For this part of the exam, youll be tested on your ability to present a clear answer to the topics

question, identify critical elements of the subject to support your argument, justify your opinion with
important details, observations, and facts, and tie it back in to the larger topic.Having an opinion is
easy, but justifying it is much more complicated, especially when you need to put that argument
into words that carry the same strength of reason that you understand in your head. You can
take a course on presenting logical arguments , or read up on argument writing in this guide ,
for some detailed explanations of how to do both successfully.Some words and phrases you can
use to connect your arguments to the material and vice versa are:

despite

however

although

especially

because

similarly

supposedly

allegedly

notably

particularly

alternatively

by contrast

rather than

on the other hand

on the contrary

instead of
 in addition to

according to

furthermore

for example

therefore
 IELTS writing 10 tips
Here are 10 of my top IELTS writing tips. They focus on the writing process in the
exam. Much the most important tip is number 1. If you are a band score 8.0
candidate, you may want to check out
1. Read the question answer the question
Rule number 1 is to answer the question: read the question carefully and
underline all the information you need to include. This works differently in the
essay and the report.
In the essay, often you will find background information and the question itself.
Make sure you answer the question
(eg Do you agree?) and do not write generally about the topic. If you copy
another essay you have written on the same topic, you will lose a lot of marks.
In task 1, all the information you need to include is in the chart/graph: make sure
you identify the key points before you start writing.

2. Dont start writing too soon think and plan!

It is important to finish both pieces of writing, but the way to do this is not
necessarily starting to write immediately. If you do that, you may get half way
through the writing and realise you cannot finish it. Only start writing when you
know how you are going to finish.
In the essay this can mean up to 10 minutes and in the task 1 report it can mean
up to 5 minutes. The more you think, the better and more quickly you will write.
2/3 minutes is almost certainly not enough.
3. Write enough words
250 means AT LEAST 250 and 150 means AT LEAST 150.
4. Dont write too many words
The more words you write, you more mistakes you are likely to make. The more
words you write, the less efficient you become and the quality will fall. The ideal
is to aim for between 260 280 words in the essay and 160-180 words in the
report.
5. Dont copy whole sections of the question
If you copy whole sections of the question, the examiner will not include those
words in your word count: 260 words can become 230 words if you are not
careful.
6. Time is your enemy have a plan and a watch
 Timing can be a problem. It is important to keep moving and stick to your timing.
Dont be tempted to spend more than 40 minutes on your essay you need 20
minutes to answer task 1 properly.
7. Task 1 and task 2 which do you answer first?
The essay is worth twice the marks of the report. One idea is to do task 2 (the
essay) before task 1(the report), just to ensure you finish the essay. You do need
to spend at least 20 minutes on part 1 though. Do not try to answer it in 15
minutes.
8. Check your writing
It is important to check your writing for grammatical errors. You need to have a
checklist before you enter the exam of what mistakes you typically make. For a
little more detail on this, try checking this post
9. Think about range of vocabulary
You should also check your writing for unnecessary word repetition you are
graded on the variety of your language. You should note that this does not mean
you need to use long, complex words, rather it means you should use precise
words.
10. Think about the examiner use paragraphs well
The examiner will not spend very long grading your paper. You need to create an
immediate good impression and the best way to do this in my experience is to
present a well-structured piece of writing with clearly laid out paragraphs. This
way the examiner is going to be on your side. If, however, it looks disorganised,
the examiner is not going to be impressed.
If you are looking for more specific advice, this is where I keep all my writing
materials.

1. Intro paragraph. State the topic and your position on it.

2. Body paragraph. State one main idea, and support it with examples.

3. Body paragraph 2. State your second main idea, and support it with examples.

4. Conclusion paragraph. Summarize your main ideas, and tie it back into your position.
 How to structure IELTS essays

This lesson shows you a simple way to structure IELTS essays. Below I show a very
simple method (with a downloadable resource) I use myself and also show my students
in class.

Read and understand the question

One key to it is understand the question and to be clear about what you want to say in
your response. Clear thinking leads to clear writing.As ever, the first step is to read and
understand the question. Here is the question today:

Despite advances in medicine there are concerns that certain diseases such
as diabetes are increasing and some people believe future generations will
face greater problems with health and die younger than we do today.

What is your opinion?

