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The GRE Issue writing task — officially termed Present Your Perspective on an Issue — is one of two GRE Analytical Writing tasks. Here you'll find two GRE-style Issue topics, or prompts, along with sample essays that respond to these two essay topics.
First, however, let's examine the key features of the Issue writing task, as well as the official directions for this task:
HOW MANY: 1 essay question, or prompt
WHERE: Either the first or second timed section of the exam
TIME LIMIT: 45 minutes
FORMAT: You choose between two Issue topics, then compose an essay response using the testing system's built-in word processor. (Handwritten responses are not permitted.)
SKILLS TESTED: (1) Your ability to communicate your ideas effectively and in an organized manner through sound reasoning and relevant supporting examples; (2) your control of the English language (word choice and usage) and the conventions (grammar and sentence structure) of standard written English
DIRECTIONS: Here are the essential directions that will appear on your screen before you begin the timed Issue task (you'll dismiss these directions and move ahead to the writing task by clicking on the DISMISS DIRECTIONS button).
| Directions: In this section you will need to analyze the issue presented and explain your views on it. There is no "correct" answer. Instead, you should consider various perspectives as you develop your own position on the issue. Writing Your Response: Take a few minutes to think about the issue and plan a response before you begin writing. Be sure to organize you ideas and develop them fully, but leave time to reread you response and make any revisions that you think are necessary. Evaluation of Your Response: College and university faculty members from various subject-matter areas will evaluate the overall quality of your thinking and writing. They will consider how well you - organize, develop, and express your ideas about the issue presented
- provide relevant supporting reasons and examples
- control the elements of standard written English
To review these directions at any time during this section, click on HELP. |
The GRE Issue Prompt — Choosing One of Two Essay Topics
For the Issue task, the exam will present two essay topics — each a brief statement of opinion on a particular issue. You must choose one of the topics for your essay. Here are two Issue topics that are similar to some of those in the official pool.
| TOPIC 1: "The safety of consumer goods can best be ensured not by way of government regulation but rather through voluntary efforts of the private businesses that produce those goods." TOPIC 2: "Great advances in knowledge always require rejection of authority." |
Once you've selected an Issue topic and confirmed your choice, you'll proceed to an editing screen to compose your response. At the top of the screen you'll find the topic you've selected, along with a general directive, or instruction, for responding to the topic. The directive is essentially the same for any topic:
| Present your perspective on the issue, using reasons and/or examples from your experience, observation, and/or reading to explain your viewpoint. |
Sample Essays (Model Responses to Topics 1 and 2)
Below is a sample essay response to Issue Topic 1 above. Also see this response to Topic 2 (new window). As you read either of these two responses, keep in mind:- None of the points asserted in these essays are irrefutable, because the issues are a matter of opinion. (As the official directions state: "There is no correct answer.")
- Both essays are brief enough — less than 500 words — to compose and type in 45 minutes.
- Both responses meet all the ETS criteria for a score of 6 — the highest possible score.
- Neither essay was composed under timed conditions; both essays are intended as models, or benchmarks. Be assured: You can attain a top score of 6 with an essay that is briefer and less polished than either of these two.
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Sample Response to Topic 1 (475 Words)
The extent to which government should oversee the production of goods by the private sector is a complex issue involving a tug-of-war between the interests of public safety and free enterprise. On balance, however, I tend to agree that consumer safety is best left to the private sector, given the dubious effectiveness of government regulation and the proven tendency of our corporate culture to set its own safety standards irrespective of those set by government. One compelling argument against such regulations is that they are costly to administer and enforce, and can even be counterproductive. Government regulatory agencies tend to be unwieldy bureaucracies; thus administrative delays can frustrate the purpose of regulations, particularly those designed to curb activities that pose an immediate threat to the public's safety or health. Moreover, the costs of administering and enforcing government regulations are passed on to the same taxpayer-citizens whom the regulations are designed to protect, thereby countervailing their value. A second compelling argument against such regulations is that they are ineffectual when it comes to large corporations, which have the power and financial resources to undermine them. Specifically, in my observation the private sector tends to view potential civil and criminal penalties simply as business risks to be weighed against the potential profit accruing by violating the law. Two other responses to government regulation are common as well: circumventing them by relocating to places where it is legal to produce harmful products, and lobbying lawmakers to modify or repeal regulations that serve to reduce profitability. Those who disagree with the statement might argue that, left unfettered by regulation, private enterprises will naturally sacrifice product safety for profit -- because the profit motive is what drives them. Thus absent product-safety regulations, the argument goes, consumers would find themselves in constant peril of injury, illness, and even death. However, this argument overlooks the offsetting economic and social benefits of free enterprise. By maximizing profits businesses provide jobs, stimulate the economy, and facilitate innovation and progress. The argument also ignores the fact that many corporations today actually go further than regulations require in ensuring that their products are safe. Many car manufacturers, for instance, design their automobiles to exceed government safety guidelines. Admittedly, such safety measures are probably born not of social conscience but of self-interest; after all, consumer-friendly products attract consumers and thus can enhance longer-term profits. Regardless of the motive, however, the empirical evidence is that businesses produce safe goods whether or not they are subject to government regulation. In conclusion, I acknowledge that the private sector's profit motive is not about to yield to a collective social conscience any time soon. Nevertheless, given the ineffectiveness of government regulation and the economic benefits of a laissez-faire economic system, product-safety issues are best resolved by the producers of products -- and ultimately by consumers who choose to buy or not buy them. |
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