Should Governments Pay for Large Outdoor Sculptures? — 01.08.2026

Task 2 Topic

Some people say that the government should pay money for large pieces of art, like sculptures, for public display in outdoor places.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

1Task analysis

Item	Detail
Essay type	Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)
Main topic	Whether public money should be used to buy large sculptures and artworks for outdoor public spaces
Keywords	government · pay money · large pieces of art · sculptures · public display · outdoor places
Task focus	Judge whether large, expensive artworks should be paid for with public money
Required position	Say clearly how far you agree or disagree and keep the same position in every paragraph
Plain-English meaning	Should the government use taxpayers' money to buy big statues and sculptures for parks and squares?
Hidden trap	Focus on large pieces and government money: the key question is cost and priorities, not whether art is good in general
Chosen stance	Largely disagree. Monumental art carries a high opportunity cost and often lacks public legitimacy; public art is better delivered through sponsorship and participatory, small-scale projects
Main-idea plan	BP1 → large public artworks carry a high opportunity cost and long-term maintenance burden · BP2 → they often lack public consent; sponsorship and participatory projects are fairer

2Idea generation

Body 1 — Fiscal priorities and opportunity cost

High opportunity cost for strained budgets ✓ strongest
Long-term maintenance liabilities
Risk of prestige projects for politicians dự phòng

Body 2 — Legitimacy, taste and alternative funding

Imposed works often lack public legitimacy ✓ strongest
Patronage and corporate sponsorship as alternatives
Participatory, small-scale art engages residents dự phòng

✓ strongest = ý dùng trong bài mẫu · dự phòng = ý thay thế, không có trong bài mẫu.

3Skeleton

Introduction

General statement: Monuments adorn squares
Paraphrased task: Rewrite: state finances large-scale works
Thesis: Largely disagree

Body 1: Opportunity cost + maintenance; prestige projects

Body 2: Lack of consent; sponsorship, participatory small-scale art

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(50–70 words)

0 words

Goal: Topic → rewrite the statement → give your opinion.

General statement

Main idea: Monuments adorn squares

Starter: Monumental sculptures have long … ·

Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Paraphrased task

Main idea: Rewrite: state finances large-scale works

Starter: Some argue that the … ·

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Thesis

Main idea: Largely disagree

Starter: While I recognise the … ·

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Body Paragraph 1 — Fiscal priorities and opportunity cost(100–125 words)

0 words

Goal: Reason 1: explain it and give an example.

Topic sentence

Main idea: Opportunity cost

Starter: The most compelling objection … ·

Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Explanation 1

Main idea: Fees, materials, maintenance

Starter: Monumental artworks can absorb … ·

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Example

Main idea: Strained municipalities

Starter: At a time when … ·

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Explanation 2

Main idea: Public anger

Starter: Several cities, for example … ·

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Further development

Main idea: Vanity schemes

Starter: Such projects can also … ·

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Link

Main idea: Fiscal prudence

Starter: Fiscal prudence therefore argues … ·

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Body Paragraph 2 — Legitimacy, taste and alternative funding(100–125 words)

0 words

Goal: Reason 2: explain it and give an example.

Topic sentence

Main idea: Lack legitimacy

Starter: Moreover, large publicly funded … ·

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Explanation 1

Main idea: Imposed taste

Starter: Because taste is highly … ·

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Example

Main idea: Fairer alternatives

Starter: There are fairer ways … ·

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Explanation 2

Main idea: Cheaper + local ownership

Starter: Not only do such … ·

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Further development

Main idea: Connection matters

Starter: Public art thrives when … ·

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Link

Main idea: Preferable

Starter: This approach is therefore … ·

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Conclusion(40–55 words)

0 words

Goal: Repeat your opinion, sum up both reasons, final thought. No new ideas!

Restated thesis

Main idea: Largely disagree

Starter: In conclusion, I largely … ·

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Summary

Main idea: Cost, support vs alternatives

Starter: Such works carry a … ·

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Final thought

Main idea: Services before sculptures

Starter: Public money should prioritise … ·

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📝 My essay

✓ saved

5Language bank (Band 6.5-8.0)

Mỗi đoạn có bảng collocation riêng. ✓ = có trong bài mẫu · + = cụm mở rộng để học viên tự dùng. 7.0 = nền tảng · 8.0 = nâng band.

