Sample IELTS essay question

Computers are being used more and more in education and some people believe there will soon be no
role for the teacher in education.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Steps in Planning your IELTS Essay 

1.  Underline key vocabulary in the question and write words with the same or related meaning.

 2.  Decide what kind of response is needed.

 3. Brainstorm key points for the answer.

 4. Decide on the structure of the essay  

   Steps in writing your Essay

 
INTRODUCTION  
1. Paraphrase the question  
 2. State your position [totally/strongly/somewhat +  agree/disagree] 
 
BODY 
 3. Write topic sentences for each body paragraph  
 
Sequencing word  +  topic + point 
The main reason why I believe teachers are necessary is because they are essential for
disciplining and motivating students  
 
CONCLUSION 
4. Summarise main points 
5. Give your final opinion or recommendation/ restate your position
I Totally

Technology is being used increasingly in the classroom and some people believe that
educators will become redundant. I totally disagree that teachers will be replaced by
machines. 
 
The main reason why I think that teachers are essential is because they encourage and
discipline students. Many people find it difficult to be interested in learning new things.
Therefore educators are needed to make classes more interesting and stimulate students’
desires for learning. Also, in the case of young people, teachers often need to force students
to learn through the use of punishments. 
 
Another reason why teachers are needed is because they can teach young people important
skills and values. This is because educators serve as role models to their students and teach
them how to appropriately interact with their peers. Therefore, if people only learn using
machines they will lose the opportunity to learn important social skills and values.  
 
In summary, the role for teachers in the learning process is still very important and it will
continue to be such in the future because no machine can replace the human interaction and
its consequences.
I Strongly

Computers are being used more and more in education and some people believe
that there will soon be no role for the teacher in education.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Technology is being used increasingly in the classroom and some people believe that
educators will become redundant. I strongly disagree that teachers will be replaced by
machines. 
 
The main reason why I think that teachers are essential is because they encourage and
discipline students. Many people find it difficult to be interested in learning new things.
Therefore educators are needed to make classes more interesting and stimulate students’
desires for learning. Also, in the case of young people, teachers often need to force students to
learn through the use of punishments. 
 
Another reason why teachers are needed is because they can teach young people important
skills and values. This is because educators serve as role models to their students and teach
them how to appropriately interact with their peers. Therefore, if people only learn using
machines they will lose the opportunity to learn important social skills and values.  
 
However, studying over the internet certainly offers a lot of convenience. First, we are able to
study in the comfort of our own homes, without the need to commute to school. Second, we
can choose to study at any time we like even in the middle of the night.  
 
In summary, I somewhat disagree that machines can replace teachers. This is because
teachers can encourage students to learn and teach them how to interact with other people,
although, computers do offer the ability for people to learn anywhere at any time.
Discuss both views and give your opinion

Some people think that strict punishments for driving offences are the key to reducing
traffic accidents. Others, however, believe that other measures would be more effective
in improving road safety. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

People have differing views with regard to the question of how to make our roads safer. In my
view, both punishments and a range of other measures can be used together to promote
better driving habits.

On the one hand, strict punishments can certainly help to encourage people to drive more
safely. Penalties for dangerous drivers can act as a deterrent, meaning that people avoid
repeating the same offence. There are various types of driving penalty, such as small fines,
licence suspension, driver awareness courses, and even prison sentences. The aim of these
punishments is to show dangerous drivers that their actions have negative consequences. As
a result, we would hope that drivers become more disciplined and alert, and that they follow
the rules more carefully.

On the other hand, I believe that safe driving can be promoted in several different ways that
do not punish drivers. Firstly, it is vitally important to educate people properly before they start
to drive, and this could be done in schools or even as part of an extended or more difficult
driving test. Secondly, more attention could be paid to safe road design. For example, signs
can be used to warn people, speed bumps and road bends can be added to calm traffic, and
speed cameras can help to deter people from driving too quickly. Finally, governments or
local councils could reduce road accidents by investing in better public transport, which would
mean that fewer people would need to travel by car.

In conclusion, while punishments can help to prevent bad driving, I believe that other road
safety measures should also be introduced.
Some people believe that there should be fixed punishments for each type of crime.
Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the
motivation for committing it, should always be taken into account when deciding
on the punishment.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

People have different views regarding the best way to punish criminals. Although there are
good arguments in favour of assigning a fixed punishment for the offenders, I personally
believe that punishing on the basis of crime and situations would be much more effective.

