HƯỚNG DẪN GIẢI ĐỀ THI IETLS WRITING 11/7/2020

Task 2: In some countries people spend long hours at work. Why does this happen? Is it a positive or negative development? (11/7/2020)

SUGGESTION: This is an essay on working long hours.

It is a two-part essay. The former question requires delivering the causes of the phenomenon, while the latter requires the writer to deliver their opinion on whether this phenomenon is positive or negative.

KEY WORDS AND SYNONYMS:

- work = job = career

- long hours = a long period of time

- why does this happen = the cause of = the reason for = the justification for

ANALYSIS: This is what must be covered in the essay:

·         The reasons for people working long hours

·         Whether it is a positive or negative development

The candidate should write two paragraphs; the first one covering the former task, and the second one covers the latter. However, it is important to note that there is no need to discuss both the positive and negative sides, the writer only needs to express their opinion.

THESIS STATEMENT:

- This essay will discuss the main causes of this trend, and in my opinion, this development should be considered desirable/undesirable.

- The reasons for this phenomenon will be discussed in this essay, and from my point of view, one should see this development in a positive/negative light.

I. The causes of working long hours

- the world is constantly developing → there is more work to be done → people do not want to bring their tasks back home → they choose to continue their already long hours at the office

- the rising economic inequality → people feel financially insecure → they want to work overtime to prove their worth to their employer

- the world is running on a knowledge-based economy → it is harder for employers to quantify the amount of work produced each day → companies equate logged hours with a worker's dedication

- many cultures believe that working long hours equals being more dedicated

+For example, Japanese workers usually work until 8 p.m as a way to prove that they are good employees.

II. The positives of working long hours

- people working longer hours are more likely to advance in their career due to recognition from their superiors

- potential for a country with long average working time to be more economically successful than another that does not have a long working time

III. The negatives of working long hours

- overtime workers do not always receive the wages due to loosely enforced laws regarding working hours

+ employers also often misclassify salaried employees as exempt from the law

- puts employee’s health at risk and causing illness, early retirement or even premature deaths

+ it is naturally more difficult to find time to maintain a healthy lifestyle, such as exercising and relaxing → increases the risk of fatal diseases such as heart disease or diabetes

+ can also cause psychological problems, like burnout, depression or even suicides → results in high immaterial and material cost to society: Wall Street suicide epidemics are infamous examples; in Japan there is a term that is coined “overwork death”