The homework statement is absolute: "stop giving homework", meaning completely. That works in your favour: after presenting both sides, a compromise of "not abolish, but change" is easy to argue and sounds strong.
The task
Statement: Schools should stop giving homework.
| For | Against |
|---|---|
| Children need time to rest and play | Practice helps students remember |
| Homework causes stress at home | It teaches discipline and independence |
| Not every child has help or a quiet room | Parents can see what children study |
You need to present both sides and argue your own position: one minute to prepare, two minutes to speak. This is a practice task in the exam's format.
Model answer (about 2 minutes)
Schools should stop giving homework.
Homework is something almost every student has complained about at some point, but whether schools should stop giving it completely is a more complicated question.
Supporters of the idea make some strong points. Children, especially in primary school, already spend six or seven hours a day in lessons, and many also go to tutors in the evening. Without free time to rest and play, they get exhausted, and homework often turns into a source of stress and arguments at home. It's also unfair, because not every child has a quiet room or parents who can help.
However, there are good reasons to keep it. Most of what we learn in class is forgotten within days unless we practise it, and homework is the simplest way to do that. It also teaches discipline: planning your time and working without a teacher next to you are skills that matter at university and at work. On top of that, homework shows parents what their children are actually studying.
In my view, the answer isn't to abolish homework but to change it. Younger children could have very little, while older students get shorter, more meaningful tasks, like reading or a small project, instead of pages of repetitive exercises. That way students would keep the benefits without burning out.
Useful words and phrases
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| complain about | complain about |
| exhausted | exhausted |
| a source of stress | a source of stress |
| abolish | abolish |
| meaningful tasks | meaningful tasks |
| repetitive exercises | repetitive exercises |
| on top of that | on top of that |
| burn out | burn out |
How to answer
- Seize on the absolute word in the statement ("stop", "completely"): that is where your compromise comes from.
- Split by age: "younger children... while older students...".
- Signal the switch to the other side clearly: "However, there are good reasons to keep it".
- End with a concrete proposal: what kind of task, for whom, instead of what.
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The answer shape and C1 phrases: the part 3 guide. The overall format: Multilevel Speaking.
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