IELTS Sample Essays

These IELTS sample essays have been categorised in a way that makes it easy for you
to see how certain essay question types require you to provide certain responses to
ensure the question is fully answered. 
Specifically these are:

 Agree / Disagree
 Discuss Two Opinions
 Causes
 Problems and Solutions
 Advantages and Disadvantages
 Other Types

Agree / Disagree Type Questions

In these types of question you are given one opinion and you then have to state the
extent to which you agree or disagree with that opinion:

 Advertising
 Alternative Medicine
 Spending on the Arts
 Human Cloning
 Social Interaction & the Internet
 Airline Tax
 Free University Education
 Scientific Research
 Banning Smoking
 Employing Older People
 Vegetarianism
 Paying Taxes 
 Examinations or Formal Assessment 
 Multinational Organisations and Culture

 Internet vs Newspapers
 Technology Development 
 Dying of Languages
Discuss Two Opinions Type Questions
In this essay question type you are given two opinions, and you have to discuss both
of these and then give your own view:

 University Education
 Reducing Crime
 Animal Rights
 Child Development
 Diet & Health
 Childcare
 Donating Money to Charity
 Closing Zoos  
 Becoming Independent 
 Formal and Informal Education 
 Influence of Scientists and Politicians
 Sources for Stories

Cause Type Questions

There are a variety of 'cause type' essay questions. In these you first have to give the
reasons why something has happened, in other words the causes, but then discuss a
different aspect of it, such as the effects, solutions or the extent to whether it is a
positive or negative development:

Causes & Effects:

 Child Obesity
 Skin Whitening Creams
 Family Size
 Having Children Later in Life
 Time Away from Family

Causes and Solutions:

 Youth Crime
 Global Warming
 Stress
 Paying Attention in Class
 International Travel & Prejudice 
  Museums & Historical Places

Causes, Pros & Cons:

 Family Closeness
 Living Alone
 Rural to Urban Migration

Problems & Solutions Type Questions

In these type of questions, instead of discussing the causes of a problem, you need to
discuss the problems related to a particular issue in society, and then suggest what can
be to solve these problems:

 Overpopulation
 Competing for Jobs 
 Professionals Immigrating