Band 7 Example

Question: Should students learn to cook at school?

Idea 1

Yes
Model Answer
Sure, why not? Students study many subjects in school they won't use after graduating. Cooking, however, is a lifelong skill, like riding a bike. Many students go abroad for university and struggle with cooking. They end up relying on ready meals or restaurants, which are unhealthy. Learning to cook would be very beneficial.
Yes, why not? Students have to study lots of subjects at school that, once they graduate, they will never ever study or use again. Cookery on the other hand is something that they will use for the rest of their lives. It's like riding a bike, so once you know how to do it, you never forget. So many students go to university abroad these days and they have no idea how to cook. This puts an added burden on them as they struggle to find things to eat and either rely on ready meals, or restaurants for food. Both are really unhealthy options.
Grammar Analysis
Present participle acting as an adverb: "Students have to study lots of subjects at school that, once they graduate, they will never ever study or use again" uses the present participle "studying" to describe the ongoing state of learning, adding complexity to the sentence. Analogy: "It's like riding a bike" uses analogy to compare cooking skills and riding a bike, enhancing the clarity and understandability of the point. Present continuous tense: "So many students go to university abroad these days and they have no idea how to cook" uses the present continuous tense to describe the current situation of students, demonstrating the relevance and urgency of the topic.
Vocabulary
  • never ever study or use again
  • Cookery on the other hand is something that they will use for the rest of their lives
  • once you know how to do it, you never forget
  • go to university abroad these days
  • struggle to find things to eat
  • rely on ready meals
  • unhealthy options

Idea 2

No
Model Answer
I don't think cooking should be part of the school curriculum. The main reason is that students already have packed timetables with essential academic subjects. Adding cooking classes could overburden them. Moreover, cooking involves using knives and other potentially dangerous kitchen tools, which might not be suitable for younger students due to safety concerns.
Incorporating cooking into school curricula might not be the most feasible idea. Firstly, students' schedules are already quite full with critical academic subjects, leaving little room for additional classes. Integrating cooking lessons could add to their workload, which may not be ideal. Additionally, cooking classes involve the use of sharp knives and other equipment, posing safety risks, particularly for younger students. This makes it impractical and potentially hazardous.
Grammar Analysis
1. Passive voice: "Incorporating cooking into school curricula" uses the passive voice, highlighting the object and action of the proposal, increasing the formality and complexity of the sentence. 2. Adverb modifying adjective: "the most feasible idea" where "most" modifies the adjective "feasible," enhancing the emphasis of the sentence. 3. Present participle as attributive: In "integrating cooking lessons," "integrating" as a present participle is used as an attributive, adding a sense of dynamism and complexity to the sentence. 4. Conditional adverbial clause: "posing safety risks, particularly for younger students" as a conditional adverbial clause, points out the problems that may arise from implementing the proposal, increasing the depth and logic of the sentence.
Vocabulary
  • incorporating cooking into school curricula
  • feasible idea
  • full with critical academic subjects
  • little room for additional classes
  • integrate cooking lessons
  • ideal
  • sharp knives and other equipment
  • safety risks
  • younger students
  • impractical and potentially hazardous