IELTS with Mujahid · Academic Writing
Sending your writing to your instructor for review...
Compare your response against a high-band sample — don't aim to copy it, use it to see how ideas are organised and supported.
The line graphs show how the percentage of households owning three electrical appliances and the weekly hours spent on housework changed in one country between 1920 and 2019.
Overall, ownership of all three appliances rose over the period, with refrigerators and vacuum cleaners becoming almost universal, while the time spent on housework fell dramatically.
In 1920, washing machines were the most common appliance, found in about 40% of households, compared with 30% for vacuum cleaners and almost none for refrigerators. However, refrigerator ownership then increased rapidly, passing washing machines by 1960 and reaching 100% in 1980. Vacuum cleaners followed a similar upward path, climbing to 90% in 1980 and 100% by 2000. By contrast, washing machine ownership grew more slowly, levelling off at around 65–70% between 1960 and 2000 before edging up to about 75% in 2019.
Meanwhile, the weekly time spent on housework per household decreased steadily, from approximately 48 hours in 1920 to 20 hours in 1960. The decline then slowed, with the figure holding at around 15 hours in 1980 and 2000 and ending at roughly 12 hours in 2019.
People disagree about who should be responsible for teaching children to behave as good members of society. Some believe this is the duty of parents, while others argue that schools are better placed to do it. Although both play a part, I believe that parents have the primary responsibility.
Those who favour parents point out that children learn values at home long before they start school. Parents are the first role models, and children naturally copy how adults treat other people, whether through politeness, honesty or respect for rules. Moreover, parents know their children individually and can correct bad behaviour immediately and consistently. A child who sees her parents volunteering in the community, for example, is far more likely to develop a sense of civic duty. This early moral foundation is difficult for any teacher to build later.
On the other hand, schools also have an important role. Teachers spend several hours a day with children, who must learn to cooperate with classmates, follow rules and respect authority outside the family. Lessons in citizenship, group projects and school clubs give children structured opportunities to practise teamwork and empathy. In addition, schools can compensate for children whose parents are absent or too busy to guide them, ensuring that every child receives some moral education. Furthermore, mixing with peers from different backgrounds teaches tolerance in a way that a single household rarely can.
In my opinion, however, the home remains the foundation. Schools can reinforce good values, but they cannot replace the influence of parents, and teachers struggle to succeed if children receive contradictory messages at home. In conclusion, society benefits most when parents and schools cooperate, with parents setting the example and schools supporting it.