This question asks you to:

1. give your opinion this must be clear in the introduction and the conclusion
2. about whether health will be better in future this means that you need to talk
about the future and now there must be some comparison
3. about whether people will live longer this needs to be mentioned to

All these things must be included.

Think about the examiner make your opinion and structure clear
give your essay a backbone

IELTS essays get marked quickly. You dont want to allow the examiner to make a
mistake. So make life easy for him/her by showing the structure of your essay as clearly
as possible. There are 4 places you do this what I think of as being the spine of the
essay. (your spine is your backbone its what keeps you upright and gives you your
structure).

1. the introduction thats the first thing they read and where you make your first
impression and first impressions count
2. the first sentence of each paragraph (x2) examiners are taught that each
paragraph should have one main idea show them what it is in the first sentence
3. the conclusion thats the last thing they read and the first thing they
remember!

The key is link these things together so that

the introduction matches the conclusion the opinion/point of view is the same:
you just need to change the language
the two body paragraphs link to the opinion/point view in the introduction

To do this try this simple essay structure plan. It may just look like 4 boxes on a blank
piece of paper , but it might save your life!
Think clearly about your opinion/point of view

You want your point of view to be clear. My basic rule is that if you cant say in 2
sentences, its too complex. So part of the planning process may be deleting ideas that
are too complex or that you cant express clearly in English.

See my example

Im going to go for a balanced type essay with an argument that it health and longevity
(living for a long time) will get worse in the West but better in developing nations.
Before I start writing I make sure I can say this simply

I think health will get worse in the west but better in developing countries and this will
affect how long people live.

Build the spine of your essay see my example

All you need to do now is build the spine of the essay: the intro, first sentences and
conclusion. I really do do this using my essay structure plan above. I ended up with this.
Take a look at it. See
Now get the words

This lesson wouldnt be complete if I didnt show you the end-product. Your plan is
only good if it helps you write well. Take a look at my opinions (in red) and the balance
between developing countries (in green) and the industrialised nations (in blue).

Introduction

There is no question that medicine has progressed dramatically over the last century,
but this does not mean that all our medical problems have been solved. Indeed, my
belief is that the average life span in the Western worldmay actually fall in the 21st
century. This is in contrast to the situation in developing countries where I expect health
provision to improve and longevity to increase.

Paragraph 1

The main reason why overall health may become worse inthe industrialised nations of
the West relates to modern lifestyles there.

Paragraph 2

The situation in the developing world is, however, quite different and overall health is
likely to improve.

Conclusion

My conclusion is therefore a mixed one. While it is true that people may face greater
problems with their health in the future, this only applies to industrialised
nations and not to the developing world where life expectancy may increase.
Two ways to write discussion essays for IELTS

This lesson shows you two different discussion essays for IELTS. Part of the idea is to
show you that there is always more than one way to approach an IELTS essay. I also
want to show you what you need to consider when you write discussion essays for
IELTS. This means first looking at some basic ideas about essays and then thinking
about what discuss means.

Two basic principles

When you write discussion essays for IELTS you need to understand 2 basic principles
that apply to all IELTS essays:

your essay must answer the question fully

your essay must be coherent

To get both of these right you need to think clearly about your essay structure before
you start writing.

Identify discuss questions

The question can be asked in different ways the usual format is typically:

Discuss both these points of view and give your opinion

If the question asks you to discuss, you do just that: discuss.

Discuss can mean two things

In fact, the question never ever says write a discussion essay. The reason for this is
that different teachers have different ideas about what a discussion essay is. The idea is
not to write a model discussion essay, rather it is to discuss the topic in the question
something quite different.

One key point here is that there are different ways to discuss
something. Discuss includes both these ideas:

stating what people think (perhaps saying why they believe this this is a more
objective approach)
commenting on what people think (perhaps saying what the pros and cons of their
view is this a more subjectiveapproach)

For me, the better type of discussion essay is one that both states and comments on the
different views if you do this you will discuss better.

Get a logical and clear essay structure

There is absolutely no one structure for a discuss question in IELTS. You simply have to
find a structure that is logical and allows you to answer the question. You will find 3
different examples of how to do this below in my essays. Whichever structure you
choose, you need to decide first:what is my introduction?

how am I going to write two/three clear topic paragraphs?

what is my conclusion?

do all the parts of my essay fit together?

