IELTS Task 2: The role of government in regulating business – Samples

Introduction

Regulation is one of the most examinable themes in IELTS Writing Task 2 because it sits at the intersection of economics, ethics, and public policy. The role of government in regulating business affects prices, consumer safety, the environment, and innovation—issues that candidates can discuss with real-world examples from their own countries. In this guide, you will learn how to handle this topic confidently: you’ll see three model essays (Band 5-6, 6.5-7, and 8-9), clear scoring analyses aligned with the official descriptors, high-value vocabulary, and sentence structures that examiners reward.

Commonly reported past Task 2 questions related to business regulation (as seen on established IELTS preparation sources such as IELTS Liz, IELTS-Blog, and exam reports from test-takers) include:

• Governments should make companies responsible for the waste they produce. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Some people think the government should restrict advertisements aimed at children. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Prices of essential goods should be controlled by governments. Do you agree or disagree?

For readers interested in regulation in the digital economy, you can also explore whether and when should governments regulate tech giants, which offers helpful context and examples.

1. Question & Analysis: The role of government in regulating business

Some people believe governments should impose stricter regulations on businesses to protect consumers and the environment, while others argue that excessive rules hinder economic growth. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

• Question type: Discuss both views + opinion. You must explain both sides fairly and finish with a clear, consistent position.
• Requirements:
  1. Present arguments for stronger regulation (e.g., consumer protection, environmental safeguards).
  2. Present arguments against heavy regulation (e.g., compliance costs, slower innovation).
  3. Provide your own view and justify it with reasons and examples.
• Key terms:
  • “Stricter regulations” = tighter rules, stronger enforcement, penalties.
  • “Hinder growth” = slow job creation, reduce investment, deter startups.
• Common pitfalls:
  • One-sided answers with no real discussion of the opposing view.
  • Vague examples or generic statements without specifics.
  • No clear final opinion or a contradictory conclusion.
• Strategic approach:
  • Plan 2 body paragraphs: one for each view.
  • Use real-world examples (e.g., food safety laws, environmental emissions standards, small-business compliance burdens).
  • Conclude with a conditional or balanced opinion (e.g., “targeted regulation with periodic review”).

If you are studying regulation in sensitive areas like personal data, it helps to read about government policies for regulating data privacy to sharpen your ideas and examples.

IELTS Task 2 business regulation model essays and scoring analysis

2. Band 8-9 Sample Essay: The role of government in regulating business

Band 8-9 essays show a precise, consistent position, fully extended arguments, advanced but natural vocabulary, and flexible grammar with very few errors.

Essay (approx. 300 words)
Striking the right balance between enterprise freedom and public protection is a perennial dilemma for policymakers. Proponents of stricter oversight argue that markets can fail—sometimes catastrophically—without state intervention. Food safety scandals, toxic emissions, and predatory lending demonstrate that voluntary compliance is often insufficient. In such contexts, well-targeted regulation not only safeguards consumers and ecosystems but also creates a level playing field by penalizing free riders who profit from cutting corners.

Critics, however, contend that heavy-handed rules raise compliance costs and discourage risk-taking. Small firms, in particular, may lack the resources to hire legal teams or adapt quickly to frequent changes in standards. A classic fear is that over-regulation locks in incumbents and locks out start-ups, thereby slowing innovation and job creation. Although this concern is valid, it presumes that regulation is static and monolithic. In practice, governments can design outcome-based rules that specify goals—such as emissions thresholds—while leaving companies free to choose the most cost-effective methods, thereby preserving incentives to innovate.

In my view, the question is not whether to regulate but how. I support a risk-proportionate approach with periodic review. High-risk sectors—pharmaceuticals, finance, and food—require stringent testing and transparent disclosure, whereas low-risk activities should face lighter-touch, streamlined compliance. Regulators should also publish impact assessments and sunset clauses so that ineffective rules expire unless renewed. This adaptive governance model protects the public while minimizing unnecessary burdens. Ultimately, smart regulation does not smother enterprise; it cultivates trust, which is the oxygen of sustainable markets.

