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IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essay Lesson

This lesson is about IELTS advantage disadvantage essayquestions when you are told to assess
whether the benefits of something outweigh the drawbacks.

The topic of the essay which is used as an example is about the trend to live and work abroad.

Take a look at the essay question we are going to analyse:

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?

Understanding the Task

When you have this type of advantage disadvantage essay it is important to distinguish between this
and one that asks you to discuss advantages and disadvantages but does not ask your opinion.

If you are asked What are the advantages and disadvantages of.. you are not being asked your
opinion. You simply have to discuss the benefits and drawbacks.

You could do this in two body paragraphs one discussing the positive points, the next discussing the
negative points.

However, if you have the word outweigh or Will this trend have more positive or negative effects?
then you are being asked for your opinion and you must say which there are the most of positive or
negative impacts.

If you do not do this then you may get your score reduced on Task Response for not fully addressing
the question.

If you look at the IELTS public band descriptors (available to download if you do an internet search or
available from your local IELTS centre), you will see that this could reduce your band to a 5 for this
criteria (it would not necessarily affect the other three criteria).

(Check this lesson on IELTS Band 7 for an overview of the criteria for getting a band 7 if you are unsure
of what the criteria are).

Take a look at these examples:

People now have the freedom to work and live anywhere in the world due to the development of
communication technology and transportation.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

This advantage disadvantage essay is not asking for your opinion. You could simply write one paragraph
on the advantages and another on the disadvantages.

However, this one does:

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?

OR

Will this have more positive or negative impacts?

'Outweigh'
Another point to be careful of is using the word outweigh. It is common for IELTS students to get mixed
up when they write the thesis statement, and actually say the opposite to what they write in the essay!

For example, they will say the drawbacks outweigh the benefits, but then give more benefits in the
essay. This makes no sense.

So if you are not sure you can use the word correctly, I would recommend not using it in this type of
IELTS advantage disadvantage essay. You can just say what your opinion is, as in the thesis in the
model answer:

I believe that this has more benefits than drawbacks.

This will avoid any mistakes.

Writing your Thesis

You then need to think of 3 supporting ideas. One for one side and two for the other side.

So you will then have three body paragraphs, one with the drawback / benefit and two with the
advantages / disadvantages.

It is common academic practice to start with the opposing opinionto yours, so you can start with the
point that you have one idea for.

As explained above, it is very important, especially if you are looking for a band 7 or higher, that your
opinion reflects what is in your essay. So if you have said there are more benefits, then you would have
two benefits and one drawback.
Now take a look at the advantage disadvantage essay model answer.

Model Advantage Disadvantage Essay

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

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?

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

Write at least 250 words.

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 peoples 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 visa-versa. This enriches many peoples 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 peoples lives and lives of the people in
the countries that they move to.

(283 Words)
Comments
As you can see in the essay, the writer believes there are more benefits so the essay is biased towards
this opinion, giving more advantages than disadvantages.

The opinion is very clear, and repeated in the conclusion, and the body of the essay reflects this opinion
so there will be no confusion when someone reads it.

Other Ways to Answer the Question

This is not to suggest that this method is the only way to answer this type of question. There could be
other ways.

For example, some people advise to write two body paragraphs - one on the advantages and another
on the disadvantages, then in the conclusion state which one outweighs the other.

You can do this, but it can look at bit odd if you write about them equally, but then say there are more of
one than the other! A conclusion can be cleverly worded to make this work, but that is a high level skill
that many candidates do not have.

You could write only about the advantages or only about disadvantages and argue that one vastly
outweights the other. However, the fact that the question uses 'outweigh' or 'more' is suggesting that
there are both benefits and drawbacks.

The benefit of organising your advantage disadvantage essay as illustrated in this lesson is that by
looking at both sides, you will havemore ideas to brainstorm. And importantly, your opinion is
clearand this is reflected in the essay, which is balanced to reflect and support your opinion.

