ielts liz solution essay

• Ebooks & Courses
• Practice Tests

How to Plan & Write IELTS Problem Solution Essays

IELTS problem solution essays are the most challenging essay type for many people. The way they are worded can vary hugely which can make it difficult to understand how you should answer the question.

Generally, you’ll be asked to write about both the problem, or cause, and the solution to a specific issue. Sometimes, however, you will only be required to write about possible solutions.

The 3 essay types:

• Problem and solution
• Cause and solution
• Just the solution

Hence, it’s essential that you analyse the question carefully, which I’ll show you how to do in this lesson. I’m also going to demonstrate step-by-step how to plan and write IELTS problem solution essays.

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

• Identifying IELTS problem solution essays 
• 6 Common mistakes
• Essay structure
• How to plan
• How to write an introduction
• How to write main body paragraphs
• How to write a conclusion

Want  to watch and listen to this lesson?

Click on this video.

Click the links to see lessons on each of these Task 2 essay writing topics. 

Once you understand the process, practice on past questions. Take your time at first and gradually speed up until you can plan and write an essay of at least 250 words in the 40 minutes allowed in the exam.

The Question

Here are two typical IELTS problem solution essay questions. They consist of a statement followed by the question or instruction.

1. One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?

2. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the number of endangered species has increased significantly and we have witnessed more mass extinctions in this period than in any other period of time.

State some reasons for this and provide possible solutions.

These are some examples of different ways in which questions can be phrased. The first half of the questions relate to the problem or cause, the second half to the solution.

What issues does this cause and how can they be addressed?

What are some resulting social problems and how can we deal with them?

What problems arise from this and how can they be tackled?

Why is this? How might it be remedied?

What are the reasons for this, and how can the situation be improved?

Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?

And here are a few questions where you only have to write about the solution.

How can this situation be improved?

What solutions can you suggest to deal with this problem?

How can this problem be solved?

What measures could be taken to prevent this?

It’s important that you are able to recognise the common synonyms, words and phrases used in problem solution questions. Here are the key words and their synonyms used in the questions above.

• Problem  – issues, resulting, situation
• Cause  – reasons, why
• Solution  – deal with, addressed, tackled, remedied, improved, measures taken, solved, prevent

Before we move on to some common mistakes, I want to quickly explain the difference between a problem and a cause. Read the following examples.

Problem – I've missed the last bus home after visiting my friend for the evening.

Cause – I misread the timetable and thought the bus left at 22.45 when it actually left at 22.35.

The ‘cause’ is the reason for the ‘problem’.  We’ll be looking at question analysis in more detail in a minute.

6 Common Mistakes

These six errors are common in IELTS problem solution essays.

• Confusing problem and causes questions.
• Having too many ideas.
• Not developing your ideas.
• Not developing both sides of the argument equally.
• Not linking the problems and solutions.
• Not being specific enough.

It is common for an essay to consist of a list of problems and solutions without any of them being expanded on or linked to each other. Sometimes, a student will focus on just the problem or only the solution which leads to an unbalanced essay. Both these issues will result in a low score for task achievement.

You must choose just one or two problems and pick solutions directly linked to them. Explain them and give examples.

Another serious error is to write generally about the topic. You need to be very specific with your ideas. Analysing the question properly is essential to avoiding this mistake. I’ll show you how to do this.

Essay Structure

Now let’s look at a simple structure you can use to write IELTS problem solution essays. It’s not the only possible structure but it’s the one I recommend because it’s easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.

1)  Introduction

• Paraphrase the question
• State 1 key problem/cause and related solution

2)  Main body paragraph 1 – Problem or Cause

• Topic sentence – state the problem or cause
• Explanation – give detail explaining the problem or cause
• Example – give an example

3)  Main body paragraph 2 – Solution

• Topic sentence – state the solution
• Explanation – give detail explaining the solution

4)  Conclusion

• Summarise the key points 

This structure will give us a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.

One Problem/Cause & Solution or Two?

Most questions will state problems, causes and solutions in the plural, that is, more than one. However, it is acceptable to write about just one.

This will give you an essay of just over the minimum 250 words. To write about two problems/causes and solutions will require you to write between 350 and 400 words which are a lot to plan and write in the 40 minutes allowed.

It is better to fully develop one problem/cause and solution than ending up with one idea missing an explanation or an example because you run out of time.

The step-by-step essay structure I’m going to show you includes one problem and solution but you can write about two if you feel able to or more comfortable doing so.

How To Plan IELTS Problem Solution Essays

Here’s the question we’re going to be answering in our model essay followed by the 3 steps of the planning process.

One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you sugge st?

• Analyse the question
• Generate ideas
• Identify vocabulary

# 1  Analyse the question

This is an essential step in the planning process and will ensure that you answer the question fully. It’s quick and easy to do. You just need to identify 3 different types of words:

1. Topic words

2.  Other keywords

3.  Instruction words

Topics words are the ones that identify the general subject of the question and will be found in the statement part of the question.

One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion .

So, this question is about ‘ traffic congestion’ .

Many people will do this first step of the process and then write about the topic in general. This is a serious mistake and leads to low marks for task achievement.

What we need to do now that we know the general topic, is to understand exactly what aspect of traffic congestion we're being asked to write about.

The  other keywords  in the question tell you the specific topic you must write about. 

By highlighting these words, it’s easy to see that you are being asked to write about the problem of traffic congestion in large cities. Your essay must only include ideas relevant to these ideas.

The instruction words are the question itself. These tell you the type of IELTS problem solution essay you must write. This is a ‘causes and solutions’ question.

# 2  Generate ideas

The next task is to generate some ideas to write about.

There are several different ways to think up ideas. I cover them fully on the  IELTS Essay Planning  page.

We’re going to use the ‘friends technique’. This is the method I prefer as it allows you to take a step back from the stress of the exam situation and think more calmly.

Here’s how it works. Imagine that you are chatting with a friend over a cup of coffee and they ask you this question. What are the first thoughts to come into your head? Plan your essay around these ideas.

Doing this will help you to come up with simple answers in everyday language rather than straining your brain to think of amazing ideas using high-level language, which isn’t necessary.

You might want to try this yourself before reading on for my ideas.

Here are my ideas:

• Too many cars on the roads – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains
• Inadequate public transport – crowded, old & dirty
• Poor road layout
• Rush hour traffic – most people travel to & from work at the same times each day
• Car sharing, park-and-ride scheme, congestion charge
• Improve public transport – more frequent and better quality
• Improve infrastructure – bus lanes, cycle lanes will make it safer for people to cycle
• Flexible working hours

For each cause you think of, immediately write down a possible solution. This you will ensure that the problems and solutions you think of are linked.

You don’t need to spend long on this as you only need one or two ideas.

I’ve got more far more ideas here than I need as I spent more time thinking about it that I would in the real exam. I’m going to pick just one cause to develop in the essay and one or two solutions.

My advice on making your selection is to choose ideas you can quickly think of an example to illustrate.

Here are my choices:

Cause  – Too many cars on the roads.  Why? – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains

Solution  – Park-and-ride schemes

We’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS problem solution essay but first, we have one more task to do.

# 3  Vocabulary

During the planning stage, quickly jot down some vocabulary that comes to mind as you decide which cause and solution you are going to write about, especially synonyms of key words. This will save you having to stop and think of the right language while you’re writing. For example:

• traffic jam
• heavy traffic
• private transport
• infrastructure

With that done, we can focus on the first paragraph of the essay – the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

Good  introductions to IELTS problem solution essays have a simple 2 part structure:

• State 1 key problem/cause and related solution/s (outline sentence)
• Have 2-3 sentences
• Be 40-60 words long
• Take 5 minutes to write

1)  Paraphrase the question

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question.

Question: One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

                  What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?

Paraphrased question:  

O ne of the most serious issues facing the majority of large urban areas is traffic jams.  

Note my use of synonyms to replace key words in the question statement. You don’t have to replace every key word but do so where possible whilst ensuring that your language sounds natural.

2)  Outline statement

Now we need to add an  outline statement  where we outline the two main points that we’ll cover in the rest of the essay, that is, the cause and the solution I chose earlier. Here they are again.

Cause  – Too many cars on the roads.  Why? – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains

And, this is one way to develop them into an outline sentence.

Outline statement:

The main reason for this is that there are too many private cars on the roads these days and a viable solution is to introduce more park-and-ride schemes.

So, let’s bring the two elements of our introduction together.

     Introduction

This introduction achieves three important functions:

• It shows the examiner that you understand the question.
• It acts as a guide to the examiner as to what your essay is about.
• It also helps to keep you focused and on track as you write.

The two ideas in your introduction will become your two main body paragraphs.

Main body paragraph 1  –  Too many cars on the roads  

Main body paragraph 2  –  Park-and-ride schemes

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main body paragraphs in IELTS problem solution essays should contain 3 things:

• Topic sentence – outline the main idea
• Explanation – explain it and g ive more detail

Main Body Paragraph 1

The  topic sentence  summarises the main idea of the paragraph. That’s all it needs to do so it doesn’t have to be complicated.

It plays an important role in ensuring that your ideas flow logically from one to another. It does this by acting as a signpost for what is to come next, that is, what the paragraph will be about.

If you maintain a clear development of ideas throughout your essay, you will get high marks for task achievement and cohesion and coherence.

We’ll now take the idea for our first main body paragraph and create our topic sentence.

Obviously, we’re going to write about the cause of the problem first.

Main body paragraph 1  –  Too many cars on the roads 

Topic sentence:  

The number of people owning cars increases year on year, with most families now having more than one car. 

Next, we must write an  explanation sentence  that develops the idea.

Explanation sentence: 

Most people like the convenience of travelling at the time they want to rather than being restricted to public transport timetables, so they prefer to drive themselves around rather than taking the bus or train. This is despite the fact that they frequently have to sit in long traffic queues as they near the city centre.

Finally, we add an  example  to support our main point. If you can’t think of a real example, it’s fine to make one up, as long as it’s believable. The examiner isn’t going to check your facts. Alternative, you could add another piece of information to support your idea.

Example sentence:

Whenever I have to attend a meeting in the city, I always drive because it means that I can leave home when I want to rather than getting stressed about getting to the station in time to catch the train.

That’s the 3 parts of our first main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

We now follow the same process for our second main body paragraph.

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea 2  –   Park-and-ride schemes

First, we write the  topic sentence  to summarise the main idea. 

Topic sentence:

A solution that is proving successful in many areas is park-and-ride schemes.

Now for the  explanation sentence  where we expand on this idea.

Explanation sentence:

This is where you park your car for free in a large car park on the outskirts of the city and take a bus for the final part of your journey. The fee you have to pay for the bus trip is usually very small and this public transport system is generally very regular, running every ten minutes or so.

Finally, an  example  to support this point.

A survey carried out in the city of Exeter showed that the rush hour congestion decreased by 10% when the council set up a park-and-ride scheme to the north of the city. There was an additional drop of another 10% in traffic volume when a second scheme began operating to the south.

That’s the 3 parts of our second main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

Now we need a conclusion and our IELTS problem solution essay is done.

How To Write a Conclusion

The conclusion is a summary of the main points in your essay and can generally be done in a single sentence. It should never introduce new ideas.

If you're below the minimum 250 words after you’ve written your conclusion, you can add a prediction or recommendation statement.

Our essay is already over the minimum word limit so we don’t need this extra sentence  but you can learn more about how to write a prediction or recommendation statement for IELTS problem solution essays on the Task 2 Conclusions page.

The conclusion is the easiest sentence in the essay to write but one of the most important.

A good conclusion will:

• Neatly end the essay
• Link all your ideas together
• Sum up your argument or opinion
• Answer the question

If you achieve this, you’ll improve your score for both task achievement and cohesion and coherence which together make up 50% of the overall marks. Without a conclusion, you’ll score below band 6 for task achievement.

You can start almost any final paragraph of an IELTS problem solution essay with the words:

• In conclusion

        or

• To conclude

Now all you need to do is briefly summarise the main ideas into one sentence.

Here’s a top tip . Go back and read the introduction to the essay because this is also a summary of the essay. It outlines what you are going to write about.

To create a good conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction. 

Introduction:

Here is the same information formed into a conclusion.  I’ve also added a personal statement at the end to link back to one of my example sentences. You don’t have to do this but in this case, I think that it rounds the essay off better.

That’s it. We’ve completed our essay. Here it is with the 4 paragraphs put together.

Finished IELTS problem solution essay.

Go through this lesson as many times as you need to in order to fully understand it and put in lots of practice writing IELTS problem solution essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

• Click on the HTML link code below.
• Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Like this page?

More help with ielts problem solution essays & other task 2 essays.

IELTS Writing Task 2  – T he format, the 5 question types, the 5 step essay writing strategy & sample questions. All the key information you need to know.

The 5 Types of Task 2 Essay   – How to recognise the 5 different types of Task 2 essays. 15 sample questions to study and a simple planning structure for each essay type.

Understanding Task 2 Questions  – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 2 Essay  – Discover why essay planning is essential & learn a simple 4 step strategy, the 4 part essay structure & 4 methods of generating ideas.

How To Write a Task 2 Introduction  – Find out why a good introduction is essential. Learn how to write one using a simple 3 part strategy & discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

How To Write Task 2 Main Body Paragraphs  – Learn the simple 3 part structure for writing great main body paragraphs and also, 3 common mistakes to avoid. 

How To Write Task 2 Conclusions  – Learn the easy way to write the perfect conclusion for a Task 2 essay. Also discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

Task 2 Marking Criteria  – Find out how to meet the marking criteria in Task 2. See examples of good and poor answers & learn some common mistakes to avoid.

The 5 Task 2 Essay Types:

Step-by-step instructions on how to plan & write high-level essays. Model answers & common mistakes to avoid.

   Opinion Essays

   Discussion Essays

  Problem Solution Essays

  Advantages & Disadvantages Essays

  Double Question Essays

Other Related Pages

IELTS Writing Test  – Understand the format & marking criteria, know what skills are assessed & learn the difference between the Academic & General writing tests.

• IELTS Writing
• Problem Solution Essays
• Back To Top

 * New * Grammar For IELTS Ebooks

$9.99 each       Full Set   Just   $ 23.97

Find Out More >>

IELTS Courses

Full details...

IELTS Writing Ebook

Discount Offer

$7 each       Full Set Just   $ 21

Find out more >>

Testimonials

“I am very excited to have found such fabulous and detailed content. I commend your good work.”  Jose M.

“Thanks for the amazing videos. These are ‘to the point’, short videos, beautifully explained with practical examples."  Adari J.

"Hi Jacky, I bought a listening book from you this morning. You know what? I’m 100% satisfied. It’s super helpful. If I’d had the chance to read this book 7 years ago, my job would be very different now."  Loi H.

"Hi Jacky, I recently got my IELTS results and I was pleased to discover that I got an 8.5 score. I'm firmly convinced your website and your videos played a strategic role in my preparation. I was able to improve my writing skills thanks to the effective method you provide. I also only relied on your tips regarding the reading section and I was able to get a 9! Thank you very much." Giano

“After listening to your videos, I knew I had to ditch every other IELTS tutor I'd been listening to. Your explanations are clear and easy to understand. Anyways, I took the test a few weeks ago and my result came back: Speaking 7, listening 9, Reading 8.5 and Writing 7 with an average band score of 8. Thanks, IELTS Jacky." Laide Z.

      Contact

      About Me

      Site Map

      Privacy Policy

      Disclaimer

IELTS changes lives.

Let's work together so it changes yours too.

Copyright  © 2024     IELT Jacky     

All Right Reserved

IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

IELTS Advantage

IELTS Preparation Courses

IELTS Writing Task 2 Problem and Solution Essay Lesson

Problem Solution Essay

This lesson on how to write a problem solution essay will:

• discuss common mistakes;
• show you how to analyse the question;
• show you how to think of ideas;
• give you a structure that can be used again and again on all problem solution IELTS essays;
• describe how to write an introduction , main body paragraphs and conclusion; and
• give you a full band 9 sample answer.

Problem/solution questions are one of the most common IELTS Writing Task 2 questions on the academic paper. Despite being very common, many students fail to do well in these questions. This post will look at some of the most common mistakes and then take you through how to answer these questions step-by-step.

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.
• 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 directly linked to it, or in other words, it 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 think properly 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:

• 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 discuss. 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 continue 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 will 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 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 about the disadvantages, advantages, or causes, just the problems and solutions. If we discussed the causes of sea level rise, we would not be answering the question.

For more information, go to effectively analyse an IELTS question .

How to Think of Ideas 

Now that we know exactly what the question is asking us to do, we need to think of specific and relevant ideas. There are many strategies for thinking of ideas for IELTS task 2 questions  TO THINK OF IDEAS FOR IELTS WRITING TASK 2  but for problem-solving questions; I like to use something called the ‘coffee shop method’.

Instead of brainstorming or mind-mapping- which take too much time and lead to irrelevant ideas in my opinion- you should 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 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. If you don’t like it, try one of my other methods.

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 they know most about, i.e. that they can explain and give relevant examples.

I advise my students to use a basic four-paragraph structure with all problem solution IELTS essays. Your 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

3- State problems

4- Explain first problem

5- Explain second problem

6- Example of second problem

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

For more structures, check out our IELTS task 2 structures guide .

Now let’s look at each paragraph in more detail.

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 continue 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 look for your ability to do this in the exam, so practising this skill is a good idea.

Our outline sentence is next, which tells the examiner what they will 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 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 these. 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 educated and knows what you are talking about. These assumptions will stop you from 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 worldwide 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 people’s residences are often flooded. As water levels rise, low-lying land is submerged, and many countries become smaller. Furthermore, millions of people worldwide live in coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they are inundated with water and lose their property. This devastation was clear for all to see during the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people were displaced.

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 created and 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, which 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 from reaching populated areas.

Example : The Netherlands is one of the most populated areas in the world and one of the most vulnerable to flooding. 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, which 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 from 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 need to sum up what we have said in the conclusion.

The conclusion should have no new ideas but instead should list the main points from the previous two paragraphs. You can also use synonyms in this paragraph to avoid repetition.

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 world’s 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 world’s 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

Here is the whole essay:

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.

I hope this post helps you with IELTS problem solution essays, and if you have any questions, please comment below.

Next Steps 

If you found this lesson useful and it has helped you write a problem solution essay, you should also check out our lessons on task 2 opinions essays , discussion essays and advantages and disadvantages essays .

Do you need me to correct your essays and give you feedback on them? Check out our essay correction service .

The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook. There are also lots of practice activities for you to do on the Facebook page.

About Christopher Pell

My name is Christopher Pell and I'm the Managing Director of IELTS Advantage.

I started IELTS Advantage as a simple blog to help 16 students in my class. Several years later, I am very humbled that my VIP Course has been able to help thousands of people around the world to score a Band 7+ in their IELTS tests.

If you need my help with your IELTS preparation, you can send me an email using the contact us page.

IELTS Problem Solution Essay - Topics, Structure and Sample Answers

Updated On Sep 26, 2024

Share on Whatsapp

Share on Email

Share on Linkedin

The IELTS problem solution essay tests your ability to identify issues and propose solutions. Focus on one or two problems, provide clear solutions, and use examples. Ensure a structured essay and proofread for errors.

Table of Contents

Identifying a problem solution essay ielts, problem solution essay ielts topics, how to write a problem solution essay ielts, structure of problem solution essay, breakdown of the ielts problem solution essay format, common mistakes to avoid in ielts problem solution essays, tips for ielts problem solution essays, problem solution essay ielts topics with sample answers:.

Try AI Essay Checker for Instant Band Score

The IELTS problem solution essays is a type of IELTS writing task 2 that asks you to discuss a problem and propose possible solutions. You get 40 minutes to complete this task and have to write at least 250 words on the topic given.

Therefore, to do well in IELTS Writing Task 2 , it is important to be familiar with the structure, range of IELTS problem solution essay questions and tips on how to handle them.