On one side of the argument there are people who argue that the benefits of standardised
punishments considerably outweigh its disadvantages. The main reason for believing this is
that it is more efficient and cheaper to manage. One good illustration of this is parking
tickets. If every one of these had to go to court and be ruled upon by a judge and jury this
would be very expensive and waste a lot of people’s time. It is also possible to say that this
system is fairer because every person is treated the same regardless of race or gender.

On the other hand, it is also possible to make the opposing case. It is often argued that in
fact it is better to consider the situation and reason of a crime. People often have this
opinion because sometimes people are forced to commit a crime such as murder due to
reasons like self-defense. Clearly, this should be considered in sentencing for the crime. A
second point is that the reason for a crime should be taken into account. A particularly good
example here is that someone who steals food to feed their family shouldn’t be punished as
someone who steals a watch because they want to look wealthy.

In my opinion, both arguments have their merits. On balance, however, I tend to believe that it
is better to decide the penalty on a case-by-case basis, as getting the right decision is more
important than the justice system saving money.
Tips for Outweigh Questions
To answer this question you must:

 brainstorm ideas supporting both sides first

 this question is asking for your opinion
 answer the question – do you think the advantages or the disadvantages are most
important? Which one?
 put your answer to the question in the thesis statement in your introduction
 you can use the word “outweigh” in your introduction if you want
 or you can simply explain if there are more advantages or disadvantages in your
opinion
 avoid formulaic statements for your thesis statement – this means don’t use a
memorised phrase
 have one body paragraph which gives details about the opposite side to your
opinion
 have either one or two body paragraphs which give details of the side you chose to
support
 re-state your opinion in the conclusion using different language
People now have the freedom to work and live anywhere in the world due to the
development of communication technology and transportation.

Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

These days many people choose to live or work in other countries, which has been made
possible because of the convenience of air travel and modern communications. I believe that
this has more benefits than drawbacks. 

The disadvantage of this development is the distance that is put between family members. If a
person moves away it is true that air travel and devices such as skype mean that
communication and contact can be maintained. However, it is likely that a person will only be
able to return one or two times a year during holidays, and speaking on skype or via email is
not the same as face-to-face contact. 

Despite this, there are significant advantages it can bring to people’s lives. Firstly, it means
that people have the opportunity to see other parts of the world and the way people live. For
example, people from the West often go to work in Asia or the Middle East and vice-versa.
This enriches many people’s lives as they get to learn about other languages, traditions,
cultures and different ways of working from their own country.  

In addition to this, on a wider level it may also benefit other countries. If someone moves
abroad for work, it is usually because their skill is required there. To illustrate, nurses and
Doctors often move to work in hospitals in other countries when there is a shortage, so this is
very valuable to the place they move to. 

I would therefore argue that although there are disadvantages of the current trend to live and
work abroad, they are outweighed by the advantages. It can enrich people’s lives and lives of
the people in the countries that they move to.
Some people regard video games as harmless fun, or even as a useful educational
tool. Others, however, believe that videos games are having an adverse effect on the
people who play them. In your opinion, do the drawbacks of video games outweigh the
benefits?
Many people and children in particular, enjoy playing computer games. While I accept that
these games can sometimes have a positive effect on the user, I believe that they are more
likely to have a harmful impact.
On the one hand, video games can be both entertaining and educational. Users, or gamers,
are transported into virtual worlds which are often more exciting and engaging than real-life
pastimes. From an educational perspective, these games encourage imagination and
creativity, as well as concentration, logical thinking and problem solving, all of which are
useful skills outside the gaming context. Furthermore, it has been shown that computer
simulation games can improve users’ motor skills and help to prepare them for real-world
tasks, such as flying a plane.
However, I would argue that these benefits are outweighed by the drawbacks. Gaming can be
highly addictive because users are constantly given scores, new targets and frequent rewards
to keep them playing. Many children now spend hours each day trying to progress through the
levels of a game or to get a higher score than their friends. This type of addiction can have
effects ranging from lack of sleep to problems at school, when homework is sacrificed for a
few more hours on the computer or console. The rise in obesity in recent years has also been
linked in part to the sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise that often accompany gaming
addiction.
In conclusion, it seems to me that the potential dangers of video games are more significant
than the possible benefits.
IELTS Model Essay: Positive or Negative Development?

Nowadays, more people are choosing to socialise online rather than face to face.
Is this a positive or negative development?

An increasing number of people meet and talk to their friends online instead of in person. In
my opinion, this is a negative development which can lead to isolation, potentially harmful
situations and also problems later on in life.

One serious problem that can arise from people socialising online is that it can lead to
isolation. Before the internet, people would frequently go out to meet friends, for example in
cafes, bars or restaurants, whereas now people prefer to stay at home alone, chatting online.
As a result, people are starting to spend the majority of their time alone at home in their room
without meeting others. Isolation of this kind is not healthy and can sometimes lead to
depression and other issues.