A model answer for this essay will be posted shortly so watch this space, or sign up using the form on
the right to be notifed when there are updates to the site.

Practice
Now you can have a practice.

Try to answer this advantage disadvantage essay question:

More and more students are choosing to study at colleges and universities in foreign countries.

Do the benefits of studying abroad outweigh the drawbacks?

A model answer for this essay will be posted shortly so watch this space, or sign up using the form on
the right to be notifed when there are updates to the site.
http://ieltsadvantage.com/2015/05/24/ielts-advantages-and-disadvantages-lesson/

You are here: Home / Writing Task 2 / IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Lesson

IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages

Lesson
By Christopher Pell 36 Comments
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These kinds of questions normally give you a statement and ask you to comment on the advantages and
disadvantages of that statement.

The problem is that there are 3 different types of advantage and disadvantage question and they each require a
different approach. If you answer them in a different way then you risk losing lots of easy marks.

This lesson will look at each of the three question types and suggest a standard sentence-by-sentence structure for
each of them. There will also be samples answers for each of the three questions to help you compare and
understand the three approaches.

Question 1

In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and
starting university studies.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decided to do this.
Question 2

Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary schools rather
than secondary school.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Question 3

Computers are becoming an essential part of school lessons.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your own opinion.

Question 1 simply asks us to discuss the advantages and disadvantages. It does not ask for our opinion or say
which side is better or worse, so we should not include this information in our answer.

This requires a simple structure in which the student will look at the advantages in one paragraph and the
disadvantages in the other.

Question 2 is different because we have to say if the advantages are stronger than the disadvantages. Notice I
didnt say if there are more advantages than disadvantages. The question is not asking you to talk about numbers,
but comment on the overall weight of the advantages or disadvantages. For example, there are a huge number of
advantages to travelling by private jet, but there is one huge disadvantage (the cost) that stops most people from
flying that way and therefore the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

In this example we will have to decide which side (advantages or disadvantages) is stronger and this will affect our
structure. If you choose advantages then you will have to say why these are much stronger than the advantages and
why the disadvantages dont hold much weight. You would also have to make this clear in your thesis statement.

Question 3 is different again because it is more like an opinion essay and a discussion essay at the same time. Your
structure will reflect this by having a paragraph for advantages and disadvantages, but also having a clear position
on the statement.

Structure for Essay 1

Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase question

Sentence 2- Outline sentence

Supporting Paragraph 1 (Advantages)

Sentence 3- Topic sentence (Advantage 1)

Sentence 4- Explain how this is an advantage

Sentence 5- Example
Supporting Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages)

Sentence 6- Topic sentence (Disadvantage 1)

Sentence 7- Explain how this is an disadvantage

Sentence 8- Example

Conclusion

Sentence 9- Summary of main points

Structure for Essay 2

Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase question

Sentence 2- Thesis statement (state which one outweighs the other)

Sentence 3- Outline sentence

Main Body Paragraph 1 (Stronger Side)

Sentence 4- Topic Sentence

Sentence 5- Explain why it is strong

Sentence 6- Example

Sentence 7- Topic Sentence

Sentence 8- Explain why it is strong

Sentence 9- Example

Main Body Paragraph 2 (Weaker Side)

Sentence 10- Topic Sentence

Sentence 11- Explain why it is not strong

Sentence 12- Example

Conclusion

Sentence 13- Summary of main points and restate position.

Structure for Essay 3

Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase question

Sentence 2- Thesis statement (your opinion)

Sentence 3- Outline sentence

Main Body Paragraph 1 (Advantages)

Sentence 4- Topic Sentence

Sentence 5- Explain

Sentence 6- Example

Main Body Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages)

Sentence 7- Topic Sentence

Sentence 8- Explain

Sentence 9- Example

Main Body Paragraph 3 (Opinion)

Sentence 10- Explain opinion

Sentence 11- Explain or give example

Conclusion

Sentence 12 Summary of main points

Question 1

In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school
and starting university studies.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decided to do this.

