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Opinion (Agree / Disagree) Science Task 2

Some people say that more money should be invested in science than in other subjects.

A full IELTS Writing Task 2 answer to this question, with a paragraph plan, ideas you can use, and the vocabulary that fits this topic.

The question

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Some people say that more money should be invested in science than in other subjects.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

How to read this question

You are given one statement and asked how far you agree. The examiner is checking that you take a clear position in the introduction and hold it consistently to the conclusion — a partial agreement is fine, an unclear one is not.

Paragraph plan

Introduction — Paraphrase the prompt and state a clear agree position in two sentences.

Body 1 — First reason — economic and technological growth. Use a specific, accurate example.

Body 2 — Second reason — medical and public health breakthroughs.

Conclusion — Restate the agree position and briefly summarise both reasons without introducing new ideas.

Model essay

Band 8.5–9.0 model essay

324 words

It is often argued that science should receive considerably greater government and institutional funding compared to other academic disciplines. I partly agree, since science drives measurable technological progress that benefits society as a whole, although channelling funds away from other subjects entirely would ultimately prove short-sighted.

To begin, investment in science generates tangible advances that directly raise living standards across the globe. To illustrate, funding for pharmaceutical and medical research has led to the discovery of vaccines and treatments that have saved millions of lives worldwide, while research into renewable energy technologies is helping countries reduce dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate climate change. Because scientific breakthroughs of this kind require expensive laboratories, specialised equipment and years of long-term experimentation before yielding results, they cannot progress without substantial and sustained financial backing, which strongly justifies prioritising science within national funding decisions. Indeed, many governments already treat scientific research spending as a direct measure of a nation's future economic competitiveness on the world stage.

However, channelling money exclusively into science would come at the expense of subjects that are equally vital to a well-functioning society. For example, without adequate funding for the arts, humanities and social sciences, societies risk losing the critical thinking, historical understanding and creative expression that these fields uniquely cultivate in students. Additionally, some pressing social problems, such as inequality, mental health or civic disengagement, are better addressed through psychology, sociology and education research than through scientific research alone. Consequently, a balanced funding model, in which science receives a larger yet not exclusive share of available resources, would serve society far more effectively than an approach concentrated solely on science, ensuring that no discipline is left chronically under-resourced or undervalued.

In conclusion, while science warrants a considerable increase in investment owing to its unmatched capacity to solve pressing practical problems, other academic fields should not be neglected, since they contribute forms of value and understanding that scientific research alone simply cannot replace.

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Ideas & vocabulary for this topic

Ideas you can use

  • Introduction: Paraphrase the claim that science should receive more funding than other subjects and state a partly-agree position: science deserves more, but not all, of the funding.
  • Body 1: Argue that extra science funding is justified because breakthroughs such as vaccines and renewable energy require expensive labs and long-term experimentation that cannot happen without sustained financial backing.
  • Body 2: Explain the limiting condition: funding science exclusively would starve the arts, humanities and social sciences of resources needed to tackle problems, like inequality and mental health, that science alone cannot solve.
  • Conclusion: Restate the balanced verdict that science warrants a larger, but not exclusive, share of funding, since other disciplines offer forms of value science cannot replace.
Word or phraseMeaningUsed in a sentence
tangiblereal and able to be clearly perceived, not abstractinvestment in science generates tangible advances that directly raise living standards
mitigateto make something less severe or seriousresearch into renewable energy technologies is helping countries reduce dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate climate change
sustainedcontinued over a long period without interruptionthey cannot progress without substantial and sustained financial backing
short-sightedlacking careful consideration of future consequenceschannelling funds away from other subjects entirely would ultimately prove short-sighted
civic disengagementa lack of involvement or interest in public and community lifesome pressing social problems, such as inequality, mental health or civic disengagement
chronically under-resourcedpersistently lacking the resources needed to function properlya balanced funding model...would serve society far more effectively... ensuring that no discipline is left chronically under-resourced
breakthroughsimportant discoveries or sudden advances in knowledgescientific breakthroughs of this kind require expensive laboratories, specialised equipment and years of long-term experimentation
warrantsjustifies or deservesscience warrants a considerable increase in investment owing to its unmatched capacity to solve pressing practical problems

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