The IELTS problem solution essays are designed to assess your ability to identify, analyze, and evaluate problems or causes, as well as your ability to develop and articulate effective solutions. They are quite similar to IELTS cause and solution essays.

Each essay type in IELTS Writing has a unique structure, so it’s important to identify the common synonyms, words, and phrases used in problem solution questions. Here are the keywords and their synonyms used in the examples above:

• Problem: issues, resulting, situation
• Cause: reasons, why
• Solution: deal with, addressed, tackled, remedied, improved, measures taken, solved, prevent

However, you will mostly be asked to write about both the problem and its solution. The first part of the question will state the problem or cause, and the second part will ask you to identify solutions.

Problem solution essay IELTS topics can be drawn from a variety of sources and are based on real-world situations and issues. Let us check out some problem and solution essay topics to see how it is often worded as:

• One major problem faced by large cities is traffic congestion. What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?
• Most countries believe that international tourism has harmful effects. What problems are caused by international tourism? Solutions to change negative attitudes?
• Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems. Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that the community can tackle these problems.
• Many museums and historical sites are mainly visited by tourists but not local people. Why is this the case and what can be done to attract more local people to visit these places?
• Corruption becomes a common disease among several nations. What are the causes and measures to resolve this trend? Give your own examples and explain.
• Scientists tell us some activities are good for health and others are bad. Despite knowing that, millions of people continue doing unhealthy activities. What are the causes and what are the solutions?
• Nowadays businesses face problems with new employees who just finished their education and lack some interpersonal skills such as the ability to work in a team. What do you think is the main cause of the problem? How can it be resolved?
• An increasing number of professionals, such as doctors and teachers, are leaving their own poorer countries to work in developed countries. What problems does this cause? What solutions can you suggest to deal with this situation?
• The consumption of the world’s resources is increasing at a dangerous rate. What are causes and solutions?
• Nowadays more and more people are becoming overweight. What are the reasons for this and what can be the solutions?
• Nowadays, many people complain that they have difficulties getting enough sleep. What problems can lack of sleep? What can be done about lack of sleep?
• Many animal species are becoming extinct as a result of human activities. What are the causes and possible solutions to this problem?

To plan and write a problem solution essay IELTS while practising the IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essays or the actual exam, you can follow these steps:

• Understand the question - The first step is to carefully read the question and understand what is being asked. You should identify the problem, the cause(s) of the problem, and the required solution(s).
• Brainstorm your ideas - Once you understand the question, take some time to brainstorm your ideas. What are the different aspects of the problem? What are the possible causes? What are the different solutions that could be implemented?
• Organize your ideas - Once you have a good understanding of the problem and its possible solutions, it is time to organize your ideas into a logical structure.
• Write your essay - When writing your essay, be sure to use clear and concise language. Avoid using complex sentences and jargon. You should also support your claims with evidence from credible sources.
• Proofread your essay - Once you have finished writing your essay, be sure to proofread it carefully for any errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation.

For a better understanding of how to write PROBLEM SOLUTION Essay in the video below!

Now that we have understood how to write a problem solution essay, let’s have a look at the structure of a problem solution essay. You can also check tips to write an effective introduction in IELTS Writing Task 2 to present a great IELTS problem solution essay!

Enroll in our free IELTS online coaching today and learn how to identify and write problem solution essays like a champ!

Let’s do an example problem solution essay from an IELTS Writing practice test to understand the above mentioned structure.

Problem Solution Essay Example with Structure

Introduction:.

• Before you begin writing your problem solution essay, read the question and identify the problem/ solution.
• Note down the ideas that come to your mind naturally. For example, look at the table below.
• Choose one of the problems and discuss it in detail. Here’s an example:
• Problem : Dumping of industrial wastes into the nearby water bodies.
• Solution : They must be treated, purified and recycled.
• Wastewater treatment
• Biodegradable products
• Water bodies such as lakes, rivers etc

You should paraphrase the question and outline the problem and solution in your introduction as mentioned below:

Body Paragraph 1:

The body paragraph 1 must be organised as follows:

• Main body paragraph 1: Letting out of industrial wastes in nearby water bodies
• Central idea: Industries are increasing in number.
• Explanation : There are no strict rules in place regarding the environment. So industries let out their wastes into the nearby water bodies such as lakes, rivers, etc which affects the respective eco-system and thereby leading to more serious issues.
• Example : As installing a wastewater treatment plant is an additional burden and is costly, it is easier to let the waste water into the nearby water bodies as nobody questions this.

The completed main body paragraph 1 will look like this :

Body Paragraph 2:

The body paragraph 2 must be organised as follows:

• Main body paragraph 2: Industrial wastewater treatment
• Central idea: Installing Industrial waste water treatment plants could be beneficial to the environment.
• Explanation : Industrial wastewater treatment illustrates the processes used for treating wastewater that is produced by industries into a by-product. The treated industrial wastewater may be reused or released to a sanitary sewer.
• Examples: There are proven records for reducing water pollution after wastewater treatment.

The completed main body paragraph 2 will look like this :

Conclusion:

• Make sure to sum up all that has been in the previous paragraphs.
• Use words like in summary, to summarise, to conclude, or as a conclusion, etc.

The final conclusion will look like this:

Sample Answer

Therefore, the finished essay will have the following structure:

Looking for IELTS Writing Task 2 preparation books?

Get your copy NOW !!

Following are some of the common mistakes that should be avoided in IELTS problem solution essays to increase your overall IELTS band score :

• Not understanding the difference between a problem and its causes.
• Trying to include too many ideas in the essay, without developing them fully.
• Not considering both sides of the argument equally.
• Not linking the problems to the solutions.
• Not being specific enough in the discussion of the problems and solutions.
• Using incorrect IELTS Vocabulary and making spelling errors.

Here are some IELTS Writing tips to follow while practicing or writing an IELTS Problem Solution Essays:

• Read and understand the instructions given in the question (sometimes the question might ask to write about the cause of the issue as well).
• Follow the word count (no less than 250 words)
• Plan the problems and solutions you wish to write about, before starting to write.
• Start the essay with an introduction paragraph and conclude it with a conclusion paragraph, with the body paragraph between the two.
• If you’re asked to write about both, cause and the solution, then you can write the cause in one body paragraph and the solution in the next body paragraph.

Pro tip: To avoid a low score in IELTS problem solution essays, focus on one or two problems and identify specific solutions. Explain the problems and solutions in detail, with examples.

Check out some sample IELTS problem solution essay topics with model answers:

Get the inside scoop on how to write a high-scoring IELTS problem solution essay from our IELTS expert in our free webinar. Book your Seat Now !

Also check :

• IELTS Writing recent actual test
• IELTS Writing Answer sheet
• Free IELTS Writing Essay Evaluation and Correction Service
• All Useful IELTS Writing Lessons & Websites
• IELTS Band 9 Essays

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I write cause and solution in the same paragraph?

How to write a solution paragraph?

What is the difference between a Problem solution essay and a cause solution essay?

How do you analyze a problem solution essay?

How to identify a problem solution essay?

Practice IELTS Writing Task 2 based on Essay types

Start Preparing for IELTS: Get Your 10-Day Study Plan Today!

Janice Thompson

Soon after graduating with a Master’s in Literature from Southern Arkansas University, she joined an institute as an English language trainer. She has had innumerous student interactions and has produced a couple of research papers on English language teaching. She soon found that non-native speakers struggled to meet the English language requirements set by foreign universities. It was when she decided to jump ship into IELTS training. From then on, she has been mentoring IELTS aspirants. She joined IELTSMaterial about a year ago, and her contributions have been exceptional. Her essay ideas and vocabulary have taken many students to a band 9.

Explore other Problem Solution Essays

Post your Comments

Recent articles.

Haniya Yashfeen

Raajdeep Saha

Kasturika Samanta

IELTSMaterial Master Program

1:1 Live Training with Band 9 Teachers

4.9 ( 3452 Reviews )

Our Offices

Gurgaon city scape, gurgaon bptp.

Step 1 of 3

Great going .

Get a free session from trainer

Have you taken test before?

Please select any option

Email test -->

Please enter Email ID

Mobile Band 9 trainer -->

Please enter phone number

Application

Please select any one

Already Registered?

Select a date

Please select a date

Select a time (IST Time Zone)

Please select a time

Mark Your Calendar: Free Session with Expert on

Which exam are you preparing?

Great Going!

• IELTS Scores
• Life Skills Test
• Find a Test Centre
• Alternatives to IELTS
• All Lessons
• General Training
• IELTS Tests
• Academic Word List
• Topic Vocabulary
• Collocation
• Phrasal Verbs
• Writing eBooks
• Reading eBook
• All eBooks & Courses
• IELTS Writing Task 2

IELTS Problem Solution Essays

Problem solution essays are a type of essay question sometimes given to you in the test. 

In this type of essay you need to discuss the problems with regards to a particular topic and then suggest possible solutions to these problems.

You can also watch a video of this lesson:

One of the first things you want to make sure that you are able to do is identfy one of these questions when it arises. 

Here are some examples of this type of question.

Examples of Problem Solution Essay Questions:

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems.

Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems.

Nowadays many people have access to computers on a wide basis and a large number of children play computer games.

What are the negative impacts of playing computer games and what can be done to minimize the bad effects?

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 solutions can you suggest?

In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing.

What problems will this cause for individuals and society?

Suggest some measures that could be taken to reduce the impact of ageing populations.

An important note. Some essays ask for  reasons  and solutions, not problems and solutions. Writing about a reason (or cause) is not the same as writing about a problem.

Check these  model essays  to see the difference.

IELTS Problem Solution Essay Example 

In order to understand these types of problem solution essays further and how to organize your writing, we'll look at a problem solution example essay:

Model Answer

The enormous growth in the use of the internet over the last decade has led to radical changes to the way that people consume and share information. Although serious problems have arisen as a result of this, there are solutions.

One of the first problems of the internet is the ease with which children can access potentially dangerous sites. For example, pornography sites are easily accessible to them because they can register with a site and claim to be an adult. There is no doubt that this affects their thoughts and development, which is a negative impact for the children and for society. Another major problem is the growth of online fraud and hacking. These days, there are constant news stories about government and company websites that have been hacked, resulting in sensitive information falling into the hands of criminals.

It is important that action is taken to combat these problems. Governments should ensure that adequate legislation and controls are in place that will prevent young people from accessing dangerous sites, such as requiring more than simply confirming that you are an adult to view a site. Parents also have a part to play. They need to closely monitor the activities of their children and restrict their access to certain sites, which can now be done through various computer programs. Companies must also improve their onsite IT security systems to make fraud and hacking much more difficult by undertaking thorough reviews of their current systems for weaknesses.

To conclude, the internet is an amazing technological innovation that has transformed people’s lives, but not without negative impacts. However, with the right action by individuals, governments and businesses, it can be made a safe place for everyone.

(285 words)

Writing about Problems

From the problem solution essay, look at the problems paragraph, and answer the following questions (then click on the link below to see the answers):

• How many problems are discussed?
• What are they?
• What expressions are used to introduce the problems?
• How are the problems illustrated further?
• What results are discussed for each problem?

Show / hide answers

1) How many problems are discussed?

2) What are they?

children can access potentially dangerous sites growth of online fraud and hacking

3) What expressions are used to introduce the problems?

One of the first problems of the internet is... Another major problem is...

4) How are the problems illustrated further?

For example, pornography sites are easily accessible to them because they can register with a site and claim to be an adult. These days, there are constant news stories about government and company websites that have been hacked.

5) What results are discussed for each problem?

There is no doubt that this affects their thoughts and development, which is a negative impact for the children and for society.

...resulting in sensitive information falling into the hands of criminals.

Your answers to these questions should tell you a lot about how to plan and organize a problem paragraph.

You only need two or three problems as remember you do not have much time and you need to explain the problems.

When you brainstorm your ideas for problem solution essays, think about  (a)   what the problem is   (b)   how you will explain it   (c)   and what the effect is . Your paragraph will then follow this pattern.

Here is an example of the brainstorming for this paragraph:

Problem 1:   children can access potentially dangerous sites

• Explanation / Example:   Pornography sites
• Result:  Affects thought & development - negative for children & society

Problem 2:  growth of online fraud and hacking

• Explanation / Example:   Evident from the constant news stories
• Result:  Criminals get sensitive information

Here they are illustrated in the paragraph, with the introductory expressions underlined:

One of the first problems of the internet is the ease with which children can access potentially dangerous sites . For example, pornography sites are easily accessible to them because they can register with a site and claim to be an adult . There is no doubt that this affects their thoughts and development, which is a negative impact for the children and for society . Another major problem is the growth of online fraud and hacking . These days, there are constant news stories about government and company websites that have been hacked , resulting in sensitive information falling into the hands of criminals.

Writing about Solutions

Answer the following questions about the solutions paragraph:

• How many solutions are given?
• What three different groups of people does the writer say are responsble for these solutions?
• How would the solutions be implemented?
• What three modal verb structures are used to make the suggestions?

1) How many solutions are given?

adequate legislation and controls monitor the activities of children / restrict access improve company IT security systems

3) What three different groups of people does the writer say are responsble for these solutions?

Governments Parents Companies

Stricter criteria for accessing sites Using computer programs Reviewing current IT systems for weaknesses

5) What three modal verb structures are used to make the suggestions?

should need to must

Your answers to these questions provide you with some key tips on writing a solutions paragraph. Some of these points are now explained further.

The people involved

When you come to brainstorm your solutions, think of the key 'actors' who are involved. It is usually governments and individuals in some way or another.

There may be another group specifically realted to the topic. For example, in this case it is companies and parents. If you are discussing crime it could be the police. If it is violence on TV it could be TV and film producers.

You can then brainstorm your ideas under each 'group' and organize them in the same way.

Developing your solutions

Also, try to make sure your solutions are not too simplistic. It's all too easy to make sweeping generalizations about what people can do. For example, look at this idea:

The government should introduce stricter laws.

It it common to see such statements in IELTS problem solution essays with no further explantion. Give more detail about how or why this would work. For example:

Governments should ensure that adequate legislation and controls are in place that will prevent young people from accessing dangerous sites, such as requiring more than simply confirming that you are an adult to view a site.

Some specific detail has now been given on how this solution could work.

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs can be used to make suggestions in problem solution essays. These are usually found in solutions paragraphs.

Check out this grammar lesson if you are unsure how to use modal verbs .

Here again is a plan for the problem solution essay for the solutions paragraph:

Solution 1:   Governments

• Idea:   Adequate legislation and controls  for young people
• How:  More complex website access criteria

Solution 2:  Parents

• Idea:   Monitor children and restrict access
• How:  Use a computer program

Solution 3:   Companies

• Idea:   Improve IT security systems
• How:  Review current systems in place

Here is the paragraph again. Note how it follows the plan and the clear topic sentence that tells the reader the essay is moving on to discuss solutions (modals verbs are underlined):

It is important that action is taken to combat these problems. Governments should ensure that adequate legislation and controls are in place that will prevent young people from accessing dangerous sites , such as requiring more than simply confirming that you are an adult to view a site . Parents also have a part to play. They need to closely monitor the activities of their children and restrict their access to certain sites , which can now be done through various computer programs. Companies must also improve their onsite IT security systems to make fraud and hacking much more difficult by undertaking thorough reviews of their current systems for weaknesses.

More Task 2 IELTS Lessons:

The 3 Types of IELTS Opinion Essays in IELTS

IELTS opinion essays in IELTS can be placed into three types. This lesson explains the different types and how to analyse these essay questions.

Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2

Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2 can be difficult but complex ideas are not expected.

IELTS Task Response - 25% of your essay grade

The IELTS Task Response criteria in the scoring makes up 25% of your band score for your essay.

IELTS Music Essay: Understanding a Complex Question

An IELTS essay about music is used to show you how to answer a more complex IELTS essay question that does not have a clear 'task' given to you.

Improve Coherence and Cohesion in IELTS Writing

Strategies to improve your coherence and cohesion in IELTS writing as it is 25% of your score.

How to Identify the Topic of an IELTS Essay Question

In IELTS you must identify the topic of your essay as this is a key to making sure your essay is on topic.

IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essay Tips and Strategies

An advantage disadvantage essay is one type of essay that you may get in the test. This lesson shows how to write a pros cons essay.

How to use brainstorming and planning to generate essay ideas.

Brainstorming and planning is a key step in developing your IELTS essay. This lesson has tips on how to coming up with ideas and organising them.

Thesis Statement Tips for IELTS Essays

Your thesis statement in an IELTS essay should be written quickly and concisely. Use these tips to do that.

Using Pronouns to Improve IELTS Essay Coherency

Find out how to use pronouns to improve your coherency for IELTS task 2 essays.

Tips on How to Score IELTS Band 8 in Writing and Speaking

To score IELTS Band 8 you need to understand exactly what is in the IELTS Band Descriptors for an 8 for writing and speaking first.

How to Write an IELTS Essay: The key steps

Learn key steps on how to write an IELTS Essay. This guides you on how to write a great essay plus other lessons to improve your writing skills.

Improve Writing Coherence for IELTS essays with Transitions

25% of the writing grade is on how you organise your essay so this lesson shows you how to improve your writing coherence.

Paragraph Writing for IELTS: Building strong arguments

This paragraph writing lesson provides tips on constructing the best paragraphs for your IELTS essay.

Transitional Phrases for Essays

Learn transitional phrases for essays to get a band 7 or higher in your IELTS writing for coherence and cohesion.

Can you use Personal Pronouns in Essays for IELTS?

Learn how to use personal pronouns in essays for IELTS correctly. Can you use "I", "we" and "you"?

How to Identify the Task in an IELTS Essay

Learn how to identify the task in an IELTS task 2 essay question. This is one of the most important steps in responding to an essay question.

Writing an IELTS Essay Introduction

Tips on how to write an introduction for an IELTS essay introduction in a quick and easy way.

Writing an IELTS Essay Conclusion

The IELTS essay conclusion is the final part of your IELTS essay. This lesson guides you on how to write a conclusion quickly but effectively.

Requirements for IELTS Band 7 in Writing

Getting to an IELTS Band 7 is a struggle for many candidates. This lesson explains exactly what you have to do to reach this band score.

Using Substitution in IELTS to Improve Writing Coherency

You can use substitution in your IELTS essays in order to improve coherency and coherence.

Any comments or questions about this page or about IELTS? Post them here. Your email will not be published or shared.

Band 7+ eBooks

"I think these eBooks are FANTASTIC!!! I know that's not academic language, but it's the truth!"

Linda, from Italy, Scored Band 7.5

Bargain eBook Deal! 30% Discount

All 4 Writing eBooks for just  $25.86 Find out more >>

IELTS Modules:

Other resources:.

• Band Score Calculator
• Writing Feedback
• Speaking Feedback
• Teacher Resources
• Free Downloads
• Recent Essay Exam Questions
• Books for IELTS Prep
• Useful Links

Recent Articles

Oct 27, 24 07:24 AM

Lesson on Writing IELTS Line Graphs

Oct 15, 24 02:26 AM

Time Management Tips for IELTS

Oct 06, 24 12:59 PM

Important pages

IELTS Writing IELTS Speaking IELTS Listening   IELTS Reading All Lessons Vocabulary Academic Task 1 Academic Task 2 Practice Tests

Connect with us

Before you go...

30% discount - just $25.86 for all 4 writing ebooks.

Copyright © 2022- IELTSbuddy All Rights Reserved

IELTS is a registered trademark of University of Cambridge, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Problem and Solution Topics/Questions 2024

The list of Task 2 Problem and Solution topics that were added by IELTS student in 2024 . These Problem and Solution questions could be repeated from previous months. Keep in mind that the provided Problem and Solution questions are not predictions. The collection of Problem and Solution questions is updated every hour. Choose one of the topics and start practicing answering this type of question to prepare for the IELTS exam and to get a good grade.

