204204
Are there any benefits to society of people wanting to get new possessions?
(Cambridge University Press, 2016, p. 103)
The grammar in this question is flawed. This is not an isolated case in the Cambridge
IELTS series. A correct way to state this question is as follows:
Are there any benefits to society that are realized from people wanting to get new
possessions?
Alternatively, a better way to restate this question is as follows:
Are there any benefits to society that are realized from people wanting to
acquire/purchase/obtain new possessions?
Choice
Most students who take the IELTS exam do not speak English as a first language (IELTS,
2017e). Writing English language, examinations is not a simple process and no system is
perfect. Achieving universality in a set of questions is near-impossible.