Band Score Analysis

Why it excels:

• Clear thesis and a nuanced, conditional stance.
• Balanced development of both views with specific sectors.
• Advanced but natural lexis: “level playing field,” “free riders,” “sunset clauses.”
• Mixed sentence patterns, including participle and relative clauses.
• Cohesive devices used purposefully, not mechanically.
• Concrete policy tools (impact assessments) demonstrate depth.
• Strong conclusion that ties ethics and economics.

For readers exploring regulation beyond micro-level business rules, there are conceptual parallels with central banks’ role in regulating economy, especially in balancing stability with growth.

Band 9 IELTS essay on government regulation with highlighted features

3. Band 6.5-7 Sample Essay: The role of government in regulating business

Band 6.5-7 essays present a clear position, generally well-developed ideas, adequate range of vocabulary and grammar, and some inaccuracies or occasional imprecision.

Essay (approx. 260 words)
People disagree about how far governments should control businesses. On one hand, stricter rules are necessary when companies can cause serious harm. For example, without strict food safety checks, consumers may face dangerous products, and the whole market loses trust. Environmental rules are similar: when factories release polluted water, it is cheaper for them but extremely costly for society. Therefore, regulation can protect the public interest and ensure that fair competitors are not punished for doing the right thing.

On the other hand, too many rules can slow growth. Small companies often struggle with paperwork and inspections, and sometimes regulations change faster than they can adapt. In technology, for instance, overly detailed rules may stop new ideas because entrepreneurs fear penalties if they experiment. However, I believe this problem can be reduced if governments focus on results rather than methods. Setting targets, such as a maximum emissions level, gives firms a goal but also leaves space for innovation in how to achieve it.

In conclusion, both sides have strong points. My view is that governments should regulate more tightly in high-risk areas and more lightly in low-risk ones. They should also review regulations regularly to remove those that do not work. This balanced approach can protect consumers and the environment while still supporting business growth.

Band Score Analysis

Direct comparison with Band 8-9:

• Band 8-9 uses more precise policy terms (“sunset clauses,” “adaptive governance”); Band 7 uses general terms (“review regulations regularly”).
• Band 8-9 employs advanced structures (“In practice, governments can design outcome-based rules…”); Band 7 relies on simpler clauses.
• Band 8-9 presents sector-specific evidence; Band 7 gives broader, less detailed examples.

As a related policy example, debates about affordability often ask whether should government impose price controls—use this to enrich your examples on market intervention.

4. Band 5-6 Sample Essay: The role of government in regulating business

Band 5-6 essays address the task but have limited development, frequent language errors, and sometimes unclear progression. Below, errors are highlighted.

Essay (approx. 260 words)
Many people think government should control business very closely, but others say this will make economy worse. I believe some control is needed, but too many rules is bad for progress. First, when companies sell unsafe products, the customers gets hurt and confidence reduce. So, rules about quality and labeling are important. Also pollution is a big problem, so factories must follow limits or pay fines, otherwise they will just ignore about the environment.

However, government sometimes making rules that are complicated and change very fast. Small businesses cannot spend a lot of money for lawyers, so they suffer more than big companies. This means innovation are slower and jobs can be lost. In technology, for example, if rules say exactly how to design a product, then startups will be afraid to try new ideas. It is better to make goals, not tell companies every step.

In conclusion, I think some regulation is necessary for safety and environment, but it should be simple and stable. Government must check results and remove which rules are not working. If they do this, both business and people can benefit.

Band Score Analysis

Learning from Mistakes

How to improve from Band 6 to 7:

• Extend examples with specifics (e.g., name a sector and a realistic regulation).
• Vary grammar: add relative clauses and conditionals.
• Replace vague adjectives (“bad,” “simple”) with precise ones (“counterproductive,” “proportionate”).
• Use cohesive devices purposefully (not overusing “also,” “so”).

For those writing about digital sectors, a concrete risk area is cybersecurity; to add depth to your examples, see why the importance of cybersecurity for businesses matters in regulatory debates.

