Should Primary Schools Teach Money Management?
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 2 question with a model answer of 292 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 say that children should be taught how to manage money at primary school. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Write at least 250 words.
How to approach it
- 01State your position clearly in the introduction and stick to it
- 02Give two or three distinct reasons in separate body paragraphs
- 03Acknowledge the opposing view briefly and refute it — this shows balance
- 04Use real-world examples, such as countries that already teach financial literacy
- 05Use linking phrases: 'In light of this', 'The principal argument', 'Secondly'
- 06Aim for 280-310 words for the strongest impression
Model answer
292 words in 5 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.
Personal finance is a skill that few adults feel confident about, yet most of us were never formally taught how to handle money. In light of this, there is growing pressure to introduce basic financial literacy into the primary school curriculum. I strongly agree with this idea, provided the content is delivered in age-appropriate ways.
The principal argument in favour of teaching money management early is that children are already economic actors. From around the age of six or seven, most children handle pocket money, encounter advertising, and observe adults shopping and using bank cards. Introducing simple concepts such as saving, the difference between needs and wants, and the idea of earning would help them make sense of these everyday experiences. Studies in countries like the United Kingdom and Australia have found that financial habits are largely fixed by the age of seven, which suggests primary school is precisely the right time to intervene.
Secondly, early financial education can help address inequality. Children from wealthier families often pick up money skills through conversation at home, while those from less privileged backgrounds may not. A school-based programme ensures that every child receives the same foundational knowledge, giving them a fairer start in adult life and reducing the risk of debt later on.
The main counter-argument is that primary school children are too young to grasp abstract financial concepts. However, this concern overlooks the fact that schools already teach complex ideas such as fractions and citizenship to this age group. Lessons on money can be made concrete through games, role play, and class shops.
In conclusion, equipping children with money management skills from primary school onwards would benefit them as individuals and society as a whole, and I therefore strongly support such a measure.
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.
1 more than the median answer for this task type
8 words at the shortest, 33 at the longest
2 more than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 20.9 words and vary by 6.7 words either side of that, running from 8 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 14 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
8 in total, spread across 5 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.
however, while, yet
therefore
such as
secondly
in conclusion
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 82 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 72 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
Present a clear position with developed reasons and address the question fully.
Coherence & Cohesion
Structure the essay with introduction, two or three body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Lexical Resource
Use accurate topic vocabulary related to education, economics, and child development.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Demonstrate complex structures including conditional and concessive clauses.
You have read one model answer. Now get one marked.
Paste your own attempt at this question and get a band for each criterion, with the exact sentences costing you marks.
Score my answer