The topic of salary differences between professional athletes and other occupations is increasingly common in IELTS Writing Task 2 examinations. Based on analysis of past papers from 2018-2023, this theme appears approximately once every 4-5 months, particularly in countries where sports are culturally significant. Let’s examine a recent task that represents this topic effectively.
Task Analysis
Some people think that professional athletes are paid too much money compared to other important professionals like doctors, nurses and teachers. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
This question requires candidates to:
- Take a clear position on the salary disparity
- Compare compensation between athletes and other professionals
- Support arguments with relevant examples
- Provide a balanced discussion
Professional Athletes Salary Comparison with Other Careers
Band 8.5 Sample Essay
While many argue that professional athletes’ astronomical salaries are unjustified compared to essential workers like healthcare providers and educators, I firmly disagree with this viewpoint. I believe the high compensation of athletes can be justified through various economic and practical factors.
Firstly, professional athletes’ earnings are directly tied to their ability to generate massive revenues for their sports organizations. Top athletes attract millions of viewers, secure lucrative sponsorship deals, and drive merchandise sales, creating substantial economic value that justifies their high salaries. For instance, football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo’s social media presence alone generates hundreds of millions in advertising revenue for his team and sponsors, far exceeding his salary.
Moreover, professional athletes face unique career challenges that warrant higher compensation. Their careers are exceptionally short, typically spanning only 5-15 years, and they risk career-ending injuries at any moment. This brief window of opportunity, combined with the intense physical demands and lifelong health impacts, justifies higher earnings to ensure financial security for their post-athletic lives.
That said, this perspective doesn’t diminish the vital importance of other professionals. Teachers, doctors, and nurses provide essential services that form the backbone of society. However, their compensation is typically determined by different economic factors, such as public funding and healthcare systems, rather than direct revenue generation.
In conclusion, while the salary gap between athletes and other professionals may seem stark, it reflects the unique economic dynamics of professional sports rather than a misallocation of resources. The solution lies not in criticizing athletes’ earnings but in advocating for better compensation for other essential professionals through policy changes and increased public funding.
Band 6.5 Sample Essay
I partly agree that professional athletes get too much money compared to other important jobs. There are both good and bad points about this situation that need to be looked at carefully.
On one hand, athletes make too much money when we think about what they do. They just play sports while doctors save lives and teachers educate children. For example, many football players earn millions of dollars every year just for kicking a ball, but teachers who work very hard only get a small salary. This seems unfair because teaching and medical care are more important for society.
However, there are some reasons why athletes get high salaries. First, they can only work for a short time because they get old or injured. Also, sports make a lot of money from TV and advertising, so the players should get some of this money. Many people pay to watch sports games but nobody pays to watch a teacher teach.
Sometimes athletes use their money to help society. They start charities or build schools in poor areas. This shows they can do good things with their high salaries. But still, maybe there should be a better balance between what different jobs pay.
In conclusion, while athletes’ high salaries can be explained, I think there should be more balance in how different professionals are paid. Maybe governments should make rules about this or give more money to important jobs like teaching and nursing.
Score Analysis
Band 8.5 Essay strengths:
- Sophisticated vocabulary and complex structures
- Clear position with well-developed arguments
- Cohesive paragraphing with smooth transitions
- Relevant examples and specific details
- Professional tone and academic style
Band 6.5 Essay limitations:
- Simpler vocabulary and sentence structures
- Basic examples lacking detail
- Less sophisticated argument development
- Some informal expressions
- Limited use of complex grammatical structures
Key Vocabulary
- astronomical (adj.) /əˌstrəˈnɒmɪkəl/ – extremely large
- lucrative (adj.) /ˈluːkrətɪv/ – producing a lot of money
- compensation (n.) /ˌkɒmpenˈseɪʃn/ – payment for work
- vital (adj.) /ˈvaɪtl/ – absolutely necessary
- diminish (v.) /dɪˈmɪnɪʃ/ – to become or make something smaller
- backbone (n.) /ˈbækbəʊn/ – the most important part of something
- misallocation (n.) /ˌmɪsæləˈkeɪʃn/ – poor distribution of resources
- advocacy (n.) /ˈædvəkəsi/ – public support for an idea or policy
Consider practicing with these related topics:
- Should there be a salary cap for professional athletes?
- Is the commercialization of sports beneficial for society?
- How do different countries compensate their essential workers?
Share your practice essays in the comments for feedback and discussion!
