Essay Models

&
Writing Assignments
Essay Type 1: Opinion essay
WRITING TASK 2
Do not take more than 40 minutes for this task

University education should be free to everyone.

To what extent 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

Model answer
Some tend to argue that governments ought to provide college education free of cost to all
students. (Rephrasing the question) Though free education may lead to some problems, my
personal view is that education up to college level should be free since it would benefit the individual
as well as society. (Opinion is a concessional sentence. It presents both sides.)

Admittedly, (Admittedly is used when we admit there is a negative side to our opinion) when
university education is provided free, it may put a huge financial burden on the government. (FIRST
IDEA) In other words, the authorities will need to build infrastructure like school buildings, libraries,
science labs on a large scale, and appoint large number of teachers and other staff. (EXPLANATION)
As a result, most governments, especially those in developing nations, would find it hard to raise the
funds required for this. (RESULT) Yet another point is that since university education is free, even
those students who are not serious may join college. (SECOND IDEA) Clearly, this would lead to
waste of resources. (RESULT)

[Linking phrases: Admittedly, In other words, As a result, Yet another point is that]

However, there are strong reasons why I feel that college education should be free. (TOPIC
SENTENCE) Firstly, such a step would benefit the individual immensely. (FIRST IDEA) Today it is
generally seen that university level education is extremely expensive and many deserving students
from poor economic background are unable to get a degree, and improve their career prospects.
However, free education up to college level would solve this problem. (EXPLANATION) What is
more, a large pool of educated youth is good for the society since they can help the economic
growth of the country. (SECOND IDEA, RESULT)

[Linking phrases: However, Firstly, Today it is generally seen that .. However, What is more,]

To sum up, though providing free education may pose some challenges, I would argue that all
governments should adopt such a policy.
Assignment 1

WRITING TASK 2
Do not take more than 40 minutes for this task

Some people believe that cooking at home is a waste of time. They feel it is better
to buy fast food which is more convenient and less stressful in modern life.
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

Essay plan (This will not be given in the exam)

Introduction: Rephrase the question. Write your opinion.

Some tend to argue that … … … . Though fast foods have some advantages, I feel that such foods are
unhealthy and one should cook own food at home.

Body para 1: Write the advantages of fast foods (SEE MODEL ESSAY on previous page.)
Points:
1. Fast foods are convenient and easy. (Explain how it is convenient)

2. Fast foods are less expensive

BP2: Why people should cook at home

Points:
1. Food prepared at home is healthier. (Explain this point)

2. By avoiding fast foods, parents will set a good example for children to follow

Conclusion: Restate opinion

Essay Type 2: Discussion essay
WRITING TASK 2
Do not take more than 40 minutes for this task

Some people believe that women should play an equal role to men in a country’s police
force and military force, such as the army. Others say women are not suited to this kind
of work.
Discuss both these views and give your opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge
or experience.
Write at least 250 words

Note: Discuss the two views in the question in two separate paragraphs. Agree with one view.

Model answer
Some tend to argue that along with men, women also should have equal opportunity to work in the
army and the police while some others disagree. Personally, I feel that army and police force should
open their doors to women since it would help the individual as well as the society.

BP 1: Start by repeating the opposite view.

On the one hand, there are many who argue that women should not be allowed to join the army
and police since the tasks are too hard for women. In other words, police officers often have to
chase, capture and overpower criminals, who are mostly men and may be dangerous. In the army
they may have to fight and kill the enemy. As a result, women would find it hard to continue in
their jobs. Yet another point is that women may not get the time to look after the family or raise
children, which may lead to problems in the family.

BP 2: Start by repeating the view you support.

On the other hand, many others feel that the police and the army should recruit women and I tend
to agree. Firstly, women are as capable as men and they have proved this by working in various
fields shoulder to shoulder with men. For example, almost all countries have inducted women into
their armed forces as well as police with many of them reaching top positions. What is more, this
can benefit the society as well in the long run as women working in all sectors would improve
gender equality, and help social progress.

To sum up, though some may argue that army and police should not recruit women, I strongly feel
that it should be allowed.
Assignment 2

WRITING TASK 2
Do not take more than 40 minutes for this task

Some people think that rest and sleep are the best methods to relax while others think
that it can be done by getting involved in some activities like sports.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.

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

Write at least 250 words

Essay plan (This will not be given in the exam)

Note: The question is about the best way to relax in the evening after coming home from work.

Intro. Rephrase question + opinion

BP1: Discuss the view you don’t support. Sleep and rest are the best way to relax.
Points
1. People feel refreshed and rejuvenated after a short sleep. (You need to explain this. SEE
MODEL ESSAY)
2. For sleeping, you don’t need any equipment or partners like in playing a game.
3.

BP2: Second view: Doing sports is a healthier way to relax.

