IELTS Writing Sample 1

Topic:

Some people think men and women have different natural abilities that make them suitable for different types of work. Others, however, believe that both men and women can be equally suited to do any type of work.

Write at least 250 words


Sample Answer:

It is understandable that some people believe that the physical and genetic differences between men and women equip them for different activities and skills. Because women have babies, they have traditionally worked in the home in most cultures. In addition, employed women have tended to dominate the so-called "caring professions" such as teaching, nursing or social work, and this has reinforced the idea that women are particularly suited to such jobs.

However, it is very difficult to separate this notion from our cultural traditions and to arrive at any clear idea of what natural abilities belong to one or the other gender. As more and more women in different countries get jobs outside the home, it is clear that they are able to perform jobs that were traditionally only held by men. With high level of education, even the highest positions in science, politics or law, for example, can be held successfully by women. Therefore, those who claim that the sexes can do the same jobs equally seem to have a good point, especially in terms of intellectual work.


There is also increasing scientific evidence that individual differences between people may be more important than gender differences. In other words, some women may be physically stronger than some men, while some male individuals may be more sensitive, or more caring than some women.

In my opinion, only science will be able to identify what is "natural" to each gender. But in the meantime, I thing that in the modern world individual men and women can be trained to develop similar abilities. Differences in aptitude and talents are greater at the individual level than at the gender level.