Writing Task 2: Problem & Solution Essay: Question 9
Syllabus W.task2
A growing number of university graduates are unable to find jobs that make direct use of the subject they studied, and instead take on unrelated roles that do not require a degree at all.
What problems does this mismatch cause, and what measures could be taken to address it?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.
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Worked solution
Examiner notes: why this is a band 9 response
Task Response
The essay develops two clearly distinct problems (individual financial burden and wasted public investment) and matches them with two specific measures (compulsory placements and published employment outcomes), so the response answers both halves of the prompt fully rather than drifting into a general complaint about degree value. Priya’s case is followed through into the solution paragraph, showing the proposed measure addressing the exact problem raised earlier rather than sitting alongside it unconnected.
Coherence & Cohesion
Clear topic sentences (“The most direct problem is…”, “Addressing this mismatch requires closer cooperation between universities and employers”) organise the argument, and cohesion is achieved through lexical reference (“this mismatch”, “cases like Priya’s”) rather than a mechanical sequence of linking adverbs, so each paragraph reads as a natural continuation of the last.
Lexical Resource
The response uses precise, subject-appropriate vocabulary (“tuition loans”, “taxpayer-funded courses”, “transparent employment data”) with natural collocation (“delaying milestones”, “narrow this gap”), and avoids repeating “job” or “degree” mechanically by varying the phrasing throughout.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
A wide range of accurate structures is used, including a complex sentence with two coordinated subordinate clauses (“not only earns far less… but also struggles to repay…”), a non-defining relative clause (“Priya, a graduate of Aldermoor University’s marine biology programme, spent…”), and correct possessive apostrophes throughout (“graduates’ earning potential”). No errors of tense, agreement or word form appear anywhere in the essay.
Common pitfalls specific to this task
See commonMistakes above: the most damaging is dismissing certain subjects as inherently “useless”, since that claim is both unsupported and beside the point, a band 9 response explains the structural mismatch between qualifications and available roles, and proposes measures that address that structure rather than individual subject choice.