• Unlimited Task 1 checks Get all the feedback you need to keep improving your charts and letters.
• Unlimited Task 2 checks Practice and perfect your skills with essays.
• Personalized suggestions Know how to boost your score.
• Detailed mistakes analysis Get instant feedback. Spot every mistake.
• Topic ideas generator Get topic-specific ideas to enhance your writing.
• Vocabulary helper Get the right words for any topic.
• Progress tracking Track your writing improvements.

IELTS Task 2- Problem Solution Essay

This article explains and shows you how to reach a band 9 on your writing task 2 with a problem and solution essay. In my library of IELTS content, you will find articles on all of the task 2 essay types.

What is the problem solution essay?

The problem solution essay can be the hardest for many students. This can be due to how the question is worded. Generally you will be asked to discuss the problem and solution. But you may be asked to discuss the cause and solution and the solution only.

What's the difference between a problem, cause and solution?

Problem - I arrived at the wrong restaurant even though I had put the address into Google maps

Cause - I didn't check the postcode and discovered there was more than one 'Luigi's'

Solution - Next time I will be sure to check the correct post-code is entered to avoid arriving at the wrong destination

What is the essay structure?

As with any essay structure, you need an opening, the middle where you address the question in more depth, and the conclusion. But let's apply a more specific structure. You would have seen this in other essay posts I have written, so this should be somewhat familiar.

Introduction

• Paraphrase the question
• State 1 key problem/cause and related solution

P aragraph 1 – Problem or Cause

• Topic sentence – state the problem or cause
• Explanation – explain the problem or cause

P aragraph 2 – Solution

• Topic sentence – state the solution
• Explanation – explain the solution
• Summarise the key points

How many problems/cause should I write about?

This depends on how quickly you can write. If you can fit two in, which will result in a 350-400 word response then this is fine. Using one main problem/cause and developing your idea is also fine. With any of the essay types, it's always imperative to develop your ideas. So be sure to do this irrespective of the number of ideas.

Writing task 2 example

Let's use an example question to see how you can answer this question with a band 9 score. This question is a problem and solution essay.

The internet has transformed the way information is distributed and consumed, but it has also created problems that prior to this, did not exist.

What are the most serious problems associated with the internet and what solutions can you suggest?

We have our structure in mind but planning is always part of writing. The structure above is something you should memorise. Then use a table like below and structure your ideas down in five minutes.

You can put this into a table if it helps to remember or simply create the titles and jot down your ideas.

Writing task 2 example, in full

Since the boom of the internet in the 1990's, it has since changed how we consume and share information. In particular, the last decade has seen significant changes in how we use the internet, and our relationship with it. Although serious problems have arisen and continue to do so, there are solutions.

One of the first problems with the internet and arguably, the most worrisome, is the ease with which children can access sites with dangerous and harmful content. For example, pornography sites are easily accessible to them because they can claim to be an adult and have free rein thereafter. The lack of security in this corner of the web means that children are being exposed to content that is far beyond their emotional and cognitive understanding. Undoubtedly, this would affect their thoughts and damage how they otherwise see the world, people and relationships. It could damage their ability of forming their own understanding of sexual relationships as they grow up and mature. Such behaviour could be imitated and potentially harmful to others, and therefore negatively impacting society.

Another serious problem is the growth of online fraud and hacking. With such a wealth of our personal data online and the sophistication of hackers, our data is subject to theft. Whilst there are protective measures online and this issue is often in news stories, this issue is on the rise and has become an incredibly rich industry with hackers that can surpass online security. Even government and state conglomerates have been attacked. Take for example the 2017 NHS cyber attack. Proving that even those deemed safe and ostensibly with great power, are still susceptible to online criminals. From what is reported in the news, it seems as though regardless of status, background, or employment, we can all fall victim to the online hands of criminals.

It is important that action is taken to directly combat these problems. Firstly, Governments should ensure that adequate legislation is in place that will prevent young people from accessing dangerous sites. Clearly the current measures are not enough to protect children online. As well as this, companies dedicated to online protection should be doing more to create stricter, appropriate entries to such sites. Protection can also come from home. Parents should monitor their children whilst online and restrict access to certain sites. Fortunately this is now easier than ever and parents can control what their children consume. Similarly, the government should create stricter legislation around cyber security. Individual companies must also improve their onsite IT security systems to make fraud and hacking much more difficult and virtually impossible. Companies could collaborate on this and those operating within the same field, such as finance, could come together to create more successful online barriers.

To conclude, the internet is an incredible technological tool that has changed people's lives and brought them opportunities, connections, and much happiness but it is not without negative and genuinely harmful impacts. With the right action, especially by governments and business, alongside individuals, it can be a safe place for everyone.

Identify where the structure has been applied

• How many problems are discussed?
• What are they?
• What language is used to initiate discussion of the problems?
• How are the problems explained further?
• What solutions are discussed for each problem?

Read my example and highlight with a different colour 1-5 within the body of the text.

Practice tips

Time yourself:

You have 40 minutes in the exam to write your 250 word answer. When first starting, give yourself 50 minutes. Each time you practice, shave off five minutes and see how you can meet the word count in ideally 30 minutes. It's always good to have time left over to proofread your response.

The need to know language for the problem and cause question:

• Problem – issues, resulting, situation, obstacle, drawback
• Cause – reasons, why, source, root, basis, origin
• Solution – deal with, addressed, tackled, remedied, improved, measures taken, solved, prevent

Sign up for more like this.

Problem Solution Essay IELTS: Topics & Sample Questions

Searching for Problem Solution Essay IELTS Check out these problem solution essay tips sample questions to increase your IELTS score

8/18/2023 2 min read

Introduction

In the realm of IELTS writing tasks, the problem-solution essay stands out as a distinctive format that requires a strategic approach. This essay type necessitates students to identify a problem and propose effective solutions. It is an opportunity to showcase not only language skills but also critical thinking abilities. This article delves into the intricacies of problem-solution essays for IELTS, providing valuable insights, topics, and sample questions.

Understanding the Problem-Solution Essay

What is a problem-solution essay.

A problem-solution essay is an academic composition that addresses a specific issue by presenting well-structured solutions. This format is designed to assess a candidate's capacity to analyze complex problems, offer plausible remedies, and communicate ideas effectively.

The Structure of a Problem-Solution Essay

Introduction : Setting the stage by introducing the problem and its significance.

Problem Description : Clearly defining the issue and its implications.

Challenges Analysis : Examining the underlying causes and hurdles.

Solutions Proposal : Presenting feasible solutions with detailed explanations.

Evaluation of Solutions : Weighing the pros and cons of each proposed solution.

Conclusion : Summarizing the discussed problem and solutions.

Selecting the Right Problem

Identifying a suitable problem.

Before delving into crafting solutions, it's essential to choose a relevant problem. Opt for a topic that resonates with contemporary issues, ensuring there is ample information available to support your arguments.

Balancing Complexity and Feasibility

While selecting a problem, strike a balance between complexity and feasibility. An excessively intricate issue might lead to convoluted solutions, whereas an overly simple problem could limit your analysis.

Crafting Effective Solutions

Brainstorming for solutions.

Dedicate time to brainstorming potential solutions. Consider both conventional and innovative ideas to address the problem comprehensively.

Incorporating Realism

When proposing solutions, ensure they are realistic and practical. Far-fetched ideas might undermine the credibility of your essay.

Providing Detailed Explanations

Each solution presented should be accompanied by a thorough explanation of its implementation and expected outcomes. This showcases your ability to reason and articulate ideas effectively.

Sample Questions and Topics

Sample questions.

Question : In many countries, plastic waste is causing environmental harm. What are the solutions to this issue?

Question : With the rise of obesity, what measures can be taken to promote healthier lifestyles?

Environmental Pollution : Addressing air, water, and soil pollution through policy changes and public awareness.

Youth Unemployment : Strategies to create more job opportunities for the younger generation.

Access to Education : Ensuring quality education for underprivileged communities through innovative approaches.

The problem-solution essay in IELTS writing assesses your ability to dissect complex issues and offer practical solutions. Mastering this format requires a combination of critical thinking, language proficiency, and creativity. By selecting pertinent problems, formulating realistic solutions, and providing comprehensive explanations, you can excel in crafting impressive problem-solution essays.

Subscribe newsletter

Free IELTS lessons signup

• Academic practice
• General practice
• Task 1 Academic
• Task 1 General
• Task 2 (essay)

How to write cause/effect essays in IELTS?

Cause and effect essay questions in IELTS Writing task 2 give you a problem and ask you to state the main causes of this problem and discuss its possible effects .

In this lesson you will see:

• how to generate ideas for causes and effects
• band 9 answer structure for causes/effects essay
• cause/effect model essay

This is an example of cause/effect IELTS writing task 2 question:

Today more people are overweight than ever before.

What in your opinion are the primary causes of this?

What are the main effects of this epidemic?

Generating ideas

After you’ve read the question, you can clearly determine the problem: growing number of overweight people .

But before you start to write your essay, it’s a good idea to think of 2-3 causes and 2-3 possible effects of the problem.

Causes of obesity :

• inactive lifestyle (relying on cars instead of walking, fewer physical demands at work, inactive leisure activities)
• unhealthy eating habits (eating fast-food, drinking high-calorie beverages, consuming large portions of food, eating irregularly)

Effects of obesity :

• physical health problems
• loss of productivity
• depressions and mental disorders

Now, after we’ve generated the main ideas for causes and effects, it’s time to use these ideas in our essay.

Band 9 answer structure

As you know, there are many ways to structure your essay, but we’ll use a structure that has been approved by many IELTS examiners to be high-scoring and coherent .

Band-9 essay structure :

Introduction

Body paragraph 1 - causes

Body paragraph 2 - effects

Let’s take a look at each of these sections in detail.

Write your introduction in two sentences:

Nowadays the number of overweight people is constantly growing.

This essay will discuss the main reasons of this epidemic and then describe the possible effects of the problem.

In my opinion, the foremost causes of obesity are inactive lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits.

Today more and more people rely on cars instead of walking, have less physical demands at work and prefer inactive leisure activities. This results in burning less calories and gaining weight.

Moreover, the problem is accentuated by the growing number of people, who eat irregularly and consume large portions of high-calorie food. For example, about 50% of the adult population in Europe with so-called disordered eating suffer from obesity.

The possible effects of this problem include physical health problems and loss of productivity.

First of all, obesity results in incorrect functioning of the human body and contributes to the risk of developing some chronic illnesses. For example, as body fat percentage increases, the person’s metabolism worsens, which in turn may result in diabetes or heart diseases.

Secondly, overweight people are very unhealthy and often suffer from stress and tiredness. This lessens their work capacity and results in lower productivity. For example, it has been proven that an obese person needs to put more effort to complete some task than a person with normal weight.

For the conclusion you need simply to restate the problem and sum up the causes and effects that you described in your body paragraphs:

To sum up, obesity is a big problem that affects a lot of people nowadays. It’s mainly caused by inactive lifestyle and eating disorders and results in severe health problems and loss of productivity.

Model essay

Nowadays the number of overweight people is constantly increasing. This essay will discuss the main reasons of this epidemic and then describe the possible effects of the problem.

In my opinion, the foremost causes of obesity are inactive lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits. Today more and more people rely on cars instead of walking, have less physical demands at work and prefer inactive leisure activities. This results in burning less calories and gaining weight. Moreover, the problem is accentuated by the growing number of people, who eat irregularly and consume large portions of high-calorie food. For example, about 50% of the adult population in Europe with so-called disordered eating suffer from obesity.

The possible effects of this problem include physical health problems and loss of productivity. First of all, obesity results in incorrect functioning of the human body and contributes to the risk of developing some chronic illnesses. For example, as body fat percentage increases, the person’s metabolism worsens, which in turn may result in diabetes or heart diseases. Secondly, overweight people are very unhealthy and often suffer from stress and tiredness. This lessens their work capacity and results in lower productivity. For example, it has been proven that an obese person needs to put more effort to complete some task than a person with normal weight.

To sum up, obesity is a big problem that affects a lot of people nowadays. It’s mainly caused by inactive lifestyle and eating disorders and results in severe health problems and loss of productivity.

(251 words)

• How to answer problem/solution essay questions in writing task 2 
• IELTS Writing Task 2

Of all the questions students come across in their IELTS exams every year, the problem/solutions essay questions are the most challenging ones. The way they are presented in the question paper is often difficult to comprehend by a majority of students. 

What these questions expect you to do is write about a problem, its cause and effect, along with providing a reasonable and logical solution to the issue posed. There might be a few times where you will only be asked to pen down suitable solutions to the problems, and not the other way around! 

It is very important that you are able to analyze what the examiner expects from you. Let’s understand the problem/solution essay questions step by step and learn how to answer them better! 

What are problem/solution essay questions? 

Problem/solution essay question is a part of the writing task two in almost every IELTS exam. The questions are based on a contemporary statement, that is going to be followed by two questions. You will be required to identify the problem, the cause of the problem, and suggest a desirable solution to the same problem. 

To answer a problem/solution essay question, you must analyze the question in advance, carefully in order to understand what is required to be done. In order to gain an edge over the others in the exams, it is expected that you highlight the keywords and your opinions in the answer sheet. 

A typical problem/solution essay question will look like the following: 

In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing.  What problems will this cause for individuals and society? Suggest some measures that could be taken to reduce the impact of ageing populations. 

The problem/solution essay questions need to be started with proper planning. You should carefully format the answer in your mind before you begin penning down your thoughts. You should have all the points clearly in front of you, including the main causes and the desired solution, only then can you sufficiently answer the question. 

Marking criteria 

The marketing criteria for all the answers in any writing task in your IELTS exam, including the problem/solution essay will be based on the following four basis: 

1. Task response 

Your score under this criterion will depend on how well you are in terms of paying attention to the requirements of the question. It will also depend on your skills being relevant in terms of the questions. Going off-topic and not making sense will only lead you to a lower score spectrum.  

2. Cohesion and coherence 

Concisely crafted pieces, written in not more than four paragraphs with a logically central idea is what your examiner is looking for. Your score in this criterion depends on your ability to present your ideas in a structured manner, with the right linking words supporting the body of the written piece and having a central topic flowing in a particular paragraph. 

3. Lexical resources and vocabulary 

You can score well in this particular section by keeping in mind just three things: 

1. Your ability to use appropriate words 

2. Your ability to use the words in their right collocative manner 

3. And, your ability to spell those words right. 

These three tips will go a long way as far as this particular section is concerned. 

4. Grammar range and accuracy 

Errors must not be made in the most common grammar rules. You must avoid using the wrong tenses and the wrong verbs as much as possible. Also, you must not forget to focus on the sentence structure and syntax, word order in the sentence, as well as the correct punctuation marks. 

Each criterion carries a 25% weightage in order to determine your final score for that answer.

How to answer a problem/solution essay question

A problem/solution answer is crafted out of three basic elements:

• An introduction 
• Two main paragraphs 
• And, a conclusion

Your introduction must consist of three sentences. 

• First, you will have to present a background statement, that is going to be a general statement highlighting the problem presented in the question. 
• The second sentence will be the paraphrasing of the question, i.e. rewriting the question in our own words. 
• The third part of the introduction involves a thesis statement presented by you. In this statement, you need to explain to the examiner what your goals are regarding the upcoming answer. The ideas that you are going to be presenting in the following body paragraphs should be presented here in a brief manner. 

Once you are done with your introduction, it is now time to begin writing the main body paragraphs to your answer. 

Body paragraphs will be divided into two parts, consisting of a few sentences each. 

In the first body paragraph, you must begin writing about the prominent problem that is present in the question itself. You should explain the problem, talk about the key points, and support those relevant points with accurate examples. Finally, when you move on to the second body paragraph, you must end the first paragraph with a closing statement, i.e. the sentence that is going to act as a transition between the two paragraphs. 

The second body paragraph will have you writing about the possible solutions to the problems presented in the question. You need to explain your viewpoints, explain them clearly and diligently, and support your opinions with a logical explanation and an example. You will not tie up all the loose ends and end the second body paragraph with a closing statement. 

Your conclusion must be simple, crisp, and all-inclusive. 

Your problem/solution essay answer will end with a conclusion that will wrap up the final answer to this task. Your conclusion must begin with phrases like “To conclude” or “To sum up” and so on. This will be followed up by briefly describing what solutions and problems you talked about in your essay, or you could also again paraphrase the question supporting it with the solution briefly. 

There is no specific requirement to actually state your opinion on the problem/solution essay questions in the IELTS exam. However, it is recommended that you are offering your opinions or recommendations at least in the final conclusion paragraph, instead of the introduction paragraph. 

Planning ahead 

Before beginning to write your answer down, you must plan in advance correctly. 

You must analyze the question once you read it, before starting to pen down your thoughts randomly. Comprehending the question gives you the idea of what is expected out of you for that particular question. Frame out the structure of your answer correctly, in your mind, before you begin writing. 

Ensure you are using keywords present in the question prompt and the keywords are being highlighted properly. You lose the edge over other candidates when you are not undertaking the practice of not highlighting the keywords. 

Use formal language, brainstorm all the ideas, opinions, and keywords before you start writing, without having to push yourself to get the best answer. 

Avoid making spelling mistakes, or grammatical errors. Even if you do not have the best answers, avoiding spelling mistakes and grammatical errors are going to give you an edge over the others. 

Write fast. Write as fast as you can, of course in a legible manner. 

What should you not do? There are multiple things that you must avoid doing while presenting your answer to a problem/solution essay question.  Answering the question without having supporting explanations, arguments, or examples. Always, always ensure that you have explanations and examples that support your arguments in the answer.  Not being able to answer all parts to the question. Always make sure you are answering both parts presented in the question. Avoid skipping any one part. There are two parts present in the question for a reason, never skip a part. To avoid this mistake, always spare a few minutes to plan your answer in advance.   Avoid repeating words in your answer. Broaden your vocabulary horizon, ensure you are using different synonyms, wherever possible, throughout the essay.  Do not exceed the word limit to your answer. Stick to the safe zone as far as the number of words is concerned. Though there is no upper cap, still stick to a healthy word limit, i.e. 260-280 words.  Structuring your essay correctly is extremely important. Not being able to follow the basic structure of your essay reflects the lack of planning. Planning your answer in advance will lead you to have a cohesive and coherent answer, following the framework that is required. 

Follow our YouTube channel “ Unlock IELTS with Richa ” for more such great tips and tricks to crack your upcoming IELTS exam in an easy way. All the best! 

Get Free Ebook

Enroll for Free Last Day Strategies

Related Posts

How to write double question essay in IELTS writing task 2

IELTS writing task 2 - To Do Checklist

IELTS Task Response: A Quick Guide to IELTS Writing Marking Criteria Part 1

Grammar Range and Accuracy Marking Criteria in IELTS Writing Section (Writing Task 2)

IELTS Writing Task 2: How to Improve Lexical Resource Score in IELTS Writing

Essays: The Mighty Five

Recent posts.

UnlockIelts- Designed for Your Success

Unlock your inner potential – How ‘Unlockielts’ makes it happen for you.

'Crushing The Curve': A Study Plan For Spectacular Results In Unlickielts Courses

'UnlockIELTS' Partner Program - Helping Others Meet Their English Language Goals!

Top 10 Myths About Preparing for the ILETS Exam Debunked

'Unlock' Your Score Today - Access Latest Tools and Techniques for Aceing IELTS Exam!

 of , how would you rate this course overall, write a public review.

- Richa Raj

IELTS Preparation with Liz: Free IELTS Tips and Lessons, 2024

• Test Information FAQ
• Band Scores
• IELTS Candidate Success Tips
• Computer IELTS: Pros & Cons
• How to Prepare
• Useful Links & Resources
• Recommended Books
• Speaking Part 1 Topics
• Speaking Part 2 Topics
• Speaking Part 3 Topics
• 100 Essay Questions
• On The Day Tips
• Top Results
• Advanced IELTS

IELTS Agree Disagree Essay Sample Answer with Tips

For an IELTS agree disagree essay you can either agree with the statement, disagree with the statement or give your opinion which contains a balanced approach to the issues in the statement. However, this does not mean you can discuss both sides impartially – you must give a clear opinion to get a good score in the criterion of Task Response which is 25% of your marks. Another name for an agree disagree essay is an opinion essay or argumentative essay.

