1.

Opinion (Agree or Disagree)

argument (reasons & examples)

2. Advantages and Disadvantages

comparison + argument (details + examples)

3. Problem and Solution

cause and solution (reasons + solution & examples)

reasons should be connected/logical. Solution could be immediate or

long-term

4. Discussion (Discuss both views)

argument (reasons + explanation & examples)

Less important idea is dealt with before the more important idea

Body paragraph 1 is less important than body paragraph 2

5. Two-part Question

argument (details + examples)

extra details – explanation / reasons / examples

opinion:
sample question:

Prevention is better than cure. Researching and treating diseases is too costly so it would be
better to invest in preventive measures. To what extent do you agree?

Draft:

Main idea: disagree with this claim

Supporting idea 1: diseases than cannot be prevented

Supporting detail 1: example (genetically inherited diseases)

Supporting detail 2: explanation (how to treat them)

Supporting detail 3: example 2

Supporting idea 2: the role of research in treating non-preventable diseases

Supporting detail 1: example (ebola)

Supporting detail 2: more details on the effects of the virus

Supporting detail 3: explanation (why research is important here)

It is often said that taking precautionary measures in dealing with diseases is
a better approach than getting treatment after contracting one. Although this
adage may be true, not all diseases can be prevented and therefore require
treatment in order to be cured. This essay disagrees with this statement and
will discuss why sometimes diseases cannot be prevented and hence
research is necessary to cure them.

There are a number of diseases that cannot be prevented through precaution

such as, measles, polio, chicken pox etc. Moreover, there are diseases which
are genetically linked and people who have defective genes will contract these
illnesses at some point of time. Therefore, in such cases one has to visit a
hospital and get necessary treatment in order to get cured. For instance, Type
1 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and certain types of cancers are
hereditary and they can only be treated through medication and therapy.

Without research, treatment for non preventable diseases will not be possible.
In addition to that, there will always be new disease outbreaks due to the
evolution of bacteria and viruses. Recently, many people suffered from Ebola
fever that led to the death of patients in severe cases. The causative virus
also affects the development of fetus in pregnant women. Therefore, we need
to actively conduct research and arm ourselves to tackle unknown as well as
non preventable diseases.

To conclude, prevention should be practiced as a precaution to avoid getting

sick, but this will not help us avoid certain illnesses which require medical
intervention. Hence, research is absolutely required to develop vaccines,
medicines and medical procedures to deal with genetically linked diseases
and non preventable diseases.
Advantages and disadvantages:
sample question:
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 legally.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of learning one language in the world?

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

Draft:

Main idea: the main advantages and disadvantages of having a single universal language.  

Supporting idea 1: ease of communication and improved inter-country relationships

Supporting detail 1: details on the 1st adv.

Supporting detail 2: example (U.S and Japan)

Supporting detail 3: details on the 2nd adv.

Supporting detail 4: example

Supporting idea 2: the extinction of localism

Supporting detail 1: details on the disadv.

Supporting detail 2: example (U.S and Canada)

Supporting detail 3: more details

Tourism has revolutionized the world and has led to an increased prominence for
the English language. Some people believe that this will lead to English becoming
the single language spoken legally. This essay will examine the main advantages
and drawbacks of having a single universal language. 

The main advantages of having a single language rather than multiple local

languages are ease of communication among several countries and an improved
inter-country relationship. Due to a universal language, it would be really easy to
communicate with other countries and access their resources. For instance, a US
citizen can freely communicate with a Japanese and this would improve the
revenue for Japan in terms of tourism. Moreover, Japanese are very hardworking
and they can contribute some ideas for the US economy. The second advantage is
an improved inter-country relationship. For instance, due to a single language, it
would be relatively easy to exchange foreign workers and thereby fill the skill gap
among the countries. 

The main disadvantage is the extinction of localism. Although it is possible to

make English the primary language of a country, it is really difficult for every
country to attain the level of fluency as a native speaker. Moreover, the accent
differs from one country to another. For instance, Canada, Australia, and the
US have English as their primary language. However, they differ in their accent.
Furthermore, this leads to an extinction of local language and local culture that
have been preserved by the ancestors for a long time. 

In conclusion, a single universal language is definitely beneficial for every country

and improves the relationship among them, but it is certainly detrimental for the
local language and damages the local culture in future.
Problem and solution:
sample question:
An increasing number of professionals such as doctors and teachers, are leaving their own poorer
countries to work in developed countries. What problems does it cause? What solutions can you
suggest to deal with this situation?

Draft:

Main idea: the main problems and solution of brain drain and solution.  

Supporting idea 1: the main problems (need of economic growth- dominance of strong
countries)

Supporting detail 1: explanation of the first problem

Supporting detail 2: example (Nigeria’s healthcare system)

Supporting detail 3: problem 2

Supporting detail 4: explanation

Supporting idea 2: the two solutions

Supporting detail 1: first solution (rewarding talents)

Supporting detail 2: explanation

Supporting detail 3: second solution

Supporting detail 4: explanation

Supporting detail 5: example (Indian army)

Migration of highly skilled workers is a bane for developing or underdeveloped
countries. This is mainly because the loss of qualified workforce leads to the
stagnation of development in these countries. There are a number of solutions
that can be implemented to deal with brain drain from poor countries.

