Importance of Literacy Today – TOEFL iBT Essay Writing Topics 28+ Scores

Topic:

Some people say that the ability to read and write has become more important than it was in the past.

Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

SAMPLE ESSAY

In the past, people had little difficulty living and working without the ability to read and write. Today, however, illiterate people cannot lead successful lives because literacy is much more important now than it ever was in the past.

The majority of jobs available today require a person to be literate to be successful. This was not the case 100 years ago. In the past, the majority of people were farmers, and they did not need literacy to grow crops and raise animals. For example, my great-grandfather was a successful farmer during his day yet could not read. However, the jobs my relatives have today—banker, businessperson, teacher, and so on—demand that they read and write well. Without those two skills, they could not have gotten their jobs, let alone have succeeded.

Furthermore, using the Internet, an integral part of our lives, requires a person to have good reading and writing skills. [Supporting details] Since there is so much information on the Internet, people should be able to read as quickly and correctly as possible. Likewise, many people send large numbers of emails daily, and this requires an ability to write well. For instance, my sister is a secretary, and she often needs to make digests of useful information from the Internet and send emails for her boss. Thanks to her excellent reading and writing skills, she has been highly recognized by her boss. Without those two abilities, she could not do her job properly in this Information Age.

Reading and writing are much more important today than they were in the past. Unlike the past, most jobs today require literacy for a person to be successful. And with so much work involving the Internet, being able to read and write is imperative. In modem society, people should try to improve their reading and writing skills so they can have a successful future.