This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay from the IELTS Cambridge 15 book of past exams on the topic of whether or not children can achieve anything if they try hard enough.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Children Achieve Anything
In some cultures, children are often told that they can achieve anything if they try hard enough.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message?
Sample answer :
In many countries, it is common for children to be told anything is possible if they set their mind to it. In my opinion, this can lead to great achievements, but for the majority engenders feelings of inadequacy.
Some people benefit from a positive emphasis on effort and achievement. The best examples of this come from the United States where famously every child is encouraged to pursue their dreams, no matter how aspirational and unrealistic. Those who succeed serve as role models and evidence the efficacy of pushing children to try to achieve anything. For example, the number of successful entrepreneurs and artists who have left their mark globally from the U.S.A is staggering and includes figures like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Jackson, Warren Buffet, and Will Smith. These people often give encouraging interviews where they reiterate the importance of having passion and grit to achieve transcendent fame.
However, the cases above are exceptions and considering them the rule only hurts the self-esteem of the general populace. When an individual is told they can accomplish anything through sheer determination and they then fail to become rich and successful, they have no one to blame but themselves. The truth about the connection between effort and achievement is more nuanced than the platitude typically supplied to children. There is a complex interplay between talent, effort, and luck required to produce great achievements and all high-achievers are subject to determining factors beyond simply hard work. Teaching children otherwise sets them up for self-doubt, disillusionment, and delusions of grandeur that will weigh on them throughout adulthood. Hard work is an essential ingredient but supposing it guarantees success will only lead to resentment towards oneself and others.
In conclusion, while teaching children that hard work ensures achievement produces great individuals, overall, it breeds insecurity. Parents ought to instead encourage a positive mindset with less lofty expectations.
Children Achieve Anything : Vocabulary
- common ubiquitous
- anything is possible you can do whatever you want
- set their mind to it try to achieve it
- great achievements big accomplishments
- majority most of
- engenders feelings of inadequacy hurt self-esteem
- positive emphasis good focus
- famously well-known
- encouraged told to
- pursue their dreams follow their passion
- aspirational high goal
- unrealistic not likely to happen
- serve as role models good examples of
- evidence verb for support/evidence
- efficacy noun for something that works
- pushing encouraging
- successful entrepreneurs people who started their own businesses
- left their mark globally had an impact on the world
- staggering very impressive
- figures people
- encouraging pushing
- reiterate say again
- passion what you love
- grit determination
- transcendent fame really well-known
- cases examples
- exceptions not common, can’t be generalised
- considering them the rule think they are common
- self-esteem how you feel about yourself
- general populace most people
- accomplish achieve
- sheer determination pure grit
- blame fault
- connection link
- nuanced complex
- platitude simple statement
- supplied given to
- complex interplay complicated relationship between
- produce great achievements accomplish a lot
- high-achievers people who accomplish a lot
- subject to are vulnerable to
- determining factors what makes the difference, decisive
- otherwise apart from that
- sets them up prepares them for
- self-doubt lack of confidence, low self-esteem
- disillusionment coming to grips with rewality
- delusions of grandeur thinking yourself amazing
- weigh on them hold them down
- throughout adulthood all their lives
- essential ingredient key part
- supposing making the assumption that
- guarantees success ensures achievement
- resentment hate
- ensures achievement guarantees success
- breeds insecurity makes people feel bad about themselves
- instead encourage better to push
- positive mindset optimistic outlook
- less lofty expectations not such big goals