See two different ways how to write a discussion essay

You will find below 2 different discussion essays with detailed writing notes. What you
should see is that:

both essays answer the question: they discuss the issue and give an opinion

one essay keeps the opinion to the end and discusses only objectively

the other establishes the opinion in the introduction and comments on the issues
throughout the essay

Which is better?

I have a very strong preference for the second type of essay particularly if you are
aiming for a high score of 7.0 and above

it is typically more intelligent by adding comments on the points of view you get more
to say and you are able to discuss the views both objectively and subjectively this is
likely to help you give a much more complete answer by discussing the points of view
fully and not merely stating objectively what people think
 it is typically much more coherent your point of view is clear throughout the whole
essay and not just the conclusion

it allows you to avoid some very tired formulaic language

Some people prefer the other structure. Here is why it may help

it is perhaps quicker to learn it often includes more formula language

it allows you to treat the two parts of the question separately: first their views and then
your opinion this can seem simpler especially at lower levels

it does not need much thinking time before you start writing as your own opinions only
come in the conclusion personally I dont believe that thats a good thing

Balanced essay structure for IELTS

This lesson talks you through an approach to writing balanced essays in IELTS. This is
one form of essay you should be prepared to write. It is certainly not the case that you
have to express strong opinions in essays, you simply have to express clear opinions.
One way of doing this is to look at both sides of the argument and consider their merits
in turn this is a balanced essay. The best time to use this approach is when you
yourself can see merit in both sides of the argument it is not the case that this
approach is restricted to Discussion essays: it is quite possible to use it in Argument
essays.

Essay structure and coherence

One key to writing a balanced essay is to make sure that the structure is coherent. This
means that all the parts of the essay should fit together as a whole. The idea is to make
sure that anyone reading the essay understands that it is looking at both sides of the
issue. This should be clear at all stages of the essay. A common problem is that one
part of the essay does not fit into the main structure.To do this, you need to consider:

planning the whole essay before you start writing

linking the different parts of the essay together
writing the essay as part of a process go back and read what have just written
before you write the next bit
concentrating on the intro/topic sentences and the conclusion
 The basic approach

The basic approach is quite simple: in each topic paragraph you consider a
different/opposing point of view. You then summarise your view about which side you
prefer in the conclusion. In an exam essay, it is almost certainly the best advice not to
try and discuss the two points of view at the same time in one paragraph. If you do this
it is quite likely that the argument becomes confused and your main goal is clarity.

In this form of essay, it is conventional to look at the side you disagree with first. This
allows you to find a natural link between your final content paragraph and the
conclusion they should be saying almost the same thing.

Introduction

The goal here is to state clearly that the essay is going to take a balanced position
and/or look at both sides of the issue. This means examiner/reader should understand
from the introduction your position and how essay will be structured. In practice this
means that in the intro you should try to:

identify both sides of the argument

show that there is merit on both sides
identify which side you favour, (the balanced approach) and/or
say you will look at both sides (the more neutral approach)

In the two example below, you should see the difference between these two
approaches.

Neutral approach

In this approach, you merely state that both sides have merit and say you will look at
both sides of the case.

While there are grounds to argue that it would benefit society and young people
themselves if teenagers were made to do unpaid work in the community, it can equally
be argued that this would be an infringement of their rights. In this essay, I shall
examine the merits of both sides of the argument and state my own opinion.

Balanced approach
 This is the approach I generally prefer as you clearly identify your position on one side
of the argument or the other. I believe it is better because it is simply clearer.

There are grounds to argue that it would benefit society and young people themselves
if teenagers were made to do unpaid work in the community.While this is an interesting
proposal and has some merit, my own view is that it would infringe their rights.

Main body

In the main body, there are two ideas to focus on:

1. the paragraphs should balance each other

2. the paragraphs should link back to position in the introduction
Balancing your paragraphs

The key to making sure your paragraphs balance each other is to use your topic/first
sentences reflect each other. The examiner/reader should immediately understand how
the paragraph fits into the structure of the essay. A simple way of doing this is to use
similar introductory language in each paragraph. In the example below, it should be
easy to see (even without the highlighting) how the following paragraphs balance each
other and reflect each others language.

One argument in favour of making teenagers to do voluntary work in the community is

that it would benefit society. It is certainly true that there is a shortage of labour in
many parts of the public sector and if young people worked, then many public services
would improve. For example, it would be quite possible for teenagers to do part-time
jobs in the health such as working as hospital porters. This would have the effect of
ensuring patients got better care and would allow trained professionals to concentrate
on more skilled tasks something that would benefit society as a whole.

