WRITING TASK 2 STRUCTURES

By – Manwinder Kaur
Writing Task marking criteria

Task Achievement

This is one of the four areas you will be assessed on in the IELTS writing test.

Task achievement refers to your ability to address all parts of the question and
present a fully developed answer.

Coherence and Cohesion

Discourse markers (words like ‘however’, ‘despite this’ and ‘In conclusion’) are also
referred to as ‘linking words’ and ‘linking phrases’, or ‘sentence connectors. They are
quite formal and are used more in academic writing than informal speech.

You gain marks for using these under the ‘coherence and cohesion’ section of the
marking scheme. These words ‘stick’ the other words together and lend continuity to
sentences and paragraphs.

If you do not include discourse markers in your IELTS writing, your answer will
appear illogical and it is more difficult to understand.

However, this does not mean that you should try to insert as many of these words in
to your writing as possible. This is a common mistake in IELTS writing. Using too
many of them, or using them inappropriately, can make your writing sound too heavy
and unnatural. They are important, but must only be used at the appropriate time.

Lexical Resource
This is also one of the four criteria you will be marked on and it refers to your ability
to use a wide range of accurate vocabulary.
A common mistake is to repeat the same words over and over again. You will lose
marks if you do this. A solution to this problem is to use synonyms. You can either
think of synonyms as you are writing or leave time at the end to add them in.
Grammar: How to improve Range and Accuracy
In the IELTS, grammar is extremely important. If you want to get a high band score
in the IELTS Writing Test, you need to use a wide variety of grammar
accurately. 25% of the overall writing mark is down to Grammatical Range and
Accuracy. This means that not only does your IELTS grammar have to be correct,
it also has to be varied. In this article I will go through some of the grammatical
structures you can use in order to get a high band score for your IELTS grammar.

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3 Types of Sentences
 A Simple Sentence
 A Compound Sentence
 A Complex Sentence
Before I explain these, I need to explain a clause. There are 2 types of clause
An independent clause
A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause
An independent clause has a subject and one main verb. The idea in the clause is
complete.
The cat sat on the mat.
A dependent clause has a subject and a verb but its full meaning depends on the
main clause.
The cat sat on the mat because it was tired.
“It was tired” is an incomplete idea. The full meaning of “it was tired” is only clear
when we know that the cat was sitting on a mat.
So, let’s look at how clauses make different kinds of sentences.
Simple Sentences
A simple sentence has one independent clause.
The cat sat on the wall.
Even if you add more detail to this sentence, it’s still a simple sentence.
The black and white cat sat on the cement wall.
The cute, black and white cat was sitting on the grey, cement wall next to a girl.
In the above 2 sentences, I used noun phrases (e.g., the cute, black and white cat).
It’s a good idea to use noun phrases in your writing, the sentence is still a simple
sentence.
Compound Sentences
A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses, joined by
a conjunction (e.g., and, but, so, because). These are called co-ordinating
conjunctions – they join ideas together.
The cat sat on the wall and was stroked by the girl.
The cat sat on the wall and was stroked by the girl, but the cat didn’t like it.
In the last sentence there are 3 independent clauses. Each one could be written on
its own…

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The cat sat on the wall. The cat was stroked by the girl. The cat didn’t like it. …but
this would be terrible to read. There is no ‘flow’ to the writing.
Complex Sentences
A complex sentence has one independent clause and one or more dependent
clauses. They are joined by conjunctions such as because, since, after, although,
when, while. These are called subordinating conjunctions.
The cat was sitting on the wall because she was tired.
The cat was sitting on the wall [independent clause] because [conjunction] she
was tired [dependent clause].
Here are some more examples of complex sentences:
Because she was tired, the cat was sitting on the wall.
While the cat was sitting on the wall, a girl stroked her.
The girl was stroking the cat because she liked the feel of its fur.
Complex Sentences are NOT Complicated Sentences
One of the biggest mistakes made by IELTS students is thinking that a complex
sentence should be complicated or long. A complex sentence is not the same thing
as a complicated sentence.
Many students write long sentences, especially in Writing Task 2, thinking that they
will get a higher band score. BUT if you write a sentence that is difficult to
understand, you will get a lower band score. Complex sentences should actually be
easy to understand and should make your writing flow better.
To get a high band score for IELTS grammar, you need to use a mixture of these
sentence types in your writing. This will make your writing more varied and more
interesting.
IELTS Examiners are looking for a mixture of simple, compound and complex
sentences, and also a range of grammatical structures within your sentences.
Here’s what their assessment criteria says:
Band 5: uses only a limited range of structures; attempts complex sentences but
these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences.
Band 6: uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms; makes some errors in
grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication.
Band 7: uses a variety of complex structures; produces frequent error-free sentences
Band 8: uses a wide range of structures; makes only very occasional errors
Band 9: uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy; any errors
are ‘slips’ (i.e., forgetfulness, not because of a lack of grammar)

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Note that your IELTS grammar does not need to be perfect, even at Band 8. To get a
Band 6 or Band 7, it is better to attempt things like complex sentences, and make
mistakes, than not to attempt these sentences…unless the grammatical mistakes
make understanding difficult.
IELTS Grammar: Tips for improving your grammatical range
So here are 5 great ways to improve your band score for IELTS grammar.
1. Use subordinating conjunctions
Join clauses with because, so that, although, while, whereas
2. Use relative clauses
Add information by using relative clauses
So don’t write “The cat was sitting on the wall. It was being stroked by a girl.” Write:
The cat, which was sitting on the wall, was being stroked by a girl.
3. Use ‘there’ + ‘to be’
This is a simple, yet very underused grammatical structure. It is a very powerful
structure because it forces you to change the grammar of the rest of the sentence. It
makes you turn verbs into noun phrases and adjective phrases, and it makes you
change the word order (the syntax) of your sentence. In other words, “there + to
be” makes you widen your grammatical range.
So instead of writing: “A cat was sitting on the wall”, you can write:
There was a cat sitting on the wall.
It looks similar, but “sitting on the wall” is now an adjective phrase, not a verb.
Instead of writing: “From 1995 to 2005, sales fluctuated slightly”, you can write:
There was a slight fluctuation in sales from 1995 to 2005.
4. Start the sentence with a subordinating conjunction
Instead of “the cat was sitting on the wall because she was tired” write:
Because she was tired, the cat was sitting on the wall.
5. Start the sentence with a prepositional phrase
Common prepositional phrases start with since, at, among, about, throughout, with
regards to, in time. For example:
Since the beginning of the afternoon, the cat had been sitting on the wall.
I hope this helps you to improve your IELTS grammar when you take the writing test.

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Structures of task 2 essays
Do you agree/disagree? Or to what extent do you agree/disagree? The best
structure you can use for this type of essay is:
Paragraph 1- Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question
Sentence 2- Thesis Statement
Sentence 3- Outline Statement
Paragraph 2- Supporting Paragraph 1
Sentence 1- Topic Sentence
Sentence 2/3- Explain Topic Sentence
Sentence 3/4- Example
Paragraph 3- Supporting Paragraph 2
Sentence 1- Topic Sentence
Sentence 2/3- Explain Topic Sentence
Sentence 3/4- Example
Paragraph 4- Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summary and reiteration of your opinion.
That’s it! Four paragraphs.
STEP 1. Deciding Opinion
In this essay, IELTS examiners want you to give a clear opinion, so it’s really
important for you to make a decision when you read the question. Let’s look at an
example:
In some countries, an increasing number of people are suffering from health
problems as a result of eating too much fast food. It is, therefore, necessary
for governments to impose a higher tax on this kind of food.
Do you agree or disagree?
With this type of essay, we have two choices:
We agree with the statement or;
We disagree with the statement.
Therefore, for this agree or disagree essay you can say either:
This essay agrees that governments should tax fast food or;
This essay disagrees that governments should tax fast food

