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Created: Thursday, 14 December 2017 14:26
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Essay Sample 4: 

Some people prefer to work for themselves or own a business. Others prefer to work for an employer. Would you rather be self-employed, work for someone else, or own a business?

 

Before You Read: Focus on Essay Structure

As you read the essay, think about how it is written, not just what it says. Use the following questions to guide your reading:

🔹 Introduction Paragraph

 

  • Does the introduction start with a general statement about working life?
  • What issue is introduced as the topic of the essay?
  • Does the writer clearly state their opinion?
  • Can you find a sentence that outlines what the essay will be about?

🔹 Body Paragraph 1 (Working for an employer)

 

  • What is the main idea of the first body paragraph?
  • What advantages of working for someone else are mentioned?
  • What disadvantages are given?

 

🔹 Body Paragraph 2 (Being self-employed)

  • What is the main idea of the second body paragraph?
  • What benefits of being self-employed are described?
  • How does the writer support their opinion with examples or explanations?
  • How is this paragraph connected to the previous one?

🔹 Conclusion Paragraph

  • How does the writer summarize the discussion?
  • Is their opinion clearly repeated or restated?
  • Does the conclusion give a final message about the topic?

 

Vocabulary & Structure Support

To help you study the paragraph more effectively:

Essay expressions, academic phrases, and linking words are shown in green.

Word combinations (collocations) are marked in red.

New vocabulary that you can learn is highlighted in orange.

 

Essay Sample 4:

Some people prefer to work for themselves or own a business. Others prefer to work for an employer. Would you rather be self-employed, work for someone else, or own a business?

 

Essay type: For and against 

      Working life brings some new concerns and questions. Either working for others or being self-employed has always been a quite complex and controversial issue since both options are a double-edged sword. Nowadays, a large number of people prefer to be self-employed rather than work for a company or someone else. I prefer being self-employed and working for myself too. 

     Initially, working for an employer is a valuable way of learning to run a business. Even though your aim is to set up your own business, before that it is a must to learn it from an experienced businessman. It will lead you to gain more skills. You can generate a sustainable and steady income by getting a monthly salary and this makes you feel more comfortable. You may easily organise your budget and spendings accordingly. Moreover, it will also provide additional benefits such as medical allowance, annual leaves and company car. However, you are supposed to wake up early every morning and be present in the office by the working hours. Furthermore, you have to face the stress generated by the managers and employers you work for. 

     On the other hand, today being self-employed is seen as a quite reasonable option for our generation. While our parents prefer to feel comfortable by working for someone else, the young generation wants to be free and use all technological advancements to start and run their own business. Not only being independent is considered as a key factor for being self-employed but also earning potential is also a noteworthy factor in setting up a business. Being self-employed comes with independence which leads to flexible working hours, fewer responsibilities and a comfortable working environment. By using new technologies including smartphones, laptops, applications, it is a much easier way of earning money and the startup of a new business. A considerable number of people earn millions of dollars through online applications or video games, you need just a computer and a remarkable and creative idea. In terms of workplace flexibility, it is much more preferable than working for an employer who obliges you to work in an Office for fixed hours. 

     To sum up, choosing one of these options is fairly complex. The youngsters desire more freedom and the environment which allow them to be more creative and flexible. I believe that new technologies make it much easier to be an entrepreneur and set up our own jobs. 

       

Approximately 400 words / Written by Şule (IELTS)

 

When you say something is a double-edged sword, you mean "it has positive sides but also negative consequences." and " it can help, but also hurt."

 

Post-Activity Essay Question

Now You Try: Write a similar essay for this essay question:

Many young people today want to start their own business instead of working for a company. What are the advantages and disadvantages of starting a business at a young age?