Before embarking on college many young people are advised that a year working or travelling may be a good
option. This essay will suggest that saving money is the biggest advantage of this and a reduced motivation to
study is the primary disadvantage.

Third level education is very expensive and lots of students decide to work for 12 months and save up money
before they begin their studies. This allows them to pay for their living costs, tuition fees and accommodation and
focus on their studies, rather than struggle financially or have to get a part time job on top of their academic work.
The Times recently reported that the average student at a UK university requires over $12,000 per annum just to
survive and many drop out because they cannot afford to stay.

Despite these advantages, many students often get used to working or travelling and dont want to return to a life
of study after a year off. This short term view can cause some to bypass university altogether and go straight into a
job that is beneath their capabilities or may not offer the same prospects their future career might have done. For
instance, a recent survey by the British Government found that 26% of students who take a gap-year never enter
tertiary education.

In conclusion, taking a break from studies can be advantageous if it allows people to gather up savings, however,
they should also be careful that it does not lead to disillusionment with education altogether.

(252 words)

Question 2 Sample Answer

Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary schools
rather than secondary school.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Some authorities think that it is more favorable for pupils to begin studying languages at primary school instead of
secondary school. This essay will argue that the advantages of this outweigh the drawbacks. The essay will first
demonstrate that the earlier someone learns an additional language the more likely they are to master it and that it
brings added cognitive benefits, followed by an analysis of how the primary disadvantage, namely confusion with
their native tongue, is not valid.

The main reason to start kids off with foreign languages early is that this increases the likelihood they will achieve
fluency in adulthood. That is to say that they will have far more years to perfect their skills and it will seem
perfectly normal to speak bilingually. For example, in countries such as Holland and Norway where English is
taught from a very young age, more than 95% of adults speak it at an advanced level. Learning a second language
also helps to improve overall cognitive abilities. In other words it benefits the overall development of a childs
brain. A recent survey by Cambridge University found that children who studied a new language before the age of
5 were significantly more likely to score higher in Mathematics and Science.

Those opposed to this say that it causes the child to become confused between their mother tongue and the other
language. However, there is actually no evidence to support this view and children from bilingual families do just
as well in both languages. My own son was brought up speaking both Vietnamese and English and outperforms
most of his classmates in both.

On balance the fact that early foreign language learning leads to higher fluency and improved brain function
clearly outweighs the flawed argument that it impairs uptake of native languages.

(299 words)

Question 3 Sample Answer

Computers are becoming an essential part of education.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your own opinion.

Information technology is becoming a ubiquitous part of learning. This essay will show that this is a welcome
development and can enhance educational practice. It will first suggest that the instant availability of huge amounts
of information is the primary advantage, followed by a discussion of how it can sometimes lead to plagiarism.

The main benefit computers bring to learners is easy access to vast amounts resources. Learners were once limited
to the books they had and the knowledge of their teacher, now they can learn about anything they choose at the
touch of a button. Google is a prime example, because it allows people to easily search for whatever they are
looking for quickly and accurately.

One possible drawback is that using the internet to complete academic work can sometimes lead to pupils copying
articles from the internet. As a result, students do not have to think about their tasks and learn very little. The
Sunday Times recently reported that 72% of college graduates in the UK admitted to copying and pasting
Wikipedia articles at least once.

Overall, it is a very positive development because most students will take advantage of the power of the
information superhighway to enhance their studies, rather than using it to cheat. For example, in 2005 Cambridge
University found that students who regularly used a computer were 26% more likely to get a first-class degree than
those who did not.

In conclusion, the web has provided a gateway to knowledge unlike anything seen before and although it can
sometimes lead to a few taking the easy route and plagiarising, it is a very positive step in the evolution of
education.