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I think I will have more ideas for A, so I’m choosing that one. Always choose the one
that you feel comfortable writing about – even if you don’t personally feel that way.
You don’t get extra marks for writing about how you feel, you just want to give the
examiner what they need to score your essay a Band 7+.
Idea Generation
Now we have to think of ideas for why governments should tax fast food. Here are
some:
 Cigarettes and alcohol are taxed in the same way
 The money raised could be used to treat people with health problems
 Fast food companies should be punished for selling unhealthy food to people
 Making the food more expensive would stop people eating it
 The money raised could be used to educate people about healthy eating
We don’t need to use all of these, just two for our supporting paragraphs. I’m going
to pick the first and the fourth ones because I know a little about these two and feel
confident, I can expand on them with explanations and examples. Remember the
examiner wants you to fully support your arguments, not just list a lot of ideas. Now
we have two supporting ideas we can move on to our introduction.
Introduction
As previously stated, we will use the following structure:
Paragraph 1- Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question
Sentence 2- Thesis Statement
Sentence 3- Outline Statement
For a more detailed explanation please see our post on writing an effective
introduction.
In order to paraphrase the question we simply restate it with a different meaning
using synonyms. I will also reorder the question. Here is the question again:
In some countries, an increasing number of people are suffering from health
problems as a result of eating too much fast food. It is, therefore, necessary
for governments to impose a higher tax on this kind of food.
Paraphrased: It is argued that governments should levy a tariff on junk food
because the number of health risks associated with consuming this kind of
food is on the rise.
This is our first sentence.
We now need to write our thesis statement. This is our opinion in one sentence. This
essay will agree with the above statement and will, therefore, look like this:

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This essay agrees that a higher rate of tax should be paid by fast-food
companies.
This is our second sentence.
We now need to write our third and final sentence, which is the outline sentence.
This sentence outlines what you will write about in the main body paragraphs.
Firstly, higher taxes could raise prices and lower consumption.
So, our full introduction will look like this:
It is argued that governments should levy a tariff on junk food because the
number of health risks associated with consuming this kind of food is on the
rise. This essay agrees that a higher rate of tax should be paid by fast-food
companies. Higher taxes could raise prices and lower consumption. It would
also allow government to collect funds for betterment of the population.
We now need to write our supporting paragraphs for our agree or disagree essay:
Supporting Paragraph 1
This paragraph should include:
Topic Sentence
Explanation
Example
A topic sentence tells the examiner what the rest of the paragraph is about. In other
words, it is a summary of your first idea. It should look something like this:
Higher excise on liqueur and cigarettes has proven to be successful at curbing
the harm caused by these substances.
We now need to expand on this point a little. A good way of doing this is to assume
that the examiner has no knowledge of this subject and you have to explain clearly
what you mean. Here is what this could look like:
This revenue has been used to treat health problems associated with these
products and has proven useful in advertising campaigns warning people
about the dangers of alcohol and tobacco abuse. Tax from fast food could be
used in the same way.
We should now think of an example to support our point. Think about any recent
news stories, studies or adverts. If you can’t think of one, make one up. The
examiner won’t check if it is real or not.
The United Kingdom is a prime example, where money from smokers is used
to treat lung cancer and heart disease, while at the same time, pumped into
health campaigns in schools to warn children about the dangers of
smoking.
That’s it. Four sentences. The full paragraph should look like this:

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Higher excise on liqueur and cigarettes has proven to be successful at curbing
the harm caused by these substances. This revenue has been used to treat
health problems associated with these products and has proven useful in
advertising campaigns warning people about the dangers of alcohol and
tobacco abuse. Tax from fast food could be used in the same way. The United
Kingdom is a prime example, where money from smokers is used to treat lung
cancer and heart disease.
Supporting Paragraph 2
We now repeat the same formula with our second supporting point- higher taxes will
increase prices and reduce consumption.
Our topic sentence: Increasing taxes would raise prices and lower consumption.
Explaining this further: Fast food companies would pass on these taxes to
consumers in the form of higher prices and this would lead to people not
being able to afford junk food because it is too expensive. Junk food would
soon become a luxury item and it would only be consumed occasionally,
which would be less harmful to the general public’s health.
We now support our point with an example:
For instance, the cost of organic food has proven prohibitively expensive for
most people and that is why only a small percentage of the population buy it
regularly.
The full paragraph would look like this:
Increasing taxes would raise prices and lower consumption. Fast food
companies would pass on these taxes to consumers in the form of higher
prices and this would lead to people not being able to afford junk food
because it is too expensive. Junk food would soon become a luxury item and it
would only be consumed occasionally, which would be less harmful to the
general public’s health. For instance, the cost of organic food has proven
prohibitively expensive for most people and that is why only a small
percentage of the population buy it regularly.
Conclusion As stated before a good conclusion for agree or disagree essays should
include:
Sentence 1- Summary of main points
Sentence 2- Your opinion
Don’t write any new ideas in this paragraph.
A good conclusion should just restate your thesis statement and your main
supporting points.
In conclusion, junk food should be taxed at a higher rate because of the good
precedent set by alcohol and tobacco and the fact that the increased cost
should reduce the amount of fast-food people buy.

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Agree or Disagree IELTS Sample Essay
1. Question - In some countries, an increasing number of people are
suffering from health problems as a result of eating too much fast food.
It is, therefore, necessary for governments to impose a higher tax on
this kind of food. Do you agree or disagree?
Answer - It is argued that governments should levy a tariff on junk food because the
number of health risks associated with consuming this kind of food is on the rise.
This essay agrees that a higher rate of tax should be paid by fast-food companies.
Firstly, alcohol and tobacco companies already pay higher taxes and secondly,
higher taxes could raise prices and lower consumption.
Higher excise on liqueur and cigarettes has proven to be successful at curbing the
harm caused by these substances. This revenue has been used to treat health
problems associated with these products and has proven useful in advertising
campaigns warning people about the dangers of alcohol and tobacco abuse. Tax
from fast food could be used in the same way. The United Kingdom is a prime
example, where money from smokers is used to treat lung cancer and heart disease.
Increasing taxes would raise prices and lower consumption. Fast food companies
would pass on these taxes to consumers in the form of higher prices and this would
lead to people not being able to afford junk food because it is too expensive. Junk
food would soon become a luxury item and it would only be consumed occasionally,
which would be less harmful to the general public’s health. For instance, the cost of
organic food has proven prohibitively expensive for most people and that is why only
a small percentage of the population buy it regularly.
In conclusion, junk food should be taxed at a higher rate because of the good
precedent set by alcohol and tobacco and the fact that the increased cost should
reduce the amount of fast-food people buy.

2. In many countries, smoking is now illegal in public places. Many people

believe that such a ban is justified. Do you agree or disagree?

Answer - Smoking has been banned in public places like parks, hospitals and
restaurants in many nations, and it is a law that many people support. This essay
also agrees with this initiative because it reduces the harmful effects of passive
smoking and also encourages smokers to quit.

The primary reason why making it illegal to smoke in public makes sense is that it
prevents people from developing diseases related to second-hand smoke. Passive
smoking is something that non-smokers cannot avoid in the presence of a smoker,
and it is just as dangerous to people’s health as smoking. A ban in public places
limits this type of exposure. For example, after Ireland decided to ban smoking in all
indoor workplaces, there was a significant decline in lung cancer and other lethal
diseases among restaurant and pub workers, leading many other countries to adopt
similar measures.

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The second main reason why this ban is warranted is that it helps those addicted to
cigarettes quit their habit. A law prohibiting smoking in public areas would force
smokers to leave the company of everyone else if they want to have a cigarette.
Most people dislike feeling ostracized, and this would provide excellent motivation to
quit. For instance, social pressure brought about by smoking bans is often cited by
ex-smokers as one of the reasons they gave up the habit.

In conclusion, this essay believes that making it against the law to smoke in public
should be encouraged because it prevents innocent people from developing serious
health conditions caused by passive smoking and reduces the number of smokers.

3. Life was better when technology was simpler. To what extent do you agree
and disagree?

Answer - It is argued that our lives were more fulfilling when technology was less
complex. This essay completely disagrees with this statement and believes that
computers and the internet have made life much better because smartphones save
us time and the internet has improved education.

New phones, such as the iPhone, have made our daily lives much less laborious and
have given us more free time. Jobs that used to require a lot of energy and time can
now be done at the touch of a button. For example, if people wanted to communicate
with one another in the past, they had to write a letter, take it to the post office, and
then wait for it to be delivered, whereas these days people can simply tap the email
icon on our touch screen and send a message to whomever they want to
communicate with within seconds.

The internet has also enriched education. In the past, students had to rely on a
teacher and physical books for their education, and these were often either
unavailable or in a format that most people did not want, but now the internet
provides us with more information than we could ever dream of, and this has made
us more independent and effective learners. For example, there are now thousands
of free online courses available on YouTube that anyone can watch and learn from
anywhere in the world.

In conclusion, this essay argues that life has been greatly improved by technological
advancements, particularly labour-saving phones and the learning opportunities
provided by the internet.

4. A person’s worth nowadays seems to be judged according to social

status and material possessions. Old fashioned values such as honour,
kindness, and trust no longer seem important. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?