The Agree Disagree Essay is also called the Opinion Essay. They are not different essays. On this website, I usually refer to this essay as the Opinion Essay. However, I am using a different name here just for people who are used to calling it “agree/disagree essay”.

IELTS Agree Disagree Question

Remember, this is also called an Opinion Essay.

The growing number of overweight people is putting a strain on the health care system in an effort to deal with the health issues involved. Some people think that the best way to deal with this problem is to introduce more physical education lessons in the school curriculum. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Agree Disagree Model Essay

Below is a model answer for the above Opinion Essay = Agree/Disagree Essay.

Owing to the problems which a growing population of overweight people cause for the health care system, it is thought that the key to solving this issue is to have more sport and exercise in schools. I agree that this is one way to tackle the problem, but diet must also be taken into consideration.

Increasing sport or regular exercise in schools is a useful way to tackle weight problems in the long run in the general population. This method will encourage a new generation to develop vital habits which support overall health and also help them maintain a reasonable weight. At the moment, the average child in the West does sport possibly twice a week, which is not enough to counteract their otherwise sedentary lifestyle that comes from many hours each day of sitting at a desk for their lessons. By incorporating more exercise time and possibly extracurricular physical activities, they will undoubtedly become fitter and more active, and continue living that way after leaving schools.

However, targeting physical exercise in school children to reduce the current issue of obesity in the wider population is not effective enough on its own. Firstly, children in schools need to also be educated about what constitutes healthy foods and why in order to ensure a new generation of people who understand clean eating. Secondly, for a more immediately impact, it is important to look at reducing the number of Ultra processed foods (UPFs) on the market which too many people gravitate towards. For example, the government could impose a tax on UPFs to increase the price, and also reduce the cost of healthy foods, such as vegetables, to encourage a better diet.

In conclusion, I believe the best approach to tackling weight issues in the population starts with diet and exercise in schools but must also include encouraging a healthier diet through price changes targeting specific foods on the market.

TIPS FOR AGREE/DISAGREE ESSAY (OPINION ESSAY)

• An Agree Disagree Essay is 100% the same as an Opinion Essay – they are two names for the same essay.
• Always analyse the essay question carefully and make sure you identify the key issue or issues in the essay question.
• Plan your main ideas and supporting points before you start writing.
• Introduction
• Topic Sentence
• Supporting points (usually two or three)
• (please note that sometimes it is possible to have three body paragraphs, you’ll find examples for model essays here: ALL MODEL ESSAYS FOR WRITING TASK 2
• Conclusion paragraph
• Make sure your introduction is not too long. Just paraphrase the essay question (background statement) and present your opinion (thesis statement).
• Make sure your opinion is consistent from introduction to conclusion. You can’t change your opinion during your essay.
• Each body paragraph presents a main idea which explains your opinion.
• Your body paragraphs should be equally developed for a high score.
• Supporting points must be relevant to the topic sentence of the paragraph.
• Never miss the conclusion. Keep it short, but make sure you write it! See this video about missing the conclusion: Using the last 5 mins in the writing test
• It is possible to have a partial agreement for the essay above where you think sports lessons are a good solution, but there is another more effective solution that must also be taken into consideration.
• Aim to write between 270 and 290 words. As you can see, my model essay above is over 300 words. However, that shouldn’t be your aim. More words open you up to more criticism.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU When to give your opinion in an IELTS essay Advantage Disadvantage Model Essay Discussion Essay Model Answer OPINION ESSAY PRACTICE QUESTIONS ALL WRITING TASK 2 MODEL ESSAYS AND TIPS

FREE SUBSCRIBE Subscribe to get new lessons & tips by email. Email Address Subscribe

Hi, Liz. Can you please score my essay and also put suggestions as to what else I could improve about it. Thank you very much!

It is said that people should be encouraged to get married before they are 30, as this is best both for the individual and for society. Do you agree or disagree?

Finding a compatible partner to spend with before the age 30 is imperative for the relationship to thrive, some surmise it could contribute favorably both in the community and individually as a person. I accede with the notion due to the reasons that it could help lessen societal pressures and allows to create stronger emotional bonds towards each other, both will be elicited on the ensuing paragraphs.

A reason why I accede with the idea is it could amass a sense of freedom and autonomy from societal expectations, as much as anything, in some cultures or communities, there may be less pressure when it comes to marriage. Islamic marriage is exemplar to this, while there is no specific age to marry, early marriage is encouraged in their religion to avoid sinful life and protect one’s chastity. Therefore, finding a partner that shares the same values and beliefs is crucial.

Another point worth noting is, it can provide the opportunity to build stronger emotional support and intimacy, in other words, this could allow them to lean towards each other when facing a dilemma and celebrate each other’s successes as they build a life together. On the accounts of studies, by the time a person is already in their late 20s, they may have a clear sense of who they are and what they want in life. Hence, more capable of responsibility, accountability, and more likely to be financially stable which is optimal when starting a family.

To take all things into account, this essay has presented the reasons why I agree with the idea of getting married before the age 30 which are less pressure from society and greater emotional support. It is important to remember that these are just broad generalizations and no one ever really knows when they are ready for marriage unless you understand the complexities of a relationship and are ready to handle them.

This is the page to my writing task 2 tips, practice lessons and model essays: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . Review all tips pages to learn how to write an IELTS essay. Learn about the correct linking words to use, the balance of paragraphs and word count. Then review model essays to see how essays are written and how all those tips can be applied. Learn first.

hi Liz. I would be really happy if you checked my essay and gave feedbacks.

If some people get a chance to choose between life without work and spending most of the time working, then they would choose not to work.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Choosing a path without work rather than one having a job is gaining popularity among a number of people in the contemporary society, according to a certain view. As there is a likelihood that to avoid work-related stress and pursue personal interest, individuals might be willing to go life without job responsibilities, I completely agree with the given opinion.

To start, one reason why people choose life without a job is seemingly associated with their personal interests and passion. Giving their jobs up, ones can take the opportunity to spend their time used to be spent inside the office for leisure time activities, personal interests, traveling and so on. Since these activities can make a person do what he or she wants and enjoy learning new skills which are not tied up the jobs, it is evident that many are not in an attempt to do their jobs. In other words, currently personal wishes are outweighing the long-continued tradition of having a job.

In addition to the reason mentioned above, work-related stress and pressures can plan an important role in changing people’s mind towards not having a job in some ways. Due to stressful responsibilities and deadlines which usually continue for a long time, a worker begins to feel exhausted and unsatisfied, leading them to find a solution in life without the job. To avoid the potential depression caused by stress and maintain a better mental and physical lifestyle, some may select the free-job life. Indeed, this way can also be one where humans have the chance to improve themselves with freedom.

In conclusion, it is true that the tendency of having no jobs is being popular, while this trend can be beneficial for those who are willing to relieve their stress related to work and chasing self-interests.

You might want to think more about this topic. I don’t know anyone who can afford to have no work. Work pays the bills and having no work can put you in debt. This isn’t something you addressed. In the real world, almost everyone would choose to earn money because they need money. So, there definitely is not a tendency to avoid earning money through work. This lack of consideration does weaken your essay. It would have been better to say “In my opinion, while many people would like to have a life without work, few can afford to do so.” That would have been a better opinion.

Also, pay attention to the tense in the essay question (which unfortunately does have a slight grammar error in it). This is hypothetical. It is not about what is currently happening in the world today (because in fact this isn’t happening in the world today). This is about what people might choose if they had the chance. It is a second conditional tense which you need to use in your essay.

Hello Liz I need your feedback please 🙏🏾

Question: The working week should be shorter and workers should have a longer weekend. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words

Employees should have lengthy weekends by shortening the working week. I do not agree with this, but giving workers days off should be considered.

The week for work should not have to be reduced for employees to have a longer weekend. The amount of work hours spent on different tasks at work places has a direct relationship with the results gotten.In other words, when this hours are cut short from all the days of the week, it affects productivity of the job. For instance,in big grocery stores that run a 24 hours business, if this working schedule is tampered with by shortening working week for staff, customers are left unattended to and this will in turn bring financial loss. Additionally, cutting down working days will increase workload for employees, thereby affecting their efficiency at work.

However, rather than making weekends which in my opinion is already long as it is a two days break ,any longer, employers can work on the schedules in order for workers to have the grace of taking just one day off. This in addition to the weekend will create a fair balance between the working week and free days.

In conclusion, I believe that decreasing the weeks for work will lead to a decline in productivity at work and piled up work for workers, but companies should also be considerate of their staff by giving them one free day asides the weekend.

Although my website does not offer a feedback or marking service, I will give you a few comments.

1) The last time you posted, it was a writing task 1, which I told you needed expanding – your writing was too short. This essay again is too short. You’ve actually written less than 250 words when you have already typed that the instructions state “at least 250 words”. Your task 2 essay should be between 270 and 290 words. Any less than 270 words and it is a waste of time aiming for a high score. The word count advice is given on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ along with all other tips and model essays.

2) All body paragraphs should be of equal length for writing task 2 essays.

3) The main point in the second body paragraph is unclear. Are you saying people should have a weekend off and then an extra day off as well – that is the same as the essay question idea which you don’t agree with. Or are you saying the extra day off should be optional? Your main point is really not clear. When you don’t express your main point clearly, your score will go down.

4) Don’t give an opposite opinion in the conclusion. You state in the introduction that people should have a weekend free but no longer than a weekend (no extra day), which means you don’t agree with a long weekend (a long weekend being three days instead of two). Then in your conclusion, you state that giving staff an extra day off, as well as the weekend, is something to consider. Such contradictions will definitely lower your score.

Thank you for your feedback I will work extensively on this🙏🏾

Good luck. But before you practice, make sure you have read every single page on my website. Learn first, practice later.

I have tried to write my essay on the above topic before looking at your model answer. I can’t rate myself and want you to have a look. I know you do not have time for feedbacks, hoping against the hope, I am still posting this in case you might take some time out.

In order to reduce the burden of people with obesity on the healthcare system according to some an effective way to tackle this is to include additional physical activities in school. In my opinion, although physical lessons at school level are important, children should also be encouraged to avoid foods with high calorific content.

It is argued that by increasing the number of physical education lessons in the way forward in dealing with overweight problem. By doing this, children can understand the value of exercise in their life which might eventuate in a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, being fit can also result in children becoming competitive by participating in games such as football and marathon races. Finally, the experience of sportsmanship they would imbibe in schools will be beneficial for their future life as well as it is going to be helpful in reducing weight and becoming active.

Apart from physical training in schools, I believe children should be taught about how to intake healthy diet. It is essential for them to be aware of the detrimental effects which sugary and high-fat content foods can have on their health. Eating junk food, for instance, can contain more than thrice the amount of calories that are in a dish consists of vegetables. Additionally, physical education is not enough if children are not taught at homes about eating balanced diet. By combining exercises and healthy diet could bring about a possible change where the issue of obesity can be appropriately and effectively managed.

In conclusion, despite the inclusion of more physical lessons during schooling, I think children ought to be taught the benefits of healthy diet and in this way the problem of overweight people could possibly be resolved.

Although my website doesn’t offer a feedback service, I do have time for a couple of comments:

A great job. A clear introduction which connects the essay nicely. Good signposting and linking. Logical organisation of information and ideas. However…

1) Your first body paragraph is how extra physical education in schools can lower obesity numbers. The problem is that one of your sentence does not relate to tackling obesity, but to the benefits of competitive games – that is off topic. Every single sentence in that body paragraph should relate to physical education in schools and obesity, not other benefits of doing sport. So, for this paragraph, you should have talked about – children spending so much time in schools sitting at a desk – having more exercise can counteract this and support weight loss etc etc. While this is only one sentence that is off topic, most IELTS essays for task 2 only have about 13 sentences – so to have one that is 100% irrelevant is such a shame because irrelevant information has no place in a high band score essay. This is all about planning and being focused.

2) Your ideas in your second body paragraph also need a bit of rewording. You really need to make the link about how doing only physical education whilst still eating high fat and high sugar foods will not succeed in weight loss as the person will not be able to burn off the volume of calories they are eating. You must be specific and clear. While you have connected those points in your own mind, you haven’t been clear in the sentences. You only mention such food can have a detrimental effect on their health – you should have said such food can cause obesity. Be specific. This problem is also the result of not planning properly. During the planning stage (before writing), you think about the language and how you will connect ideas to the main topic (obesity).

Your writing is strong. But you need to take the time to plan and think more carefully about whether the idea supports the main aims and whether the idea is explained fully in connection to the essay aims. I hope this helps you gain focus because you really have the potential for a very high band score if you take more time planning and thinking things through more carefully.

I am thankful for your quick response. I will surely think over your above suggestions. In the end I must say your comments have certainly boosted my confidence level. Stay blessed

Hi Liz, I have given my IELTS exam today. Want to thankyou for your valuable lessons. More love to you Liz. I have a doubt regarding writing task2 word count. I have wirtten essay of 248 words. Is this minor mistake will effect my band score for writing?

The instructions tell you to write more than 250, not less. The direct and immediate punishment for writing under the word count has now been removed. However, writing under the word count will still impact your score in a negative way. With so few words, it isn’t really possible to expand ideas sufficiently for a high score. This is actually part of the marking criterion of Task Response, which counts for 25% of your marks. There is no way to predict your score because it will depend on many other factors. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that all other aspects of your writing were strong enough to still reach a high score, regardless.

I need guidance regarding opinion essays. The opinion essays that state “to what extent do you agree”, do they require that we state our opinion in full agreement or can we completely disagree or do we need to partially agree and disagree. what if i fully disagree with such essay? Can I state my opinion in complete disagreement and then give reasons?

When you are asked for your opinion using the instructions “to what extent do you agree?” OR “do you agree?” OR “to what extent do you agree or disagree?” Or anything other method of asking directly for your opinion, the opinion you choose is your own to decide. IELTS does not dictate and demand that you take any particular opinion. You can agree, disagree, partially agree, have a specific view point – you decide what your opinion is. You will be marked on how relevant and well explained your opinion is. You can get full training for an opinion essay in my store with my advanced lessons: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Really happy to see you reply for us. Wish all the best all the time

Opinion essay “Prevention is better than cure”. Researching and treating diseases is too costly so it would be better to invest in preventative measures. To what extent do you agree.

There is a saying prevention is better than cure, suggesting that it is better to work on preventive measure rather than focusing on researching and treating diseases as it is too costly. In my opinion, investing in preventive measures is important, but that does not mean that research conducted to cure diseases should be stopped.

Investing upon prevention of diseases can help both the government and its population . Government can help their citizen by providing vaccine and spreading awareness about certain diseases like malaria. This in turn results in the individual being safeguarded from deadly diseases, while also reduces the stress on the healthcare infrastructure. A good example of preventive measure is the polio prevention campaign implemented by the government of India in 2002. The campaign aimed to vaccinate every citizen before 2003 and prevent them from ever getting polio, it was a success.

Another great point is how cheap preventive measures can be for both individuals and the government.A simple vaccine or awareness campaign can prevent life-threatening diseases. If not prevented, it could cost thousands of dollars to cure, an expense that would either be borne by the government or the individual. On the other hand a preventive vaccine would cost just a couple of dollars, far cheaper than curing the disease. This preventive approach has been highly effective to fight against diseases like polio and malaria.

However, It would be unwise to cut upon the funding for research done to cure diseases. There are many diseases, where preventive measures are ineffective and cure is the only way. For example, heredity based diseases cannot be prevented, the only way to fight it is cure based. There are also instances where sudden injuries or diseases can occur, even after going through preventative measures. Again in such cases cure is important.

In conclusion, Investing and researching on preventative measure is a good step, but that does not mean that research on cure should be cut down.

Hi liz, this question was in your website but there was no answer available, so I tried to attempt it. It was a bit difficult to generate ideas for this topic for me.

There seems to be an increasing trend towards assessing students through exams rather than continual assessment. What are the advantages and disadvantages of exams as a form of assessment?

Nowadays, institutes are preferring to assess students through exams rather than continual assessment. Exams definitely help to gauge a student’s theoretical knowledge, but there are certain drawbacks which need to be addressed.

On the one hand, exams have certain benefits. Firstly, exams are very efficient at gauging the theoretical knowledge of the examinee. Exams help the examiner to know whether the test taker is thorough with their concepts. Secondly, they can be very useful to assess how good one’s problem-solving capability is, especially for subjects like math and physics, which contain many problem-solving-based questions. Finally, exams are very cost-effective, as they can be simply conducted using pen and paper and do not require anything extra.

On the other hand, there are several disadvantages of conducting exams. One disadvantage is that exams do not give the test taker any practical exposure to how the knowledge learned can be applied in real life, which other forms of assessment can provide, such as projects and assignments based on real-world problems. Another issue is that exams promote extreme competition and do not teach teamwork, whereas other forms of assessment like group projects allow collaboration of ideas while also developing leadership skills and teamwork. Lastly, certain examinations just gauge one’s memorization and not the understanding of the examinee, which can be detrimental to the future of that particular student.

In conclusion, while examinations have their upsides, they fail to give the test taker practical exposure and make one extremely competitive, preventing them from learning to be a team player.

It is certainly a tough topic and one that does appear in the IELTS test from time to time. This isn’t about the pros and cons of exams or about how performance relates to the real world or whether it leads to leadership etc. This is purely about how to assess performance. For example, IELTS is a test that assesses language – is this the best way to assess language? In schools, assessment can be done either by project work, continual assessment or exams. The exams create pressure – under pressure people’s performance can deteriorate so it isn’t a realistic impression of their ability. Exams are only a snapshot of their ability, for example someone might perform to an A grade throughout the year, but only get a C in an exam – so is that C a realistic measure of that person’s ability? So, this topic really is about how to measure ability within a school or university.

There a quite a few topics in IELTS writing task 2 which can be hard to tackle because of the topic. For this reason, I did create an Ideas for Topics E-book so that people could review a whole range of topics and get ideas for them to avoid such a situation. You can find it in my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hello dear Liz, I’ve read your E-Books and watched your tutorials, it will mean the world to me if you check my opinion essay, I want to know if I did understand the tips you mentioned, thank you.

It is often said that governments spend too much money on projects to protect wildlife, while there are other problems that are more important? Do you agree or disagree?

It is considered by some that authorities are spending too many funds on projects focusing on animals. In my opinion, there are far more important issues such as environmental problems and global warming that need to be addressed.

Instead of allocating money to wildlife, I do believe that environmental problems ought to be prioritized. For instance, pollution is one of the alarming situations that many countries are facing at the moment. Dumping chemicals into rivers, depletion of soil and making it infertile, polluting the air with pollutants such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide, all will lead to irreversible repercussions. Consequently, our food chain and agriculture are affected, which can later result in extreme problems such as famine.

Following above, one of the more important matters than protecting wildlife is global warming. With the rising level of climate all around the world, serious negative effects are happening. Moreover, rising temperatures have resulted in the melting of ice caps in Greenland and Antarctica. This has raised the sea levels which threaten the lives of people living particularly in coastal cities and islands. Furthermore, droughts and floods have become more common these years. Hence, food production and ecological balance are both influenced negatively. This can later lead to poverty and local conflicts which will severely affect the economy of nations.

In conclusion, although is it thought by some that the focus should be on animals, I think human and financial resources should be spent on topics like global warming and pollution.