(278 words)

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Comments

1. misbahzia says

May 24, 2015 at 11:09 pm

Thanx mis christopher ,I would like to say that you must post practice of each task of todays
post.

http://ieltsliz.com/ielts-advantage-disadvantage-sample-essay-questions/

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample 18 - Discuss the advantages and

disadvantages of having a car
Last Updated: Wednesday, 28 September 2016 00:05
Written by IELTS Mentor
Hits: 30263

http://www.ielts-mentor.com/writing-sample/writing-task-2/202-ielts-writing-task-2-sample-18-discuss-the-
advantages-and-disadvantages-of-having-a-car

IELTS Writing Task 2/ IELTS Essay:

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Some people claim that there are more disadvantages of the car than its
advantages. Do you agree or disagree? Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of having a car.
Give reasons for your answer.
You should write at least 250 words.
Model Answer 1:
In our lives, we travel from one place to another for a great variety of reasons and while travelling we greatly depend on cars,
whether it is a private car or a public bus. The number of car owners is increasing every day because every person expects the
freedom to travel and comfort while travelling. And that is why most of us want to own a car. However owning a car have many
advantages and disadvantages as well.
The main advantage of owning a car is it gives the freedom to travel. If you have a car then you don't need to be limited to fixed
routes and timetables. Moreover, a car-owner can take is/her family members with him/her and other necessary goods whenever
he/she wish which might have been impossible otherwise. In addition, personal cars give comfort while travelling on the contrary to
the public buses which are so crowded and disgusting. You can read books, listen to music or even can play with kids while you are
in your own car but those all seems to be impossible in a public transport. On the contrary, owning a car is very expensive. The
price of the car, the cost of the tax, insurance cost, fuel cost, driver's salary, car repairing etc. all must be considered before buying
a car and that is why it is out of reach of the middle-class people.

Moreover, private cars can not carry many passengers at a time yet occupy spaces in the street. As the number of cars is
increasing in the road so does the traffic jam. Perhaps the major disadvantage of cars, in general, is the huge damage they do to
the human health and to the environment. More cars mean more pollution. The environment pollution is a serious issue today and at
any cost, we must reduce the amount of pollution and if we consider it then owning a car is never a good idea.

To sum up, having a car gives someone freedom but if public transportation system is easily accessible, safe and efficient, then the
idea of buying and owning a car should be abandoned.

(Approximately 354 words)

(This model answer has been prepared by the site developer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many
possible answers.)
Idea Generation for this IELTS Essay:
Essay Type: Agree / Disagree as well as Advantages & Disadvantages.
Main question of this IELTS Essay:
A. Do you agree that there are more disadvantages of the car than its advantages?
B. Advantages of having a car.
C. Disadvantages of having a car.
Note: This essay topic is a bit tricky. It is a combination of both "Agree/ Disagree" and "Advantages & Disadvantages" type essay.
First, you need to write whether you agree or disagree that cars have more disadvantages that the advantages they offer. Again you
need to write down the advantages and disadvantages of owning a car. In the introduction part of the essay you need to mention
 whether you agree or disagree. Then in the following paragraphs you can write the advantages and disadvantages of cars and at
the end of the each paragraph you can summarise why having a car has more advantages than disadvantages and vice versa.

Disadvantages of having a car:

Owning a car is expensive and requires additional costs to maintain and repair it. Not all families can afford it.
Cars have increased the level of air and noise pollution in cities, causing more humans to suffer from respiratory, heart
diseases, or cancers.
City travellers have to spend longer hours on traffic jams. Using more private car, the density of traffic has been increased
phenomenally and citizens have had to stay longer time on traffic load.
As the number of private cars increased, more car passengers have been injured or died by severe accidents.
More pedestrians accidents have been reported annually. As the usage of private cars increases, it is more probable that
people walking through the street die by them.
Private car is more expensive than the public transportation. Paying huge money for tax, renewing of licence, or air care,
people have to pay more for using cars.
More fossil fuels are consumed as more cars are used by people, leading other generations to face a shortage of these
fuels.
The governmental expense will be raised far dramatically. To build and maintenance of more highways for more cars, hire
more police force, the local government have to consider a larger budget.
The use of cars to commute has decreased the average health of car users as they do not need to do any physical
movement.
The consumption of fuels to run the car is contributing to the rise if global warming and affecting the ozone layer.
The car owners need to worry about the safety and parking places for cars wherever s/he travels.
It saves the time as the commuters can reach his destination quickly than it would be required in a public bus.
Agreement: Why cars have more disadvantages than advantages?
Considering all the disadvantages the cars have to the health, environment, government budget and the hassle and expenses the
car owners have to bear, it is quite clear that having a car has more demerits and the advantages it offers.