Answer - It is argued that people are judged these days by how much money they
have rather than their morals and character. This essay totally agrees with this
statement. This essay will first discuss how people instantly judge others by what
clothes they wear or products they own, and then suggest that a lack of traditional
values in celebrities demonstrates that being a good person is not held in high
regard by society.

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People seem to hold someone in high regard if they have designer clothes, a luxury
car or the latest smartphone, and rarely look inside that person. This superficial
attitude is common in all walks of life, whether it be how a store attendant treats you
in a shop, or what someone might think of you when interviewing you for a new job.
For instance, at most restaurants, people who wear business suits are treated with
more respect and courtesy than those who wear casual clothes.

This is also reflected in our celebrities. Most singers, models and actors have neither
talent nor moral fibre, but they are still revered because they have a high position in
society and seem to have a luxury lifestyle. Miley Cyrus is a prime example; she
does not write her own songs and openly confesses to taking drugs, yet she is still
adored by people all over the world.

In conclusion, being a good person is not as important as wealth, fame and where
you are on the social ladder these days, and this can easily be seen by how we treat
those with no money and how we look up to vacuous stars.

5. Wealthy countries should accept more refugees and provide them with
basic assistance such as food and housing. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?

Answer - It is argued that rich nations ought to allow greater numbers of forced
migrants past their borders and give them humanitarian relief. This essay totally
agrees with this opinion because it is the morally correct thing to do, and it will also
help their economies in the long run.

Many refugees will die or come to serious harm if they are not accepted by Western
states because they are fleeing their homelands due to war and famine, and it is
therefore morally imperative that they allow them in. That is to say that if they did not
shelter and feed them, they would be responsible for many deaths and terrible
suffering. For example, migrants from Syria are escaping a brutal war, and this is the
reason why Germany and other European countries have decided to grant hundreds
of thousands of them asylum.

Thousands of extra people coming into a country will also help boost the economy.
This is because there will be more workers available, and they will, in turn, pay tax
and also buy goods and services in that country. They may need extra financial
support in the beginning, but this will be paid back many times over if they stay and
work. For example, millions of Vietnamese people were forced to leave their
homeland in the 1970s, and many of them have established thriving businesses in
the USA, which pay billions of dollars in tax every year.

In conclusion, refugees should be accepted with open arms by countries in the

Western Hemisphere because it is the morally right thing to do, and it will also
benefit the host countries monetarily in the future.

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 QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE
1. You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Some feel that good entertainers are as important to society as scientists. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?

Include some relevant reasons and examples from your own experience or
knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

2. You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

People are annoyed or entertained by advertising but they are not affected by
advertisements when making shopping decisions. To what extent you agree or
disagree?

Include some relevant reasons and examples from your own experience or
knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

3. You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Some people believe that wild animals should not be kept in zoos or other man-
made environments as there is no longer a need for them in the 21st century. Do you
agree or disagree?
Include some relevant reasons and examples from your own experience or
knowledge.
Write at least 250 words.

4. You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Some people believe that wild animals should not be kept in zoos or other man-
made environments as there is no longer a need for them in the 21st century. Do you
agree or disagree?
Include some relevant reasons and examples from your own experience or
knowledge.
Write at least 250 words.
Structure of Advantages and Disadvantages type of essay
Question 1 In some countries, young people are encouraged to work or travel for a
year between finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the
advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.

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Question 2 Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a
foreign language at primary schools rather than secondary school. Do the
advantages of this outweigh/outrace/outnumber the disadvantages? Or
Another way to ask question 2 - Does this situation have more advantages or
more disadvantages?
Question 1 simply asks us to discuss the advantages and disadvantages. It does
not ask for our opinion or say which side is better or worse, so we should not include
this information in our answer. This requires a simple structure in which the student
will look at the advantages in one paragraph and the disadvantages in the other.
Question 2 is different because we have to say if the advantages are stronger than
the disadvantages. Notice I didn’t say ‘if there are more advantages than
disadvantages. The question is not asking you to talk about numbers but comment
on the overall weight of the advantages or disadvantages. For example, there are a
huge number of advantages to travelling by private jet, but there is one huge
disadvantage (the cost) that stops most people from flying that way and therefore the
disadvantages outweigh the advantages. In this example, we will have to decide
which side (advantages or disadvantages) is stronger and this will affect our
structure. If you choose advantages then you will have to say why these are much
stronger than the disadvantages and why the disadvantages don’t hold much weight.
You would also have to make this clear in your thesis statement.
Structure for Essay type 1
Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase question
Sentence 2- Outline sentence
Supporting Paragraph 1 (Advantages)
Sentence 3- Topic sentence (2 Advantages)
Sentence 4- Explain first advantage
Sentence 5- Explain second advantage
Sentence 6- Example of second advantage
Supporting Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages)
Sentence 6- Topic sentence (2 Disadvantages)
Sentence 7- Explain first disadvantage
Sentence 8- Explain second disadvantage
Sentence 9- Example of second disadvantage
Conclusion
Sentence 9- Summary of main points

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 Structure for Essay type 2
Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase question
Sentence 2- Thesis statement (state which one outweighs the other)
Sentence 3- Outline sentence
Main Body Paragraph 1 (Stronger Side)
Sentence 4- Topic Sentence
Sentence 5- Explain why it is strong
Sentence 6- Example
Sentence 7- Topic Sentence
Sentence 8- Explain why it is strong
Sentence 9- Example
Main Body Paragraph 2 (Weaker Side)
Sentence 10- Topic Sentence
Sentence 11- Explain why it is not strong
Sentence 12- Example
Conclusion
Sentence 13- Summary of main points and restate position.
Question Type 1 Sample Answer
In some countries, young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year
between finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the
advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.
Before embarking on college many young people are advised that a year working or
travelling may be a good option. This essay will suggest that experience gained and
money saved are the biggest advantages of this, but delaying careers and reducing
motivation to study are the primary disadvantages.
The main advantages of a gap year are learning more about the world and earning
money. For students who have just finished secondary school, working or travelling
for a year will allow them to learn what life is like outside of the education system.
Also, third level education is very expensive and a lot of students decide to work for
12 months and save up money before they begin their studies. The Times recently
reported that the average student at a UK university requires over $12,000 per
annum just to survive and many drop out because they cannot afford to stay.
Despite these advantages, students lose a year that could have been used to
advance their future careers and they often get used to working or travelling and

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don’t want to return to a life of study. As job markets are very competitive, an extra
year of experience can make a massive difference when applying for jobs, and those
who took a gap year are at a disadvantage. Moreover, some decide to bypass
university altogether and go straight into a job that is beneath their capabilities or
may not offer the same prospects their future career might have done. For instance,
a recent survey by the British Government found that 26% of students who take a
gap-year never enter tertiary education.
In conclusion, taking a break from studies can be advantageous if it allows people to
accumulate savings or learn more about the world. However, they should also be
careful that it does not delay the start of their careers and lead to disillusionment with
education. (311 words)
Sample Questions of the same type
Air transport is increasingly used to export fruit and vegetables to countries
where they cannot be grown or are out of season. What are the advantages
and disadvantages of this?

Fresh produce is more frequently being exported by air into countries where it is out
of season or impossible to grow. The advantages of this are that consumers can
enjoy a wider range of fresh fruit and vegetables all year and some countries rely on
imported food to feed their people. However, this puts tremendous strain on the
environment because of harmful farming methods and pollution produced by
airplanes.
One benefit of importing fruit and vegetables is the wide range of products that can
be found throughout the year. Some countries are only able to produce certain crops
during specific seasons, so, without imports, they wouldn’t be able to consume these
foods year-round. Moreover, imported produce is vital for survival in some countries.
This is because their harsh environment prevents sufficient food from being grown.
Qatar, for instance, is mostly desert and relies largely on imported produce.
On the other hand, exporting food often results in farming practices that damage the
environment. The extra demand of overseas markets requires domestic producers to
increase their food production, which often means using dangerous pesticides and
fertilizers. This is compounded when you consider the pollution caused by airplanes.
Each time food is exported, a huge amount of fuel is burned, resulting in carbon
emissions that contribute to global warming. For example, it is estimated that up to
13,000 tonnes of CO2 are released into the atmosphere every year by planes
carrying food from tropical countries.
In conclusion, while exporting produce overseas allows people to eat a variety of
fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the year and is essential for people in some
countries to survive, it is important to pay attention to the costs to the environment
caused by air transport and changes to farming methods.