You’ve written a great essay which is well structured with relevant, well developed ideas. Each paragraph is well written and linking words are used flexibly. But I would issue a word of caution. This essay is about protecting wildlife and you must address this in your essay. Not just mention it briefly but actually give your opinion with supporting points. If you think protecting wildlife isn’t important, you would need a paragraph explaining why. You can’t push the issue aside without detailing your opinion of the issue. However, a paragraph that addresses why wildlife isn’t important, isn’t easy to write because in reality wildlife is important for this entire planet and for our own species. Instead, it is better to do this: “In my opinion, although I agree wildlife is important, other issues such as environmental problems are more critical.”. If you take this approach it is easier to form a strong, high band score essay. One body paragraph would be about the benefits of protecting wildlife and the other body paragraph can detail environmental problems which include soil depletion, pollution and global warming. In the second paragraph is not a good idea to have a list of environmental problem because then your body paragraph becomes a list which doesn’t give you a high score. Instead, just choose either one or two environmental problems and explain them with details – that would be better for Task Response, which is 25% of your marks.

I’m glad you enjoyed my e-books and advanced video lessons 🙂

Thank you soooo much Liz for your feedback, I absolutely adore your content 😀 so you suggest that I should’ve written a balanced essay since wildlife is an important subject? I also have another approach in mind, one BP for developed countries and the fact that they can focus on wildlife and another BP for underdeveloped and developing countries where other matters are much more needed, do you think this would also be a good approach? also again, it means the world to me, how kind and helpful you are, you’re a literal angel to me Liz. Thank you for existing.

You have absolutely got it! This would be a partial agreement (balanced essay with a specific view point). And yes, you definitely could aim to have one BP to explain that developed countries with fewer social problems could focus on wildlife and why this is important. Then the second BP could be about other countries which must focus on more critical social issues including education and health care. My only comment would be that these days, developed countries are in such a bad way that this almost isn’t the case anymore. For example, in the UK, they have just had to release over one thousand prisons back into society because there are no beds left in prison – this means men who have physically attacked their wives are back on the streets without serving their punishment. Also the NHS system is failing and the issue of housing is critical with the number of homeless people rising all the time. So, these days, even developed countries are struggling. I can easily imagine that all these social issues are likely to appear in IELTS writing task 2 more often because IELTS does follow current social issues for writing task 2. Anyway, you are going in the right way with how you are thinking and approaching writing task 2 🙂

Thanks a million dear Liz, I appreciate your dedication! you helped me massively, thank you again! 🙂

There has been an increase in the number of overweight cases in young people in many countries today and with this comes many health problems such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, liver diseases, which put a lot of strain to our health care systems. One of the solutions that has been proposed is to introduce sports and exercise in our schools. While this a good start, in my opinion, physical education alone cannot be an effective solution without considering diet and nutrition.

Introducing physical education in schools will introduce young learners to physical activities such as sports and exercises, thereby laying the foundation of understanding the relationship between exercise and weight gain. It will also help engrave in them a liking for sports and exercises. Research has shown that, people who start to engage in these activities at a young age, will most likely keep doing them in later stages of their lives.

On the other hand, physical education should be combined with proper dieting and nutrition to achieve the intended benefits. Availing nutritious foods can be a challenge to most families. Most nutritious foods are very pricey and out of reach for most people. Furthermore, there are places in our community where the existence of food desert is rampant. The government can help by implementing policies aimed at increasing food production, quality, and affordability. Introducing better agricultural practices, providing subsidies to farmers, and offering loans to local producers and small business, can help encourage large scale farmers and local producers to increase their production and invest in marginalized areas.

In conclusion, while introducing physical education in schools can be beneficial in reducing overweight cases, tackling other factors such as diet, nutrition, individual life choices, such as, addiction to fast foods should be addressed.

Hello,please I would really appreciate it if you would respond to my essay. There is a constant increase in the number of obese individuals, as a result, pressure is being placed on the health care system in dealing with health the health related problems. However, most people indicate that the best mathod of approach is to introduce more sports and physical education in schools. From mt perspective, I am in total agreement with this solution, although their diet should also be closely monitored. In order to prevent youngsters from becoming overweight, they should engage in more exercise training in school to help them stay in shape. Nevertheless, in addition to these physical lessons their consumption of food should be monitored. There should be educational classes on healthy eating habits to help them control their intake of food. For instance, advicing students to take more nutritious meal which include fruits and vegetables. Teach them on proper balanced diet and the reduction of snacks and instant meals. The increase in sport activities in schools will also assist in the regulation of overweight individuals. This is due to the fact that children spent majority of their time sitting, therefore,the addition of extracurricular activities will go a long way. It will enable most students become more sport orientated, giving an increasing value to children who participate in sport related competitions such as; swimming, baskerball and much more. It can also be furthered in the future as a career. In conclusion, I believe that this issue can be tackled through the enforcement of proper healthy eating habits as well as regulated exercise schedule in order to lesson the strain exerted on health care centres.

Please see this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . You’ll find links to how to structure your essay with appropriate paragraphs and also more model essays. Learn first, practice writing later.

The increasing number of overweight people is becoming a serious problem in the health care system which is why we should take immediate action to tackle this problem. In my opinion, the most effective solution to this problem is improving the physical education programs in school. However, I also believe diet is important to health.

Initially, enhancing our knowledge of physical education will help us to realize the importance of healthy lifestyle which is often be ignored. In some cases, people usually remains unaware of how the overweight can becomes the serious problem. For this reason, I think the most initial course of action to solve this problem is to introducing them the real possible consequences of being overwighted. So that, people will be more encouraged to take action by learning profoundly about the physical education.

In additionally, in order to making the solution more complex, lessons about healthy diet also needs to be implemented all together. The primary reason of overweight mainly comes from bad eating habits or heavy diets.

In conclusion, the best way to deal with this problem is encourage people to have a good knowledge of psysical education and healthy diets.

I would like you to go to the main writing task 2 page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ and review everything about how to structure an essay, how long it should be and review the length and format of all model essays. This why you will learn more about tackling an IELTS essay.

Hi, liz this is my approach for this essay have divided it into 4 para but the approach in writing is a bit different, would love to get some pointer on this essay which I wrote. thank you. time taken: 25 min 59 sec

Due to the growing number of obese people increasing strain on the health care system. Some suggest that the most efficient way to deal with this crises, is to introduce more physical education lessons in the school curriculum. This essay agrees with this view as regular exercise keeps one fit, but there are certain aspect like genetics, which also plays an important role.

Increasing regular exercise in schools definitely helps in tackling the issues of being overweight by making exercise a regular habit. As the student in school will be forced to do exercise every day as a part of curriculum, which helps the future generation be more healthier thereby putting less strain on the healthcare ecosystem. A recent study found that a person who does regular exercise will generally be much more healthier and in a good shape than one who does not.

However, there are some other aspect which may lead one to be fat. One such reason is genetics which is inherit and no amount of exercise can treat it. So a more holistic approach can give a much better result in long term which may include dietary guidelines to be followed with regular exercise, as unhealthy diet also leads to obesity. A similar strategy is followed in Japan, where students are involved in physical activities every day followed by a nutritious diet plan. This helped Japan to have a really healthy population reducing a huge amount of stress from their hospitals.

I would like to conclude my essay, supporting the initiative to introduce physical activities in class. However I believe additional changes in the initiative such as healthy diet plan will bring over better results.

Although my website doesn’t provide a feedback service, I will give you a couple of pointers relating to how to tackle an IELTS essay, particularly an Opinion Essay. 1) You are being asked for your opinion. This means it is your personal opinion. The words “this essay agrees” is not your personal opinion. You MUST use “I believe” or “In my opinion” – any words that use I or My to express your own view. 2) Grammar – pay attention to your complex sentences. The first sentence is grammatically incorrect without a clear verb. So, you mean “the growing number of people are putting an increased strain”? 3) Your first body paragraph is about how exercise/sports in schools can combat being overweight. This isn’t about being fit or being healthy – it’s about weight. Your paragraph must address the issue directly – overweight people. 4) This essay is about solutions to obesity. The suggested solution is more exercise/sports in schools. Your task is to give your opinion about whether this is the best solution to tackle obesity and possibly offer alternatives. This essay is not about the reasons people are obese. So, mentioning genetics is irrelevant and your topic sentence is offer topic. Certainly, you can tackle diet, but to write a whole sentence at the start of a body paragraph giving the reason of obesity is off topic. The first sentence of any body paragraph contains the main ideas of the whole paragraph. If the whole paragraph is about diet, then the first sentence introduces it. 5) “In conclusion” is the right way to introduce a conclusion in a formal essay. You can also use “To conclude” or “To sum up.” Linking words are for accuracy and clarity – not to used in a creative way or a chatty way.

Review all my free model essays and tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . You’ll see all my model essays are similar in structure and linking words – this is because they illustrate the right way to approach an IELTS essay to fulfil the requirements of a high score. If you need training, see my advanced lessons in my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Thanks for the input, I will check out your advance lesson and try to reproach writing task 2

I redid the easy

An increasing number of obese people is straining the healthcare system, thus a number of people think that the best way to tackle this particular issue is to introduce more physical education classes in school curriculum. In my opinion I don’t agree that introducing more physical education lesson will help over weight crises. Instead awareness on balance diet and medication is the correct way forward.

Introduction of a balance diet in school is actually an optimum way to tackle the obesity issue rather than focussing on exercise. Nowadays students tend to eat a lot of ultra processed food, which is said to be a leading cause to get fat. Therefore schools should focus more on their student diet and change their lunch program to include much healthier option by introducing more protein and fibre (meat and vegetables) and reduce carbs.

Furthermore, more than half of the young population in India is obese not due to lack of exercise, but rather due to extreme amount of stress. Already students are quite stressed out and overworked. Adding extra hours of physical classes, without their consent, will further stress them out which can lead to issues such as over eating and eventually getting much fatter than before. So school should focus more on rest and introduce a program where students receive an optimum amount of rest.

Lastly, a large number of population is obese because of genetics, in such case exercise is not the way out. Rather an awareness program is needed, where students should be thought about the medication required in this case and its diagnosis, so they can start early and avoid further complications, thus reducing the load on the medical system.

I would like to conclude by adding that extra physical classes do not help with weight loss. Balance diet and correct medication is the right way forward.

Your ideas are being marked on relevancy and whether you have fully addresses the task. Your idea that stress causes obesity isn’t actually explained. It is an unusual idea to present. Personally, I would stick with points that we already know – exercise, diet and a balanced, healthy life style all play a role. And please remember that “I would like to conclude” is not appropriate for a formal essay. Just use “In conclusion” or “To conclude” – you need to no other linking words to open the conclusion for a band score 9.

I knew that stress could be a weird point but I came across that in an article and was impressed as it was a very unusual, I don’t know if the point holds true but I still thought to add it

You definitely should not be going for unusual ideas. The way ideas are marked in IELTS is not based on how interesting or unusual they are. In fact, that plays no part in marking. You are marked on how relevant the ideas are. This means the more normal and usual the idea is, the better. So, choosing points such as diet, exercise and life style in relation to weight are the ideas that known to be relevant and valid – those are the ideas to choose. Always remember that you must choose wisely in IELTS writing. Choose ideas that are known to the relevant and easy to explain for a high score. If the examiner stops reading your essay to think – that’s weird, that doesn’t make sense – you’ll get a lower score.

Hi Liz, thanks for all the tips. How would you rate my answer, and how can i improve it? I would be grateful if you could answer these questions! ans One of the main problems in the health care system is the increasing number of overweight people. It is thought by some people that the best method to handle this issue is to introduce exercise and sports classes in the school timetables. I strongly agree with these statements as obesity might not be seen as a major problem in the country, but health deteriorating due to obesity is a major issue.

Being overweight can cause a lot of problems not only in one’s physical health but also in one’s mental health. While exercise and sports can help overweight people in losing excess fat, diet is a crucial aspect too. One reason that people are overweight is because they had no subjects or courses on physical education in their school curriculum. Sports and physical education not only help students maintain good fitness, but they also bring discipline to them and a sense of responsibility.

However, sports and fitness alone are not enough to deal with this problem on a large scale. Diet must also be introduced in the course curriculum as it plays just as important a part as sports in maintaining good health. Students must be taught about various aspects of diet such as healthy food, food to avoid, palm oil, processed food, trans fat, sugar, etc. Teaching them the concept of calories can be very beneficial for them.

In conclusion, I believe sports, physical education, and diet are three of the most important aspects of maintaining good health and a healthy weight.

The aim of my website is not to provide feedback. But today I do have some time to drop a comment. 1) There is only one statement that you need to give an opinion on and that is about schools providing more exercise classes to tackle the number of overweight people. Your aim is not to comment on the fact that this puts a strain on the health care system (that is just background information). The aim is also not to discuss the problems of obesity. 2) Your introduction does not provide a clear opinion – do you think physical education is schools is the best way to tackle obesity? What is your answer? Be clear and be direct. If you agree that physical education in schools is a good way to tackle this, then you must say it clearly. Your thesis statement does not contain a relevant opinion because you are not being asked if you think obesity is a problem. So, you will be marked down on this. 3) Your first body paragraph contains mixed ideas with no clear relevant opinion. a) your topic sentence is confusing – you’ve written that being overweight is a problem – this isn’t what the essay is about, the essay is about solutions to obesity. Your topic sentence must contain a clear point in favour of your opinion relating to the solutions of obesity. b) the next sentence is confusing – is this paragraph about sports or diet? You can have only one clear point per paragraph in IELTS. You will be marked down for this. c) you add that sports lessons help bring discipline – this is off topic and irrelevant to the essay which is about solutions to obesity. The examiner will note all these details about your essay (a, b & c) and your score will suffer for them. 4) Note that sports are part of physical education in schools – they aren’t separate.

All these points above relate to both Task Response and Coherence & Cohesion. That means they will impact your score for both marking criteria which together count for 50% of your writing task 2 marks. These aren’t small issues. They all relate to your technique. IELTS essays are not “normal essays”. They are essays designed specifically for IELTS to fulfil the marking criteria. So, you must learn the techniques and the right way to approach writing task 2. Your English is good enough for a high score, but your lack of understanding of IELTS essays will lower that score a lot. Here is a link to my free lessons, model essays and tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . But to learn the techniques for essays relating to the band score requirements in detail, see my advanced lessons in my store for step by step guidance: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

I hope everyone can learn from this example essay and feedback.

Hey liz, i hope you are doing well. Would you spare a time for me to give a check on my essay and give recommendations and bands. I would be thankful to you.

The figure of fatty people has been increasing , and it can cause serious health problems. This has caused the distress among health department. To confront this issue, some people suggest that many fitness pertaining subjects should be added in school. In this essay, i will provide my opinion.

Firstly, by introducing physical health subject would result in improvement in the knowledge of students regarding body. many students does not have concern regarding their shape because they do not know that maintaining it is actually a thing to do and how many benefits are for maintaining a fit body. By the time, people grow they do not realise how they have destroy their body by not maintain it.

If we discuss further, junk food has also become a problem for youth. Mainly, the reason for over weight is due to eating burgurs, pizza and all sort of fast food. Majority of people does not think of that how much fat, oil it has which causes problems. Moreover, it has become a social status for people there are certain applications inwhich people give photos and videos what they eat following that other people also do the same which creates a trend of eating and showing of fast food.

In contrast, introducing health lectures in education system can cause over thinking among children. The children who enjoys alot of eating without any thinking would be in sudden depression if he/she know about the problems it may cause and it would destroy the enjoyment of children.

All thing considered, it can be seen that launching fitness period in academic can have variety of benefits to the youth.

The aim of my website doesn’t include writing feedback, but today I have some time for a few comments.

1) Paraphrasing – you paraphrase when you are 100% sure a word is a perfect replacement or to even improve language. The word “fatty people” is not suitable and shouldn’t be used. Likewise, “among health department” “fitness pertaining subjects” “a fit body” or “fitness period”. Each time you paraphrase and get it wrong, it is a reason for the examiner to lower your score. Your first two sentences should be: “The number of people who are overweight is increasing and this causes problems for health care services.” If you are not sure about changing a word, don’t change it. It is better for your score to repeat a word than choose badly.

2) You do not need “In this essay, I will provide my opinion”. Your thesis statement should provide your opinion. Watch the video on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/how-many-paragraphs-for-an-ielts-essay/ to learn how to write an introduction.

3) This is an Opinion Essay so introduce your opinion in the introduction and explain your opinion with one clear point in each body paragraph.

4) Never have one main point less developed than the other. All body paragraphs are equal length.

5) Don’t go off topic. This essay isn’t about why people become overweight (such as taking photos of food for social media). It’s about solutions to the problem. The whole essay, every paragraph and every single sentence must address and relate to ways of tackling this problem.

What I see from your writing is that you lack an insight into IELTS writing skills. You must learn what IELTS wants from an essay. I highly recommend you get my advanced lessons which you can find in my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

thankyou liz , for your feedback . I will work on it. 🙏❤️

Thank you for the good work you are doing and wish you a speedy recovery. I’m a big fan of your website actually and hoping to come out with flying colors in my up coming ielts exams.

Please in your thesis statement you agreed with the background statement but you also used the word ”BUT” and introduced diet as one way of tackling the overweight issues. Now my question is, doesn’t the word ”BUT” contradict your opinion and therefore nullify everything you’ve said?

Thank you for your response.

When you first learn English, you are often given simple explanations of how to use a word or what the word means. But as you develop your English, you become aware that words can have extended meanings and other uses. This is the case with But or However. It isn’t only used to negate the clause before, but can be used to add information as well that is conditional. For example, I love pizza, but only if there’s pineapple on it. This doesn’t mean you don’t love pizza, it just means there are conditions to the pizza you like. So, in this essay, the writer agrees it is a good solution, but adds the condition that there are other solutions that also must be considered alongside the first one. The examiner will notice how well linking words are used to reflect a higher understanding of English.

well understood. Thank you so much Liz

Due to an increasing number of obese people and their health concerns, health authorities have to make a significant effort to solve their health issues. To control this, some people believe that teaching physical workouts in schools is the best measure. However, I disagree with it because there are more effective solutions, such as educating people about balanced meals, and public awareness on quick home-workouts.

Public awareness about a balanced diet is a paramount concern in this regard. This is because that many people do not know about nutrition quantities that they should take in each meal. Hence, they eat junk food, excessive amounts of carbo-rich food, and fatty-food, which lead to obesity and related health issues. If they are educated about this, they will start to eat healthy food, and it will alleviate this situation. For instance, in Sri Lanka, many obese people have reduced their weights by following the meal plans that are published in the Face Book by Dr. Wannaku.  

One another important measure to mitigate this situation is educating public about an easy exercise schedule that can be done in home. This is effective because many people avoid physical exercises due to unavailability of facilities, and due to the difficulty of traveling to such facilities. Therefore, if they are taught to do a home-workout, they can do it from their homes without any equipment. This will help people to maintain healthy weights. For example, nowadays, some people stay healthily by doing equipment-free workouts available in mobile applications.

In conclusion, I believe that rather than teaching physical education lessons in the school, there are more effective solutions, such as educating people about eating healthy meals and equipment-free home exercise schedules.  

Although the aim of my website isn’t to provide feedback on writing, I do have time for a quick comment. The essay is about physical education in schools as a solution for obesity. In your introduction, you have stated you don’t agree. But where is the body paragraph that explains it? Just because you don’t agree doesn’t mean you can basically ignore the specific topic given (physical education in schools). You must address this in your essay. Then you can add your own understanding in another body paragraph. This is part of the marking criterion of Task Response.

Thanks a lot Liz for your valuable feedback. I just confused during planning on this point. I am well clear now for this type of questions. Thanks again for your valuable time.

The increasing number of overweight cases is placing a burden on the healthcare system in an attempt to resolve the problem. It is thought by some people that introducing sports and exercise lessons into school curriculum can help tackle this issue effectively. In my opinion, I think that this kind of scheme will be a good idea, however, health education should also be taken into consideration.

One good reason of introducing physical education lessons in school curriculum in order to tackle overweight problems is that it will help maintain the fitness levels of students. In other words, sporting activities will help students to be active and also give them a sense of consciousness about their health. This will help them to live and maintain a healthy lifestyle even after school as this will become part of them. The physical education lessons will stress on the importance of healthy living through exercise which will greatly benefit both individual and the nation.

