absorb knowledge (collocation)
2. an accelerating trend of sth (collocation)
3. appealing (adj)
4. be better prepared for (collocation)
5. diverse cultural settings (np)
6. enrich oneself with (collocation)
7. enter adulthood (collocation)
8. firm determination (collocation)
9. formal schooling (collocation)
10. physically demanding job (np)
11. scarcity (n)
12. tertiary education (np)

Exercises:

Task 1: Write sentences from given cues. Make changes to the cues when needed.

1. There / accelerating trend / young people / travel abroad.
   ______________
2. It / take / firm determination / complete / tertiary education.
   ______________
3. By / read books / students / enrich oneself with / new knowledge.
   ______________
4. Formal schooling / not / appealing / to / those / just / enter adulthood.
   ______________
5. People / work abroad / absorb knowledge / diverse cultural settings.
   ______________
6. Vietnam / physically demanding jobs / be / often / underpaid.
   ______________
7. Trend / gap year / lead / scarcity / intellectual workforce.
   ______________
8. Since I students / can / provide / working experiences / during / gap year / they / be better prepared / future jobs.
   ______________
9. High-schoolers / need / decide / whether / wish / pursue / tertiary education / not.
   ______________
10. There / be / scarcity / qualified professionals / Vietnam / hospitality industry.
    ______________

Task 2: Fill in the blanks with suitable words/phrases

absorb knowledge (collocation) an accelerating trend of sth (collocation) appealing (adj) be better prepared for (collocation) diverse cultural settings (np) enrich oneself with (collocation)

enter adulthood (collocation) firm determination (collocation) formal schooling (collocation) physically demanding job (np) scarcity (n) tertiary education (np)

Some students prefer to take a gap year between high school and university, to work or to travel.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

In today’s world, there has been an 1___________of students taking a break from studying before pursuing 2___________. While this trend is beneficial to some extent, I am firmly of the opinion that its shortcomings are weightier for the followers of this trend.

A gap year may enable students to 3___________real-life experiences that are beneficial to their future. These may include having a paid job, from which those who have just 4___________may learn many working skills, such as communication, teamwork and following orders. As a result, the youngsters taking a gap year are 5___________for their future jobs. Some may also travel the world and 6___________of 7___________and from different geographical contexts. In this globalised world, such knowledge is essential for developing a successful career.

However, I strongly believe the disadvantages of taking a gap year for recent high-school graduates are serious, far outweighing the advantages.The primary reason is that the young can be overwhelmed by the unwanted difficulties of life outside of school campus. For example, a 8___________can be exhausting for most school-leavers. Another significant reason is that to the youngsters without 9___________, earning money and living without the discipline of 10___________could be more 11___________than returning to school after the gap year. Consequently, there could be a 12___________of intellectual workforce in the future as there will be fewer university students.

All in all, I personally believe that there are some serious drawbacks associated with a gap year that far outweigh the potential gains.

268 words

Key/Answer

Task 1:

1. There has been an accelerating trend of young people traveling abroad.
2. It takes firm determination to complete tertiary education.
3. By reading books, students (can/may) enrich themselves with new knowledge.
4. Formal schooling may not be I is not appealing to those who have just entered adulthood.
5. People working abroad / who work abroad (can/may) absorb knowledge from diverse cultural settings.
6. In Vietnam, physically demanding jobs are often underpaid.
7. The trend of taking a gap year can / may lead to the scarcity of intellectual workforce.
8. Since students can/may/might be provided with working experiences during the gap year, they can/may/might be better prepared for their future jobs.
9. High-schoolers need to decide whether they wish to pursue tertiary education or not.
10. There has been / is a scarcity of qualified professionals in Vietnamese hospitality industry.

Task 2:

(1) accelerating trend
(2) tertiary education
(3) enrich themselves with
(4) entered adulthood
(5) better prepared
(6) absorb knowledge
(7) diverse cultural settings
(8) physically demanding job
(9) firm determination
(10) formal schooling
(11) appealing
(12) scarcity