Points
1. Playing sports relaxes muscles, one gets fresh air. Feel more energetic. (Explain this. SEE
MODEL ESSAY)
2. Good for the mind. interact with others, talk and joke.

Summary: Rephrase both views. (See Model essay)

Essay Type 3: Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages

WRITING TASK 2
Do not take more than 40 minutes for this task

In many countries, women are allowed to take maternity leave during the first month
after the birth of the new born.
Do you think the advantages of maternity leave outweigh the disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge
or experience.
Write at least 250 words
For advantages – disadvantages essay, you must write both advantages and
disadvantages in separate paragraphs.

Model essay

In many countries, working women can take leave from their work for several months to give birth
to their children. While it is agreed that maternity leave may have some minor downsides, my
personal view is that its merits are far greater because it benefits the individual as well as the
society.

Admittedly, (Admittedly is used when we admit there is a negative side to our opinion) women
taking maternity leave has a few demerits, the first being it may affect the career prospects of the
women employees. In other words, the leave may be from six months to one year or more, which
means the employee will be totally cut off from the developments in the company. As a result,
women who take leave for such a long period might miss the chances of promotions and career
progression. It may also be argued that such an arrangement would be problematic to the
employer since they have to recruit new staff to replace the women going on maternity leave.
Obviously, this is additional expenditure on wages and training of the new staff.

However, the disadvantages mentioned above are insignificant when compared to the merits of
maternity leave. Firstly, long leave for childbirth would benefit the mother and the child. Many
studies have shown that the first few years are crucial for the baby’s physical psychological health
and also the mother would require rest. Thus, if paid leave for several months is allowed, the
mother can give adequate care to the baby and at the same time, take care of own health. What is
more, this benefits the society as well since rearing healthy children is important for the survival and
progress of any society.

To conclude, though it has some disadvantages, it is clear that the merits of women taking maternity
leave are far greater as it benefits the women and their family as well as the society.
Assignment 3

WRITING TASK 2
Do not take more than 40 minutes for this task

In many cities today, most people live in large apartment blocks.

Does this kind of accommodation have more advantages or disadvantages?

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

Write at least 250 words

Essay plan (This will not be given in the exam)

Intro. Rephrase question + opinion

BP1: Apartments - plus points.

1. more affordable compared to detached houses (Explain this point SEE MODEL ESSAY on
previous page)

2. facilitates community living and encourage better socialisation

BP2: Apartments – minus points

1. limited space (Explain this point)

2. less privacy.

Summary: Restate your opinion (SEE MODEL ESSAY on previous page)

Essay Type 4: Is it a positive or negative development

WRITING TASK 2
Do not take more than 40 minutes for this task

More and more work in the home and the work place is done by robots.
Is it a positive or negative development?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience.
Write at least 250 words

Model Answer
Robots are increasingly used in homes and workplaces to perform various tasks which were earlier
done by humans. While it is agreed that this trend has some drawbacks, my personal view is that it is
mostly a positive development since machines improve efficiency and also make life more
comfortable.

[Red= linking phrases; Green= linkers for complex sentences]

Admittedly, over dependence on machines has made people lazy. In other words, for all tasks that
require some physical effort such as cleaning, washing or walking a short distance, people need
machines. This being the case, most people have become less healthy and therefore, lifestyle
diseases like diabetes and hypertension are increasingly common now. Yet another point is that as
an increasing number of people are now addicted to their devices like mobile phones or laptops,
they lead mechanical lives attaching less importance to human relations. Obviously, this can have a
negative impact on the family as well as the society in the long run.

However, there are strong reasons why I believe use of machines is more of a positive
development. Firstly, they improve efficiency and productivity in all areas of work. For example,
today in various industries and in the agriculture sector, machines with artificial intelligence, that
can do the job of several workers in much less time and with zero error, are used. Hence, it is possible
to produce food and consumer goods in large quantities at lower cost so that they are affordable to
large number of people. What is more, in homes various since gadgets like food processors, robotic
vacuum cleaners and washing machines do all the tedious work, people are able to spend more time
with their loved ones.

To sum up, although the use of new technologies has its downsides, I feel that on the whole, this is a
welcome development as they help improve our lives in different ways.
275 words
Assignment 4

WRITING TASK 2
Do not take more than 40 minutes for this task

Items like films and music are now available free online.
Is it a positive or negative development?

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

Write at least 250 words

Essay plan (This will not be given in the exam)

Intro. Rephrase Q. + Opinion

BP1 Positive aspects of free downloads

Points:
1. People can enjoy music and movies free of cost. (Explain the point. SEE MODEL on previous
page.)