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 Question Type 2 Sample Answer
Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign
language at primary schools rather than secondary school. Do the advantages
of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Some authorities think that it is more favourable for pupils to begin studying
languages at primary school instead of secondary school. This essay will argue that
the advantages of this outweigh the drawbacks. The essay will first demonstrate that
the earlier someone learns an additional language the more likely they are to master
it and that it brings added cognitive benefits, followed by an analysis of how the
primary disadvantage, namely confusion with their native tongue, is not valid.
The main reason to start kids off with foreign languages early is that this increases
the likelihood they will achieve fluency in adulthood. That is to say that they will have
far more years to perfect their skills and it will seem perfectly normal to speak
bilingually. For example, in countries such as Holland and Norway where English is
taught from a very young age, more than 95% of adults speak it at an advanced
level. Learning a second language also helps to improve overall cognitive abilities. In
other words, it benefits the overall development of a child’s brain. A recent survey by
Cambridge University found that children who studied a new language before the
age of 5 were significantly more likely to score higher in Mathematics and Science.
Those opposed to this say that it causes the child to become confused between their
mother tongue and the other language. However, there is actually no evidence to
support this view and children from bilingual families do just as well in both
languages. My own son was brought up speaking both Vietnamese and English and
outperforms most of his classmates in both.
On balance, the fact that early foreign language learning leads to higher fluency and
improved brain function clearly outweighs the flawed argument that it impairs uptake
of native languages. (299
words)
Sample Questions
1. People now have the freedom to work and live anywhere in the world due to
the development of communication technology and transportation. Do the
advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantage?
Advancements in the telecommunication and the means of transportation have
enabled people to work flexibly from any part of the world. Despite the strain which
this development puts on personal relationships, I believe that it is more
advantageous as it has decreased unemployment by providing plethora of
opportunities to people to work around the globe.
The major demerit of this trend is that it has created a lot of difference in the familial
relations. That is to say, the long distance relationships do not work much as
compared to others who are geographically close to each other. The major reason
behind this is the communication gaps due to different time zones and hectic work
schedules. For example, consider an IT professional working at Google

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headquarters in California who is basically from India. It will be really difficult for him
to work during the day and maintain contact with the family in the evening. However,
this essay would argue that it was not possible for people to move around the globe
without such advancements.
The key benefit of advanced communication and transportation is that it has helped
in eradicating unemployment by opening new job perspectives for individuals. Skilled
people can apply for the jobs anywhere in the world through internet which earlier
were not in their reach. For instance, it was observed recently that most of doctors
working in the renowned hospitals of United States are from Asian countries.
Therefore, the easy access to all the parts of the world has given rise to numerous
employment opportunities.
To conclude, although evolution of transportation and communication has negative
effect on people’s personal bonding, but the job vacancies generated by this are
worth considering.

2. Many teenagers have their own smartphones. Does this situation have
more advantages or more disadvantages?

Many adolescents own a smart device. This essay argues that despite the main
advantage of this is they have the ability to stay in contact with their parents, I
believe that there are more disadvantages as this creates a lack of face-to-face
communication, which has many detrimental effects.

The biggest benefit of teenagers having mobile phones is the fact that their parents
can call them and even check on their location. This is because smartphones have
GPS, and many apps allow parents to accurately determine where their child is or
simply message them to make sure they are safe. For example, messaging apps
like Viber have a location setting so that parents can ask where their children are in
a message and then check on Google Maps when their loved ones respond.
However, the biggest damage mobile phones cause teenagers is a lack of physical
contact.

Some believe that the drawback to teens having smartphones is that they will
spend too much time on their phones, and this will reduce the amount of time they
spend talking face to face. Face to face communication allows children to develop
their social skills and grow as human beings, and they may become anti-social
adults in the future if they are staring at a screen all day. For instance, it is very
common to go into any coffee shop and see large groups of young people sitting
around and not talking for several minutes because they are so engrossed in their
smartphones. Therefore, this essay believes that smartphones, overall, have a
detrimental effect on adolescents.

In conclusion, the primary value of teenagers having smartphones is the fact that
they will be safer because their parents can communicate with them and locate
them easily; however, I believe that a possible lack of social development is a major
downside.

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3. Many museums charge for admission, while others are free. Do you think
the advantages of charging people for admissions to museums outrace the
disadvantages?

A number of museums charge an entry fee, while others do not. This essay
thinks that the drawbacks of charging fees do not outweigh the benefits because
although some people are excluded when museums charge admission, this
funding enables many museums to remain open.

The main disadvantage of charging entry to museums is that high fees exclude
some of the population, especially in less developed countries. Many people in
poorer countries have just enough money for food and shelter, so paying for non-
essential items like exhibits and museums is impossible. For example, one of most
famous museums in Egypt charges about $7 USD for admission, which is far too
expensive for the large number of Egyptians who earn less than $2 USD per day.
However, this essay would argue that without this income museums would struggle
to survive.

One benefit of entry fees is that they allow many museums to keep their doors
open. Not all museums receive government funding, and even those who do often
find it insufficient to cover operating costs. Ticket sales make it possible for them to
keep running, which enables at least some people to see the exhibits, rather than
none at all. For instance, in the UK, there have been huge government spending
cuts over the last few years, and a number of museums have had to rely on
entrance fees to stay open. This essay believes that the most important
consideration is the continuation of museums, despite the costs.

In conclusion, although it is unfortunate that not everyone can enjoy the exhibits in
a museum if an entry fee is charged, the money earned from admission is often the
only thing that is keeping the doors open, making such a fee much more beneficial.

Problem Solution Essay

Common Mistakes
The most common mistake for problem solution essays is not expanding on your
ideas and instead simply listing lots of problems and solutions. The examiner does
not want a list of all the problems and solutions you can think of and please don’t do
this in the exam. Instead, if you look at how the exam is marked, the examiner wants
you to pick one or two problems and solutions and then expand on them with
explanations and examples. More on how to do this below.
Another common mistake is writing about problems and solutions that are not
directly linked to the question. You should be like a sniper when answering the
question and only give very specific ideas, rather than ideas that generally talk about
the overall issue. This has a lot to do with how you identify keywords and micro-
keywords in the questions which we will look at below.

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Lots of people think of good ideas for problems and then fail to link their solutions to
these problems. Each problem should have a solution that is directly linked to it, or in
other words, should solve the actual problem.
Finally, some candidates think of really good problems and solutions that answer the
question properly and then expand their answers with explanations and examples,
but they talk too generally. Instead, you should be thinking of specific examples and
explanations. We will look at how to avoid this below.
Analysing the Question
This is one of the most crucial parts of answering any IELTS writing question. If you
don’t take the time to properly think about what the examiner is asking you to do,
then it is very difficult to answer the question correctly. We analyse the question by
thinking about three things:
Keywords Micro-keywords Action words
Keywords are the words that tell us what the general topic is. Micro-
keywords identify which part of the general topic the examiner wants you to talk
about. They often give an opinion, qualify the statement or talk about a sub-category
of the bigger general topic. Action words tell us what the examiner wants us to do.
Problem Solution Sample Essay
Global warming is one of the biggest threats humans face in the 21st Century,
and sea levels are continuing to rise at alarming rates. What problems are
associated with this and what are some possible solutions.
If we look at this question, we can see that the keywords are ‘global warming ‘. This
is our general topic. We are going to write about this, but we cannot write about any
problems associated with global warming. If we do this, we have not answered the
question properly. We, therefore, need to look at the micro-keywords.
The micro-keywords are ‘humans ‘and ‘sea level rise ‘. So instead of writing just
about the huge topic of global warming and any problems associated with that (such
as increased storms, extinction of certain animals, erosion of soil), we have to talk
about how particularly sea level rises will affect humans. If for example, we talked
about the problems affecting the ‘planet’ or ‘animals’ or the ‘atmosphere’, we would
not be answering the question.
The action words are problems and solutions. Our task is, therefore, to write about
that and only that. It does not ask our opinion or about the disadvantages and
advantages or about the causes, just the problems and solutions. If we talked about
the causes of sea level rise, then we would not be answering the question.
How to Think of Ideas
Instead of brainstorming or mind-mapping- which take too much time and lead to
irrelevant ideas in my opinion- you should just pretend you are in a coffee shop with
a friend and they have just asked you a simple question. In this case, it would be
“What are the problems and solutions associated with sea level rise on humans?” If