Another issue is that meeting people online can be risky. In other words, people can assume
fake identities online as well as hide their true characteristics. This is particularly concerning
for teenagers who are impressionable and can easily be led into dangerous situations.
Furthermore, as this interaction is online, parents have no way of monitoring it and protecting
their children.

Finally, socialising online can end in difficulties years later as conversations and shared
photos that had been forgotten reappear. This situation is currently critical for many people,
again especially for teenagers who do not think carefully before posting online. That is to say,
information which is put online can remain there forever and while people may share intimate
communications with close friends, these words can then resurface later on leading to much
embarrassment.

In conclusion, although it has become more popular for people to socialise through the
internet, it has brought about too many problems for this to be considered a positive trend.
IELTS Writing Task 2: problem and solution essay

More and more people are migrating to cities in search of a better life, but city life can
be extremely difficult. Explain some of the difficulties of living in a city. How can
governments make urban life better for everyone?

Cities are often seen as places of opportunity, but there are also some major drawbacks of
living in a large metropolis. In my opinion, governments could do much more to improve city
life for the average inhabitant.

The main problem for anyone who hopes to migrate to a large city is that the cost of living is
likely to be much higher than it is in a small town or village. Inhabitants of cities have to pay
higher prices for housing, transport, and even food. Another issue is that urban areas tend to
suffer from social problems such as high crime and poverty rates in comparison with rural
areas. Furthermore, the air quality in cities is often poor, due to pollution from traffic, and the
streets and public transport systems are usually overcrowded. As a result, city life can be
unhealthy and stressful.

However, there are various steps that governments could take to tackle these problems.
Firstly, they could invest money in the building of affordable or social housing to reduce the
cost of living. Secondly, politicians have the power to ban vehicles from city centres and
promote the use of cleaner public transport, which would help to reduce both air pollution and
traffic congestion. In London, for example, the introduction of a congestion charge for drivers
has helped to curb the traffic problem. A third option would be to develop provincial towns and
rural areas, by moving industry and jobs to those regions, in order to reduce the pressure on
major cities.

In conclusion, governments could certainly implement a range of measures to enhance the

quality of life for all city residents.
Many offenders commit more crimes after serving the first punishment.

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

A large number of criminals who serve their first prison sentence, leave prison only to
reoffend. This is mainly because of the lack of rehabilitation and difficulty finding regular
employment once released. There are a number of solutions which should be implemented to
deal with criminals who reoffend.

Firstly, the reason for most first-time offenders committing crimes again, once they have been
released from prison, is due to the lack of rehabilitation whilst in prison. In other words,
offenders are not given a chance to retrain and learn new skills for their future or develop a
deeper understanding of correct moral behaviour and instead mix with other criminals,
which only strengthen their criminal intentions. Secondly, repeat offending is also owing to
the difficulty in finding employment after being released. As a result, many of them struggle
financially which leads them back to crime, regardless of the consequences.

There are two effective solutions to the problem of repeat offenders. One way to tackle this is
to ensure that all criminals entering prison are given the chance to retrain with useful skills
which will hopefully ensure them a job after they have served their sentence. By doing this, it
will help them reintegrate back into society and give them some means of supporting
themselves financially. Another method of dealing with criminals who reoffend is to have
more supervision and checks in place when they are back in society. This solution would
hopefully prevent them from taking any chances and deter them from reoffending because
they are being so closely watched.

In conclusion, having training in prison and also close observation when first time offenders
are released are effective in dealing with the issue. If governments implemented these
solutions, crime figures would soon drop.
The development of tourism contributed to English becoming the most prominent
language in the world. Some people think this will lead to English becoming the only
language to be spoken globally.

What are the advantages and disadvantages to having one language in the world?

IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Model Essay

It is thought by some people that English, which is now the most widely spoken language in
the world, may one day predominate over all other languages and result in their eventual
disappearance. Having one language would certainly aid understanding and economic
growth but there will also be some drawbacks.

One evident benefit to having one global language is that it would enable greater
understanding between countries. In other words, if everyone spoke one language, there
would be complete understanding between not only countries but all people throughout the
world which would promote learning, the flow of information and ideas. Another reason that
one language would be advantageous is that it would help economic growth. With all people
speaking the same language, there will be less barriers and therefore trade would flourish
between countries, resulting in a healthier world economy.

