Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a topic that has gained significant attention in recent years, making it a popular subject for IELTS Writing Task 2 essays. Based on an analysis of past IELTS exams and current socio-economic trends, we can expect questions related to UBI to appear more frequently in future tests. Let’s explore this topic through sample essays and in-depth analysis to help you prepare for your IELTS Writing Task 2.

Analyzing the Question

Let’s focus on a common question type related to UBI:

Some people believe that governments should provide a Universal Basic Income (UBI) to all citizens. Others think this would be too expensive and could discourage people from working. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

This question requires you to:

1. Discuss arguments in favor of UBI
2. Discuss arguments against UBI
3. Provide your own opinion

Now, let’s look at sample essays for different band scores.

Sample Essay 1 (Band 8-9)

The concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI) has sparked intense debate worldwide, with proponents arguing for its potential to alleviate poverty and opponents citing financial concerns and potential negative impacts on work ethic. While both perspectives have merit, I believe that a carefully implemented UBI system could offer significant societal benefits that outweigh the potential drawbacks.

Advocates of UBI argue that it could provide a crucial safety net for all citizens, reducing poverty and income inequality. By ensuring a basic standard of living, UBI could alleviate financial stress and allow individuals to pursue education, start businesses, or engage in creative endeavors without the constant worry of meeting basic needs. Furthermore, as automation continues to disrupt traditional employment, UBI could serve as a buffer against job losses and economic instability.

On the other hand, critics contend that implementing UBI would be prohibitively expensive for governments and could potentially discourage people from working. They argue that the massive cost of providing a basic income to all citizens could strain national budgets and lead to increased taxes or cuts in other essential services. Additionally, there are concerns that guaranteed income might reduce the incentive to work, potentially leading to a decrease in productivity and economic growth.

In my opinion, while the concerns about cost and work incentives are valid, the potential benefits of UBI outweigh these risks. A well-designed UBI system could actually stimulate economic activity by providing people with the financial security to take risks, invest in their skills, and contribute to the economy in more meaningful ways. Moreover, rather than discouraging work, UBI could empower individuals to seek more fulfilling employment or pursue entrepreneurial ventures.

To address the financial concerns, governments could implement UBI gradually, starting with pilot programs and scaling up based on results. Funding could come from a combination of sources, including the redistribution of existing welfare spending, targeted tax reforms, and the reallocation of resources from less effective programs.

In conclusion, while Universal Basic Income presents challenges, its potential to create a more equitable and resilient society makes it a policy worth serious consideration. By carefully addressing the concerns of critics and implementing UBI thoughtfully, we could pave the way for a more secure and prosperous future for all citizens.

(Word count: 365)

universal-basic-income-concept|Universal Basic Income Concept|A conceptual image representing universal basic income, showcasing money being distributed equally among individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Analysis of Band 8-9 Essay

This essay demonstrates excellent qualities that align with Band 8-9 criteria:

1. Task Response: The essay fully addresses all parts of the task, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion.

2. Coherence and Cohesion: The essay is well-organized with clear progression throughout. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect, and ideas are logically connected.

3. Lexical Resource: The essay uses a wide range of vocabulary accurately and appropriately. Examples include “alleviate poverty,” “work ethic,” “safety net,” and “prohibitively expensive.”

4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy: The essay demonstrates a wide range of complex structures used accurately. It includes various sentence types and shows excellent control over grammar and punctuation.

5. Development of Ideas: Each point is well-developed with relevant examples and explanations, showing depth of analysis.

Sample Essay 2 (Band 6-7)

The idea of Universal Basic Income (UBI) has become a hot topic in recent years. Some people think governments should give money to all citizens, while others believe it’s too expensive and might make people lazy. This essay will discuss both sides of the argument and give my opinion.

Those who support UBI say it can help reduce poverty. If everyone gets a basic income, they won’t have to worry about paying for food or housing. This could make people’s lives better and reduce stress. Also, with technology taking over many jobs, UBI could help people who lose their jobs to robots.