A second argument is that teenagers would mature as individuals if they went out to
work, especially if it was in the voluntary sector. Currently, many teenagers have little
sense of social responsibility and spend much of their free time plying basketball or
computer games. If, however, they were given real life tasks to do, they would learn
important life skills such as responsibility, teamwork and leadership. These skills would
almost certainly benefit them in their later careers.
Despite these arguments, there is an equally strong case to be made that it would be
morally wrong to force teenagers to go out to work, particularly if they did not earn a
salary. This can be explained by the fact that in recent years, there has been a global
movement to stop the practice of child labour. The main philosophy behind this
movement is that childhood, including the teenage years, should be a time for
education and growth, not work. It would not just send the wrong message out if
teenagers were made to do voluntary work, there is also the real danger that young
people would be exploited in the workplace.

Linking back to the introduction

A second skill is to make sure that your topic paragraphs refer back to the position in
the introduction. This is because it is important to maintain a constant position
throughout the essay -something that can often go wrong with balanced essays.
Again, a simple to achieve this is to make sure that the language and ideas of the
first\topic sentences is reflected in the introduction.

This means that you should really have a clear idea of your whole essay before you
write the introduction. A second tip is that in the process of writing the content
paragraphs of your essay you should refer back to the introduction to borrow language
and ideas from there. If you look at the examples below, you should see how the first
sentence of each paragraph links clearly back to the introduction.

While there are grounds to argue that it wouldbenefit society and young people
themselves if teenagers were made to do unpaid work in the community, it can equally
be argued that this would be an infringement of their rights. In this essay, I shall
examine the merits of both sides of the argument

One argument in favour of making teenagers to do voluntary work in the community is

that it wouldbenefit society.

A second argument is that teenagers would matureas individuals if they went out to
work, especially if it was in the voluntary sector.

Despite these arguments, there is an equally strong case to be made that it would
be morally wrong to force teenagers to go out to work, particularly if they did not earn a
salary
The conclusion

The same ideas apply to the conclusion: the language and ideas of the intro and the
first/topic sentences should be reflected here too. You may also consider referring back
to some of the details of your argument to emphasise that you are able to support your
case with reasons and examples. Do that and the the essay should be coherent. Again,
it greatly helps if you remember to go back and re-read the essay before you write the
conclusion.

Some people think that teenagers should do unpaid work to help society
because this will help them to be better individuals and also improve the
society as a whole. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this
proposal?

While there are grounds to argue that it would benefit society and young people
themselves if teenagers were made to do unpaid work in the community, it can equally
be argued that this would be an infringement of their rights. In this essay, I shall
examine the merits of both sides of the argument.

One argument in favour of making teenagers to do voluntary work in the community is

that it wouldbenefit society. It is certainly true that there is a shortage of labour in
many parts of the public sector and if young people worked, then many public services
would improve. For example, it would be quite possible for teenagers to do part-time
jobs in the health such as working as hospital porters. This would have the effect of
ensuring patients got better care and would allow trained professionals to concentrate
on more skilled tasks something that would benefit society as a whole.

A second argument is that teenagers would matureas individuals if they went out to
work, especially if it was in the voluntary sector. Currently, many teenagers have little
sense of social responsibility and spend much of their free time plying basketball or
computer games. If, however, they were given real life tasks to do, they would learn
important life skills such as responsibility, teamwork and leadership. These skills would
almost certainly benefit them in their later careers.

Despite these arguments, there is an equally strong case to be made that it would
be morally wrong to force teenagers to go out to work, particularly if they did not earn a
salary. This can be explained by the fact that in recent years, there has been a global
movement to stop the practice of child labour. The main philosophy behind this
movement is thatchildhood, including the teenage years, should be a time for education
and growth, not work. It would not just send the wrong message out if teenagers were
made to do voluntary work, there is also the real danger that young people would be
exploited in the workplace.

In conclusion, I believe that while there are real merits on both sides of the
argument, the moral case againstforcing young people to work slightly outweighs
any benefit to society or to teenagers as individuals. This is reinforced by belief in the
principle that childhood is a time for education and fear of the danger of exploitation.