Another point to consider in addressing this issue is to emphasize the importance of health education. Health education will help create awareness and also educate people about the advantages of living and maintaining healthy lifestyle as well as the complications bad habit will have on their health. Through health education people will be conscious about their diet, the need to reduce stress, and the value of regular exercise which is essential in preventing obesity. This will go a long way to benefit the society because a healthy people builds a healthy nation. It will also help reduce the workload on the healthcare system. Government will also spend less on treatments of these health related problems and can channel the money to other aspect of the economy.

In conclusion, the introduction of sporting activities into school curriculum and the education of people on their health will go a long way in tackling overweight issues in a country.

Hi Liz, Thank you for this wonderful website. I have a small doubt. In the “to what extent do you agree or disagree” questions, we have three options. (Completely agree, completely disagree, or have a balanced view)

For questions like “Do you agree or disagree?” can we have a balanced view? Or should we choose either completely agree or completely disagree and give my opinion on what I chose? Thank you.

It actually makes no difference how the instructions are written. The instructions could be: To what extent do you agree? Do you agree? Do you agree or disagree? What do you think? To what extend do you agree or disagree? All these instructions are the same and they are all Opinion Essays. IELTS likes to change the wording so that people don’t become dependant on wording. You can have a balanced view (partial agreement), full agreement or disagreement – the choice it yours, no matter the wording of the instructions. But never forget that a balanced view does NOT mean you agree with both sides – it is about having a specific view point and must be written carefully or you’ll get a low score in Task Response.

The increasing number of overweight issues is placing a burden on the healthcare system in an attempt to resolve this problem. It is thought by some people that introducing sports and exercise lessons into the school curriculum can help tackle the issue effectively. In my opinion, I think that this kind of scheme will be a good idea, however, health education should also be taken into account.

One good reason of introducing physical education lessons in school curriculum in order to tackle overweight problems is that it will maintain fitness levels of the students. In other words, sporting activities will help students to be active and also give them a sense of consciousness about their health. This will help them develop and maintain healthy lifestyle even after school as this will become part of them. The physical education lessons will stress on the importance of living and maintaining healthy lifestyle through exercise which will greatly benefit both individual and the nation.

Another point to consider in addressing overweight issues is to emphasize the importance of health education. Health education will help create awareness and also educate people about the advantages of maintaining a healthy lifestyle as well as the complications bad habits will have on their health. Through health education people will become conscious about their diet, the need to reduce stress, and the value of regular exercise which is essential in preventing obesity. This will go a long way to benefit the society because a healthy people builds a healthy nation. It will also help reduce the workload on the healthcare system. Government will also spend less money on treatment of these health related problems and can channel it to other aspect of the economy.

In conclusion, the introduction of sporting activities in school curriculum and the education of people on their health will go a long way in tackling overweight issues in a country.

Hi Liz, what would be the score if it’s written in a real exam?

All model essays on my website are band score 9. The techniques and tips are the same regardless of which band score you are aiming for. The difference in the final score will depend on how good you are at applying those techniques and the level of your English.

Hi Liz, thank you very much for all the tremendous work you’ve been doing! I feel a bit confused re the topic sentence for the first body paragraph as it seems to me extremely similar to the thesis. Do you think we can use the second sentence of this para as a topic sentence instead, saying “Firstly, this method will….etc”. Thank you in advance!

This is a good question. When we write “This method will ….” it is called referencing. It is a language feature that is marked in IELTS Writing, under Coherence & Cohesion (not grammar). In IELTS essays, you count each paragraph as a new entity. You can reference inside the paragraph but not from one paragraph to another. So, we could write “this method” …” in the same paragraph where we have already mentioned the method. We cannot use “it” or “this” at the start of a new body paragraph referring to something in the previous paragraph. The first sentence of a body paragraph is called a Topic Sentence, it contains the main point – it must always be written in full. The examiner should never have to stop reading to go back to a different paragraph to see what you are talking about. IELTS essays are different from other academic essays you might write in school, college or university.

Liz, thank you!

it’s very interesting and looks perfectly logical now.

Hi Liz, thanks for your wonderful website. I’m learning so much.

I want to ask you about the opinion essay. What is the difference between To What Extend Do You Agree and the essay which is Do You Agree? Are they the same or different. I’m confused.

Please advice me.

This is a common concern that people have. An Opinion Essay question might have different instructions. It might be “To what extent do you agree?” or “Do you agree?” or “Do you agree or disagree?” or “What is your opinion?”. Regardless of how the instructions are written, you can use the same approach, the same techniques because it is exactly the same essay task but with paraphrased instructions. You could agree, you could disagree or you could have a partial agreement, which is sometimes called a “balanced view” but does not mean that you convert it into a discussion essay. At no point can you sit on the fence. You are being marked on giving a clear opinion and explaining your opinion.

I watched lots of video of you 3 years ago and now I am preparing my IELTS test.

Please i need clarity in this kind of opinion question. From the available sample, the agreement is always the last sentence in the introduction paragraph. can i start the paragraph with “I agree” and have other parts of the intro coming after it?

Is it possible too to, in restructuring the introduction paragraph to fuse the “I agree” statement and continue with other supposed parts of the introduction ?

Please advise

You’ll find a free video lesson about how to write an introduction for writing task 2 on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Dealing with obesity issues has long been a concern, as it poses a significant burden on health care organizations. Some people argue that introducing more physical education lessons in the school curriculum is the best solution. I completely agree with this opinion because it will motivate individuals to become healthier. First and foremost, introducing physical education lessons in the school curriculum will educate students about the detrimental effects of being overweight. Regular physical exercise has been proven to encourage a healthy lifestyle. For instance, schools that incorporate daily physical activities see lower rates of obesity among students. This demonstrates that the more physical exercise students engage in, the higher their potential to maintain a healthy and well-shaped body. Secondly, more physical education lessons will inspire students to engage in sports and develop lifelong healthy habits. From a young age, students will learn that exercise is fundamental to maintaining good health, which will help build a healthier generation in the future. By fostering a culture of physical activity, we can ensure that individuals grow up understanding the importance of fitness and incorporating it into their daily lives. In conclusion, I believe that incorporating more physical education lessons into the school curriculum is an effective way to combat obesity. Such programs would instill healthy habits in young people and raise awareness about the health risks associated with being overweight.

In past 10 years have seen a dramatic increase in the obesity rate .These numbers are rising day by day ,thereby putting stress on medical system to tackle these issues . It is considered by some people that by providing physcially or sports education in schools this problem can be solved . I partially agree with this idea and in this essay i will support my opinion with examples.

Firstly , long- term approach must be introduced by schools . For example, sport or health care syllabus should introduce in school curriculum because by doing this , students will habitual of playing games in ground ratherthan spending their time leisure time on mobile phones. Consequently , this idea will assists people to keep away from sedentary lifestyle. Moreover,by organisisng monthly sport tournaments, obesity rate is likely to be decrease as well as that will help for their good mental growth as well such as, if people will take part in sports that will assist for decrease the weight also they can relief from the pressure of daily other activities . Futher and even more interesting note that these activites will develop positive attitude towards their health and give solutions to control on obesity .

On other hands, medical system is also responsible for tackle this problem because not all students have same ability to play in ground such as , some students are not physcially strong thus they are unable to play games . Thus , health care assits these people to get rid from overweight . Futhermore , students from low – income families could not pay for extra seesions or games activities resultant they have to suffer with obesity and worse mental health . Therefore , health care department is also considerable for find the solutions regarding obesity .

In conclusion , although school plays important role to decrease this problem , role of medical system can not be given nelson ‘s eyes .

It has been noted that there is an increase in the number of people who are overweight, and this increase has a negative impact on the health care system. Physical activity awareness could be incorporated in schools to counter the problem and help reduce the pressure that the health care system faces.

Healthcare systems are created to help in the recovery and maintenance of health in the human population. In over the years, being overweight has been linked to the cause of many illnesses and sometimes the reason why recovery of health is slow or unsuccessful. I believe that exposure to information about physical health is important and influence the population to engage in more physical activity especially if it is introduced in early ages, for example, in schools as a subject.

Developing a hobby through physical education at schooling age will most certainly improve the populations awareness in maintaining a healthy weight and therefore help the health care system to provide efficient services with ease. I fully agree that physical education is a good intervention that should be implemented globally.

Don’t forget you will definitely get a low score if you fail to write a conclusion. It’s essential.

hello, i’ve noticed that you did not mention your opinion in the introduction.

A large number of people who are overweight, causing different difficulties in the health care system. A group of people think that adding more sports and exercise in the school might be helpful in order to mitigate the issue. However, I do partially agree with this and believe that along with the physical education lessons in the school, education about healthy diet and physical activities outside of the school is also essential to tackle the issue. Gaining weight is 80% depending on what we are eating in a day. the knowledge of the carb, protein, and vegetable intake in a meal can be helpful to maintain a healthy lifestyle and control weight. As a result, schools can arrange sessions for the students and sometimes for the parents to educate what a balanced meal is. In addition to this, educating about the impact of junk foods on our bodies also how it can damage our different organs can be beneficial for individuals at schools. Another key factor for gaining weight is less activity after school. Usually, after a tiring day at school, most student prefers to stay at home, play video games, or be idle. As a result, they do less physical activities and gain weight. Parents can play an important role in the early childhood of students by encouraging them to do outdoor activities like swimming, skiing, and playing badminton during weekends or after school hours. This will be helpful to keep them active throughout the day/week. In conclusion, adding physical activities to the school curriculum can be a good initiative. However, focusing on educating about a balanced diet and ensuring to do after-school activities can be helpful in handling the issue of being overweight.

Your thesis statement states that you agree exercise in school is needed. Then your body paragraphs completely ignore that point and only talk about food education and after-school activities. You’ll get a low score for ignoring the main part of the task, which is your opinion (fully developed) about exercise in schools. I strongly recommend that you get my advanced lessons to learn precisely how to tackle these essays: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . You must learn how to tackle essays for IELTS so that you fulfil the marking criteria. The other issue is grammar. For example, your first sentence: “A large number of people who are overweight” = this is the subject of the sentence. It is a noun phrase. The next word should be a verb, but it isn’t. You ought to write “is causing” which is a present continuous because the problem is happening now. There also shouldn’t be a common between the subject and verb. The more errors you make in grammar and vocabulary, the lower your score. Aim for accuracy in every sentence and with every word. I have a Grammar E-book in my store to help you with your grammar.

As a result of the strain being placed on the healthcare system due to the growing number of overweight people, a number of people think that the best way to deal with this problem is to introduce more physical education lessons in the school curriculum of which I strongly disagree. I believe that providing easy accessibility of healthier foods and provision of foods that are lower in calories, as well as reducing the amount of sugars present in packaged foods and beverages would be a more effective method of tackling the problem of a growing number of overweight people in the society.

According to numerous researches conducted in recent times, the major cause of the growing number of overweight people in this generation is poor diet. An increasing number of people rely on fast foods and packaged foods for their main meals during the day and unfortunately, most of these foods are loaded with an outrageous amount of artificial sugars and are very calorie dense leading to a higher number of obese people in the society. Making healthier foods such as vegetables and whole grains more accessible and affordable by slashing their prices and making them available across all mini marts and supermarkets would go a long way in making it easier for people to make healthier food choices without breaking the bank or going to extreme lengths to access these foods.

In addition to this, the government should make it compulsory for packaged food producing companies to reduce the quantity of artificial sugars in the foods they produce. They should be mandated to make their foods as healthy as possible and made to reduce the quantity of calories present in these foods as much as is possible while retaining all the health benefits of such foods. For example, the Coca-cola company recently reduced the sugar content in their drinks while retaining the same taste, this goes to great lengths to prove that this is indeed a possibility.

In conclusion, I reiterate my stance that rather than introducing physical education lessons in the school curriculum which is a more passive approach to such an urgent matter, a more effective method of tackling the growing number of obese people in the society would be promoting accessibility and affordability of healthier food choices as well as mandating packaged food producing companies to reduce the quantity of sugars in foods they produce.

Try to remember your aim is to write an essay of around 270-290 words. Longer is definitely not the goal for IELTS. See this page with model answers and tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

The increased rate of obesity is creating a problem in the health care system. Some people believe that to help solve the crisis it is imperative to present additional physical activities as part of school curriculum. I highly agree that it will be a crucial start to motivate young individuals in making way towards a healthy living.

Nowadays, most schools have a physical education intended for every student as part of their school curriculum. In addition to the said physical education are numerous kinds of extracurricular activities that some active students participate in. For example, football, basketball and running- all these activities are not graded as it is only an optional activity for students. In spite of the encouragement of many educators for young individuals to get engaged in many sports, there are many students who opt not to be involved at all. As a result, physical education only works if there is a grading system for students to follow. Moreover, students will be more motivated if they are constantly reminded that health education is a competitive subject that they need to pass.

Moreover, physical education that will be implemented at school will be a beginning of the young generations’ choices towards a healthy life. If the students know the importance of being in a good shape has a significant effect on their future, it will be a solid foundation for them to continue their healthy lifestyle even after they graduate from school. Through this they will aim not only to have good grades but for a positive and long lasting effect on their life.

In conclusion, physical education that is introduced as part of school curriculum will be a beginning of building a strong motivation to young individuals in making good and healthy choices throughout their lives.

I have a question: in opinion essays, should we present points in favor and points against, or should all points support our opinion? My issue is that I’ve seen some essays uploaded to these websites that have two paragraphs stating why they hold the opinion they have chosen, while others, like this one, list points in favor and against as if it were a discussion and finally state which one carries more weight. The difference is that in this one, it only states whether one agrees, and in the other, it states whether one agrees or disagrees (social media opinion). Can you explain this? Thank you in advance

I’m not fully sure I understand what you mean. So, I’ll try to guess. All Opinion Essays focus on your opinion only, not the opinion of other people. You can agree, you can partly agree (ie agree to some extent but not totally or have a specific view point) or you can disagree. Whatever your opinion, the whole essay is about it. This essay above agrees with the statement that exercise is the best method and the whole essay explains. The essay about social media asked about the effects on individuals and the community. The writer said it was positive for individuals but negative for communities – that was the opinion, the whole essay tackled that opinion. It is not about being in favour or against, it is about having an opinion, stating it and then explaining it. It is not related to other people’s opinions, only your own. See my advanced lessons for more detailed training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz! I hope you’re doing well. It’s so nice to see you back😊. Liz I have a question I am going to write computer based test so in listening part can I write the answers in capital letters. Please let me know I am going to write my exam this week on April 27th

For the computer based test, handwriting is not an issue so you can use upper or lower case, as you wish.

Can I write examples from my own life? like ” For example, my friend was fit because……….”

All IELTS writing task 2 essays, for both the GT test and Academic test, are formal essays. That means you are not writing about friends, family or yourself. But rather your understanding and knowledge of people and the world in general. See all my model essays to learn the tone and types of essays: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . For detailed training, get my advanced lessons in my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

It is true that nowadays, the rise in the ratio of obese patients, are putting a significant amount of pressure on health systems to cater for their deteriorating health needs. A good number of people believe that the best way to deal with this endemic is to incorporate health education in school programs. This essay will completely agree to this statement and give relevant examples.

First and foremost, there are various reasons to this statement. However, the most powerful to this, is the ability to increase the life span of the young adults. This means that when adolecents are being educated enough on the risk of overweight, they are likely to change their habits. Most especially, when they are practiced at school level, this is because children learn better when they are with their colleagues. For example, a result to a research conducted in a montessori school revealed that children aged 4-17 consumed a ton of sugary snacks which was filled with unhealthy calories and they never liked fruits and vegetables as well. All of them had unequal body mass index which was detrimental to their health and if had continued they were continously going to be filled with infirmity and weren’t going to live long. The school changed and incorporated health science in their curriculum. In less than a year after evaluation, the children were all living well, loved healthy snacks. which resulted zero hospital visit.

Furthermore, the second benefit to eradicating obesity is incorporating sporty activities in the routine of their students. By so doing, pupils will always burn off excess calories while engaging in their favourite sports. This will also encourage people around them like their parents to get fit when they see the benefits in their kids. It is proven that parents with sporty children ends up finding interest in sports to encourage their children in doing better. In doing this, they are unconsciously living a healthy lifestyle thereby reducing the risk of obesity in the society.

To sum up, the preferred method to eradicate unhealthy weight is by educating children in schools and instilling exercise in their routine.

Just a quick comment. For an opinion essay, you can’t write “this essay will”. This essay question is asking for your opinion – your personal opinion. If you fail to give it, you will lose marks. Also make sure body paragraphs are equally developed and equally supported. See my advanced lessons to learn how to tackle this essay type: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

I was able to score 7.5 for my Academic Writing with the help of your valuable guidance. Thanks a lot for your genuine effort

That’s a great score! Very well done 🙂

Hii mam, please check the essay below and tell me band score of it and also tell where I did mistakes.

I argued that the people who are heavyweight visiting health care systems to reduce the weight,but few people thought that correct way to solve this issue at school about physical education lessons.I completely agree about the problem think that each and every school should introduce about physical education. first of all, nowadays most of the people are visiting to healthcare to reduce the weight because their is no proper exercises.so,to solve this problem at school education has to introduce about physical education lessons although they have to take care about exercise thrice in a week even though keep more activities about exercise. moreover encourage the children to participate in the physical activities while it should introduce from schooling about the physical exercise so their people donot face any issues about their weight.By using medication people can face health issues.Fir example in an army education they thought about physical activities like running, long jumps, overweight lifts so,in this education they maintain a proper weight however people don’t have any health issues. To conclude every educational institution should have about physical exercise and educate them by keeping the lessons on physical activities so we can avoid overweight problems.

Can you please share your feedback on my essay:

Overweight has always been a great challenge in the past few decades. These days patient list is increasing, not because of serious illness or emergency cases, but because of weight gain problems. Lately, people have started believing that to combat this issue; schools must include physical education as extra course. Although, the idea behind the belief is partially correct, but providing students with only these classes will not address the problem completely.

In a World health survey report of 2019, it was recorded that in Finland, there are least number of cases when it comes to health and fitness related sickness. Finland spends heavily on the health awareness programs at schools, and which, in turn, prepares students right from the very beginning, to be conscious about their body. However, this research doesn’t show the full picture, because Finland’s residents are eating only organic food since last 3 decades. Moreover, the deep cultural and traditional norm of Finland is to have only one meal a day, which automatically keeps people fit and fine.

Adding to the above point, school teachings are not the only way to create health awareness. In a research published by Doctor Prakashmurthy, at IIT Roorkee, it was discovered that hormones and stress levels play a crucial role in fat storage. Hence rather than some exercises, people of India opt for Yoga and meditation as tools to combat body problems related to weight gain.

To conclude, I agree that children should be trained about health and fitiness in schools, but it is also vital to teach them discipline about eating food and involve them in other activities, which are related to calmness of body, as these eventually leads to a healthy and fit body and mind.

It is often argued that the increasing number of obese people is putting a strain on the healthcare system. Some masses believe that the best way to tackle this problem is to introduce more physical education in the school curriculum. I completely agree with this opinion and think that it’s the most important thing that every school should do.

First of all, doing physical exercises daily enhances not only your physical health but also your mental health. Introducing physical education in the school curriculum provides daily basis physical training which helps to remove unnecessary fats and also helps to become free from anxiety, tension, and pressure which ultimately benefits both physical and mental health. For instance, students involved in daily basis physical education can be qualified for jobs related to body physics such as Army. Thus it is better to introduce more physical education.

Secondly, physical activity in schools is one of the best ways to eradicate obesity problems. It helps to form the habit in students on involving in physical activity. Even if the student completes their education in school, they have good knowledge of physical education which they can apply for the rest of their life. That’s why it is important to include physical education in every school, curriculum.

