In the minds of ESL exam candidates, e ssay writing is one of the most daunting tasks they are required to complete, regardless of the level of the exam, the administering body or the ease with which they themselves use the language. The same applies to students who are asked to write an essay by their teachers at school. In the previous sample essays posted on the blog, the main point I stress is the need to become acquainted with this form of writing (as opposed to writing a letter, review or report, for instance), to get a feel of what authorial voice is and how to organize and progressively express the arguments you wish to make in a coherent manner. Unfortunately, the best way to prepare for exam writing or learn how to write good essays for school is to read as many essays from as many sources as possible, then write as
Writing at C2 level (Proficient User) on English language examinations is the same no matter the awarding body when it comes to writing essays. If you are a candidate giving an exam in English (IELTS, CPE, ECPE, CELP, LRN, ESB, TOEFL), make sure you read my earlier post What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog? to get the most out of the sample essays provided on Argute Legacy.
The topic of this essay is to say to what extent you agree or disagree with the idea that money should be diverted from treatment of diseases to health education and preventative measures.
If you are not taking an exam but need to discuss this topic, then read on and note down what you deem useful. If you intend to use this essay as part of an assignment, remember to paraphrase so as not to plagiarize.
The topic is similar to what candidates expect in any other C2-level examination in that examiners want to see a well-organized, coherent and cohesive discussion of the issue with arguments and examples written in approximately half an hour. Whether or not you agree with the viewpoint expressed, remember that what yields a higher score is the way a subject is argued, so if you see that you come up with more ideas for the side of the argument you disagree with during the brainstorming phase, it doesn't matter -- simply go ahead and plead that side of the argument.
For those who'd like to read more sample essays and useful essay-writing posts, click on the image below.
"Prevention is better than cure." Out of a country's health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventative measures. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
The health sector of a nation is one of the most important, if not the most important, area governments need to place their concerted attention on. It is the sector that concerns most people as it is certain that at some point in every person’s life, they will need to turn to it for help. It is therefore natural that the amount of funds allocated to this sector must be carefully decided upon, and it is precisely this decision that raises questions as to whether to spend money on educating people and preventing disease on the one hand or on treating illnesses on the other.
Curing
disease is one side of the coin which over the years has been improving. Money
has been and is still being spent on renovating hospitals, providing specific
medication, equipment and care to treat patients who are ill. It is therefore
tenable to say that governments have covered their share of the bills in terms
of care, in some countries more while in others less. The point is that
hospitals are still full and that, despite the services provided, patients
still suffer and die. In addition to this, the medical community is still baffled and scrambling to find solutions to new viruses that emerge and lead to pandemics, Covid-19 being a case in point.
It is
in my view more logical to divert funds to medical research or educational
programs which may help reduce disease around the world rather than spend it on
maintaining a continued state of illness countered by medication which may or
may not help. In the long run, teaching people how to protect themselves from
diseases like AIDS for example, providing basic hygiene training, and giving scientists the necessary resources
to find cures for cancer or drug addiction will benefit a greater number of
people and decrease the cost of treating patients in all countries.
Looking for useful vocabulary for the Speaking and Writing sections of ESL exams? Click on the image below.
Don't know where to start with essays? Read the first post in my essay-writing series by following the link (click on the image below).
