PTE Academic Write Essay · Opinion (agree or disagree) · beginner

Should People Prioritize Home Cooking Over Restaurants

The prompt

Some people say that cooking meals at home is healthier and cheaper than eating at restaurants, but others find cooking too time-consuming after a long day at work. Do you agree that more people should cook at home instead of eating out? Give reasons for your answer.

20 minutes. Write 200 to 300 words. A BandLadder practice prompt, not a recalled exam question.

Plan before you write

Position:
I strongly agree that cooking at home is preferable as it offers superior nutritional control and significant financial savings.
Paragraph 2:
Home cooking enables individuals to manage nutritional intake and avoid the hidden additives prevalent in restaurant dishes.
Paragraph 3:
Preparing meals domestically is a cost-effective strategy that mitigates the financial burden of frequent dining out.
  1. State a clear position in the last sentence of the introduction and keep it to the end.
  2. Two body paragraphs that each give one reason for that position, with an example.
  3. A partial position is fine if it is stated precisely; a position that drifts is what caps task response at 6.

Sample essay

The debate regarding whether individuals should prioritize home cooking over dining out is significant. While some argue that the time constraints of a busy professional life make restaurants a necessary convenience, I maintain that preparing meals at home is fundamentally healthier and more economical.

Primarily, home cooking allows for complete control over ingredients and portion sizes. Restaurant meals are frequently loaded with excess sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats to enhance flavor, which can contribute to long-term health issues. By preparing food at home, individuals can select fresh, nutrient-dense produce and implement healthier cooking methods like steaming or grilling. For instance, someone preparing a simple stir-fry at home can avoid the excessive oils and preservatives typically found in commercial versions, thereby fostering better physical well-being.

Furthermore, the financial advantages of domestic meal preparation are substantial. Eating out regularly incurs significant costs, including service charges and gratuities, which accumulate rapidly over a month. In contrast, purchasing raw ingredients in bulk is considerably cheaper. For example, a single restaurant dinner often costs the equivalent of three or four home-cooked meals, allowing families to allocate their resources toward other essential needs. This shift in habits promotes fiscal responsibility while ensuring sustenance.

In conclusion, although cooking demands an investment of time, the health benefits and monetary savings make it a superior choice. By choosing to prepare meals, individuals take charge of their nutritional health and personal finances. Therefore, it is advisable for more people to incorporate home cooking into their daily routines despite the challenges posed by demanding work schedules.

255 words. Use the structure and vocabulary, not the sentences: PTE flags memorised templates.

Why this scores well

This essay scores highly due to its logical paragraph structure and the sophisticated use of transition words to link arguments. A common mistake that lowers scores on this prompt is failing to address both aspects of the prompt, namely health and cost, or relying on overly repetitive vocabulary.

Vocabulary from the essay

mitigates
makes something less severe or painful
nutrient-dense
containing a high amount of essential vitamins
fiscal
relating to government revenue or personal money
sustenance
food and drink regarded as a source of strength
prevalent
widespread in a particular area or time
accumulate
gather together or acquire an increasing number
convenience
the state of being able to proceed easily
incorporate
take in or contain as part of a whole

Write it yourself and get a PTE score

Answer this prompt in 20 minutes and get an AI score on the PTE essay traits, with the sentences that cost you marks.

Practise PTE Write Essay

See also the Write Essay guide.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a PTE essay be?

Between 200 and 300 words; outside that range the form score drops to zero. This sample is 255 words, written for the 20-minute limit.

What type of essay is this?

Opinion (agree or disagree). State a clear position in the last sentence of the introduction and keep it to the end.

What does PTE reward in the essay?

This essay scores highly due to its logical paragraph structure and the sophisticated use of transition words to link arguments. A common mistake that lowers scores on this prompt is failing to address both aspects of the prompt, namely health and cost, or relying on overly repetitive vocabulary.

More health essays