Work & CareersTwo-part
IELTS Essay: Fewer Young People in Manual Jobs (Band 9 vs 6.5)
In short
Below is a full Band 9 model answer to this IELTS Writing Task 2 question, the same question written at Band 6.5, and a criterion-by-criterion breakdown of exactly what separates them — so you can see what to change in your own writing. Then check your essay with the free tool.
The question
In many countries, fewer and fewer young people are choosing to work in manual trades such as construction, plumbing and farming. Why is this happening, and what effects could it have on society?
How to approach a Two-part question
A two-part question contains two direct questions; you must answer both, and roughly equally. Plan one body paragraph per question so neither is neglected — writing 200 words on the first part and 50 on the second is a common way to lose Task Response marks even when the English is strong.
The plan
- 01Intro: introduce the decline of manual trades and signpost causes then effects.
- 02Body 1: causes — cultural bias toward university, plus hard and hazardous work versus comfortable office jobs.
- 03Body 2: effects — rising costs, skills shortages in key sectors, dependence on imported or ageing labour.
- 04Conclusion: summarise the main cause and the risks, and call for valuing skilled trades.
Band 9 model answer
Across numerous nations, skilled manual trades — from bricklaying to farming — are increasingly struggling to attract young recruits, and the trend shows little sign of reversing. This essay will explore the reasons behind this reluctance and consider the potentially damaging consequences it holds for society.
The principal cause lies in shifting cultural attitudes toward status and success. For decades, education systems and parents alike have championed university degrees as the sole route to a respectable career, subtly stigmatising hands-on work as menial or a mark of academic failure. Compounding this perception is the physically demanding, sometimes hazardous nature of such jobs, which compares unfavourably with the comfort and flexibility of office employment. The explosive growth of technology sectors has only sharpened the appeal of desk-based roles among the young.
The repercussions of this trend could be severe. A dwindling supply of tradespeople inevitably drives up labour costs, making everything from home repairs to new housing prohibitively expensive for ordinary families. More worryingly, essential industries such as agriculture and construction may face crippling skills shortages, jeopardising food production and infrastructure maintenance. Young apprentices are simply not being trained quickly enough to replace those retiring. Societies could also grow dangerously dependent on imported labour or on ageing workers whose retirement threatens to leave a vacuum no one is trained to fill.
In conclusion, the decline of manual trades stems largely from ingrained prejudices favouring academic pathways, and if left unaddressed, it risks inflating costs and hollowing out industries upon which everyday life depends. Reversing it will require society to value skilled hands as highly as academic credentials.
The same question at Band 6.5
In many country nowadays, the young people don't want to do manual job like construction, plumber or farming. There are some reason for this, and it can make some effect on the society. I will talk about both.
There are many reason why young people don't choose these job. The main reason is that many parents and school always tell the children that university is the best way for good life. So the young think that manual work is not good job and only for people who fail in study. Also these jobs are very hard and tired for the body, and the office job is more easy and comfortable. Because of this, most young people prefer to work in office or with computer.
This situation can make some problem for the society. First, if there is not enough worker for these job, the price will go up, for example to fix the house or build new building become very expensive. Second, some important sector like farming and construction can have big problem because they don't have enough skill people. In the future, maybe the country must to bring worker from other country, or depend on the old worker who will retire soon.
In conclusion, the main reason young people don't want manual job is because of the thinking that university is better. And this can cause high price and shortage of worker in important sector, which is not good for the society. The government and the school should change this thinking and show that manual job is also important.
What separates them, criterion by criterion
| Criterion | Band 9 | Band 6.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Task Response | Answers both parts fully — clear causes then developed effects ('drives up labour costs', 'crippling skills shortages'). | Addresses both parts but effects like 'the price will go up' stay general and unexplained. |
| Coherence & Cohesion | Ideas progress smoothly with phrases like 'Compounding this perception' and 'More worryingly'. | Leans on 'First', 'Second' and 'Because of this' to list points mechanically. |
| Lexical Resource | Topic-precise vocabulary: 'skilled manual trades', 'stigmatising hands-on work', 'prohibitively expensive'. | Repetitive general words: 'manual job', 'hard and tired', 'skill people'. |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy | Varied, accurate complex forms ('workers whose retirement threatens to leave a vacuum no one is trained to fill'). | Frequent slips — 'many country', 'these job', 'must to bring worker' — that remain understandable. |
Examiner's note
The Band 9 addresses both parts of the prompt in depth, linking causes to concrete, well-explained effects with topic-specific vocabulary and a wide range of accurate structures. The Band 6.5 answers both questions clearly but develops each point only generally, signposts with 'First' and 'Second', and repeats simple phrasing while making steady grammatical slips such as 'many country' and 'must to bring worker'.
Vocabulary from the Band 9 answer
| Word / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| skilled manual trades | jobs needing trained, practical, hands-on ability |
| shifting cultural attitudes | changing social views and values |
| the sole route | the only path to something |
| stigmatising hands-on work | treating practical labour as shameful or inferior |
| menial | unskilled and considered low in status |
| dwindling supply | a steadily shrinking number of something |
| prohibitively expensive | so costly that most people cannot afford it |
| crippling skills shortages | a severe lack of qualified workers that damages an industry |
Frequently asked questions
How do I make sure I answer both parts of a two-part question?
Give each part its own body paragraph — here, one for the causes and one for the effects. Answering only one half, or treating them unevenly, limits your Task Response score even if the writing is otherwise strong.
Do I need a personal opinion in a two-part question?
Usually no — these prompts ask you to explain and analyse rather than argue, so a clear, well-developed answer to both questions is enough. Only add an opinion if the prompt explicitly asks for one.
How many ideas should each paragraph contain?
One or two well-developed ideas per paragraph beats a long list of undeveloped ones. Explain each cause or effect with reasons and an example, as the Band 9 essay does, instead of naming five points in a single sentence.