In IELTS essays you are almost always going to need to write about a problem. To do
this

well, you need to be able to use a variety of words to describe problems. Here are a
few

basic variations.

You should note that you will need not just synonyms for problem but also
variations of

adjectives and verbs.

For more detail on this and an interactive exercise see my Problem Vocabulary page

If you do not understand any of these words, I suggest you use the Macmillan
Online

Dictionary

Synonyms and antonyms

Nouns Usage

problem

difficulty a fairly close synonym to problem:

question this is slightly different to problem: it is something people have

different opinions about

issue this is something people argue about/ similar to question

solution you normally find or come up with a solution

Adjectives

One key here is to avoid words such as big and little and to choose accurate
word

combinations. Here are some adjective-noun combinations

Adjectives Examples

significant A significant problem many countries face is falling birth rates

fundamental This is not a minor issue, rather it is a fundamental problem

real A very real difficulty in many households is rising fuel bills

minor In my view, global warming is only a minor problem

pressing This is a pressing problem that needs to be dealt with urgently

Dominic Coles IELTS Blog

www.dcielts.comAdjectives Examples

serious Of course, global warming is a serious issue that needs to be

addressed

complex This is a complex issue and there are no easy solutions to it.

Verbs

Verbs Examples Usage

address The government needs to

address the problem of

unemployment

similar to deal with and tackle

face How to combine work with

having children is a problem

facing many women

an alternative here would be the more

academic confronting

deal with We need to deal with the

pressing issue of global

warming

a close synonym of tackle: it

includes the idea that the problem is

difficult

tackle It will not be easy to tackle

global warming

a close synonym of deal with

experience Many families are experiencing

difficulties in paying their rising

fuel bills

a more academic way of saying

have

pose Rising fuel bills pose a problem

for many families

a good collocation to use with

problem meaning make

resolve The best way of resolving the

problem of global warming

would be to raise taxes

you can solve a proble

 Planning an IELTS essay the 10 minute solution
How long should you spend planning an IELTS? There is of course no correct answer to
this question, but in this post I am going to make a suggestion that you should consider
spending up to 10 minutes on the planning process. Really? Yes, 10 minutes is not too
long, let me try and explain why.

Timing how long does it take to write 250 words

You may not be convinced by 10 minutes: it seems a long time doesnt it? I have three
main arguments to put to you:
1. Try looking at it this way: the longer you spend planning, the better and the more
quickly you will write. To me, it is a given that you will write better once you have
thought about your ideas and the language you want to use.
2. More than that, if you spend 10 minutes on the plan, that still leaves you 25/30
minutes to write 250-275 words. Do the sums: thats approximately 9/10 words a
minute, or put another way a sentence every 2 minutes. No matter your level, that
should be achievable.
3. Try timing yourself and how you use your 40 minutes. Im next to certain that if
you start writing before 10 minutes is up, you will find that in the writing process you
spend minutes at a time doing little you dont know what to say next or how to
express it. Thats wasted time. If you have read Aesop: the tortoise beats the hare.
What happens if you dont plan enough: overlong essays
Plan more and write less as well as better. Dont spend all your time writing

Just recently I have seen a number of essays that are well over 500 words. Some of
them are model essays from websites and books and some are student produced
essays. 500 words is much much too long: too much time is being spent writing and not
enough time is being spent thinking. No matter who you are, in 40 minutes you are
going to produce better quality English in 300 words than 500 words. One way to do this
is plan more and write less
What happens if you dont plan enough: too short essays
You dont have time to stop and start again. Plans help you to complete your
essay in time

Another point to consider is the exam context: for many candidates one problem is
timing, you only have 40 minutes to write an essay. What you cannot afford to do is the
academic thing and draft and redraft: you have to get it right first time. If you have to
go back and rewrite, thats when you really run into problems with time. Indeed, having
to stop and start again is one leading cause of the failed IELTS essay. What happens is
that the essay ends up only half-finished. How can you avoid this? Planning and
planning correctly.

What to plan? Ideas, reasons and examples

If Ive convinced you to spend more time planning, the next step is to think about how
to use that time well. Its no good spending 10 minutes, if theres no end product. And I
suspect that one reason why candidates dont spend too much time planning is that
when they try it, they dont get any end product. That maybe because they are planning
the wrong thing.