Advantages of having a car:

The private car is a convenient mode of transportation. Having more comfortable seats, ventilation or other novel
technologies help people to feel better than using other methods, like a bicycle or a public bus.
Users have a more secure privacy compared to using public transportation.
This will increase more job opportunities because more workers will be involved in working in car companies or as drivers,
reducing the unemployment rate.
The local state will have more budgets, paid by car owners taxes, to renew the roads. Annually, car drivers have to pay
hundreds of dollars for renewing their car insurance, licence, tickets, or air care.
Other industries have been developed as car industries developed. The more humans use more private cars, the more car
companies have to raise their technology, leading other mother industries to be developed too.
People can have absolute freedom on deciding the schedule and roads to reach their destination.
A private car owner can utilise his time but it is very tough to do so on a public bus.
 In a car, a person does not have to worry about the dust, noise and fumes present in the road while in public transportation
it is not always possible to avoid those.
Disagreement: Why cars have more advantages that disadvantages?
Considering the advantages the car ownership offers, I would say that it is more beneficial to own a car than using public
transportation. Many people might argue against owning a car but I think most of them would buy a car if their financial condition
allows them to do so.

[These ideas should be helpful for you to generate your own ideas and writing an excellent essay on the given IELTS Essay topic
should be easier for you. If you have new ideas that we might have missed, add them in the comment section and we will publish it.]

Alternative Answer 2:
Owning a car is a birth-right for some people while other people try their life-long to purchase one. Apart from these two groups,
there are certain people who do not dare to even think about purchasing a car because of their miserable economic conditions.
However, for all those people the four wheel car is a fancy machine with advantages and utility. Owning a car can also bring some
drawbacks.
Among the advantages of owning a car, in my opinion, freedom of travelling is the most important one. Someone who owns a car
can plan his route, timing and destination. He wont have to wait for the schedule of a public bus, stand in a long queue, wait for
hours for the bus to arrive, and sit in the public bus uncomfortably. A person car gives the freedom, saves time and the owner can
utilise the time while he travels. Apart from that, he can carry the grocery, goods and other valuables in the car at his discretion.
Owning a car also offers the flexibility of visiting relatives and friends who stay far away without much hassle of a public bus. Taking
a child or an old person in a public bus is quite impossible and owning a car would facilitate someone to take his kid, old relatives
with him if needed. The comfort and safety of a private car cant be achieved in a public car. In terms of expense, sometimes
personal car saves monthly expenses that would otherwise be required for a person if he travels frequently.

On the other hand owning a car has some disadvantages as well. First of all, private cars require the garage place and parking
hassle. Sometimes the expenses on hiring a driver and purchasing fuel might exceed the budget for the people who could have
easily availed public transportations for infrequent journeys. The traffic issue, paper renewal issue, tax, police cases are sometimes
too much to handle for the personal car owners. For example, if a public bus gets busted in the middle of a road, the passenger can
easily leave it a look for another one. But in this same situation, a private car owner who was riding in his car would have to take the
burden of taking care of the busted car and reach to the automobile repairing centres.

In summary, though owning a car has some disadvantages, it offers many advantages as well.

(This model answer has been prepared by the site developer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many
possible answers.)
Model Answer 3:
People need different modes of transportation to move from one place to another. In the ancient time, they used horses and
donkeys for this purpose and to carry their loads. With the development of technology, people invented novel things such as cars,
trains, aeroplanes, ships and this development has further enhanced the flexibility and convenience of transportation. Out of these
vehicles, the private car is one of the best and most preferred vehicles for people to commute from one place to another but not
without consequences.