On the other hand, there are obvious disadvantages to having only one global language.
Firstly, it would mean that all other languages would eventually disappear and, along with
them, their cultures. The diversity of cultures is one of the joys this world has to offer. Each
culture is unique with its own way of life and own perspectives of the world which would all
be lost if there were only one language.  Secondly, it would result in the collapse of tourism
because there would be no reason to travel for pleasure and interest if all countries had the
same language and similar cultures. This would devastate many countries economically that
rely on tourism as a source of income.

In conclusion, while there are plus points to having one global language, too much would be
lost as a result. Maintaining local languages and cultures should be prioritised to ensure a rich
world heritage for future generations.
Childhood obesity is becoming a serious problem in many countries. Explain the main
causes and effects of this problem, and suggest some possible solutions.
Children's health are increasingly deteriorating by fatness throughout the world, even
condition is pretty alarming among the world's most affluent western countries. There are a
number of reasons causing this problem and each problem needs to be dealt in a particular
way.
It is likely that one of the most prominent cause giving rise to this problem is the major change
in our lifestyle due to remarkable advancement and sophistication in technology, which has
considerable impact on our daily life and health. These advancement comes at a cast with the
adverse impact on our health due to lack of physical activity and laziness in office and home.
At office most of the people suffering from this illness spend many hours sitting in front of the
computer without any physical activity. Not only this, even at home most of us spend time
watching TV and taking rest at their bedroom. Even children nowadays give preference to
playing computer game or chatting on internet with their friends rather than playing out door
sports. In addition to that the quality of foods which we consume every day made the matters
worse. These foods , which are easily available ,often contains ingredients that are high in
calorie, cholesterol and fat , while at the same time lack necessary vitamin , mineral and
protein and these factors are taking a toll on our health.
Moreover, these significant changes has begun showing up adverse effect on our health.
Children from many countries are suffering from obesity, fatness and fatness related diseases
such as heart disease, cancel and sugar. As a result it is imperative that we should fight
collectively hand in hand against this huge problem before it poses a threat to our health
system.
In my opinion, teachers, parent and government as a whole should take this issue as a matter
of urgency and take necessary step to overcome at every stage. For instance parents are
expected to keep an eye on their children's eating habit and make sure they take healthy food
while reducing the quantity of luring junk food. Government can contribute by putting a ban on
unhealthy items specially prepared keeping in mind to children.
To conclude, although many countries are nowadays falling prey to unhealthy diet but we can
fight and defeat this menace with strong will power and taking some preventive actions as
described above.
 IELTS WRITING TASK 2 INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH STRUCTURES

Sometimes it is useful to memorize structures to help improve your writing speed, structure,
grammar, and vocabulary. This introduction paragraph structure is useful for candidates
preparing for IELTS Writing Task 2 that involves discussing the advantages and disadvantages
of something.

A Model structure for writing an introduction paragraph based on common IELTS Task 2
questions that ask you to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of something.

Examples of the Structure:

1) The advantages and disadvantages of cars. Provide your opinion.

Since the introduction of the car, it has delivered many benefits. It has provided convenience
and boosted our economy; however, it has also brought some significant drawbacks that cannot
be ignored. No wonder mankind has had some diverse views about this issue.

2) The advantages and disadvantages of TVs. Provide your opinion.

Since the introduction of the television, it has delivered many benefits. It has provided enjoyment
and educated us; however, it has also brought some significant drawbacks that cannot be ignored.
No wonder mankind has had some diverse views about this issue.

The Model Structure

The advantages and disadvantages of (noun). Provide your opinion.

Since the introduction of the (noun), it has delivered many benefits. It has/They have (past tense
verb) + (noun/noun phrase) and (past tense verb) + (noun/noun phrase); however, it has/they
have also brought some significant drawbacks that cannot be ignored. No wonder mankind has
had some diverse views about this issue.

Use the model structure to complete the following introduction paragraphs

1. The advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones. Provide your opinion.

Since the introduction of the (1), it has delivered many benefits. It has/They have
(2) and (3); however, it
has/they have also brought some significant drawbacks that cannot be ignored. No wonder
mankind has had some diverse views about this issue.
2. The advantages and disadvantages of internet technology. Provide your opinion.

Since the introduction of the (1), it has delivered many benefits. It has/They have
(2) and (3); however, it
has/they have also brought some significant drawbacks that cannot be ignored. No wonder
mankind has had some diverse views about this issue.

POSSIBLE ANSWERS:
1.
(1) mobile phone
(2) improved communication
(3) provided useful applications

2.
(1) internet
(2) provided easy access to information
(3) saved our time

Use your memory to write an introduction paragraph based on the model structure and
topic.

1. The advantages and disadvantages of bicycles. Provide your opinion.

2. The advantages and disadvantages of paper books. Provide your opinion