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you were talking to a friend about this, I’m sure you would have no problem thinking
of at least 2 or 3 problems and solutions. This method takes you out of an exam
situation and puts your mind into a more relaxed environment. Try it and see.
There are several problems and solutions including:
Problem: flooding of people’s homes and businesses
Solution: build flood barriers or move to higher areas
Problem: loss of agricultural land and starvation
Solution: switch to more suitable crops
Problem: displacement of millions of people
Solution: move people in a planned and orderly way before the floods
Problem: groundwater undrinkable
Solution: build desalination plants
As you can see, I didn’t think of lots of problems and then lots of solutions. For each
problem, you should think of a solution that directly solves this problem. You now
have lots of ideas, but now you must decide which ones to use. I always tell my
students to pick the ones you know most about i.e., that you can explain and give
relevant examples.
Structure
I advise my students to use a basic four paragraph structure with all problem solution
IELTS essays. You four paragraphs should look something like this:
Paragraph 1- Introduction
Paragraph 2- Problems
Paragraph 3- Solutions
Paragraph 4- Conclusion
At a sentence level, your structure should look like this:
Introduction
1- Paraphrase question
2- Outline sentence
Problem
3- State problems
4- Explain first problem
5- Explain second problem
6- Example of second problem

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Solution
7- State solutions
8- Explain solution to first problem
9- Explain solution to second problem
10- Example of solution to second problem
Conclusion
Sentence 11- Summary of main points in paragraphs 2 and 3
Introduction
The introduction will have two sentences: a paraphrase of the question and an
outline statement.
Paraphrasing is simply saying the sentence again with different words but with the
same meaning. We can do this by using synonyms and/or changing the order of the
words.
Question- Global warming is one of the biggest threats humans face in the 21st
Century, and sea levels are continuing to rise at alarming rates.
Paraphrased- Climate change is among the principal dangers facing people this
century, and ocean levels are increasing dramatically.
As you can see above, I have used synonyms to change the words of the questions
but it still has the same meaning. The examiner will be looking for your ability to do
this in the exam, so it is a good idea to practice this skill.
Our outline sentence is next and this tells the examiner what they are going to read
in the rest of the essay. This makes it very clear to the examiner and makes the rest
of the essay much easier to understand. You will, therefore, gain marks for
coherence and cohesion.
Our outline sentence should look something like this:
This essay will first suggest that the biggest problems caused by this
phenomenon are the loss of land and the flooding of homes and then argue
that pollution reduction and building flood protection are the most viable
solutions.
Our introduction will, therefore, look like this:
Climate change is among the principal dangers facing people this century, and
ocean levels are increasing dramatically. This essay will first suggest that the
biggest problems caused by this phenomenon are the loss of land and the
flooding of homes and then argue that pollution reduction and building flood
protection are the most viable solutions.
It should be noted that this introduction does not contain a thesis statement. This is
because this particular question does not ask us for our opinion. However, IELTS

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problem solution questions sometimes do ask you for your opinion and you should
then include a thesis statement.
Problems Paragraph
Our problems paragraph will have this structure:
Sentence 1- State problems
Sentence 2- Explain first problem
Sentence 3- Explain second problem
Sentence 4- Example of second problem
State problems: The foremost problems caused by climbing sea levels are that land
is being lost and peoples’ residences are often flooded.
Now that we have stated the problems, we must explain what these are. You should
always consider your audience to be someone with no specialist knowledge in this
area and you, therefore, need to explain what everything means. Don’t assume that
the IELTS examiner is an educated person and knows what you are talking about.
These assumptions will stop you writing what you need.
Explain first problem: As water levels rise, low-lying land is submerged and many
countries become smaller.
Explain second problem: Furthermore, millions of people all over the world live in
coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they are inundated with water
and lose their property.
Now we must give an example of what we are talking about. When we give an
example, it should be as specific as possible.
An example of a very general example would be:
Lots of people in the world have experienced floods recently.
This is far too general to be considered a good example.
Example: The devastation brought about by this was clear for all to see during the
2011 Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people were displaced.
This example is much more specific. Stating a place and/or date can help you make
your examples more specific.
Our second paragraph will look like this:
The foremost problems caused by climbing sea levels are that land is being
lost and peoples’ residences are often flooded. As water levels rise, low-lying
land is submerged and many countries become smaller. Furthermore, millions
of people all over the world live in coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a
few feet, they are inundated with water and lose their property. The
devastation brought about by this was clear for all to see during the 2011
Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people were displaced.

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Now we must move on to our solutions.
Solutions Paragraph
Our solutions paragraph will have this structure:
Sentence 1- State solutions
Sentence 2- Explain solution to first problem
Sentence 3- Explain solution to second problem
Sentence 4- Example of solution to second problem
State solutions: Possible solutions to these problems would be to reduce the
amount of pollution being created and to build flood barriers.
We now need to explain how our solution will help solve the problem. Again, do not
assume that the examiner has any specialist knowledge of this topic, so you need to
explain what you mean.
Explain first solution: If each person reduces their carbon footprint, the negative
effects on the environment will be reduced and this will mean that the water level will
stop rising.
Explain second solution: Furthermore, flood defences, such as dikes, dams, and
floodgates, could be built along coasts and waterways, thereby stopping the water
reaching populated areas.
Example: The Netherlands is one of the most populated areas in the world and also
one of the most vulnerable to flooding and they have successfully employed various
flood defence systems.
Our whole solutions paragraph will look like this:
Possible solutions to these problems would be to reduce the amount of
pollution being created and to build flood barriers. If each person reduces their
carbon footprint, the negative effects on the environment will be reduced and
this will mean that the water level will stop rising. Furthermore, flood defences,
such as dikes, dams, and floodgates, could be built along coasts and
waterways, thereby stopping the water reaching populated areas. The
Netherlands is one of the most populated areas in the world and also one of
the most vulnerable to flooding and they have successfully employed various
flood defence systems.
We have now answered the question and we now just need to sum up what we have
said in the conclusion.
Conclusion
The conclusion should have no new ideas but instead should simply list the main
points from the previous two paragraphs. You can also use synonyms in this
paragraph to avoid repetition.

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Conclusion: To conclude, stemming the rising tides caused by increasing global
temperatures is one of the foremost challenges we face and it will ultimately lead to
some countries losing landmass and many of the worlds’ cities being left underwater,
but possible solutions could be to protect our environment and to utilise the flood
prevention techniques already used by countries like Holland.
Our whole conclusion for this problem solution essay will look like this:
To conclude, stemming the rising tides caused by increasing global
temperatures is one of the foremost challenges we face and it will ultimately
lead to some countries losing landmass and many of the worlds’ cities being
left underwater, but possible solutions could be to protect our environment
and to utilise the flood prevention techniques already used by countries like
Holland.
Problem and Solution Sample Essay
1. People naturally resist making changes in their lives. What kinds of
problems can this cause? What solutions can you suggest?
It is a fact of life that people do not like change. The main problems this causes are
missed opportunities and stagnation. The most viable solutions are using self-help
resources to develop a more optimistic attitude and taking practical steps to reduce
risks.

People who resist change often miss out on opportunities. When someone stays in
a job or relationship, they are unhappy with because they fear change, they deny
themselves the chance to find a situation which will better fit their dreams and goals.
Additionally, many people end up stagnating. They tolerate their lives, even though
they are not really happy, and find themselves in a rut because they are afraid of
the risks that change brings. For instance, countless people who continue to work in
unsatisfying jobs do so because they fear the uncertainties that accompany finding
a new job.

One way for people to overcome this difficulty is by reading self-help literature to
develop a positive mindset. These books usually contain practical tips and
success stories, both of which encourage people to see that change can be
extremely positive. Another solution is for people to identify practical steps they
can take to reduce the risks associated with change. If people educate themselves
about what to expect in new situations, they will be better prepared and there will
be less risk of failure. For example, many people have been able to face their
fears and apply for a new job by researching what their prospective employer
requires and how to succeed in job interviews.

In conclusion, when people avoid change, it can result in wasted opportunities and
being stuck in a rut. Reading self-help books to become more optimistic and taking
practical measures to reduce risks are two possible solutions.