Private cars have many advantages. Due to this, people who can afford a private car, want to own it. People with low-income class
also dream to own a car one day. This simple phenomenon shows how advantageous of owning a private car can be. With a private
car, people can plan their own journey, go somewhere whenever they want, take diversions to avoid bad traffic, avoid long queue for
ticketing and enjoy the utmost flexibility and privacy of a soothing journey. This is a very handy thing in the emergency cases. For
example, when someone gets sick, his family members can easily take him to a hospital regardless of the time. Finally, owning a
private car offers someone the freedom to enjoy his time during the journey while it is quite impossible on a public bus.

On the contrary, private car ownership has many demerits as well. It is far more expensive than public transportation. The cost of
fuel, driver, licence, insurance, maintenance, repairing etc. will often increase the monthly expense for a family. Furthermore, those
cars produce toxic gas such as greenhouse gases, CO2 and CO that are harmful to the human health and the environment. Private
cars are the main reason for congestion on the roads and the increasing environmental pollution.

To some up, I think the private car is a very useful vehicle that offers more advantages than demerits to its owner. However, the
environmental issues due to excessive use of cars should not be ignored and we should use private cars absolutely when it is
necessary and at other times, we should use public transportations.
[Written by Nima]

http://hocielts.vn/ielts-writing-task-2-part-9-advantages-and-disadvantages/

IELTS Writing Task 2 Part 9:

Advantages and Disadvantages
by quang to on 10/09/2013 16 comments

bi vit ny, chng ta s cng trao i v dng bi c bn th ba ca Writing IELTS: Advantages and
Disadvanntages. Mnh s a ra dn (essay plan) v nhng tips cn thit vit dng bi ny nh. Cc on vn

trong bi mnh u ly t ngun ting Anh ng tin cy, nn cc bn yn tm nh.

 Mt bi tham kho:

In order to solve traffic problems, governments should tax private car owners heavily and use the money
to improve public transportation.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution?

Essay Plan (Structure)

1. Introduction:
- Introducing the topic.

- Giving background information and Narrowing the topic.

- Giving your point of view and mentioning the main areas covered in the essay.

hiu r hn cu trc ca m bi, bn c th xem ti bi vit ny ca mnh

2. Body
- Paragraph 1: Advantages.

- Paragraph 2: Disadvantages.

Cc bn hy dnh cho Advantages mt on ring v Disadvantages cng vy. Vi mi on bn nn a ra 3

supporting ideas, ngha l s c 3 mt mnh v 3 mt yu. Tuy nhin, 2 supporting ideas cho mi on cng l
nu bn vit di v su.

Lu : Cc bn nn vit 2 on vi dung lng tng i bng nhau, khng nn thin lch (bias) i vi advantages
v disadvantages. Gim kho s khng nh gi cao nu bn ch dnh 50 t cho advantages v n 150 t cho
disadvantages.

chuyn on, bn nn s dng linh hot mt s lin t hoc mu cu mang ngha nhng b/i lp. Di
y l mt s mu cu v d m bn c th p dng cho mi bi.

Despite these attractions, however, some drawbacks do exist

Although has many advantages, there still exist some noteworthy disadvantages.
However, is not completely beneficial; there are some negative aspects that should be taken into
consideration.

3. Conclusion:
Restate in summary the main advantages and disadvantages of the topic being detailed.
Nu bi khng yu cu a ra kin c nhn (vn ny tt hay xu, li hay hi) th bn khng phi v khng
nn a vo kin ca mnh. Sau khi c xong phn thn bi da vo nhng l l, dn chng m bn a ra, ngi
c phi hnh thnh mt quan im ring cho mnh. Bn nn khng nh li vn c c mt tt v mt xu, v tc
ng ca n ph thuc ch yu vo cch chng ta khai thc m thi.