To conclude, I strongly believe that involving physical education in the school curriculum is beneficial because it helps to eradicate the obesity problem in a more holistic way.

there is no doubt that, I contemporary era, the majority of individuals are becoming victims of obesity, hence, it is suggested by few masses that involving the vast information regards physical education in school study, can be proved beneficial to tackle with this issue. I completely agree with this statement. Now I will discuss about this statement in my next sections along with explanation. To commence with, there are numerous reasons for increasing weight related issues. the first and the foremost is unawareness of folks towards balance diet. To clarify it, in modern era, human give high priority to fast food instead of home made, however, junk food has plenty of calories, which is responsible to make people fatty, therefore, it is excellent concept to give possible knowledge about physical education in school to children, because in this age they easily can understand and definitely follow in their future life. furthermore, advancement of technology is second cause fir this problem, To elaborate it, it can be seen that in earliest time, human being needed to move out for work, however, in modern time, it yas become straightforward for them to finish their at home, it means the roberts have been taken replace of human labour, for this reason, people have become lazy and do not anything to keep their body fit and health, and if the knowledge about demerits of enhancing weight will be given in younger age, can be fruitful for adolescence in further life. to conclude, after discussing this statement it is clear that everyone has various thinking, but, in my opinion, this notion is better for every person.

Nowadays, increasing number of obese people is putting a strain on the health care system. Some masses believe that the best way to tackle this problem is to introduce more physical activities lessons in the school curriculum. I completely agree that this is the best way to solve this issue.

to begin with, obesity is become a major problem in the society and adding more physical education lesson in school is the best way to solved this problem. for instance, if more physical lessons are introduced in the schools then children get more time to do physical activities like playing football, cricket and many more physical games, this thing not only make them physically fit but also make them more socialize and mentally happy. hence, adding more physical fitness lessons can change the lifestyle of the students and make them fit physically as well as mentally.

Another point to be consider is that introducing more sports lessons for pupils in school may result in creating more interest of children towards sports and also encourage them to take part in different sports event. Moreover, if a child take part in many sports events then he/she can also encourage their parents to do more physical activities. In other words, parents with more sporty child are more likely to involve in sports as a way of increasing interest of their child towards the sports. Thus, by both parents and children involvement in sports can create a good and healthy society.

In conclusion, to deal with unfit population changing the lifestyle of the coming generation by adding more physical activities in school is the easiest and most effective method.

Very good man

Hello Liz, thank you for making your website a great resource for many of us who are studying for the IELTS!

Essay on obesity topic, any inputs or comments would be greatly appreciated:

Reducing weight can be a challenge for many, and figuring out a solution to this health issue is an important task. Being overweight comes with its own related co-morbidies, such as heart disease, hypercholesterolemia, and osteoarthritis, just to name a few. Consequently, these health issues invariably put a strain on the healthcare system, through the involvement of multidisciplinary teams needed to manage these conditions as well as the cost of medications needed to treat the symptoms. Having said that, physical education lessons implemented at school is a possible solution. However, I disagree with the view that it is necessarily the ‘best way’ to deal with this problem.

Being overweight is defined as having a body mass index greater than 25 kilograms per meter square. Overweight and obesity are becoming an increasingly prevalent condition across the globe, more specifically in first world countries. This is partly because of the surplus in food available (especially fast food) as well as the sedentary lifestyles afforded by the children.

Physical activity in schools is just one way to combat obesity. Evidence-based research has shown that being overweight is not just caused by a sedentary lifestyle, it is a multimodal condition with several etiologies: genetics, diet and lifestyle. Hence, just focussing on one cause will insufficiently address and tackle the issue at hand. There needs to be enough done on all fronts in order to not only tackle the present issue, but also to take preventative measures for future generations.

Besides physical educations classes, governments can direct funds towards preventative campaigns through educational sessions in both school and through advertisements. Moreover, policy changes need to be implemented, which include -but not necessarily limited to – the following: banning sugary drinks and candies from school canteens, reducing junk food availability and providing healthier options such as salads. Parents should also be educated on the need and importance of reducing screen time – a known risk factor for obesity.

In conclusion, there cannot be one “best way” to deal with a complex issue such as overweight. This has to be tackled in a more holistic way in order to attain more statistically signifiant results and outcomes to have an impact on the healthcare system.

I am so grateful for your tutorials. I followed all your lessons, bought some of your e-books for my personal studies and finally wrote my exams this year. I am happy to say that I had Reading 8.0, Listening 7.5, speaking 7.5 and writing 7.0. Now I have informed all my friends about your wonderful website. God richly bless you Liz.

That’s wonderful. Well done to you 🙂 And thanks for sharing my website with others 🙂

It is considered that the best option to mitigate the stress of the health care system in tackling with the increasing overweight population is to make students take more physical education lessons at school. Although I agree that students having more exercise will help to deal with the issue to some extent, more attention should be put on enhancing the health awareness of people from all walks of life to solve the problem thoroughly.

On the one hand, exercise is definitely the best choice to keep fit compared to other improper methods like medicine therapy, especially for younger groups like students who are more energetic and able to refresh themselves at a relatively high speed after a running race. The obesity rates of students who have engaged in a sports club at school are averagely lower than those who have not. Therefore, increasing the number of lessons related to sports at school will have positive impact on tackling with the issue.

On the other hand, the physical education lessons cannot stop the rising trend of the obesity population outside the school, it is necessary to let people of all ages receive the health education. Children at school contributed a part of the population who are overweight, the rest part consist of people with unbalanced lifestyle and people suffered from diseases which are the primary cause of obesity like diabetes. It is inevitable to improve their awareness of staying healthy to deal with the growing number of overweight people. This can be achieved in many ways, health experts can give lectures on prevention of obesity and nutritionists can provide advice on daily diet, which are available for everyone on smartphones or TVs. A great number of people who are out of shape will benefit from the health education, which is the cornerstone of winning the battle with obesity.

To conclude, thought I agree that more sports lessons at school may contribute a part in solving the obesity issue, it is more important to improve the health awareness of people of all ages and only in this way, can we solve the problem thoroughly.

Could someone please give feedback on my essay.

The health care system is struggling to resolve the health problems caused by a number of more and more overweight people. It is addressed that introducing more physical education lessons in the school curriculum is the most efficient method. I totally agree that applying the new classes is the key for public health improvement. One plausible effect of the method is that people will spend more time outside and less time in bed. In fact, overweight and obesity people who are likely to eat quite much are not very active. Additionally, modern technologies contribute a huge impact on the sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, getting them engaged in such outdoor activities will help to improve their body health in a positive way. In other words, they can do frequent exercise and burn more unnecessary fat. Creating a stronger society bond is another feasible consequence of the teaching application. Attending physical lessons at school, people can find new friends, especially when they work in teams, and enhance the mental health. Achieving which, a chain effect on their existing relationships such as parents, siblings and classmates will blast. Gradually, people will get to know each other more and more. Nationwide competitions can be held on a regular basis, producing TV shows which entertain viewers and reducing stress among workers. Therefore, the health care system is no longer restrained. In conclusion, to tackle overweight problems, I consent that people should be active on both their mind and behaviors by emerging themselves in the school curriculum. This is among the easiest and most effective way that is either good for body development and social connection.

You’ve got some grammatical errors and I suggest contracting contractable words…. so instead of saying obesity people, say “obese.”

Overall, good job!

It is thought that some of the problems that the health care system faces due to the growing populations of overweight people can be solved by introducing sport and exercise lessons in the schools’ curriculum. I completely agree that this is the best solution to overcome such some of the health issues, in addition to increasing the awareness of people about healthy diet.

Firstly, I believe that making sport as a mandatory subject in schools will decrease the problems that face the health care system. When children do some exercises at different times in the day, they will get healthier and more fit in the future. Also, this will be reflected to their parents as they watch them. For instance, when parents take their children to a garden and the children start to practice what did they learn in their school, their parents will notice the elasticity of their children and they will start do like their children. This encourages most of people and increases their awareness about the importance of sport to their health.

Secondly, besides sport, an awareness about a healthy diet should be taken into account. Eating a lot of fats and sugar can cause some health problems regardless that someone does some exercises. For example, the government should put some taxes on fast food and reduce the taxes on the healthy food.This will encourage people to buy healthy food and as it becomes a habit to them and their children and they notice the difference in their weight and in turn their health. Thus, I strongly recommend to increase the awareness of people about their healthy food bedsides doing sport.

To conclude, I believe that sport and healthy diet will make a big difference in the health care system when they are introduced to children at schools. This results in increasing the awareness of the next generation about avoiding health problems and following a healthy lifestyle.

I dont think the second point was relevant. If it is being marked for Response point, adding and explaining how diet is helpful seems off-point. I think answering like that will be good for questions that ask you for more ways and solutions to the problem, rather than this type

Hello Respected Madam Liz 💗 Please help me to sort out the problem with the question type * To what extent do you agree or disagree) please i am having so much trouble in this ..

If you need training, please go to my store where you can find an advanced lessons about this essay: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Obesity has become more common in our society due to the busy lifestyle practiced by individuals. This has caused enormous strain on the health care system, which can be avoided by practicing a healthy lifestyle.

It is important to promote awareness among the general public of the health problems that can occur due to obesity.

Increasing the frequency of physical education alone will not effectively solve the issue. That is one of the several other steps to inculcate a healthy lifestyle among people. Exercises have the potential to eliminate the excess calories present in our bodies. Exposing children to a variety of sports can help to identify their interests and sometimes, it can help to create a habit among them. In such cases, it can be taken as a very effective option to prevent the flooding of the health care system due to obesity. According to available statistics, the probability of such an occurrence is negligible.

More than that, a well-balanced, nutritious and healthy diet should be practiced. Governments should step up measures to reduce the accessibility of fast foods rich in Sodium and Sugar. They also can educate their citizens about the healthy diet options, which can be easily substituted for the fast food.

In conclusion, a healthy lifestyle, involving nutritious food, adequate sleep, rest and exercise, when combined in the right proportion, is the only solution to deal with any of the lifestyle abnormalities which overwhelm the health care system.

Hi Liz, Is it correct to write the thesis statement as: “I completely agree with this statement for two reasons which I will elucidate below.” Here, I am not using words related to the prompt because they will be used again in the topic sentences of both the body paragraphs.

That is a learned phrase. Each sentence should be connected to the topic you are given and created uniquely by yourself in the test. Is the topic about family? Is it about education? Each sentence must connect to the specific issues presented in the essay question. However, please note that all my advice is aimed at people aiming for the higher band scores. If you are needing only band 5 or around that score, it would be fine to use such techniques in your essay.

Wow… Liz you are back ..so happy for you ❤

Liz, hi. When they ask to what extent do you agree can I write my thesis statement I completely disagree. What is the difference between to what extent do you agree or disagree question and to what extent do you agree question.

There is no difference at all. IELTS like to paraphrase instructions – it’s still the same essay.

Very magnificaant👍👍👍

Hi Liz, thank you for the tips here, they are really helpful. What is the difference between these two essay types- ‘To what extent do you agree/disagree’ and ‘Do you agree or disagree’

Do i have to answer that ‘I completely agree’ to ‘To what extent do you agree question’ OR should i just answer ‘ I agree’ ( I mean, do i have to state the extent of my agreement or i should just simply say i agree)

They are 100% the same. IELTS like to paraphrase instructions from time to time.

Thank you for the response.

Thank You Liz.

I started my prep using your site, a week before my IELTS exam and I scored an overall 7.5 using your tips. Thanks for uploading such amazing tips and samples. They really helped me a lot in my exam.

Great to hear that you did well. Good for you !! 🙂

Hi. Pleaseeeee answer me if possible. In body paragraphs of agree/disagree essays, the first body paragraph should be assigned to agreement side and the second paragraph should be assigned to disagreement side? Or both paragraphs could be assigned to agreement or disagreement side? Thanks in advance.

Your whole essay is a presentation of your opinion. It is not a discussion essay. If you are unsure, please get my Advanced Lessons: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi, Liz. I’ve seen certain solutions to the writing task 1 and 2 with a heading or title. Is that necessary please?

You definitely do not use headings or titles in any IELTS Writing task.

Hi Liz, I had practiced GT Writing Task 2 recently first time. Please check and tell that how much band score I’ll get if the following question will come. I’ll be thankful to you for this. Q- You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic. Write at least 250 words.

In some countries it is thought advisable that children begin formal education at four years old, while in others they do not have to start school until they are seven or eight.

How far do you agree with either of these views?

Answer- In world, some countries believed that proper education of a child should start at the age of 4. On the other hand, other countries do not want to start the education of child before the age of 7 or 8. In my opinion, children have to start his/her education from the age of 4 so that basic concepts will be clear in coming 3-4 year. Firstly, if we discussed about formal education, it requires a formal schooling with adequate content and materials that create interest and increase knowledge related to the subject in a child. A young child brain is in developing stage up to the age of 5. If any country want to start primary education in formal way, it helps to increase knowledge of the children’s. Additionally, They will catch the new terminologies and content in a different ways e.g., play-way method. Secondly, if a country want to start children’s study from the age of 7-8 in formal school, they have to provide some materials and content before school. In other words, they have to provide them education in play schools and with new techniques e.g., learn and play, visual learning etc. When children join the formal school, an evaluation test needs to be taken to check the knowledge and capability they’ll have. After that, based on the performance, particular actions and classes should be arrange so that they all come at equal level. Lastly, I want to share my view that early education is very important. I would prefer to provide early school from the age of 4 so that kids brainstorming can be done at right time. I am strongly agreed to start education from the age of 3-4 years.

Hello, I just took Ielts indicator test. I really messed up with the writing task 2. What I wrote is off topic. I don’t remember the question clearly. It is about lectures and technology and maybe it means that teaching in the class I wrote about lecture paper and students should find information from internet by their own I didn’t write about teaching in class. Do you think I can get 6. Please, reply my message I really need to know If I can’t get 6 I have to try again on 27. I need all skills at least 6.

For listening, In Sec 4, there are 4 multiple questions so I think questions are not the same. I just wanna share the others.

It is important to understanding the way Writing Task 2 is marked. If your essay is off topic then you might get only band 4 or 5 for Task Response. It will depend on whether some parts of your essay are relevant as to what you get for Task Response. Task Response counts for 25% of your Task 2 marks. The other marking criteria for Task 2 will not be affected. You could get band 4 in TR, but get band 8 in the other three marking criteria. You can do the maths. On top of these considerations, you must also consider that Task 1 counts for about 33% of your final marks for Writing. With all these considerations, your overall score will depend on so many factors. You will need to judge for yourself what score to expect in the three other criteria then calculate your prediction for your score in Task 2. Then you will need to add your prediction for Task 1 on to that as well.

Thank u so much for your reply Tr, Liz. In task 1 they asked for one bar chart and pie chart and I think I did well. And thank you so much for your lessons. These help me a lot I really appreciate all these lessons provided, I really mean it. In speaking part 2, the time you didn’t tell a truth to your friends and in part3 why children lie to parents and why people tell lies and that kinds of questions. (just sharing the other friends ). I can’t use earphones in speaking maybe because I’m under 18 and my father had to sit near me. It is ok to use earphones in listening.

Good luck with your results !! Let me know how you do when they arrive

Yes, teacher, I will. Thank u so much for the lessons. My result will not be good as others but I’m glad to study your lessons.

GOD Bless You Hello Liz very thnx for your help

You’re welcome 🙂

Good afternoon Liz.I should say You are very intelligent and thank you very muuuuuch .Since your tips help improve my writing .Thanks😘

Please Liz I took my ielts today I completely agreed on an opinion in my introduction but ended up discussing on partially agreed in the paragraphs, please how will this affect my score

It will affect your score for Task Achievement which is 25% of your task 2 marks. If you look at this page: https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/ielts_task_2_writing_band_descriptors.pdf , you’ll see that presenting a clear position throughout is a requirement for band 7. This means that for this marking criterion, you would struggle to hit band 7 if you alter your opinion in the middle or end of your essay. But luckily. it won’t affect your score for the other three marking criteria for task 2. Hopefully other people reading this comment thread will see the importance of fully planning your essay before you start writing your introduction.

Thank you very much Liz for such a kind support. Your’s blog is the best one which i follow the most in my preparation. Specially i recently bought your Essay ideas e-book, which is also very helpful.

Kind Regards

I’m so glad you are enjoying my Ideas for Topics E-book 🙂

Hello, ma’am, I took my IELTS exam on 11th nov. 2020. and i got only 5.5 band(overall).i am struggling with grammar and lack of confidence. please assist me for that.

This year I released a Grammar E-book. However, the level of the e-book is quite high. It will help you, but make sure you don’t overreach yourself. It is important to only produce English within your level rather than trying to impress. The more errors you make, the lower your score. So, use the e-book to improve your accuracy and reduce your errors: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Thank you liz.।।। Making content accessable

I took the test on 12th of Sept 2020. Here is the Writing Task 2 question: The most important priority of any governments is to provide housing. To what extent do you agree or disagree. I hope it helps.

Dear Liz, Your lessons are really very helpful and easy to understand.Thanks for the useful instructions:) Could you please help in assessing the below essay?

Looking at the eating habits and sedentary lifestyle of people, obesity problem has grown over the years which in turn is increasing pressure on the healthcare systems. In my view, introducing physical exercise lessons alone in the school cannot solve this problem. In addition to this, proper eating habits should be followed by people.

Firstly, there is no doubt that physical education can help people maintain their weight and thereby reduce the health problems arising due to overweight. Making students aware of the importance of body stretching on a regular basis is the initial step towards solving this problem .Students can learn a lot about the body structure , its functioning and the ways to keep the body fit through exercises. When the students understand the value of physical exercise, they can pass on this information to their families as well. This is the kind of transformation which is possible only by involvement of not only students but also elders .

Secondly, doing exercise alone cannot be a solution to this problem. There are many more factors such as eating habits (junk food) and sleep cycle , which are responsible to this overweight issue.So , along with the physical fitness, people should start working on their eating patterns and the type of food they eat. Taking an average amount of sleep is also required for healthy lifestyle.This can be achieved by introducing healthy-lifestyle specific lessons in the school curriculum and make children implement the healthy eating habits in their life.

In conclusion, adding more physical fitness lessons at the school level will greatly help in improving the health of people. However, eating habits should also be in control to keep oneself fit and active.

Thank you very much for the free lessons. Can I partially agree in agree and disagree essay even when I’m not asked: ”to what extent do you agree”?

Yes, you can.

But, I was told never to have a clear opinion in agree and disagree question. It’s not only in situations of “to what extent” that we can decide our grace.

Do you agree? Do you agree or disagree? To what extent do you agree? To what extent do you agree or disagree? What is your opinion? All the above are the same instructions which are used for an Opinion Essay. They are not different instructions. This means the techniques for an Opinion Essay apply to an Opinion Essay regardless of how the instructions are phrased. They are simply paraphrases of the same instructions. If you are confused, please get my Advanced Lessons so you can learn the right way to tackle an IELTS essay: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

My instructor told me my reasoning behind my opinion was not strong enough. For instance, when the topic was about the advantages of having older people in a country, I discussed my views as “Children need older people at home for supervision as most of them have working parents”, whereas, my instructor thinks, I should’ve discussed it in country’s perspective saying ” older people are experienced in their occupations”.

I described my arguments clearly with supportive lines. But he didn’t like the “argument” itself. Is that a problem? Will I get less marks for this?

Both you and your instructor are thinking about two different points, not the same point. Your instructor is talking about how older people have more experience in their work which is beneficial for a country. Your point is that elderly people provide family support to take care of the grandchildren if their parents are working. Both points are relevant, but they are completely different points. You get a high score to organising your clear points into logical paragraphs and explaining what you mean in detail. As long as your point was well explained, it’s fine.

You are really super and your explanatory techniques and exemplification in addition to how simple you discuss and present the material are awesome. you have a high talent or skill in analyzing all the discussed and handled topics. thank you from the depth of my heart as you are helping me alot Haytham Selim Egyptian in UAE

I’m really pleased you are finding my lessons useful. Good luck in your test!!

hey liz, Thank you so much for your free content. I did my IELTS test today and it was quite fair. My task 2 was “employers should give their employees at least 4 weeks holiday per year. Do you agree or disagree with the statement?”