Dont worry too much about ideas. From classroom practice I find that if I ask students
to come up with ideas nothing much happens. Its a difficult process under pressure.
Think about reasons and examples instead. For me, in practice, this is much easier to
do. If I ask my students Why do you agree? or Can you give me an example of that?,
I get an almost immediate response. Try it for yourself, see if it works.

What to plan? Vocabulary

The next point is to ask yourself what slows you down when you are writing. Is it
because you cant find the words? Quite possibly. So to me the answer is fairly clear: try
planning the vocabulary so that you know what words you are going to use before you
start writing so you will write more quickly.

There are another two related points here. The first is that if you plan vocabulary, ideas
follow: once the words are in your head, you know what to say. The other point is that
vocabulary makes up 25% of your mark, so it seems rather misguided not to spend time
thinking about it. For more on this, take a look at
The final point I am going to make is this: everyone is different and no one solution can
fit you all. Accordingly, I suggest that you should try different solutions and see what
works for you personally give my 10 minute plan a go. It can work.
 IELTS healthcare for children essay
This is one of my model essay resource lessons where you can

get notes on how to approach the essay

read a model essay
practise using the essay vocabulary
Quick notes on the essay structure
It is important that you discuss both points of view in your essay even if you decide one
point of view is better than the other. The logical approach is to use one main paragraph
for

why the government might take responsibility

why parents might take responsibility
It is also important that you give your own personal opinion as the question asks you to
do this. I suggest you do this

in the introduction so that the examiner knows what your point of view is
throughout the essay
in the conclusion which should mirror your introduction
I also suggest that you use personal opinion phrases to make it clear that this is what
you think. Do not feel that you can only use impersonal language.
Read the healthcare for children essay
Some people say that parents should decide on what kind of medical care
their children should receive, while others believe that this is the states
responsibility
Discuss both views and give your opinion
Although almost everyone agrees about the necessity to provide children with the best
healthcare, there is some dispute about whether parents or the government should
decide what that care is. My own view is that while governments may adopt a general
policy for childrens medical care, parents should normally have the ultimate say.

There are good grounds for arguing that the state should decide on the form of medical
provision for children. One of these is that typically the state is better able to make
informed decisions because it has access to all the latest medical research. Another is
that occasionally there are epidemics in schools and it is the responsibility of the
government to ensure that illnesses should not be spread unnecessarily. In this case, it
might justifiably order compulsory vaccination.

Equally there is a very strong argument for allowing parents to decide on what care
their children receive. This is because one extremely important principle is that
everyone should have the right to choose what care they receive. For children who are
too young to make their own choice, it is only natural that their parents should make
that decision for them. This is particularly important for families that come from a
culture where certain medical interventions such as blood transfusions are forbidden. In
this case, it seems quite wrong for the government to order something that may go
against religious beliefs.

In conclusion, I do accept that there good reasons for the state to outline what care
children should receive, but parents should be able to have the last word particularly
when religious principles are at stake.

a very strong argument adopt a general policy almost everyone agrees are at stake
grounds for arguing I do accept that there In this case it seems quite wrong for My
own view is that one extremely important principle responsibility of the government
Read the IELTS recycling essay

Almost everyone agrees that we should be training children to recycle waste

to save the Earths natural resources. Some believe that it is parents who
should teach their children to recycle waste. Others argue that school is the
best place to teach do this. Discuss both views and give your own opinion

Most people would agree that young people need to be taught about the importance of
recycling waste products and packaging. There is a difference of opinion, however,
whether this should happen at home or in schools. In this essay, I will examine both
points of view and then state my opinion.

The argument in favour of teaching children at school about recycling is largely based
around the idea that schools and other educational establishments are the best
environment for training children. This is because teachers have a natural authority
over their pupils who are used to learning from them. Additionally, the need for
recycling could easily be included in biology and geography classess.

There are two main reasons why people think parents taking responsibility for this
training could be more effective. The first is that the majority of recycling takes place in
the home and parents can therefore more easily control the recycling habits of their
children. If, for example, parents see their child put a recyclable bottle in the wrong bin,
they can explain that it needs to go in another bin. The other very practical point is that
often children spend more time at home than at school and so parents may have more
effect.

My own view is that the best solution is for children to learn about recycling both at
home and at school. In this way, they would learn about both the theory and the
practice
Read the IELTS advertising essay

Consumers are faced with increasing numbers of advertisements from

competing companies. To what extent do you think are consumers influenced
by advertisements? What measures can be taken to protect them?