Introduction

Collocation	Form	Vietnamese	Band	Bài mẫu
monumental sculptures	adj + noun	tác phẩm điêu khắc hoành tráng	8.0	✓
adorn city squares	verb + noun	tô điểm quảng trường	8.0	✓
commemorate historical events	verb + noun	tưởng niệm sự kiện lịch sử	7.0	✓
project civic pride	verb + noun	thể hiện niềm tự hào đô thị	8.0	✓
large-scale works	adj + noun	tác phẩm quy mô lớn	7.0	✓
the cultural value of public art	noun phrase	giá trị văn hoá của nghệ thuật công cộng	7.0	✓

Body Paragraph 1 — Fiscal priorities and opportunity cost

Collocation	Form	Vietnamese	Band	Bài mẫu
the most compelling objection	noun phrase	phản đối thuyết phục nhất	8.0	✓
the opportunity cost	noun phrase	chi phí cơ hội	7.0	✓
commissioning fees	noun + noun	phí đặt hàng tác phẩm	8.0	✓
generate maintenance costs	verb + noun	phát sinh chi phí bảo trì	7.0	✓
the ribbon has been cut	clause	lễ cắt băng đã diễn ra	8.0	✓
struggle to fund	verb phrase	chật vật để tài trợ	7.0	✓
diverting resources	verb + noun	chuyển hướng nguồn lực	8.0	✓
difficult to defend	adv + adj	khó bảo vệ	7.0	✓
remained understaffed	verb phrase	vẫn thiếu nhân lực	8.0	✓
vanity schemes	noun + noun	dự án phô trương	8.0	✓
fiscal prudence	adj + noun	sự thận trọng tài khoá	8.0	✓

Body Paragraph 2 — Legitimacy, taste and alternative funding

Collocation	Form	Vietnamese	Band	Bài mẫu
democratic legitimacy	adj + noun	tính chính danh dân chủ	8.0	✓
highly subjective	adv + adj	rất chủ quan	7.0	✓
a small committee	adj + noun	một hội đồng nhỏ	7.0	✓
imposed on residents	passive phrase	bị áp đặt lên cư dân	8.0	✓
unattractive or even offensive	adv + adj	kém hấp dẫn hoặc thậm chí phản cảm	7.0	✓
enrich public spaces	verb + noun	làm phong phú không gian công cộng	7.0	✓
corporate sponsorship	adj + noun	tài trợ doanh nghiệp	7.0	✓
philanthropic donations	adj + noun	quyên góp từ thiện	8.0	✓
participatory schemes	adj + noun	chương trình có sự tham gia của người dân	8.0	✓
a stronger sense of local ownership	noun phrase	ý thức làm chủ địa phương mạnh hơn	8.0	✓

Conclusion

Collocation	Form	Vietnamese	Band	Bài mẫu
In conclusion	linker	tóm lại	7.0	✓
large pieces of art	noun phrase	tác phẩm nghệ thuật lớn	7.0	✓
a high opportunity cost	noun phrase	chi phí cơ hội cao	7.0	✓
public support	adj + noun	sự ủng hộ của công chúng	7.0	✓
deliver art more fairly	verb phrase	mang nghệ thuật đến công bằng hơn	8.0	✓
services before sculptures	noun phrase	dịch vụ trước tượng đài	8.0	✓

Useful structures

Not only + auxiliary + subject + verb, but … also … (inversion for emphasis)
Participle clause, + main clause (Having / Being / Faced with …)
It is + adj + that + clause (cleft / evaluative structure)
Were / Should + subject + verb, + would … (formal conditional)
Noun phrase + which / whose + clause (dense non-defining relative clause)
The more …, the more … (comparative correlative)

6Self-check before you submit

Task Response: Clear position (Largely disagree) in the thesis, kept in both body paragraphs and restated in the conclusion; every reason is explained and supported by a realistic exampleCoherence & Cohesion: One reason per body paragraph, both supporting the same position; linkers In conclusion, Moreover, For example, Therefore, Not only, whereas, while, becauseLexical Resource: Topic collocations from the Language bank; paraphrase the key words of the question (government, pay money, large pieces of art)Grammar: Wide range of complex structures (inversion, participle clauses, conditionals) used accurately and naturallyFit for band: Realistic examples, no invented statistics, about 290–320 words in total

7🔒 Model Essay (Band 8.0)

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