Some people believe that the government should spend money on sports and arts activities for young people in schools, rather than funding professional sports and arts events for the general public. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Stance: I largely agree that funding youth sports and arts in schools is more beneficial than funding professional events, as it fosters broader participation and long-term societal well-being.
This 6.5 version stays fully accurate but relies on simple linkers ('Firstly', 'Secondly', 'This shows that') and gives each body paragraph just one reason plus one example, without the layered reasoning or concession found in higher bands.
Some people think that governments should spend money on sports and arts programmes for young people in schools, instead of paying for professional sports and arts events. I agree with this opinion because school programmes help more people and bring long-term benefits to society.
Firstly, school programmes give every child a chance to try sports and arts, no matter their talent or family background. For example, if a school has a football team, a dance club, or an art room, every student can join for free and learn new skills. This also helps children build good habits, like exercising regularly, which they can keep for their whole life. If the government builds these facilities in schools, more children will grow up healthy and creative.
Secondly, professional events usually help only a small number of people, such as top athletes or famous artists, while most people just watch. For example, when Vietnam's under-23 football team did well in 2018, many young people became excited about football, but there were not enough football pitches in schools and communities for them to actually play. This shows that without proper facilities for children, the excitement from professional events cannot turn into real, long-term benefits for society.
In conclusion, I agree that funding sports and arts programmes for young people in schools is better than spending money on professional events. This is because it gives more people the chance to participate and creates healthier habits for future generations.
Collocations
Examiner Notes
- TR“I agree with this opinion because school programmes help more people and bring long-term benefits to society.” — The writer states a clear position early in the introduction, but simply restates the question rather than adding any original framing.
- CC“Secondly, professional events usually help only a small number of people” — The basic linker 'Secondly' clearly marks the second supporting point, though more varied cohesive devices would strengthen the flow.
- LR“build good habits” — 'Build good habits' is a correct but fairly basic collocation, typical of the more limited vocabulary range at this band.
- GRA“when Vietnam's under-23 football team did well in 2018, many young people became excited about football, but there were not enough football pitches in schools and communities for them to actually play” — A correctly formed complex sentence joining a time clause with 'but' shows accurate but relatively simple grammatical range.
- TR“In conclusion, I agree that funding sports and arts programmes for young people in schools is better than spending money on professional events.” — The conclusion simply repeats the thesis without acknowledging any merit in professional events, a thinner treatment than a higher-band conclusion would offer.
This 7.0 version adds a touch more subordination (the relative clause on the U23 team) and precision ('equal opportunities', 'a wiser use of government money'), plus a brief concession in the conclusion, but each body paragraph still develops only one main reason rather than the reasoning-plus-rebuttal layering of band 7.5.
Some believe that government funding should prioritise sports and arts activities for young people in schools rather than professional events aimed at the general public. I agree with this view, mainly because school-based programmes reach a much wider range of people and produce more lasting benefits for society.
One major reason is that school programmes create equal opportunities for children to develop physically and creatively, regardless of their natural talent. When schools are given proper facilities, such as sports halls or art rooms, every student can take part rather than only those who can afford private lessons. This early exposure also helps children form healthy habits, such as exercising regularly, which often continue into adulthood. In this way, investing in schools lays a foundation that benefits the whole of society, not just a talented few.
Another important point is that professional events tend to benefit a limited number of people, since most of the population can only watch rather than take part. A clear example of this is Vietnam's under-23 football team, whose success in 2018 inspired huge public enthusiasm; however, this excitement did not lead to lasting change in areas where children had no access to school or community football pitches. If the government instead focused on providing sports facilities in schools, this kind of enthusiasm could be turned into real participation, helping to discover future talent from a much broader range of backgrounds.
In conclusion, although professional sporting and artistic events can be entertaining and inspiring, I believe that funding youth programmes in schools is a wiser use of government money. This approach ensures that the benefits of sports and arts, from better health to talent development, are shared far more widely across society.
Collocations
Examiner Notes
- TR“I agree with this view, mainly because school-based programmes reach a much wider range of people and produce more lasting benefits for society.” — The thesis links the writer's position directly to a reason ('reach a much wider range of people'), giving the introduction more analytical weight than a bare opinion statement.
