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BEST IELTS Writing Task 2, 16th July
WRITING TASK 2 (AC + GT)
WRITING TASK 2 (AC + GT)
Some people spend a lot of money celebrating personal family events, such as weddings and birthdays.
How important is it to celebrate such events?
Do you think people spend too much money on these events?
SAMPLE ANSWER
It is common for individuals to invest heavily in celebrating important family events. In my opinion, such celebrations are vital to healthy family life and the associated costs are reasonable in most cases.
Events that bring together the whole family encourage stronger internal cohesion. This is best illustrated through the counter-example of families that rarely meet for large social gatherings. These families are likely to grow distant and remain family members in name rather than actuality. Family members that often meet, such as in many Asian nations where familial bonds are prioritised, are closer to both their immediate and extended family. The result of such closeness is they can ask for advice, lend a helping hand, and feel the unconditional support and love that is essential for mental health.
Generally, for these events families spend only as much as they can reasonably afford. There are rare exceptions, such as when a newly married couple spends excessively on the wedding. However, most families abide by an internal calculus that keeps their spending under control. A wealthy family may stage lavish reunions, family dinners, and weddings, but they are able to afford them and only appear excessive from the perspective of less privileged spectators.
A less affluent family, on the other hand, will tend to hold more modest events and, in the case of weddings, may be able to recoup a substantial proportion of the costs from gifts. For example, the giving of an envelope containing money at a wedding is common in Vietnam and helps couples begin their marriage on solid financial footing.
In conclusion, family gatherings play a key part in strengthening bonds and their cost is justifiable and moderate. Families should therefore strive to maintain their traditions in an increasingly insular society.