Vi du: To conclude, this solution is worth considering to improve the current situation, but there are advantages and
disadvantages of introducing such a policy.

Language: Phrases to list advantages or

disadvantages:
Advantages:
- The first/main/greatest/most important advantage of . is .

- One/another/an additional advantage of . is .

- What makes stand out/important/ is

- One/Another point in favor of . is .

Ch : dng bi Academic Writing, bn nn trnh nhng t informal nh Pros/Cons, plus points/minus points,
pluses/minuses, Tuy nhin nhng t ny c th vn dng linh hot trong phn thi ni Speaking v Speaking part 1
rt informal, part 2 neutral/semiformal, cn part 3 th tng i formal. Nn nhng t informal c th vn dng part 1
v part 2.

Disadvantages
- The first/main/greatest/ most serious disadvantage of . is .
- One/another/an additional disadvantage of . is .

- Another negative aspect of . is .

Sample:

In order to solve traffic problems, governments should tax private car owners heavily and use the money to
improve public transportation.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution?

(Topic) Traffic problems in many cities around the world are becoming more and more serious. (Background
Information) One possible solution to this problem is to impose heavy taxes on car drivers and use this money to
make public transport better. (Mentioning the areas covered in the body) Such a measure has its own advantages
and disadvantages.

(Topic sentence 1) It is clear that imposing heavy taxes on car drivers has some noteworthy positive
effects. (Supporting idea 1) One of the first benefits of such a measure is that the heavy taxes would discourage car
owners from using their cars because it would become very expensive to drive. This would mean that they would
begin to make use of public transport instead, thus reducing traffic problems and pollution as well. (Supporting idea
2) Another benefit would be that much more use would be made of public transport if it were improved. It is often the
case that public transport in cities is very poor. For example, we often see old buses and trains that people would rather
not use. High taxes could generateenough money to make the necessary changes.

(Topic sentence 2) Nevertheless, there are drawbacks to such a solution. (Supporting idea 1) First and foremost,
thismight be a heavy burden on the car drivers. At present, taxes are already high for a lot of people, and so further
taxeswould only mean less money at the end of the month for most people who may have no choice but to drive every
day.(Supporting idea 2) In addition, this type of tax would likely to be set at a fixed amount. This would mean that it
would hit those with less money harder, whilst the rich could likely afford it. It is therefore not a fair tax.

To conclude, this solution is worth considering to improve the current situation, but there are advantages and
disadvantages of introducing such a policy.

(277 words)

Imagine this situation: the city you live in wants to build a "Las Vegas" style casino in the area.
They think the gambling and the entertainment will bring more tourists and money and, thus,
help the local economy.
What would be the advantages and disadvantages of such a proposal?
There are many business opportunities that help the economy of a city grow strong. Building a casino can
boost the local economy. However, when a casino is considered as a source of cash, it must be carefully
thorough because there are disadvantages as well as advantages that come with gambling.

One of the advantages of building a casino in a city is that it will allow many job opportunities for the
locals. The casino will need people for managers. This will help the economy of the area develop,
allowing the citizens to have a higher standard of living. Another advantage is having many tourists,
especially from foreign countries. This will help foreign currency flow into the city and help the economy
grow stronger. Furthermore, the city will be able to have better roads, electricity, water, and
telecommunications due to the growth.

However, there are disadvantages of having such facilities in ones city. The one that citizens are mostly
concerned about is education. When a casino is built in a city, young adults might be diverted from
schools and further education and will pursue an easier way to earn money.
This will lower education standards in the city. In addition, developing the city will cause environmental
and cultural destruction.

There are many advantages and disadvantages when it comes to building a casino in a city. If my city was
to build one, I would oppose it because I believe that there are many more serious problems with a casino
than benefits. Gambling is not a wise way to earn money. Money should be earned with the hard and
diligent work of citizens, not by gambling.