In todays material world, we are inundated with various forms of advertising. In my

view, this can be dangerous as it encourages us to spend without thinking and young
people, in particular, need some protection from it.

The first point to make is that advertising does make us spend money we do not need
to. There are nowadays so many different ways companies promote their products and
services, ranging from television commercials to simple flyers that we cannot escape it.
If, for example, you watch a football match on television, you will see the logos of the
tournament sponsors. Likewise, if you watch the latest blockbuster movie, very
probably you will see a product placed in the film by some advertising agency. The
volume of this advertising means that we, as consumers, tend to be profoundly
influenced by it and buy without thinking.

It is not easy to decide how to regulate advertising. Clearly, governments ought to

restrict advertisements for harmful products such as alcohol and tobacco. They do not
have the power, however, to control other forms of advertising. This means we need to
use our common sense when we go to the shops, and ask ourselves whether we really
need to make that purchase. Parents should, however, ensure that young people are
protected from too much exposure to advertising. This can mean simply explaining that
it is not in fact necessary to buy the newest Xbox, or simply turning the television off.

My conclusion is that while we cannot escape advertising or its effects in the modern
world, children should be encouraged not to pay too much attention to it.
Read the international sporting events essay

Many people want their country to host an international sporting event.

Others believe that international sporting events bring more problems than
benefits. Discuss both views and state your opinion.

There is frequently great competition to host international sporting events. Not

everyone, however, believes that the price involved in hosting such events is
worthwhile. For me, this is an understandable point of view and perhaps not every
country should try and stage international sporting events.

The major argument against hosting international sporting events is financial. Typically,
it can cost several million pounds to build the arenas and modernise the infrastructure
so that it can cater for the athletes and the spectators. This money, it is argued, would
be better spent on welfare and education programmes that provide direct support for
the population. Indeed, some governments have incurred so much debt through
hosting the Olympic Games that they have had to reduce spending on other social
programmes.

While there is some merit in that argument, hosting sporting events does also bring
significant benefits. First among these is the honour and prestige it brings to the host
country because that country will be the centre of the sporting world for the duration of
the event. For many people this is beyond any price. More than that, if the authorities
plan carefully, they can use the occasion of the sporting event to help finance public
works that benefit the whole population in the long term. For example, the village for
the athletes can be transformed into public housing and the various stadia can be used
to build a sporting legacy for future generations.

My own view is that it is an honour for a country to host a major sporting event.
However, if a government wishes to bid for an international event to be staged in its
country, it should ensure it has sufficient funds to maintain spending on other projects.
Read the international sporting events essay

Many people want their country to host an international sporting event.

Others believe that international sporting events bring more problems than
benefits. Discuss both views and state your opinion.

There is frequently great competition to host international sporting events. Not

everyone, however, believes that the price involved in hosting such events is
worthwhile. For me, this is an understandable point of view and perhaps not every
country should try and stage international sporting events.

The major argument against hosting international sporting events is financial. Typically,
it can cost several million pounds to build the arenas and modernise the infrastructure
so that it can cater for the athletes and the spectators. This money, it is argued, would
be better spent on welfare and education programmes that provide direct support for
the population. Indeed, some governments have incurred so much debt through
hosting the Olympic Games that they have had to reduce spending on other social
programmes.

While there is some merit in that argument, hosting sporting events does also bring
significant benefits. First among these is the honour and prestige it brings to the host
country because that country will be the centre of the sporting world for the duration of
the event. For many people this is beyond any price. More than that, if the authorities
plan carefully, they can use the occasion of the sporting event to help finance public
works that benefit the whole population in the long term. For example, the village for
the athletes can be transformed into public housing and the various stadia can be used
to build a sporting legacy for future generations.

My own view is that it is an honour for a country to host a major sporting event.
However, if a government wishes to bid for an international event to be staged in its
country, it should ensure it has sufficient funds to maintain spending on other projects.
Read the IELTS computer technology essay

We are becoming increasingly dependent on computer technology. It is used

in business, crime detection and even to fly planes. What will it be used for in
future? Is this dependence on technology a good thing or should we be
suspicious of its benefits?

As we move into the twenty-first century, it is clear to see that we have become more
and more dependent on computers and information technology. This technology now
reaches into almost every area of our lives and it is easy to predict that this
phenomenon is only going to grow. My personal belief is that this presents a variety of
dangers.

