Are Celebrities Paid Too Much?
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 2 question with a model answer of 289 words, plus a breakdown of the sentence structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary that answer uses. Write your own version first, then compare.
Written by Manish Sharma · CELTA and DELTA qualified · 8 years teaching IELTS
Score my answer to this questionThe question
You have 40 minutes. Write at least 250 words.
Some people believe that celebrities — such as film stars, professional athletes, and pop singers — are paid far too much, especially when compared with workers in essential jobs. What are the reasons for these high salaries? What consequences does this have for society? Write at least 250 words.
How to approach it
- 01Answer both parts of the question — reasons AND consequences — in separate paragraphs
- 02Use concrete examples: footballers, streaming, endorsement deals, nurses, teachers
- 03Show balance in the consequences paragraph rather than ranting against celebrities
- 04Use comparative structures: 'a tiny fraction of', 'far beyond', 'multiplying'
- 05Keep each paragraph focused on one main idea
- 06Avoid overly emotional language — keep the tone analytical
Model answer
289 words in 4 paragraphs. Read it after you have written your own, not before: the point of a model answer is to show you what you missed, and you cannot miss anything you have not attempted.
The earnings of leading film stars, footballers, and pop singers regularly run into tens of millions a year, while the nurses and teachers who keep society functioning earn a tiny fraction of that. This contrast feels unfair to many people, and although the underlying economics are explainable, the social consequences are worth taking seriously.
There are several straightforward reasons for these enormous salaries. First, the entertainment and sports industries operate on a winner-takes-all model. A single global film star can guarantee a billion-dollar box office, and a star striker can almost single-handedly determine whether a football club reaches the Champions League. Because revenues at the top are so concentrated, the few individuals capable of generating them command extraordinary fees. Second, modern technology allows performers to reach audiences of hundreds of millions through streaming, social media, and global broadcasting, multiplying their economic value far beyond what previous generations could earn. Finally, celebrity brands attract lucrative sponsorship and endorsement deals that have nothing to do with the original sport or art form.
The consequences of this pattern are mixed but largely concerning. On one hand, celebrity success can inspire young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and generate significant tax revenue and charitable giving. On the other hand, when the gap between celebrity pay and essential workers' salaries becomes too wide, it distorts the values of younger generations, who may pursue fame rather than meaningful work. It also erodes public trust in the fairness of the economic system, fuels celebrity-obsessed media culture, and reinforces the sense that visible glamour is more rewarded than quiet competence.
In conclusion, high celebrity earnings are the predictable result of global media economics, but society pays a real price in distorted aspirations and weakened respect for everyday work.
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 69 answers of the same type in this library. These are counts, not band scores: they describe what the writing does, which is the part you can copy.
2 fewer than the median answer for this task type
9 words at the shortest, 33 at the longest
the same as the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 22.2 words and vary by 8.1 words either side of that, running from 9 words to 33. Variation is the point. Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards a mix of simple and complex sentences, and an answer where every sentence is the same length reads as flat no matter how correct it is. 7 of the 13 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
6 in total, spread across 4 different functions. Range matters more than count: an answer that opens every paragraph with a sequencer signals its structure but never signals a relationship between ideas, and Coherence and Cohesion is marked on both.
on the other hand, although, while
because
finally
in conclusion
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 89 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 79 per cent appear exactly once. Lexical Resource is where repetition costs the most marks, and the usual cause is not a small vocabulary but reaching for the same noun every time the topic is named.
The longest run of words copied straight from the question is 3 words. Examiners discount wording lifted from the question, so a short run here is the right outcome: the answer restates the topic in its own words rather than borrowing the question's.
What you are marked on
All four criteria carry equal weight, and your Writing band is their average rounded to the nearest half band.
Task Response
Address both reasons and consequences fully
Coherence & Cohesion
Clear paragraph structure with logical progression
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary on economics, society, and the media
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Complex structures with consistent accuracy
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