On the other hand, people against UBI argue that it would cost too much money. Governments might have to raise taxes a lot to pay for it. They also worry that if people get free money, they might not want to work anymore. This could be bad for the economy if many people stop working.

In my opinion, I think UBI could be a good idea if it’s done carefully. While it’s true that it would be expensive, I believe the benefits could be worth it. It could help reduce poverty and give people more freedom to choose the work they want to do. However, it’s important to make sure that people still have reasons to work and contribute to society.

To make UBI work, governments could start with small test programs to see how it affects people and the economy. They could also look for ways to pay for it without raising taxes too much, like cutting other programs that don’t work well.

In conclusion, Universal Basic Income is a complex issue with both advantages and disadvantages. While it would be expensive and might affect work motivation, I believe its potential to improve people’s lives makes it worth considering. Governments should study it carefully and consider trying it out on a small scale before making big decisions.

(Word count: 329)

Analysis of Band 6-7 Essay

This essay demonstrates qualities that align with Band 6-7 criteria:

1. Task Response: The essay addresses all parts of the task, discussing both views and providing a personal opinion. However, the ideas could be developed more fully.

2. Coherence and Cohesion: The essay is generally well-organized, with clear paragraphing. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes repetitive (e.g., repeated use of “Also” and “However”).

3. Lexical Resource: The essay uses an adequate range of vocabulary, with some attempts at less common words (e.g., “contribute,” “motivation”). However, the language is sometimes repetitive or imprecise.

4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy: The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with generally good control. There are some errors, but they do not impede communication.

5. Development of Ideas: The main ideas are relevant and supported, but the development is sometimes limited or repetitive.

Key Vocabulary for UBI Essays

1. Universal Basic Income (UBI) (noun) /ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsl ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪnkʌm/: A government program in which every adult citizen receives a set amount of money regularly.

2. Alleviate (verb) /əˈliːvieɪt/: To make a problem or suffering less severe.

3. Income inequality (noun) /ˈɪnkʌm ˌɪnɪˈkwɒləti/: The extent to which income is distributed unevenly among a population.

4. Work ethic (noun) /wɜːk ˈeθɪk/: The principle that hard work is intrinsically virtuous or worthy of reward.

5. Automation (noun) /ˌɔːtəˈmeɪʃn/: The use of machines or computers instead of people to do a job.

6. Economic stability (noun) /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk stəˈbɪləti/: A state in which an economy experiences little fluctuation in output or financial markets.

7. Incentive (noun) /ɪnˈsentɪv/: Something that motivates or encourages someone to do something.

8. Productivity (noun) /ˌprɒdʌkˈtɪvəti/: The effectiveness of productive effort, especially in industry, as measured in terms of the rate of output per unit of input.

9. Entrepreneurial (adjective) /ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜːriəl/: Characterized by the taking of financial risks in the hope of profit.

10. Pilot program (noun) /ˈpaɪlət ˈprəʊɡræm/: A small-scale preliminary study conducted to evaluate feasibility, time, cost, adverse events, and improve upon the study design prior to performance of a full-scale project.

Conclusion

Universal Basic Income is a complex and thought-provoking topic that is likely to appear in future IELTS Writing Task 2 questions. By understanding the key arguments for and against UBI, and practicing with sample essays like those provided, you can improve your ability to write a well-structured, coherent response.

As you prepare for your IELTS exam, consider practicing with similar topics related to social welfare and economic policies. Some potential questions might include:

1. Should governments prioritize universal healthcare over universal basic income?
2. How can tax policies be used to address income inequality?
3. What are the potential long-term effects of implementing a universal basic income system?

Remember to analyze the question carefully, plan your response, and use a range of vocabulary and grammatical structures in your writing. Practice regularly and don’t hesitate to share your practice essays in the comments section below for feedback and discussion. Good luck with your IELTS preparation!

To learn more about related topics, check out our articles on the challenges of universal healthcare, tax policies to reduce income inequality, and universal basic income as a poverty reduction tool.