For & Against Writing

IELTS- Task-2
B2 Level
IELTS - Question
In part 2 of the IELTS writing test you may be asked to express your
opinion about a controversial issue or debate. In other words, a subject
for which people tend to have strongly opposing opinions. Here’s an
example:
Relying on fossil fuels such as oil and coal for our energy needs is becoming increasingly
impractical. The rising cost and decreasing supply of these fuels, along with concerns about
the global warming they cause, means we must find an alternative. The only realistic
alternative is nuclear energy.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with
examples and relevant evidence.
How would you plan?

Analyzing the
question

Developing
more formal
To what Getting ideas
styles extent …?

Organizing
a balanced
discussion
Getting ideas

Pros (+) Cons (-)

1. Quickly communicate with others 1. Spam emails- annoyed – a big problem
2. Send photos, docx, video clips, pdf files, 2. Waste your time
3. Don’t need to go to post-office 3. Contains virus – take you a long time to get a reply
4. No waiting-time 4. Informal style of email encourage grammar
5. For our safety mistakes and poor punctuation
5. Information leakage
Organizing a balanced discussion
• For a Task 2 essay, you may have to evaluate questions or
arguments. To do this, you will need to consider their
advantages and disadvantages in a balanced way to show that
you understand both sides.
Exam tip I Organizing an essay
• One way of organizing an essay about advantages and
disadvantages is to write one paragraph giving the advantages
of an argument / reasons or examples and one paragraph
giving the disadvantages/ reasons or examples.

• Introduction – General statement - 2-3 (max- 4 sentences)

• 2nd Para – Advantages -5-6 sentences (max-7)
• 3rd Para – Disadvantages -5-6 sentences(max-7)
• Conclusion- Stand on the strongest points -2-3
Best sentence order in a paragraph
• Main idea
• Expansion (Extend your main idea)
• Supporting ideas -1 with example
• Supporting ideas -2 with reason
Another structure
• Advantage -----
• Fast --- supporting
• user-friendly –because of easy communication------supporting

• Disadvantages—
• Too easily hacked ---- supporting
• Lost interactive communication/ personal interaction ---- supporting
• Mobile phones are an excellent tool for communication
• Today, these phones are used by most people to keep in touch with friends or work.
• Mobile phones can help parents find out where their children are.
• For example, if a child is not home on time, their parents can call them and check where they are.
• In addition, mobile phones make arrangements easier .
• This is because people can use their mobile phones to change plans or call people if they are
delayed.
Exam tip I Ordering ideas

• Remember to order your ideas in a logical way and use linking

words (However, On the other hand, In addition, Furthermore,
etc.) to show how your ideas are connected.
Exam tip I Giving an opinion
• When you have described the advantages and disadvantages
of a situation / argument, you can say which side has the
strongest case in your opinion.