IELTS Writing Task 2 planning notes on government and business

5. Essential Vocabulary for The role of government in regulating business

6. High-Scoring Sentence Structures for The role of government in regulating business

1. Complex subordination (Because/Although/When + clause, main clause)

• Example: Although heavy-handed rules can raise costs, outcome-based regulation preserves innovation.
• Why it scores: Shows concession and precise logic.
• More examples:
  • Because markets can fail, governments establish safety standards.
  • When compliance is proportionate, firms adapt with less resistance.
• Common mistake: Using “despite” followed by a clause (should be “despite + noun/gerund”).

2. Non-defining relative clauses (, which …)

• Example: Regulators should publish impact assessments, which improve transparency and accountability.
• Why it scores: Adds supplementary detail smoothly.
• More examples:
  • Antitrust action, which targets unfair dominance, protects consumers.
  • Emissions caps, which are reviewed annually, remain up to date.
• Common mistake: Missing commas around the non-essential clause.

3. Participle phrases (V-ing / V-ed at the start or mid-sentence)

• Example: Penalizing free riders, smart regulation creates a level playing field.
• Why it scores: Compresses information; increases fluency.
• More examples:
  • Designed well, rules stimulate rather than stifle innovation.
  • Acting on evidence, governments can avoid unnecessary red tape.
• Common mistake: Dangling participles that do not modify the subject.

4. Cleft sentences (It is/was X that…)

• Example: It is adaptive governance that best reconciles growth with protection.
• Why it scores: Emphasizes key ideas.
• More examples:
  • It is targeted enforcement that deters corporate abuse.
  • It was poor disclosure that caused consumer distrust.
• Common mistake: Overuse leading to unnatural emphasis.

5. Advanced conditionals (If/Unless/Provided that…)

• Example: If rules include sunset clauses, ineffective regulations will quietly expire.
• Why it scores: Expresses nuanced policy scenarios.
• More examples:
  • Unless guidance is clear, small firms will face disproportionate burdens.
  • Provided that standards are evidence-based, industries tend to comply.
• Common mistake: Mixing conditional forms incorrectly (e.g., If + past simple, will).

6. Inversion for emphasis (Rarely/Seldom/Not only + auxiliary + subject)

• Example: Not only do strong standards protect consumers, they also build long-term trust.
• Why it scores: Adds stylistic sophistication used appropriately.
• More examples:
  • Seldom is innovation fostered by vague, shifting rules.
  • Only by consulting stakeholders can regulators anticipate side effects.
• Common mistake: Forgetting subject–auxiliary inversion after the negative adverb.

7. Self-Assessment Checklist

Before writing:

• Identify question type (agree/disagree, discuss both views, advantages/disadvantages).
• Brainstorm 2-3 concrete examples (food safety, emissions, antitrust).
• Decide your position and how you will justify it.

While writing:

• State both views clearly if required; keep topic sentences focused.
• Support each main idea with a specific example or mechanism.
• Use a range of cohesive devices logically, not mechanically.

After writing:

• Check that your opinion is consistent from introduction to conclusion.
• Replace vague words with precise policy terms.
• Correct subject–verb agreement and article usage.

Time management tips:

• 3-5 minutes plan; 30 minutes write; 5-7 minutes revise.
• Aim for 270–320 words to allow development without rushing.
• Write topic sentences first to keep paragraphs on track.

Conclusion

Mastering The role of government in regulating business is about balance: demonstrate that you can evaluate both public protection and economic dynamism, then present a clear, defensible opinion. Build your argument with sector-specific examples and high-precision vocabulary, and elevate your score with flexible complex structures. If you practice consistently, many learners can move up about half a band in 4–6 weeks through targeted feedback and revision. For broader context on macro-level policy, compare your arguments with how stability and growth trade-offs appear in central banks’ role in regulating economy; and for digital-era concerns, deepen your examples using government policies for regulating data privacy. Keep writing, refine your structures, and share your essay attempts so we can analyze them and set your next steps.