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 2. Global warming is one of the biggest threats humans face in the 21st
Century, and sea levels are continuing to rise at alarming rates. What
problems are associated with this and what are some possible
solutions.
Climate change is among the principal dangers facing people this century, and
ocean levels are increasing dramatically. This essay will first suggest that the biggest
problems caused by this phenomenon are the loss of land and the flooding of homes
and then argue that pollution reduction and building flood protection are the most
viable solutions.
The foremost problems caused by climbing sea levels are that land is being lost and
peoples’ residences are often flooded. As water levels rise, low-lying land is
submerged and many countries become smaller. Furthermore, millions of people all
over the world live in coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they are
inundated with water and lose their property. The devastation brought about by this
was clear for all to see during the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people
were displaced.
Possible solutions to these problems would be to reduce the amount of pollution
being created and to build flood barriers. If each person reduces their carbon
footprint, the negative effects on the environment will be reduced and this will mean
that the water level will stop rising. Furthermore, flood defences, such as dikes,
dams, and floodgates, could be built along coasts and waterways, thereby stopping
the water reaching populated areas. The Netherlands is one of the most populated
areas in the world and also one of the most vulnerable to flooding and they have
successfully employed various flood defence systems.
To conclude, stemming the rising tides caused by increasing global temperatures is
one of the foremost challenges we face and it will ultimately lead to some countries
losing landmass and many of the worlds’ cities being left underwater, but possible
solutions could be to protect our environment and to utilise the flood prevention
techniques already used by countries like Holland.
3. The internet has transformed the way information is shared and
consumed, but it has also created problems that did not exist before.
What are the most serious problems associated with the internet and
what are the possible solutions?

The way which information is circulated has been completely transformed by the
internet, but this has also created issues we never had before. The most serious
problems are identity theft and cyberbullying in schools, and the most effective
solutions are more secure passwords and tighter social media regulations.

One problem related to the internet is personal information being stolen. This type
of information can be illegally obtained by criminals with advanced IT skills who
can hack online servers where it is stored. Another problem is that school bullies
can cause psychological distress on the internet. Cyberbullying has terrible
consequences because social media can be used by bullies to victimise other

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students after school hours as the reach of the internet is not limited to within the
school grounds. For example, in Ireland, more children than ever before are being
counselled because they feel that they cannot escape from the invasive nature of
cyberbullying.

An effective solution is to have more secure passwords. Simple passwords make it

easy for cybercriminals to steal personal information, so the best defense is to
create passwords that are more complex. To resolve the serious effects of
cyberbullying, strict age restrictions for social media are needed. Governments
must force social media companies to deny access to minors so as to remove this
tool from the hands of bullies. For instance, you have to be 13 to use social media
platforms in the USA, but if that age limit were raised to 16, there would be
significantly less bullying.

In conclusion, the ways that the internet has led to personal information being
stolen and students being cyberbullied are by far the most significant problems it
has created, and the most effective solutions are to use more complicated
passwords and for minors not to be given access to social media.

4. More and more people in developing countries are purchasing cars for
the first time. What problems does this cause? What do you think are
some possible solutions?

An increasing number of people from developing nations are making their first car
purchases. The principal problems this causes are pollution and traffic
congestion, and the most viable solutions are electric engines and better public
transport.

One dilemma developing countries face when their citizens start to buy cars is
increased pollution. One of the primary causes of air pollution is automobiles, and
every additional car added to the road further exacerbates the situation. In addition,
traffic jams are also becoming more common. This is because roads that were built
for horses, carts and even bicycles are now clogged during peak times because of
the growing number of personal vehicles. For example, there were never any traffic
jams in Ho Chi Minh City 20 years ago, but with the ever increasing number of cars,
it takes much longer to commute now.

The first solution to this problem is switching to electric engines. These types of
engines are known to be far less harmful to the environment, and as more cars use
these in favour of traditional combustion engines, air pollution will improve. Another
solution is to build superior public transport systems. High quality public transport
would counteract the issues currently seen by excessive car purchases as most
people are already exasperated with the amount of time they spend in traffic and
would sell their cars if there was a better alternative. For instance, in Japan, very
few people own cars because of the incredible public transport system that is in
place.

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In conclusion, the main problems associated with the rise in the number of motor
vehicles in developing countries are the decrease in air quality and clogging of the
roads, but these can be addressed with the use of electric cars and by providing
modern public-transport.

Reasons and Solutions Essay

Structure
You four paragraphs should look something like this:
Paragraph 1- Introduction
Paragraph 2- Problems
Paragraph 3- Solutions
Paragraph 4- Conclusion
Introduction
1- Paraphrase question
2- Outline sentence
Reasons
3- State reasons
4- Explain first reason
5- Explain second reason
6- Example of second reason
Solution
7- State solutions
8- Explain solution to first reason
9- Explain solution to second reason
10- Example of solution to second reason
Conclusion
Sentence 11- Summary of main points in paragraphs 2 and 3
1. Modern children are suffering from the diseases that were once
considered to only be meant for adults. Obesity is a major disease
prevalent among children. What are its causes, and what solutions can
be offered?

Being obese was once only a condition that adults suffered from, but it is
becoming more common in children. This essay will first discuss how fast food
and a sedentary lifestyle are the primary causes of this growing problem,

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followed by a discussion of how education and increased exercise are the
most viable solutions.

One cause of obesity in children is the increasing popularity of fast-food

restaurants. Fast food usually contains an exorbitant number of calories
because it is very high in fat and sugar. In addition, young people are living a
more sedentary lifestyle. Nowadays, more children choose computer games or
social media over physical activity, so they are unable to burn the extra calories
they are eating. It can be commonly seen in many western nations, for
instance, that the number of children who participate in after-school sports has
dropped significantly over the last decade.

The best solution to this problem of obesity is to educate children about the
dangers of being severely overweight. If children are more aware of the types of
diseases associated with obesity, they might think twice before asking their
parents to take them to the local burger restaurant. Moreover, schools should
introduce more exercise into their curriculums. If children take part in sport, the
physical activity will allow them to burn calories and avoid weight gain. Schools
where children are required to participate in at least one team sport, for
example, typically have lower obesity rates.

In conclusion, many children are struggling with their weight because of eating
too much junk food combined with a sedentary lifestyle. However, if schools
give children enough information about the risks they are taking by doing this
and require children to take more exercise, the problem can be alleviated.

2. Some people get into debt by buying things they do not need and are
unable to afford. What are the reasons for this behaviour? What action
can be taken to prevent people from having this problem?

Many people owe money because they purchase unnecessary goods that they
cannot afford. Relentless advertising in the media and the easy availability of credit
are the main reasons for this, and I believe it is the responsibility of governments to
intervene and issue stricter guidelines to prevent irresponsible lending and to
regulate advertising in the media.

Advertising in the media has caused many people to go into debt. Clever
marketing can lead people to believe they need something when in reality they
do not, driving them to spend unnecessarily. Another reason that people are
buying things they cannot afford is the fact that credit is easily available.
Nowadays financial institutions make it widely known that anyone can get a
credit card or a loan. For example, wonga.com has been heavily criticized in
the United Kingdom for providing short-term loans at high interest rates that can
be instantly sent to someone’s bank account after applying online.

These practices could be curbed through government regulation of excessive

advertising and unsound lending practices. In other words, if governments

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 capped the amount of advertising allowed in the media and required applicants
for loans or credit to prove that they have sufficient income, people would be
under less pressure to spend recklessly and also would not have the means to
do so. For example, in Germany, a person is not allowed to borrow more than
10% of their annual income in any one year, and if they do, the bank will be
penalized with a heavy fine.

In conclusion, rampant lending and excessive marketing have led to many

people being burdened with debt, but this can be avoided if authorities regulate
advertising and put in place proper rules that lenders must adhere to.

Writing Task 2 Discuss Both Views Essay Lesson

Introduction
This lesson will help you answer IELTS Writing Task 2 discussion (or discuss both
views and give your opinion) questions.
These particular questions require a different approach to opinion essays because
you have to discuss both sides rather than just argue in favour of one side.
 Identifying the question
 Example Questions
 Structure
 Sample Answer
 Task Achievement
 Coherence and Cohesion
 Lexical Resource
Many students fail to do well in these kinds of questions because they do not do
what the question asks them to do and they do not use an appropriate structure. This
post will help you overcome these problems and give you a sample answer.

Identifying the Question

Computers are being used more and more in education. Some people say that this is
a positive trend, while others argue that it is leading to negative consequences.
Discuss both sides of this argument and then give your own opinion.

