Onterra TutorIs it better to live near your family or far away?
Duolingo English Test writing question in the official format, with a full model answer and notes on why it scores. Write your own version below it and get an instant rater-style score.
The question
Is it better to live close to your family or far away from them? Explain your opinion with reasons and examples.
Model answer
I think it is better to live close, though I only reached that view after living far away. For three years I was in another country, and the distance was genuinely useful. Nobody at home knew what I did on a Saturday, and I made decisions without a committee. What I underestimated is how much of family life happens in ordinary moments rather than in visits. My grandmother's health changed slowly, and I only ever saw the version of her that was well enough for a video call. Now I live about twenty minutes away, which I have come to think is the right distance: close enough to arrive the same afternoon, far enough that nobody arrives at my door without warning.
Why this answer scores
- Gives a position and the history behind it, which is more convincing than asserting a preference.
- The grandmother detail supplies the reason without stating it flatly.
- The final sentence defines what close means in practice, turning an opinion into something specific.
Do not memorise model answers; raters recognise recycled essays instantly. Study the moves, then make them with your own ideas, and check where you stand with a scored practice.
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