- CC“Another important point is that professional events tend to benefit a limited number of people” — The topic sentence names the point directly rather than relying on a bare linker, giving smoother cohesion than simple 'Secondly'-style transitions.
- LR“create equal opportunities for children to develop physically and creatively” — 'Create equal opportunities' is a more precise, topic-appropriate collocation than the simpler vocabulary typical of band 6.5.
- GRA“whose success in 2018 inspired huge public enthusiasm; however, this excitement did not lead to lasting change in areas where children had no access to school or community football pitches” — A non-defining relative clause combined with a semicolon-linked contrast clause demonstrates a step up in subordination compared to the simpler sentences typical of band 6.5.
- TR“although professional sporting and artistic events can be entertaining and inspiring, I believe that funding youth programmes in schools is a wiser use of government money” — The conclusion briefly concedes that professional events can be 'entertaining and inspiring' before restating the thesis, a more balanced move than the flat restatement seen at band 6.5.
The 7.5 answer layers reasoning with a specific, well-integrated Vietnamese example (the 2018 U23 run tied explicitly to the absence of local pitches) and closes with a concession that briefly credits professional events before firmly restating the thesis — a depth of development the lower bands only partially replicate.
Public funding for sports and arts faces a genuine dilemma: should resources be channelled into school-based youth programmes or into professional events staged for the wider public, from national football leagues to touring concerts? I largely agree with the former, believing that investing in young people's engagement with sports and the arts yields more profound and widespread societal benefits.
Primarily, school-based programmes provide an accessible foundation for physical and creative development that professional events simply cannot replicate. Introducing children to sports and the arts early cultivates lifelong healthy habits and discipline, regardless of innate talent. Investment in public infrastructure, such as school sports halls, community running tracks, or riverside paths open for jogging and cycling, allows physical activity to be woven into daily routines rather than treated as an occasional outing. A country that builds this kind of everyday access for its children lays a far sturdier foundation for national health and creativity than one that pours money into a handful of glamorous, one-off events.
Furthermore, focusing on school programmes ensures broader participation and genuine talent nurturing. Professional events, however entertaining, primarily serve as spectacles for passive consumption, reaching only a fraction of the population as active participants. Vietnam's own experience shows how this pipeline works in practice: the wave of enthusiasm following the national under-23 football team's surprising 2018 tournament run translated into real growth only where school and community football pitches already existed for children to play on. Conversely, school programmes offer every student a genuine opportunity to discover interests, develop skills, and build character through active involvement, whether in a school football team or a drama club. This widespread engagement not only fosters a healthier, more creative generation but also acts as a vital pipeline for identifying future professional athletes and artists from diverse backgrounds, rather than relying on an already narrow, often privileged, pool of talent.
In conclusion, while professional sports and arts events certainly have their place in enriching public life, the more strategic and impactful allocation of government funds lies in robust, school-based programmes. This approach guarantees foundational benefits for young people, promoting health, discipline, and universal access to creative and athletic pursuits, ultimately leading to a more vibrant and engaged society.
Collocations
Examiner Notes
- TR“I largely agree with the former, believing that investing in young people's engagement with sports and the arts yields more profound and widespread societal benefits.” — A clear position statement in the introduction that directly answers the question and frames the essay's argument.
- LR“woven into daily routines rather than treated as an occasional outing” — An idiomatic metaphor ('woven into') paired with a natural contrast phrase, adding stylistic sophistication.
- CC“Furthermore, focusing on school programmes ensures broader participation and genuine talent nurturing.” — The discourse marker 'Furthermore' clearly signals a second, additive supporting point for the writer's position.
- GRA“Vietnam's own experience shows how this pipeline works in practice: the wave of enthusiasm following the national under-23 football team's surprising 2018 tournament run translated into real growth only where school and community football pitches already existed for children to play on.” — A long sentence built around a colon and a restrictive 'only where' clause shows sustained control of complex syntax.
- TR“In conclusion, while professional sports and arts events certainly have their place in enriching public life, the more strategic and impactful allocation of government funds lies in robust, school-based programmes.” — The conclusion restates the thesis while conceding the opposing view's minor merit, showing a well-sustained argument.