PTE essay: Some people believe that unpaid internships are a valuable way for young people to gain experience

The essay prompt

Some people believe that unpaid internships are a valuable way for young people to gain experience. Others think they are unfair and should be banned. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

You have 20 minutes to write 200–300 words.

Essay type: Discuss both views. Give each view its own body paragraph, with a reason and an example, then state your own opinion in the introduction and conclusion.

A 3-minute plan

1. Introduction: paraphrase the topic and give your position in one sentence.
2. Body paragraph 1: your strongest reason, with an example.
3. Body paragraph 2: a second reason, or the other side and why you still hold your view.
4. Conclusion: restate your position in new words.

Model essay (225 words)

Unpaid internships are common in many industries, and they divide opinion. While some see them as a useful first step into work, I believe unpaid internships are unfair in most cases and should be strictly limited.

Supporters argue that internships give young people practical experience, professional contacts and references that are difficult to obtain otherwise. For employers, especially small organisations, internships can be a way to train potential future staff without major costs. Many successful professionals say an internship helped them start their careers, and some interns are offered paid roles at the end of their placement.

However, unpaid internships favour those who can afford to work for free. Students from lower-income families, or those who must support themselves, often cannot accept unpaid positions, which means the most valuable opportunities go to people who are already advantaged. In addition, some organisations use interns to replace paid workers, which is exploitative and can lower wages for everyone.

In my view, internships should generally be paid, at least at minimum wage, unless they are a short, genuine part of a university course. Governments could support small businesses with subsidies to make this possible, and universities could help by arranging paid placements with trusted employers.

In conclusion, although internships can provide useful experience, unpaid positions are unfair and should be restricted to ensure opportunities are open to everyone.

Why this essay scores well

• Content: it answers the exact question and keeps to one clear position.
• Form: 225 words, inside the 200–300 range.
• Development, structure and coherence: 5 paragraphs, each with one main idea, linked with clear connectors.
• Grammar and vocabulary: a mix of simple and complex sentences, with topic vocabulary used accurately.
• Spelling: one consistent spelling style (Australian/British).

Now write your own

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