Firstly, the main problem associated with the migration of skilled workers is
that poorer countries need them to grow economically. This is to say there are
various areas like healthcare and technology where these countries need to
develop themselves, and they fail due to shortage of manpower. To illustrate,
Nigeria has an underdeveloped healthcare sector due to shortage of qualified
doctors leading to under development in other industries. Secondly, if the rate
of brain drain is not tackled poor countries will become poorer while strong
economies will take advantage of it. First world nations have already peaked
their development. It is poor countries that require more human resources to
create wealth for their citizens.

There are two effective solutions to deal with this problem. One way to
discourage brain drain is through rewarding and recognizing talent. This is
because with good pay they can enjoy a good lifestyle similar to what
developed countries offer and through recognition they will be widely
accoladed for their contributions to society. Another solution is providing these
prodigies with a special status in the country. Through this status they will feel
that their presence is highly respected and required in their own country than
others. One clear example is the recognition given to Indian Army through tax
breaks, subsidized housing and government aid for children’s education.

To conclude, when the qualified labour moves to other countries it costs a

poor nation its economic development and monetary growth. This can be
tackled by extensively recognizing their talent with good salaries, awards and
granting them special stature.
Discussion:
sample question:
Completing university education is thought by some to be the best way to get a good job. On
the other hand, other people think that getting experience and developing soft skills is more
important. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

Draft:

Main idea: compare the two opinions 

Supporting idea 1: experience and soft skills are important

Supporting detail 1: reason 1 (eliminating costs)

Supporting detail 2: explanation

Supporting detail 3: reason 2 (team effort)

Supporting detail 4: explanation

Supporting idea 2: education is more important

Supporting detail 1: reason 1 (complicated jobs)

Supporting detail 2: example (medical jobs)

Supporting detail 3: acknowledge importance of experience

Supporting detail 4: state that experience is complementary of education not a

substitute
Some people believe that getting a university degree will improve their career
prospects while others insist that work experience and interpersonal skills are
more important than university education. In my opinion, experience is
certainly important but it is not as important as a degree.

Experience and soft skills certainly matter. In many industries employers will
only hire people who have previous work experience in the same sector. By
hiring experienced employers, they can eliminate the costs involved in training
new employees. Soft skills are also important now. Gone are the days when
employees could finish tasks on their own. Now they require team effort. Also
in this age of globalization businesses operate from multiple locations from
across the globe. In this scenario an employee requires good interpersonal
skills to communicate with a customer or a client living in another part of the
globe.

However, experience and soft skills alone will not help much. Jobs have
become more complicated these days and it is not possible to perform them
without adequate knowledge and training. For example, a person cannot
practice as a doctor or an advocate without getting a degree in medicine or
law. Most jobs that offer good salaries actually belong to this category. Only a
candidate who has spent five or six years at university can apply for them.
Experience is something that an individual gains after getting hired. It will
definitely improve their chances of getting a promotion or raise. However, in
order to get hired, the first thing they need is a university degree. What’s
more, nowadays, universities impart much more than theoretical knowledge.
They conduct workshops to give students hands-on experience. University
education also provides students an opportunity to interact with others and
improve their communication skills.

In conclusion, experience is certainly important and in some sectors it is

indispensable. However, in my opinion, experience alone will not help a
person. In fact, in this age where most jobs require specialist knowledge, most
employers would not even bother to hire someone who lacks a university
degree.
Two-part:
sample question:
Some parents buy their children whatever they ask for, and allow their children to do whatever they want.
Is this a good way to raise children? What consequences could this style of parenting have for children as
they get older?

Draft:

Main idea: permissive parents who do not discipline their children  

Supporting idea 1: answer of 1st question (not appropriate method)

Supporting detail 1: reason 1 (children becoming materialistic)

Supporting detail 2: explain

Supporting detail 3: reason 2 (having too much freedom is not very safe for kids)

Supporting detail 4: explain

Supporting idea 2: answer of 2nd question (kids will have different values from disciplined
kids)

Supporting detail 1: consequence 1 (poor grades)

Supporting detail 2: examples for both types of kids (children never forced –
children given everything)
In today’s society, some parents are becoming increasingly permissive. They do
not impose sufficient discipline on their children, and in some cases buy them
too many things. This essay will explore why this is not a good way to raise
children and why it will have negative impacts upon them in future.

While it is understandable that parents want to give their children expensive

toys and let them run freely in the streets, this is actually not really an
appropriate method of parenting. Having too many toys encourages children to
be materialistic and does not offer them the same change to develop social skills
like sharing. Furthermore, when children have asked for the toys, it gives them a
sense of entitlement and even power over their parents. As for giving children
too much freedom, there are obviously a great many dangers in this world from
which they need to be kept safe. Children also need rules and boundaries to
encourage them to develop into mature and responsible adults.

If parents insist on this permissive style of parenting, their children will grow up
with very different values from those of stricter parents. Children who were
never forced to study will end up with poorer grades in school and those who
were given everything they wanted as children will expect everything to come
easily as adults. In short, they will lead difficult and disappointing lives, in
contrast with what their parents hoped.

In conclusion, although it is tempting to give children whatever they want,

parents ought to set rules and boundaries, and to be careful with how they
reward children. If parents fail to impose a basic level of discipline, children may
grow up with a poor attitude that will cause them and others to suffer.