Write at least 250 words · 40 minutes
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Ideas to get you started
- Only those with family support can afford to work for free
- Internships provide experience that classrooms cannot
- A minimum allowance could keep the benefits while reducing unfairness
A plan for this question
- Introduction: paraphrase the question and give your position: you largely agree; internships are valuable, but interns should be paid at least a basic allowance.
- Body 1: why unpaid internships are unfair: only young people with family money can afford them, so some professions favour the wealthy; companies get free work.
- Body 2: the benefits (experience, skills, contacts) and the charity argument, then show the benefits do not depend on being unpaid; allow exceptions for short placements.
- Conclusion: restate your position and the solution.
Model essay
284 words
Many young people now start their working lives with internships for which they receive no pay. Some argue that this is unfair and should not be allowed. I largely agree: although internships are valuable, interns should be paid at least a basic allowance.
The main problem with unpaid internships is that only some young people can afford them. A graduate whose parents can pay their rent and travel costs for several months can accept an unpaid position in a big city, while an equally talented graduate from a poorer family cannot. Since many employers, particularly in fields such as media, law and fashion, now expect applicants to have this experience, unpaid internships quietly favour the wealthy and make these professions less diverse. It is also questionable for companies to receive months of useful work for nothing.
Admittedly, internships offer benefits that are hard to gain elsewhere. Interns learn how a workplace operates, develop practical skills and make contacts who may help them find a job later. Some small organisations, such as charities, argue that they could not offer these places if they had to pay. However, these benefits do not depend on the internship being unpaid. If employers had to pay a minimum allowance to cover basic living costs, the experience would be just as valuable, but it would be open to everyone. Short placements of a week or two, and internships that form part of a university course, could be treated as exceptions.
In conclusion, I agree that unpaid internships are unfair, because they reward family wealth rather than talent. Rather than banning internships altogether, governments should require employers to pay interns a basic allowance, so that the benefits are available to all.
Written by Acedmi to show what a high-band essay looks like. It is not an official IELTS sample, and your own ideas can be different.
Useful vocabulary
- internship / intern
- A short period of work to gain experience / the person doing it.
- “She did a three-month internship at a newspaper.”
- afford
- Have enough money for something.
- “Not every graduate can afford to work for free.”
- favour
- Give an advantage to one group.
- “Unpaid internships favour the wealthy.”
- diverse
- Including people from many different backgrounds.
- “Paid internships make professions more diverse.”
- allowance
- A regular amount of money to cover basic costs.
- “Interns should receive a basic allowance.”
- workplace experience
- Knowledge of how real jobs and offices work.
- “Internships give workplace experience that classes cannot.”
- make contacts
- Meet people who may help you in the future.
- “Interns make contacts in their industry.”
- exception
- A case where a rule does not apply.
- “Short placements could be an exception.”
Common mistakes
- An unclear position such as "internships have advantages and disadvantages". Say how far you agree, as the model does: "I largely agree".
- Confusing an internship with a part-time job or an apprenticeship. Keep to unpaid work done mainly for experience.
- Telling a long personal story instead of giving reasons. One short example is enough.
What the examiner marks
Four criteria, equally weighted: Task Response (answer every part of the question with a clear position), Coherence and Cohesion (logical paragraphs and linking), Lexical Resource (range and accuracy of vocabulary) and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. An essay under 250 words loses marks for Task Response.