The question is the discussion question. We can tell this from the typical instructions
in the question ‘Discuss both sides of the argument and then give your opinion’.
You may also be asked to ‘Discuss both views and give your opinion’ or ‘Discuss
both sides of the argument and give your opinion’.
Example Questions
Here are a few other typical discussion questions:
1. A growing number of people feel that animals should not be exploited by
people and that they should have the same rights as humans, while others

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 argue that humans must employ animals to satisfy their various needs,
including uses for food and research. Discuss both views and give your
opinion.
2. Blood sports have become a hot topic for debate in recent years. As society
develops it is increasingly seen as an uncivilized activity and cruel to the
helpless animals that are killed. All blood sports should be banned. Discuss
the two main arguments for this statement and give your own opinion.
3. Some people think that the best way to reduce crime is to give longer prison
sentences. Others, however, believe there are better alternative ways of
reducing crime. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
As you can see, they typically state two opinions and then ask you to discuss both
and give your opinion. Make sure you do these things in the essay. If you only
discuss both views and fail to give your opinion you will lose marks.
Structure
Introduction

1- Paraphrase Question
2- State Both Points of View
2- Thesis Statement
3- Outline Sentence
Main Body Paragraph 1

1- State first viewpoint

2- Discuss first viewpoint
3- Reason why you agree or disagree with viewpoint
4- Example to support your view
Main Body Paragraph 2

1- State second viewpoint

2- Discuss second viewpoint
3- Reason why you agree or disagree with viewpoint
4- Example to support your view
Conclusion

Sentence 1- Summary
Sentence 2- State which one is better or more important

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 Example Answer
1. Computers are being used more and more in education. Some people say
that this is a positive trend, while others argue that it is leading to negative
consequences. Discuss both sides of this argument and then give your
own opinion.

There is an ever-increasing use of technology, such as tablets and laptops, in the

classroom. It is often argued that this is a positive development, whilst others
disagree and think it will lead to adverse ramifications. This essay agrees that an
increase in technology is beneficial to students and teachers.

It is clear that the internet has provided students with access to more information
than ever before. Moreover, learners have the ability to research and learn about any
subject at the touch of a button. It is therefore agreed that technology is a very
worthwhile tool for education. Wikipedia is a prime example, where students can
simply type in any keyword and gain access to in-depth knowledge quickly and
easily.

However, many disagree and feel that technology deprives people of real human
interaction. Human interaction teaches people valuable skills such as discourse,
debate and empathy. Despite this, human interaction is still possible through the
internet and this essay disagrees technology should be dismissed for this reason.
For instance, Skype and Facebook make it possible for people to interact in ways
that were never before possible.

In conclusion, while the benefits of technology, particularly the internet, allow

students to tap in to limitless sources of information, some still feel that people
should be wary of this new phenomenon and not allow it to curb face to face
interaction. However, as long as we are careful to keep in mind the importance of
human interaction in education, the educational benefits are clearly positive.

2. Governments give lots of support to artists, even though some people think
it is a waste of money that could have been spent better elsewhere. Discuss
both views and give your opinion.
Many artists are well supported by their governments, but some feel that this is a
misuse of taxpayers’ money. Although many artists could not continue to work
without this support, I feel that public healthcare is in more urgent need of the
money.

On the one hand, it is difficult for many arts institutions to generate profit, so
without some help from their government, many theatres and other such places
may have to close. It is important that governments assist such institutions so that
they can continue to provide entertainment to the public. For example, there are
many open-air concerts in the summer months in the UK which would not exist
without the financial backing of local councils. However, I would argue that if these
places were popular enough, they would be able to generate their own income.

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On the other hand, public hospitals all over the world are under financial strain. It
would seem obvious that people’s health is of more importance than people’s
entertainment, so this money should be given to hospitals to upgrade equipment
and shorten waiting lists. For instance, Downshire Hospital in Ireland has blamed a
lack of public funding for its shortage of nurses and available beds. Therefore, I feel
that the money given to artists should be redirected into the healthcare system.

In conclusion, although we may have fewer opportunities to enjoy the work of artists,
I maintain that government funds should be put into hospitals because people’s
health is a more worthy cause.

3. In many countries, children are engaged in some kind of paid work. Some
people regard this as completely wrong, while others consider it as
valuable work experience. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

In many places, children are involved in various types of employment. Some

would say that this is utterly wrong, while others are of the opinion that this is fine
because it prepares them for the workforce. This essay agrees with the latter
point and will show that, despite some concerns about its effect on education,
working at a young age can enhance a person’s character.

It is often argued that working before the age of eighteen is wrong because it
impacts how successful children are in their studies. This is because they are
under increasing pressure to perform academically, and a job will force them to
reduce the time they have to study. For example, a UK children’s charity found
that children who worked part-time were less likely to achieve higher grades
than those who did not. However, I believe the lessons children can learn from
working are invaluable.

Getting a part-time job contributes towards children’s character development.

It teaches them the value of hard work and exposes them to the real world,
where they learn things, they would never learn in the classroom. This can
also result in them working harder and being more disciplined at school. For
example, a teenager working in a restaurant for a few hours at the weekend
can learn how to interact with the general public without their academic
performance being negatively affected. For this reason, I believe that concerns
about work’s negative effects on education are unfounded.

In conclusion, despite fears that children will neglect their studies if they are
required to work, this essay thinks that a little work experience at a young age
can build character, and actually help students achieve their educational
goals.

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4. Some parents think that childcare centres provide the best services for
children of preschool age. Other working parents think that family
members such as grandparents will be better caregivers for their young
children. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Some argue that when parents are at work, close relations provide the best care
to young children, while others believe daycare centers offer a better option.
While relatives can usually be trusted to take care of youngsters properly, this
essay argues that childcare professionals are better equipped to care for young
children due to the training they receive.

Many parents in full-time employment prefer to leave their young ones with
grandparents or siblings when they are at work because they trust them more.
This is because they feel their child will be safer with someone from within the
family. For example, working mothers in South Africa often ask their parents to
take care of their children because childcare centers have a high turnover rate,
which means there are too many new staff members that the parents do not
know very well. However, this essay argues that a family connection does not
guarantee that a person can take care of young children well.

Others say that daycare centers are a better option due to the fact that their
employees are skilled professionals. Many of those employed in these centers
have been rigorously trained in how to nurture children’s growth. For instance,
most childcare centers in developed countries require their employees to have
completed certificates in early childhood development. For this reason, this essay
believes that the children left in the care of these centers are better looked after.

In conclusion, although some parents may prefer the bond of trust inherent within a
family when choosing a caregiver for their children, this essay finds that children
are better off under the care of daycare centers due to their staff’s professional
training and experience.

5. Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be

encouraged. Others believe that children who are taught to cooperate
rather than compete become more useful adults. Discuss both views and
give your own opinion.

It is argued that children should be motivated to be competitive, while others feel

that teaching them to be cooperative will be of more value as they enter
adulthood. I believe that while competition can help children be successful,
cooperation is more important because it teaches them to work within a team, a
crucial adult skill.

Some argue that instilling a sense of competition in children helps them to achieve
success in whatever they do. This is because being competitive creates a drive to

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win, which teaches them that hard work and discipline are the keys to success.
For example, it is often the case that children who participate in competitive sports
are less likely to quit when things are difficult and are, therefore, more likely to
overcome obstacles in their jobs as adults. Despite this, I would argue that
children require lessons on teamwork more than the will to win.

If children are taught to be cooperative, they learn the importance of working in a

team, which is something adults are expected to do. Through working with others,
children learn not only how to respect different opinions but also how to pool their
strengths. For instance, preschools include cooperation as one of the first skills in
their curriculum as they recognize that it is a vital social skill in all spheres of life. I
therefore believe that teaching children to work with others is more important than
giving them a sense of competition.

In conclusion, while instilling a sense of competition in children can help them

succeed, I think that teaching children to be cooperative gives them the ability to
work as part of a team, which is far more valuable later in life.
TWO – PART QUESTIONS

Introduction
1- Paraphrase Question
2- Thesis Statement
3- Outline Sentence
Main Body Paragraph 1
1- State first question’s answer
2- Discuss first question’s answer
3- Example to support your view
Main Body Paragraph 2

1- State second question’s answer

2- Discuss second question’s answer
3- Example to support your view
Conclusion

Sentence 1- Summary of both points

Sample answers of this type
1. Climate change is the biggest threat to life on our planet. How accurate
is this statement? Are there any other big threats to mankind?

It is claimed that global warming is the chief threat to human civilization. This essay

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does not agree with this statement because people can find technological solutions
to this problem. However, there is another graver threat, which is that of nuclear
weapons as this cannot be so easily solved.

Some would argue that the increase in the planet’s average temperature will lead
to catastrophe on a global scale; however, the technology already exists to stem
this threat. Solar power, combined with the use of electric vehicles, will remove the
need for fossil-fueled power stations and transportation. The result will be a
massive reduction in the release of greenhouse gases into the earth’s atmosphere,
which are the principal cause of global warming. For example, Tesla Motors
produces excellent cars that produce zero CO2, and its sister company, Solar City,
allows people to produce their own electricity using innovative photovoltaic roof
tiles and Powerwall battery packs.

