A Recent IELTS Question

A student recently informed me of an IELTS Writing Task 2 question that they were given. They were not able to recall the entire question exactly, but it could be summarized like this:

Some people think that it is better for students to live at home with their parents while they study at university. However, others believe that students should move out and live somewhere else.

Which viewpoint do you agree with?

Sample Answer

I will now give a sample answer for this question, with some useful phrases in bold.

Although some people contend that it is best for students to live with their parents when they study at university, I would tend to disagree, and instead suggest that it is better for a student to move out and live someplace else.

The first reason why I think a student would do better to live away from home during their university experience is that they can gain some important social skills. Although many people believe that university is just a place to gain academic knowledge, in fact it is an important stage in our life where we can develop crucial life skills, such has how to live with other people. Many students find that when they live in student dorms or in a shared apartment, they come to some difficulties in cohabiting. By overcoming these difficulties, they grow and develop into stronger, more capable people. It logically follows that they would have better relationships after such experiences.

The second reason in support of my position is that university provides an all-round academic experience. In addition to the aforementioned social and personal benefits, there are resources available on campus that can be accessed with greater ease by students who live nearby. Libraries and computer rooms can be accessed late at night in some places, and students who must commute from their parents’ houses will no doubt lose out on vital study time. Moreover, being surrounded by fellow students gives you access to a wealth of advice and support from an academic community which is unlikely to be replicated at home.

In conclusion, students who live on campus or with other students during their university days will most likely encounter a number of benefits that students who stay at home will miss out on.