You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Both men and women these days work full-time, so it is logical for them to share household chores equally. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer
It is true that, throughout the world, the number of dual-income families is increasing. When there are two wages which contribute to the family budget, I firmly believe that both men and women should have equal responsibility for doing the household chores.
Firstly, old patterns of behaviour are no longer appropriate or logical in the modern family, in which both men and women work full-time. Working mothers cannot be expected to do all the jobs around the house if, along with men, they have also to be breadwinners. Traditionally, the woman might expect help with the household chores from the extended family. Some of these family members might live in the home, and cook, clean and do shopping. However, in the modern nuclear family, the working man and woman must adopt new roles and responsibilities.
Secondly, although both men and women often have a heavy workload, at home there are many labour-saving appliances to make chores easier to share. The man and woman arrive home worn out either physically or mentally after a hard day at the office, shop or factory. Therefore, it is only fair to shoulder the burden of chores equally. Fortunately, with two salaries, it is possible to afford to save work in the home. Washing machines, microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners and other aids to housework can be operated by anyone, regardless of gender. In the USA, for example, most families often consume ready meals or takeaways, instead of preparing home-made food. Sharing the chores therefore becomes easier after enduring the pressures of the workplace.
In conclusion, I totally agree that when men and women are in full-time jobs, they should share the household chores, especially since these chores are made so much lighter these days.
289 words
Vocab Highlights
Vocabulary from family and children:
a dual-income family: a family where both the father and mother work
Example: Changes in society have resulted in the dual-income family becoming the most common family type.
patterns of behavior: ways of acting and doing things (either positive or negative)
Example: Patterns of behaviour copied from parents often influence the way that children grow up.
working mothers: women who have a job and also have to take care of their children
Example: As more and more women have entered the workforce, working mothers have to balance the demands of home and work.
an extended family: a family group with many members, including parents, children, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins etc
Example: In the past, the extended family was a form of support when any members were ill or suffered some misfortune.
a nuclear family: a family consisting of a father, mother and their children
Example: The nuclear family has replaced the extended family as the most common form of family structure throughout the world.
Vocabulary from work:
a heavy workload: a lot of work that an individual employee has to perform
Example: While some people enjoy the challenge of a heavy workload, others find too much work very stressful.
Vocabulary from technology:
labour-saving appliances: machines that reduce the amount of work or effort needed to do something.
Example: The technological revolution in the home started with the introduction of labour-saving appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers.
Vocabulary from food and diet:
home-made food: food which is prepared at home using individual ingredients
Example: In developed countries, the young generation must rediscover the art of preparing home-made food, as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Other vocabulary
worn out [adjective]: exhausted and very tired, often as a result of working too hard
Example: I was absolutely worn out after walking round the shops all day.
to shoulder [verb]: to accept responsibility or blame for something
Example: The football club manager shouldered the blame for his team’s defeat.