2. Downloading is more convenient

BP2 Negative aspects

Points:
1. pirated versions of music and films available free online can affect companies that produce
them.
2. can harm the society in the long run.
(Sites offering pirated versions of movies and music are operated by criminals)

Conclusion rephrase opinion

Essay Type 5: Cause and Solution

Today all over the world, cities are overcrowded.

Why is this so?
What can be done to solve this?

Model Answer

It is a major concern that most cities around the world today are congested. While this may be due
to a number of factors, in my view the major causes are migration of people from rural areas to
urban centres in search of a better life and poor city planning. However, some solutions may be
suggested to tackle this issue.

A major cause of overcrowding in cities is the continuous flow of people from villages to cities. In
almost all parts of the world millions of people leave their places of living every year heading
towards cities as, urban centres offer better facilities and more importantly, better job
opportunities. As a result, cities get more and more congested and quality of living deteriorates.
Yet another reason is that most city councils often allow construction of skyscrapers and housing
colonies without making any allocations for parks, playgrounds or any such facilities. Obviously, this
leads to congestion and lack of open spaces in cities.

One solution to overcrowding would be for the governments to improve the facilities available in
villages and small towns. (FIRST SOLUTION) For instance, the authorities can build colleges and
healthcare facilities in rural areas, and also offer incentives such as tax holidays or low power tariffs
to companies for setting up their business in rural areas. (EXPLANATION) When their own towns
and villages develop, people in such areas would not feel the need to migrate to cities. (RESULT of
the solution) Building well planned satellite cities and townships away from major urban centres
would be another solution so that it would attract people from crowded cities reducing the
congestion in such places. (SECOND SOLUTION with result)

To sum up, I feel that the problem of overcrowding in cities is due to migration from rural areas and
lack of city planning, and it can be tackled if the authorities take appropriate steps.
Assignment 5

WRITING TASK 2
Do not take more than 40 minutes for this task

Today in many countries, the number of plants and animals are decreasing.
What are the causes?
What solutions do you suggest?

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

Write at least 250 words

Essay plan (This will not be given in the exam)

Intro: Rephrase question + opinion

(major causes: are deforestation and global warming)

BP1: Causes
Points:
1. destruction of large areas of forests by people for commercial or agricultural purposes

2. rise in global temperature caused by human activities

BP2: Solutions
Points:
1. implement strict laws to stop deforestation

2. Reduce pollution by promoting the use of eco-friendly technologies

Summary
Essay type 6: Two Questions type
In many countries, young people move to cities for work or study.
What do you think are the reasons for it?
Do you think advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Note: The 2nd question is Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and you need to write two
paragraphs for this question. So, in here you should write total 5 paragraphs.

Model Answer

It is commonly seen that the rural youth migrate to cities in search of education and employment
since the countryside often lack good educational institutions as well as job opportunities.
Personally, I feel that this is a negative trend as it would make cities more crowded and at the same
time, lead to the underdevelopment of rural areas.

Write one para on reasons why the youth migrate:

One obvious reason for migration to cities is that cities offer better education facilities and
employment opportunities. For example, most prestigious schools and universities are located in
urban centres while in rural areas most schools are state-run and lack modern infrastructure like
libraries or good teachers. Likewise, since most companies have their production facilities and
offices in located in cities, young people are forced to leave their homes and migrate to cities in
search of employment.

Write one para on advantages of youth migrating:

The youth moving to the cities for education and work has a few plus points. One benefit is that
the youth get a better education and exposure when they live and study or work in mega cities.
They get introduced to new technologies and a new way of life, which would make them smarter
and more worldly-wise.

Write one para on disadvantages. Clearly indicate your opinion:

However, the demerits of such a trend are far greater as it can have disastrous consequences for
the countryside in the long-run. In other words, when most young people migrate to the cities, and
later on settle there, rural communities are likely to wither and die. At the same time, cities are
likely to get more crowded as more and more people, move to the cities.

To sum up, many young people move to the cities as rural areas do not have good education and
employment opportunities, and this trend can leave the countryside depopulated and
underdeveloped while making cities crowded.
 Assignment 6

WRITING TASK 2
Do not take more than 40 minutes for this task

The number of people interested in cosmetic surgery in order to improve their physical
appearance is increasing.
Why do people do operations to change the way they look?
Do you think it as positive or negative development?

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

Write at least 250 words

Essay plan (This will not be given in the exam)

Intro: Rephrase question + Opinion

BP1:

Points:

1. society in general give too much importance to appearance.

2. There are a huge number of clinics and beauty specialists without any governmental control

BP2

Cosmetic surgery merely to improve a person's looks is not advisable.

Points:
1. serious side effects and complications. patients left with tissue damage or permanent
scarring.

2. such treatments may not bring lasting happiness. never get fully satisfied - may go for
further surgeries.

Summary: Rephrase opinion

Protect pdf from copying with Online-PDF-No-Copy.com