IELTS Essay Bank · Task 2 Academic · Discussion (both views)
Working From Home vs the Office: Band 6 Sample Essay
297 words · Topic: Work & careers, Technology ·
The question
Since it became possible for many employees to do their jobs from home, some people argue that this is better for workers and companies alike, while others insist that working in a shared office is more effective.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.
Band 6 sample essay
Highlighted = useful vocabularyNowadays, because of the internet, many people can do there job from home. Some people think that working from home is better for both workers and companies, but other people believe that the office is more effective. I will discuss both views and give my opinion.
On the one hand, working from home have many advantages. The first advantage is that workers don't need to commute to work, so they save time and money. For example, my sister works in a bank and before she spend one hour in the bus every morning, but now she can start work early and she is less tired. Also, companies can save money because they don't need a big office. Workers can also spend more time with their families, and this make them more happy.
On the other hand, some people think office is better. In the office, workers can work as a team and ask their colleagues when they have a problem. At home, it is easy to get distracted by children or television and some people don't work hard. Also, young employees need to learn from experienced colleagues and this is difficult on video calls. In addition, some people feel lonely when they work alone in home for a long time.
In my opinion, I think the best solution is a mix of both. For example, workers can go to office two or three days in a week and work from home the other days. In this way, they can have the advantages of both. But it depend on the job, because some jobs like doctors cannot do it from home.
In conclusion, both working from home and working in office has advantages and disadvantages. I believe that mixing them is the best way for workers and company.
Word count: 297
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Why this is Band 6: criterion by criterion
Task Response
Band 6All parts of the task are addressed: each view is discussed in its own paragraph and the writer gives an opinion (a mix of home and office work). The position is relevant but only partly developed — the fourth paragraph states the hybrid idea and gives a timetable, but does not explain why it solves the problems raised earlier. Some supporting points are left thin: "companies can save money because they don't need a big office" and "some people don't work hard" are asserted with no explanation or example. The conclusion largely repeats the introduction, which is typical of a Band 6 response.
Coherence and Cohesion
Band 6The essay is logically organised and there is a clear overall progression from one view, to the other view, to the writer's opinion. However, cohesive devices are used mechanically: "On the one hand", "The first advantage", "Also", "On the other hand", "Also", "In addition" and "In conclusion" signal each step rather than showing how ideas connect. Referencing is sometimes unclear — in "some jobs like doctors cannot do it from home", "it" has no clear antecedent and the jobs are confused with the people who do them. Cohesion is effective overall but faulty in places, which fits Band 6.
Lexical Resource
Band 6The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with appropriate topic phrases such as "commute to work", "work as a team" and "get distracted by". The range is limited, though: "advantages", "people" and "workers" are repeated heavily, and "In my opinion, I think" is redundant. There are some errors of spelling and word choice — "there job" (their) and "work alone in home" (at home) — but they do not impede communication. To reach Band 7 the writer needs less common items (productivity, flexibility, collaboration) used with some precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Band 6There is a mix of simple and complex sentences, including reason clauses with "because" and "so" and a time clause ("when they work alone"). Errors are frequent: subject–verb agreement ("working from home have", "this make them", "it depend", "both working from home and working in office has"), articles ("think office is better", "go to office", "the best way for workers and company"), a comparative ("more happy" for happier), a tense error ("before she spend one hour" for she used to spend) and prepositions ("in the bus", "two or three days in a week"). These errors are noticeable but rarely reduce communication, so the criterion remains at Band 6.
Useful vocabulary and collocations
- commute to work
- correct and natural; at Band 7+ try eliminate the daily commute.
- spend more time with their families
- accurate, useful phrase; achieve a better work–life balance shows more range.
- work as a team
- natural collocation; you could upgrade to collaborate face to face.
- get distracted by
- correct verb pattern; face constant interruptions is a more precise alternative.
- a mix of both
- clear, but informal; in an essay prefer a hybrid arrangement or a combination of the two.
How this essay could reach Band 7
- 1Explain the reasoning behind your opinion: show how two or three office days solve the loneliness and training problems you raised, instead of only describing the timetable.
- 2Replace the chain of "Also… On the other hand… Also… In addition" with linking that shows relationships ("This is especially important for…", "The main drawback, however, is…") and make every "it" refer clearly to one noun.
- 3Target the repeated grammar patterns — verb agreement with gerund subjects (working from home has), articles before "office", and happier instead of "more happy".
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