Topic
- Some people feel that our lives are more comfortable now because of new communication technology
such as cellular phones and e-mails. Others say that they contribute to modern ills like "hurry sickness,"
where everyone feels too rushed. They do not think faster communication has improved our lives.
Has it improved our lives? What are advantages and disadvantages of modern communication
technology?

1. The past ten years have ______________ tremendous ______________ in communications technology.
2. Old cellular phones used to be ______________ , expensive and unreliable.
3. Modern cell phones are ______________, relatively more affordable, and come with extra services and
accessories.
4. The Internet has also greatly ______________ communications.
5. E-mail and instant messaging ______________ people to communicate across great distances quite
conveniently and at little ______________

6. These changes, though, have both advantages and

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7. In the past, telephone calls could only be made over
I
8. If a person was
another
a
9. With cell phones, we can
10. This is very
11. Cell phones also
12. Rather than
friend can get
13. That same communication
14. One can become very
15. It is common to
in their , they had o go to
, business or pay telephone in order to
anywhere there is ervice.
in situations.
it to plan outings with frien ~s.
detailed before , a
on what is happening with a call or text messqige.
also has a downside.
on cell phones.
people who have left their phone at
say that they feel insecure or even vulnerable.
16. Text messaging and instant messaging create pressure to
or else risk
17. This
18. There is
the other person.
to "hurry sickness," the
through everything.
people's lives.
that communications technology has
19. While there are many to cellular phones and the Internet, we need to
them as a society, and be of their
Type A
The past ten years have seen tremendous changes in communications technology. Old cellular
phones used to be bulky, expensive and unreliable. Modern cell phones are small, relatively
more affordable, and come with extra services and accessories. The Internet has also greatly
changed communications. E-mail and instant messaging allow people to communicate across
great distances quite conveniently and at little cost. These changes, though, have both
advantages and disadvantages.
In the past, telephone calls could only be made over landlines. If a person was not in their
home, they had to go to another house, business or pay telephone in order to make a call. With
cell phones, we can make calls anywhere there is service. This is very useful in emergency
situations. Cell phones also make it easier to plan outings with friends. Rather than making
detailed plans before gathering, a friend can get information on what is happening with a call
or text message.
That same communication technology also has a downside. One can become very dependent on
cell phones. It is common to hear people who have left their phone at home say that they feel
insecure or even vulnerable. Text messaging and instant messaging create pressure to respond
right away or else risk offending the other person. This contributes to "hurry sickness," the
feeling that one has to rush through everything.
There is no question that communications technology has changed people's lives. While there
are many benefits to cellular phones and the Internet, we need to examine them as a society,

and be aware of their negative effects as well.

Imagine this situation: the city you live in wants to build a "Las Vegas" style casino in the area.
They think the gambling and the entertainment will bring more tourists and money and, thus,
help the local economy.
What would be the advantages and disadvantages of such a proposal?
There are many business opportunities that help the economy of a city grow strong. Building a casino can
boost the local economy. However, when a casino is considered as a source of cash, it must be carefully
thorough because there are disadvantages as well as advantages that come with gambling.

___________________________________________ is that it will allow many job opportunities for the

locals. The casino will need people for managers. _______________This will help the economy of the
area develop, allowing the citizens to have a higher standard of living.
_______________ _______________is having many tourists, especially from foreign countries.
_______________, this will help foreign currency flow into the city and help the economy grow stronger.
_______________, the city will be able to have better roads, electricity, water, and telecommunications
due to the growth.

_______________ , there are disadvantages of having such facilities in ones city. The one that citizens
are mostly concerned about is education. _______________, when a casino is built in a city, young adults
might be diverted from schools and further education and will pursue an easier way to earn money.
_______________ This will lower education standards in the city. _______________, developing the city
will cause environmental and cultural destruction.

_______________, there are many advantages and disadvantages when it comes to building a casino in a
city. If my city was to build one, I would oppose it because I believe that there are many more serious
problems with a casino than benefits. Gambling is not a wise way to earn money. Money should be earned
with the hard and diligent work of citizens, not by gambling.