Scorify.uzThe question
Professional athletes and entertainers are paid far more than doctors and teachers. Do you think this is fair? To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Write at least 250 words.
What the question asks
Consider why athletes earn so much and whether this reflects the value of their work. State a clear position on fairness.
Essay plan
- Introduction: Say that the pay gap is understandable in market terms but unfair in terms of social value.
- Body 1: why they earn more: Global audiences, sponsorship, short careers, rare talent.
- Body 2: why it is unfair: Essential workers contribute more to society; salaries reflect market, not importance.
- Conclusion: Society should increase rewards and respect for essential professions.
Band 7+ sample essay
It is common for famous athletes and entertainers to earn millions, while nurses, doctors and teachers receive much smaller salaries. Although this situation can be explained by market forces, I largely agree that it is unfair.
There are reasons why top performers earn so much. A single match or film is watched by millions around the world, so television companies and sponsors pay enormous amounts for the rights. Athletes also have short careers, usually ending before the age of forty, and only a tiny number of people have the talent to reach the highest level. Their income therefore reflects scarcity and global demand.
Nevertheless, high pay in entertainment does not mean that these jobs contribute more to society. Doctors save lives, and teachers shape the future of every child, yet they often work long hours for modest pay. This imbalance can discourage talented young people from entering these professions, causing shortages that harm everyone. A fair system should recognise the real value of work, not only its popularity.
Governments could address the gap by increasing salaries in essential public services and by taxing very high incomes more heavily.
It should also be noted that most athletes and entertainers do not earn huge salaries. For every star, there are thousands of players and performers who earn little and have no security after their careers end. This shows that large rewards are concentrated among a few people, which makes the contrast with essential workers even more striking.
In conclusion, the market explains why entertainers earn more, but it does not make the situation fair, and I believe that society should reward essential professions more generously.
273 words.
Why this essay scores well
- Task Response: every part of the question is answered and the position stays consistent from the introduction to the conclusion.
- Coherence and Cohesion: each paragraph has one clear idea, linked with natural connectors rather than a list of memorised phrases.
- Lexical Resource: topic vocabulary is precise and varied, without forcing rare words.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: a mix of simple and complex sentences, with conditionals and relative clauses used accurately.
Useful vocabulary
- sponsorship — money from companies for support
- market forces — supply and demand
- scarcity — being rare or in short supply
- essential services — services society cannot do without
- modest pay — a fairly low salary
- imbalance — an unequal situation
- recognise the value of — understand the importance of
Common mistakes on this question
- Saying athletes “do nothing” or insulting them.
- Not explaining why they are paid so much.
- Focusing only on one country.
Study guides
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Frequently asked questions
What type of essay is this IELTS Task 2 question?
It is a opinion (agree/disagree) question. Consider why athletes earn so much and whether this reflects the value of their work. State a clear position on fairness.
How many words should the essay be?
Write at least 250 words. Most strong answers are 260–290 words, planned in about five minutes and completed in 40 minutes.
How many paragraphs should I write?
Four paragraphs work well: an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. Each body paragraph needs one main idea, an explanation and an example.