Should Governments Pay University Fees? — 27.01 & 08.02.2026
Essay type: Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)Band 5.5-6.5Stance: Mostly disagreeTarget ≈ 280 wordsModel essay: Band 6.5
Student's Edition
Ngô Đức Thảo
MTESOL · Academic Director
Task 2 Topic
The government should pay the course fees for everyone who wants to study at university. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Same idea, 08.02.2026: Some people believe that governments should pay full course fees for students who want to study in universities. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?)
1Task analysis
Item
Detail
Essay type
Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)
Main topic
Whether the state should cover all university tuition for every student who wants to study
Keywords
government · pay the course fees · everyone · study at university
Task focus
Judge whether all university fees for everyone should be paid by the government
Required position
Say clearly how far you agree or disagree and keep the same position in every paragraph
Plain-English meaning
Should university be completely free for anyone who wants to go, with the government paying?
Hidden trap
Notice everyone and full fees — you can disagree with paying for everyone while still supporting help for poor students
Chosen stance
Mostly disagree. Fully free university for all is too costly and unfair to taxpayers; targeted support for low-income students is a better approach
Main-idea plan
BP1 → universal free tuition is a huge burden on public budgets · BP2 → graduates gain the most, so they should contribute; support should target the poor
2Idea generation
Body 1 — An unaffordable burden
Universal free tuition is an enormous financial burden ✓ strongest
Money is diverted from healthcare and primary education
Universities become overcrowded dự phòng
Body 2 — Graduates should contribute
Graduates gain higher earnings, so they should contribute ✓ strongest
Paying fees encourages students to take studies seriously
Loans and scholarships help the poor dự phòng
✓ strongest = ý dùng trong bài mẫu · dự phòng = ý thay thế, không có trong bài mẫu.
3Skeleton
Introduction
General statement: Rising cost of higher education
Paraphrased task: Rewrite: state covers full tuition for anyone
Thesis: Mostly disagree + help the poor
Body 1: Huge burden → less for healthcare, basic education
Body 2: Graduates earn more → contribute; targeted aid for low-income students
Conclusion: Restate the opinion → summarise both reasons → final thought
4Plan & write your paragraphs
How to use: Read the main idea, tap the cue words to add them to the box, then write
your own sentence. Your essay is built automatically at the bottom and saved in this browser.
Introduction(45–60 words)
0 words
Goal: Topic → rewrite the statement → give your opinion.
General statement
Main idea: Rising cost of higher education
Starter: The rising cost of … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Paraphrased task
Main idea: Rewrite: state covers full tuition for anyone
Starter: Some argue that the … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Thesis
Main idea: Mostly disagree + help the poor
Starter: I mostly disagree with … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Body Paragraph 1 — An unaffordable burden(90–110 words)
0 words
Goal: Reason 1: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: Burden on public finances
Starter: The main reason I … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Higher taxes or cuts
Starter: Higher education is extremely … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: Less for hospitals, primary schools
Starter: For example, a government … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 2
Main idea: Unfair in developing countries
Starter: This would be particularly … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Not a sensible use of resources
Starter: Therefore, free tuition for … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Body Paragraph 2 — Graduates should contribute(90–110 words)
0 words
Goal: Reason 2: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: Graduates benefit → contribute
Starter: In addition, since university … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Higher salaries, fair to taxpayers
Starter: People with degrees usually … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: Loans repaid when income is high
Starter: For instance, many countries … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 2
Main idea: Encourages serious study
Starter: Paying some fees may … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Loans + scholarships fairer
Starter: As a result, a … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Conclusion(35–50 words)
0 words
Goal: Repeat your opinion, sum up both reasons, final thought. No new ideas!
Restated thesis
Main idea: Mostly disagree
Starter: In conclusion, I mostly … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Summary
Main idea: Burden + graduates share cost
Starter: Such a policy would … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Final thought
Main idea: Support low-income students
Starter: Instead, governments should focus … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
📝 My essay
✓ saved
5Language bank (Band 5.5-6.5)
Mỗi đoạn có bảng collocation riêng. ✓ = có trong bài mẫu · + = cụm mở rộng để học viên tự dùng. 5.5 = nền tảng · 6.5 = nâng band.
Introduction
Collocation
Form
Vietnamese
Band
Bài mẫu
the rising cost of
noun phrase
chi phí ngày càng tăng của
6.5
✓
higher education
adj + noun
giáo dục đại học
5.5
✓
a major concern
adj + noun
mối quan tâm lớn
5.5
✓
cover the full tuition fees
verb + noun
chi trả toàn bộ học phí
6.5
✓
attend university
verb + noun
học đại học
5.5
✓
financial support
adj + noun
hỗ trợ tài chính
5.5
✓
Body Paragraph 1 — An unaffordable burden
Collocation
Form
Vietnamese
Band
Bài mẫu
an enormous burden
adj + noun
gánh nặng khổng lồ
6.5
✓
public finances
adj + noun
tài chính công
6.5
✓
extremely expensive
adv + adj
cực kỳ tốn kém
5.5
✓
much higher taxes
adj + noun
thuế cao hơn nhiều
5.5
✓
cuts to other public services
noun phrase
cắt giảm các dịch vụ công khác
6.5
✓
the whole population
noun phrase
toàn bộ dân số
5.5
✓
particularly unfair
adv + adj
đặc biệt bất công
5.5
✓
developing countries
adj + noun
các nước đang phát triển
5.5
✓
limited resources
adj + noun
nguồn lực hạn chế
5.5
✓
Body Paragraph 2 — Graduates should contribute
Collocation
Form
Vietnamese
Band
Bài mẫu
university graduates
noun + noun
sinh viên tốt nghiệp đại học
5.5
✓
the greatest benefit
noun phrase
lợi ích lớn nhất
5.5
✓
contribute to the cost
verb phrase
đóng góp vào chi phí
6.5
✓
earn higher salaries
verb + noun
kiếm lương cao hơn
5.5
✓
throughout their careers
prep phrase
trong suốt sự nghiệp
6.5
✓
fair to taxpayers
adv + adj
công bằng với người đóng thuế
6.5
✓
student loans
noun + noun
khoản vay sinh viên
5.5
✓
reaches a certain level
verb phrase
đạt đến một mức nhất định
6.5
✓
take their studies more seriously
verb phrase
học nghiêm túc hơn
6.5
✓
Conclusion
Collocation
Form
Vietnamese
Band
Bài mẫu
In conclusion
linker
tóm lại
5.5
✓
full course fees
noun phrase
toàn bộ học phí
5.5
✓
a heavy burden
adj + noun
gánh nặng lớn
5.5
✓
share the cost
verb + noun
chia sẻ chi phí
6.5
✓
low-income families
adj + noun
gia đình thu nhập thấp
6.5
✓
Useful structures
Although + clause, + main clause (concession)
Noun, which + verb …, + main verb (non-defining relative clause)
If + present, + will / can + verb (conditional for results)
This means that + clause (explaining a consequence)
… be + past participle (passive voice for processes and policies)
6Self-check before you submit
7🔒 Model Essay (Band 6.5)
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