Thank you so much for the wonderful tips and lessons, I have learned so much in my short time of preparing. I would be taking the test for the first time in Aug. I hope I make it.

I do have a question on paraphrasing. Is it OK to paraphrase only the 1st sentence of the question, as I saw this done on a model essay. The 2nd sentence was used as the thesis statement. Please find Sample question below. I would truly appreciate it if you could give a model answer.

“According to a recent study, the more time people use the Internet, the less time they spend with real human beings. Some people say that instead of seeing the Internet as a way of opening up new communication possibilities world wide, we should be concerned about the effect this is having on social interaction. How far do you agree with this opinion? ”

Thank you for your help ☺️

Learn how to write an introduction and see model essays on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hey Liz, It’s Mr. Jasjit singh here and I am working as an IELTS trainer in a company. Here, my concern is to point you out that you have used “sporty children” in the essay’s body para – 2, even though, the word SPORTY is an informal. According to the parameters of marking, the informal language must not be used basically in the essay writing, otherwise there is a penalty. Do you think it is worthy to be used by the candidates?

Kindly share your perspective asap!!

“sporty” is completely fine. However, to use the word “kids” is too informal.

I have a question, please answer me.

In my IELTS writing, while checking things at last minute, I did a foolish mistake and change all the words next to comma “, ” in a capital letter.

i.e “However, This was…..”

So, the question is how many marks did the checker will cut or how many bands of mine are at risk. I am worried sick.

Please reply.

Well, I still don’t understand how I did that mistake. Time was ticking and something pushes me to do it :@ maybe this was because of C.D test. I am.sure if I were writing on a paper it would not happen. But fate :@

Since childhood, we know that after full stop next letter is Capital and not after the comma :@ but…argh

This would just count as one systematic error. It means you make the same mistake over and over again. It will affect your score for Grammar, but it isn’t possible to predict your overall score. Your Grammar score will depend on how many other errors you made and the range of grammar features you used. Good luck with you results! Try not to worry too much.

Hello Liz and thank you for all the info that you give us!! I would like to ask you. In this type of essay can I add examples from my personal experience? or I just say my opinion at the introduction and nowhere else?

The style of all essays should be formal which means you should avoid writing about your family and friends. Instead share your experience of the people in your country or around the world.

Dear Liz, Please, I am confused; agree/disagree is opinion essay? I mean: both are the same? Regards

Yes, they are the same. Do you agree or disagree? To what extent do you agree? What is your opinion? All the above are Opinion Essays.

Should I write the word count at the end of the writing task 2?

No, definitely don’t waste your time with that. The examiner will count the words himself if necessary.

Hi Liz, First of all thanks a lot for your great website and youtube channel. These are treasure troves of information. Millions of thanks to you.

I took the test couple of days ago. Writing part 2 was a bit confusing for me.” some people agree it is the best way to make detailed plan of activities in their free time”. While others disagree. Discuss both the views and give your opinion. I read this question more than 10 times, meanwhile, I was writing the essay. Whether it is asking about ‘ free time activities plan’ or ‘If we are free and utilize that time to make a plan about upcoming activities’. I hope you can solve my confusion.

However, the remaining questions are:

Writing part 1: write a letter to the manager about an accident you met with? Speaking: part1: about me, my residential area, facilities, whether you like living in an apartment or not? did you write with a pen or pencil as a child? what do you think if you get a pen as a gift? How do you think when it is compulsory to write only using a pencil-like this test? speaking part 2: An incident when you were not allowed to take a phone with you. (No more points to explain). speaking part 3: why the phones are restricted in some areas of the hospital? Importance of politeness, Need of rule for using mobile phones.

You haven’t remembered the essay question correctly – there are English language mistakes in it. For this reason, I can only speculate. Most questions like this are about whether you should make plans for free time activities or not. Many people like to plan each and every activity they do in their free time, whereas others prefer to wake up and decide what to do based on how they feel that day or how the weather is etc – they don’t want to schedule or plan.

I am preparing my IELTS exam and I have written the below eassy all myself can I please have your feedback

Since the 18th Century technological advances have replaced people in the workplace. with today’s technology this process is happening at a greater rate. Technology is increasingly responsible for unemployment.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Since Industrial age technological breakthroughs have taken the place of individuals in many companies. Now a day’s Digital process plays a great role in many organizations due to which a lot of people are jobless. I completely agree that machines have taken place of human beings. Firstly, mobilized process has fasten the work and brings out better results than of humans. Organizations doesn’t have to double check the work as its scientifically proven that computers and machines are not liable to make errors or mistakes. Many firms are trying to replace the employees with robots where possible to reduce the number of workers in their company, save money which can be used to do investments, buy shares and make profit. For instance, I work in a water company, where distribution of water is 24hours. there are many departments were large number of employees are working. In the production department, earlier men’s where used to drive the forklift and load the trucks now they have been replaced with robots to do the same job.

Secondly, Using Scientific advancement can lead to organizational growth in very less time. As the employer doesn’t have to go through the hiring process which is time consuming and sometime leads to failure as the wrong person is hired for the job. A good illustration of this is, Accounts department is the most important section in any huge firm if the employees are not provided with computers the calculations may go wrong and in worst case the firm could face loss.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend especially large organization to save their time, efforts and utilize their money in digitalizing their work which will lead them to huge profit.

Number of overweight people and children are increasing from last 10 years. Some people think that to solve these issues, facilities of sports and exercises should be provided in school. I completely agree that this is the best solution to tackle the issue for improving public health in relation to weight.

Firstly, to deal with increase in number of obesity and weight of people, some steps should be taken by schools and colleges. Easy access and more facility in sports should be introduced for children and people. This will ensure fitness among students and people interested to take part can join with no age barrier. This will result in reducing sadentry lifestyle and will encourage all to take part in competition.

Secondly, the sports lesson for children in school would result in children developing interest in exercise which might encourage the old age or parents to get motivated. In other word parents with sporty children will try to involve themselves with sports to make their children happy. If both of them get interested, they will practice daily. This would be the best and natural way to improve health of people.

In conclusion, to deal with reducing laziness and overweight people, changing the lifestyle and access to more facility will change the body shape with less problems.

Hi Liz, Is this an opinion essay and we need to cover both sides? Or just the side that I support. I am confused.

It is generally accepted exercise is good for children and teenagers. Therefore physical education and sports should be made compulsory for all students in all schools. What do you think ?

IT is asking for your opinion. It is an opinion essay. It is the same as “do you agree or disagree?” or “To what extent do you agree?”. You present your opinion of the issue or issues stated and use the body paragraphs to give reasons and explanation for your opinion.

Thank you so much Liz! I got a score that is very useful (lrsw=8,9,8.5,7.5). I was just 0.5 away from 8 in writing to get a perfect score! It was an opinion question. I agreed in part in other to have ideas to get my body paragraphs. Number of words 330 essay and 190 letter (computer-based IELTS is the best if you enjoy typing but hurrible hand written like me). I looked through all your model essays, and I discovered that my issues were mainly articles and punctuations).

Well done with your results 🙂 I’ve put loads of information about articles in my new Grammar E-book as well as a chapter on punctuation. I hope to have the e-book ready at the end of April or beginning of May 🙂

May I ask could I take both sides on the question like “Do you agree or disagree”?

Sorry, I think I just found the answer in the comments… 100% same. Which is strange. I thought agree or disagree should give only one position; and for “to what extent do you agree or disagree” require two positions.

Thanks for the great community!

They are the same instructions, just paraphrased.

Hi Liz, is “the key to solving these issues is” correct? Shouldn’t it be “the key to solve” ? Thank you

“the key to solving” is 100% correct. The word “to” is used as a preposition in this phrase, not as part of the verb.

Hi, Liz! I’ll have an IELTS test next week, but am still confused about agree-disagree essay.

Here’s the question: Some people think that employers should not care about the way their employees dress, because what matters is the quality of their work. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Is that alright if I say on my introduction as follows: In my opinion, dress codes are significant in a working environment, while employees’ competence should matter as well.

My first body paragraph explains the reason why dress codes are important, and my second body paragraph is about why competence should matter.

I do hope you answer my question. Thank you, Liz! Get well soon.

You’ve got the right approach for a partial agreement. However, you need to address your English. “In my opinion, both dress codes and employee competence should be important to any employer.” Try to aim for accuracy and clear meaning in your written English. Don’t try to write in any particular style – just be clear and direct.

Wish me all the best liz!!… I ve covered all your lessons!!…

Thank you very much Liz. Your lessons were of immense help. I got the band score that I wanted.

That’s great to hear. Well done 🙂

Thanks for all time! We truly appreciate your efforts in making IELTS easier to tackle. However I would like to ask about recent questions reported by student for writing task 2. My exam is on the 13th of this month.

Thanks! Don’t forget to get well soon 🙂

I will post Recent Questions for January 2020 soon.

Hi Liz, Thank you soo much for your help.

Should we quote example only if they asked for it in the question or should we give it for all essay questions?

You give examples when you know of a good example to use that will help support and explain the main idea of the body paragraph.

Hi dr liz u r great soul i ever seen wish u a happy happy new year

Thanks 🙂 Happy New Year 🙂

Hi dear liz,wish u a very happy new year ,stay blessed always. U r the great soul i ever seen. I have a doubt regarding essay. If the question was asked about leadership innate or achieved opinion essay shall i write my balanced view lik this, i agree that this skill must be innate for political leadership i bliv this should be achieved for managerial leadership.is this stand ok for partly agree. Thanks in advance for reply

If you want a quantified response which you by you say it is X in this situation and Y in this, make sure your grammar and language are 100% clear. If you make any mistakes with that statement it could have serious consequences. So, make sure you write it clearly without any errors at all.

Its quite evident that the physical structure of humans are mainly measured in terms of average weight and height. This aspect of human body varies based on several factors. Also there are many speculations anticipated especially with respect to the optimal weight of any person. This requires a lot of monitoring and maintenance efforts to predict the health related outcomes of any individual who is known to be overweighted. I totally agree with some of the initiatives incorporated at the school levels in order to mitigate the above factor. School Managements in recent days have implemented diet related programs with the strong vision of maintaining advisable health care system, particularly for stalwarts who are considered be above the average weight. Furthermore, the students have to be encouraged rigorously to participate in sports, games and other outdoor activities. Now a days, we also find a typical gymnasium court with trained experts dedicated to help students who are weighing above the acceptance level. The above attempts can also be recommended to help students to address their depression levels if they are facing any sort of misbehaviour from their fellow mates. There are many real-time scenarious wherein a kid is illtreated or accused by his or her classmates due to their physical appearances pertaining to overweight. It should also be treated as key responsibilities of teachers especially physical fitness trainers in schools. Overall, these kind of programs will always stand as unique and responsive while addressing many health related issues due to overweight. Irrespective of any barriers pertaining to this, the schools shall give atmost importance to motivate students who are observed to be above the normal weight.

You definitely need to realise that an IELTS essay is an essay formed and structured in a particular way for this test to adhere to the band score requirements. You must first learn how to structure your essay. Look at all the differences between my model and your own essay. If you can’t see the differences, please get my advanced lessons which teachin how to write an IELTS essay step by step: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Really you are a very good trainer.

How are you ? Will you please explain the difference between writing task 2 of academic and general? in your website nothing is mentioned like for academic and general for writing task 2. i am preparing for general. please let me know writing task 2 is same for academic and general or different ?

Go to the RED MENU BAR and select “Test Info”. You’ll see an option for GT IELTS information. Always use the MENU BAR to access what you need.

Hi Liz !thanku so much for your topic they are all very useful. I think I got a high band score for writing task 2 thankuuuuu sooo much dear.

That’s really good to hear !! Very well done 🙂

Hi liz, this is the first time I am commenting! Hope you are well. Please tell me where I can find the model answers of writting task 2 provided in your WT – 2 section !

You can find all model essays, tips etc in the main writing task 2 section of the website. Just click on the RED MENU BAR at the top of the page to open the section of the test you want to learn.

That’s is really great for my IELT practice and I’m just 13 and I’m gonna take it when I’m 13 and a half thanks for the information

Good luck 🙂

hi !!! Can we use ‘A LOT OF’ and ‘SO’ in task 2 ? as someone told me that we cannot use it in writing , reason being these both are INFORMAL. Is it true ?

No, that isn’t true. It’s completely fine to use those words.

Hey there!! Can we use “And” and “But” For the beginning of the sentence in between the body paragraphs to add and contrast information respectively ???

PLEASE PROVIDE ME WITH AN EXPLAINED INFORMATION ASAP, I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

— Jasjit Singh

No, you can’t. See the linking words page for details: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hi Liz , I sat for my academic test on the 28 of September, 2019. I got an overall score of 7.5. LRWS = 7.5, 8.0,6.0,8.0. For the Speaking questions. Part 1: 1.Tell me your full name please? 2. Do you work or study? 3.How is the weather in your country?. 4.Would you like to live in a place with a different weather from your country? 5. Where do you like to read? 6. Do you like to read in an hot weather or cold weather?. Part 2: Talk about an historical building you visited in your country. Part 3:1. Should the appearance of public buildings be designed ? 2. Do you think people should pay taxes to use public buildings? I can’t remember the other 3 questions she asked. For the reading questions, most of them were Yes, No, and Not given questions. I think I did well because the passages were close to what I studied in school. The listening was easy. I got lost in some places though. Writing Task 1. I was given a table to describe the population of people in Jakarta, Sao Paolo, and Bangkok in 1999 and 2001. There was a column for the projected population in 2001.The numbers were too close. I got confused a bit. Writing task 2: Some people believe that university admissions should only be offered to young people with the highest merits while some believe that admissions should be given to all people without considering their grade. Discuss both views and give your opinion. I didn’t finish my writing to my satisfaction. I think that’s the reason for my low score. Time finished faster than I thought. I just want to say Thank you Liz for everything. I learnt a lot from your lessons. Hopefully,i won’t write this exam again.

Well done with your results and thanks for sharing 🙂

Hi Liz, I love all your content. Thank you so much for helping us through IELTS. I just wan to know is there a difference between “Do you agree or disagree” and “to what extend do you agree or disagree ” also are opinion essays same as agree disagree essays ?

They are 100% the same.

Hi Liz, thanks for all your help to prepare for my IELTS exam. I can’t thank you enough. I have a doubt regarding “To what extent do you agree or disagree” question. Can I just see it as Agree or Disagree question and just take one side or do I need to address both the side? This question type is really confusing. Kindly advise me. Thanks again for all your help and you are indeed my God for IELTS 🙂 🙂

Thanks, Karthik

They are 100% the same essay – no difference at all.

I am also confused about “to what extend do u agree or disagree” and “Do u agree or disagree” Is there any diference in their answer plz explain

No, there is no difference at all.

hello madam I’m Nikhil I have a doubt that crushing my mind since 10days, please madam could you solve it.

my Institute tutor said we must follow this pattern for agree or disagree question Introduction paraphrase question thesis statement ( not mentioning agree or disagree)

para1 (agree|) statement ! example

para2 (agree) sate3ment2 example

para3 statement3 example

conclusion now I must discuss my opinion

Above essay can also write in vise verse with disagree madam, I already comment you, but you didn’t give reply madam please help me out from this problem, I would be ecstatic.

There is no such thing as a fixed content for body paragraphs. Of course you should state your opinion in the introduction – give your answer and then explain it in the body paragraphs. Please see my Advanced Writing Task 2 lessons if you need training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz! Thank you for your lessons. They are all very useful.

I would like to ask your opinion regarding examples in body paragraphs.

To get a high band score for writing task 2, it is necessary to support and develop our main ideas. I found some websites recommend providing examples from surveys, polls, government report, etc to support main ideas. Is example really needed? Are there any other ways to support main ideas without using examples?

If we really want to give an example, does it have to be a real example? Can we fabricate false/unreal example?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you, Liz!

Examples with data from sources are definitely not required. You can explain and illustrate your ideas in any way you want. Giving the source of information is a waste of time in IELTS because a) it is written as a learned phrase which doesn’t help your language score b) the examiner doesn’t mark data in task 2 so it won’t help your score either. You decide how to explain your main ideas. You can see most of my essays don’t have examples with data.

Thanks, Liz! It’s so helpful.

Hi Liz, i want to clear my doubts regarding this essay type. There is an essay question in your website which is about the rapid expansion of supermarkets because of which local shops are closing, and some people believe that this is causing death of local communities.

I disagreed with this argument and wrote that supermarkets provide efficacious results for native communities. In body paragraphs i wrote reasons of my opinion, and i hadn’t mentioned local shops in body paragraphs. I just wrote reasons to support my view that this and this are the advantages which benefit local communities. I want to ask is it okay to not mention local shops because i am supporting my view for supermarkets?

You can’t ignore part of the essay question. The fact presented to you is that supermarkets are expanding and local shows are closing. This is the basis of your essay. The opinion you tackle is “do you think this is the death of local communities?”. So, if you think supermarkets are good for local communities – do you also think it is good that local shops are closing?? You need to address the issue or issues in the question.

But if i also acknowledge that local shops are good for local communities then i might be contradicting my own agreed view point that supermarkets are good for local communities, so it means that i have to say that local shops are not good for local communities?

It would mean you have a partial agreement. You don’t have to agree with one side. Think more carefully about why you think supermarkets are good for local communities and then think about what effect local shops closing will have. Once you’ve brainstormed, analyse your ideas and think of exactly what your view is and how to you will express it. After that, plan supporting points. Hopefully you can now see how important planning is 🙂

Hi Liz… Your website is so helpful for me. Thank you much for that. My confusion is…. In this model esssy, there is no discussion about health system. Should we avoid discussion about it? I used to elaborate about helath system in one paragraph . Am I wrong? Please guide.

An opinion essay is not a discussion essay. This essay does not ask you to discuss the health care system. It is asking your opinion about whether you think the problem that obesity is causing on the health care system can be solved by offering more physical education in schools – do you agree with this solution?? Your whole essay from beginning to end is about your opinion of solutions to the problem.

Hi Liz, thank you for all the tips and essay examples. They really help us to achieve better scores on IELTS. Anyway, I was practicing this essay before reading the example, and I wrote it differently. So I want to know your opinion on how I wrote it.

In the first body paragraph, I wrote that including physical activities such as sports in schools’ curriculums is the best way to introduce children to an active and healthier life, giving the example of how US do this.

However, in the second body paragraph I explained that there are other approaches that should be done to countries witness a really dramatic decrease of healthcare use: lowing the taxes of companies that produce natural and organic food, to make these types of food cheaper to people, and making awareness campaigns about having a healthier diet.

I conclude restating that physical activities in schools are essential to create the habit of being physically active, but it should be combined with an awareness of healthy diet.

So the question is: can I agree and also include other aspects to the subject? Thank you!

Yes, of course. It’s called a partial agreement (or balanced approach). It means that you agree to some extent but not 100%. So, you would explain what you agree with and then add what else needs to be considered. I find this approach to be very useful sometimes because it’s easier to find unique ideas for each body paragraph which results in a more focused essay and also a better range of language. See my Advanced Writing Task 2 lessons if you want more training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Oh nice! That’s a relief. I don’t agree completely sometimes with the affirmation on the question, so I’ll look the page that you recommended. Thank you very much for the answer!

I love this response.

Speak Your Mind Cancel reply

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

ADVANCED IELTS

Recent New Lessons

Questions about sport for ielts speaking part 3, 50% discount on advanced ielts – ends today, ideas in ielts essays & in ielts speaking, test yourself with linking words, ielts speaking part 2 cue card topics – 2024.

Click Below to Learn:

• IELTS Test Information
• Writing Task 1
• Writing Task 2

Copyright Notice

Copyright © Elizabeth Ferguson, 2014 – 2024

All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy & Disclaimer

• Click here:  Privacy Policy 
• Click here: Disclaimer

Return to top of page

Copyright © 2024 · Prose on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in