A much larger danger is that of thermo-nuclear war. It would only take one blunder
or the outbreak of a major war between nuclear states to wipe out every living thing
on earth. This would be caused by the explosions themselves, and the ensuing
nuclear winter which would wipe out all plant life and poison the air and oceans. For
instance, the United States of America alone has enough nuclear warheads to wipe
out every man, woman, and child on earth with its arsenal, and the Cuban Missile
Crisis in the 1960s demonstrated how close it is possible to come to global nuclear
war.

In conclusion, climate change is not the gravest peril the earth faces because we
have the technological capability to solve it, and the threat from nuclear arms is
much greater.

2. In Britain, when someone gets old, they often go to live in a home with
other old people where there are nurses to look after them. Sometimes
the government has to pay for this care. Who do you think should pay
for this care, the government or the family?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.

In the UK, the elderly people are looked after by caregivers in old people’s
homes, which at times is paid for by the state. This essay believes that the
state should pay for this type of assistance because of the contribution that
old people have made to their society and because most families could not
cope with the financial burden.

When a person gets to the age where they need help looking after themselves,
the government should pay for this because that person has given the
government tax all their life. If a person only makes minimum wage and pays
tax every month for thirty years, this adds up to a large sum of money, which is

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more than enough to cover the cost of taking care of that person when they are
old and infirm. In the UK, for example, everyone has to pay National Insurance
and income tax, and part of this should go towards helping the elderly when
they are old and need nursing care.

If the government does not pay, then the bill is left with the family, and most
people simply cannot afford this on top of their normal expenses. Nursing homes
require specialist care and twenty-four-hour attention, which is very expensive
for the average person, especially if they have more than one elderly relative to
pay for. For instance, the average nursing home bill in the United Kingdom is
one third of the average wage.

To conclude, older people or their families should not have to worry about
expensive nursing bills after they retire because the contributions they have
made when they are working should cover this expense, and their families
would not be able to afford the bills without assistance.

3. As most people spend a major part of their adult life at work, job
satisfaction is an important element of individual wellbeing. What are
the factors that contribute to job satisfaction? How realistic is the
expectation of job satisfaction for all workers?

As the majority of adults spend most of their time at work, being content with their
career is a crucial part of their health and happiness. This essay will first discuss
how being respected and well paid contribute toward job satisfaction and then
suggest that expecting everyone to be happy with their career is unrealistic
because many people’s circumstances force them to work in unfulfilling jobs.

One factor that leads to people being satisfied with their job is being treated with
respect. If employees feel that their managers appreciate them and the work they
do, it gives them a sense of ownership and they enjoy their work more because
their contributions matter. A fair salary and benefits are also important
considerations. If workers feel they are being underpaid, they will either resent
their bosses or look for another job. In the UK, for example, the most cited reason
for leaving a job last year was an inadequate salary.

I do not think it is feasible to expect everyone to enjoy their work because many
people have no other choice but to do jobs they do not like. Attaining a rewarding
job usually requires a good education, which many people cannot afford. The result
is that they end up working in unsatisfying roles just to be able to survive. An
example of this is workers in sweatshops or factories, who cannot quit their terrible
jobs because they are unable to secure better employment elsewhere.

In conclusion, being satisfied at work is an important part of a person’s wellbeing,

and respect from management and fair pay can improve one’s level of happiness.

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However, job satisfaction for all workers is an unrealistic prospect because
circumstances make it impossible for everyone to have a rewarding job.

 Is it a negative or a positive development?

 The best structure you can use for this type of essay is:

Paragraph 1- Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question

Sentence 2- Thesis Statement

Sentence 3- Outline Statement

Paragraph 2- Supporting Paragraph 1

Sentence 1- Topic Sentence

Sentence 2/3- Explain Topic Sentence

Sentence 3/4- Example

Paragraph 3- Supporting Paragraph 2

Sentence 1- Topic Sentence

Sentence 2/3- Explain Topic Sentence

Sentence 3/4- Example

Paragraph 4- Conclusion

Sentence 1- Summary and reiteration of your opinion.

That’s it! Four paragraphs.

1. At present, the media affects people’s lives significantly. What impact

does this have on society? Is it a negative or positive development?

The media has a significant impact on the way people live their lives. This essay
will discuss how the media shapes how people think about world events and
suggest that this is a negative development because it endangers democracy.

A major impact of the media is that it affects how people interpret things
happening in the world. Most people take the news at face value and do not think
about it very critically. This leads to them believing everything they read or hear

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 and can result in them having a distorted view of key issues. Take the current
refugee crisis as an example, where, as a result of how refugees were
represented in the UK news, people came to view them as ‘migrants’ who were
looking to overrun the UK and take advantage of its economic prosperity, when in
reality, these people were simply fleeing war-torn countries.

This distortion means that governments and corporations can influence the media
and get them to spin a narrative that suits their agenda, which is very dangerous
for democracy. A healthy democracy must have a free press that is critical of the
state and big business, and if it does not, democracy will be in peril. For example,
it is widely known that certain news networks in the USA regularly tell lies about
the Democratic Party and seek to support the Republican Party, which is very
disturbing when you consider that tens of millions of people tune in to networks
every day.

In conclusion, the media affects our view of the world by telling us what to think,
and this is a negative development because unless people make up their own
minds rather than blindly believing whatever they hear or read, democracy is
threatened.

2. In some countries, many more people are choosing to live alone

nowadays than in the past. Do you think this is a positive or negative
development?
There are countries where more people are deciding to live by themselves than they
did in the past. This essay would argue that this is a positive development because
these people’s actions are not restricted by their housemates, and when people live
alone, it helps a country’s economy.
When people live alone, they do not need to accommodate others who are living with
them. This can reduce the stress of having to resolve any conflict that may occur due
to people having different ideas of how a house should be maintained, and it can
help them to save time by not having to wait for others to finish using appliances or
equipment that they need to use. For example, it has recently been reported that
people who live on their own suffer far less anxiety related issues than those who
share their living space.
As well as that, a country’s economy will grow if more people are living alone. This is
because these people are no longer sharing bills, and, therefore, more money is
being spent. Also, to avoid loneliness, these people tend to get out of the house
more often and engage in social activities with their friends and family, which results
in more spending and aids economic development even further. For instance, in
universities across America, students who stay in one-bedroom apartments rarely
stay at home during the evenings, but this is not the case for those who live in shared
accommodation.

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In conclusion, the increasing trend of people living alone is beneficial as these
individuals have freedom from the stresses of sharing accommodation with others,
and it creates more spending, which is good for the economy.
REASONS, NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT
Structure
Introduction
Paraphrase the statement
Thesis statement
Outline statement
Body Paragraph 1
Topic statement (state both the reasons)
Write the first reason
Explain the statement
Write the second reason
Explain the statement
Write example of the second statement
Body paragraph 2
Tell why it is a negative or positive development
Topic sentence
Explain the point
Give example
More and more people want to buy famous brands with clothes, car and other
items. What are the reasons? Do you think it is a positive or negative
development?

These days demand for fashionable items of high-end brand are dramatically
growing. Many people would tend to buy luxury goods like clothes, automobiles,
accessories and so forth. There are several reasons why the number of famous
brands' buyers has been increasing. This essay argues brand loyalty and urge to
show off status symbol makes people and have extravagant lifestyle. Yet, it does not
have positive impacts on individuals and society.
The consumer who is using luxury brand commodities to feel fulfilled finds these
brands strongly trustworthy. Indeed, purchasing goods from famous brands arouses
the buyers’ interest to a large extent and they find it difficult to engage with new,
unknown brands which perhaps with advancement design and higher quality as
opposed to well-known items. Furthermore, it is an irrefutable fact that possessing

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these types of products convey a sense of wealth, social status and
accomplishment. In some societies, for instance, people believe that individuals’
personality has direct relation to their luxury items.
Nevertheless, in my personal perspective, this trend can have detrimental impacts
not only on individuals but also on societies as whole. From a social standpoint, in
these communities, people will be judged and respected based on their affordability
rather than their real accomplishments or moral values. On a customers’ level, since
more people have tended to provide real and excellent famous brands, the producer
of well-known brands are more likely to sacrifice quality and just pay attention to
quantity. In fact, the buyers because of their failing to recognize should pay the
higher price for fake goods and at the result they are faced with financial issues.
To sum up, the increased consumption of trade name products might virtually have
more relevance to people’s daily lives, but in my opinion this tendency is
disadvantageous to both society and individuals.

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