It is highly likely that in the future there will be comparatively few aspects of our lives
that will not be influenced by computer technology. The probability is that it
will control more and more forms of communication, transforming fields such as
education and business when video-conferencing platforms become more stable. It
might even affect romance with more people forming relationships online.

While there may be benefits to this technological revolution, there are also a number of
potential dangers. Perhaps the most serious of these would be that if people rely on
computers too much for communication, they could in fact begin to communicate less
well. For example, if every member of a family had their own computer screen and
smart phone, they might speak less and less often to one another and simply look at a
screen. This would be serious because our ability to communicate is an essential part of
our humanity.

My conclusion is that the growth of computer technology is inevitable, but that this may
not be entirely positive. Just one area in which it is possible to foresee dangers is
communication, and if we are going to ensure that computers do not become a
negative influence, we need to think carefully how we use them.
The youth crime essay

In recent years, there has been a considerable rise in crimes committed by

young people in cities.

What has caused this? What solutions can you suggest?

The rise of crime among young people is an urgent problem in many cities that needs to
be addressed. However, in order to find a solution, it is first of all necessary to
understand what has led to this happening. In this essay, I first of all examine
the reasons for the rise in youth crime, then I suggest how this problem may be
resolved.

Perhaps the principal cause of this rise in youth crime is the increased use of drugs and
alcohol among young people. Many cities suffer from the phenomenon of binge drinking
by teenagers who lose control under the influence of alcohol and commit crimes. For
instance, it is a common sight on the streets of Britain to see fights breaking out outside
pubs and clubs. Similarly, there is a clear connection between drug abuse among the
young and crime. It is still unfortunately the case that young people frequently see
drugs as cool and become addicted. It is a common occurrence for these addicts to
resort to petty theft in order to pay for their habit.

There are a variety of potential ways of combatting this problem. One possibility that is
sometimes suggested is a much stricter system of penalties and punishments to deter
young people from a life of crime. That might work, but it would also be sensible
to improve the system of education so that young people were better informed about
the dangers of drugs and alcohol. This should have the effect of dealing with the
issues that cause youth crime in the first place.

In conclusion, alcohol and drug abuse are among the primary reasons for the rise in
young offenders and if the authorities wish to tackle youth crime, one approach would
be to educate the young more effectively.
Read the IELTS globalisation essay

Differences between countries become less evident each year. Nowadays, all
over the world people share the same fashions, advertising, brands, eating
habits and TV channels. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of
this?

It is undoubtedly the case that the world today has become a global village. One of the
effects of this is that increasingly people in all corners of the world are exposed to
similar services and products and adopt similar habits. My view is that this is largely a
beneficial process and in this essay I will explain why.

The first point to make is that there are some downsides to this process of cultural
globalisation, but these are relatively minor. The most significant of these
disadvantages is that it can weaken national culture and traditions. For example, if
people watch films and television programmes produced in the United States,
sometimes they adopt aspects of the lifestyle of the American characters they see on
television. Typically, however, this only affects minor details such as clothing and does
not seriously threaten national identity.

When we turn to the other side of the argument, there are two major points to make in
favour of this process. The first of these is that the more we share habits, products and
services, the better we understand each other and this reduces prejudice against other
nations. The other point relates to modernity. It is a sign of progress in a society that
people no longer are restricted to brands and advertisements from their own society but
are able to access more international goods. If, for example, there were unable to drink
Coca Cola or wear Nike, then that would mean their society was not part of the
international community.

In conclusion, I understand the point of view of people who worry about cultural
globalisation because it is a threat to national traditions. However, this is outweighed by
its positive impact on international understanding and the fact that it represents
progress within a society.
Read the IELTS traffic essay

In cities and towns all over the world the high volume of traffic is a problem.
What are the causes of this and what actions can be taken to solve this
problem?

It is undoubtedly the case that urban areas around the world increasingly suffer
from congestion. In this essay, I examine the reasons for this trend and suggest
some practical policies the authorities could implement to reduce the level of traffic in
our cities.

The first step is to understand why traffic has increased in towns and cities. Broadly
speaking, there are three main reasons for this. One is that cars have become more
affordable for the average consumer and they are no longer a luxury item, but
something that most families expect to own. A second reason is that public
transport has become increasingly unreliable in recent years, not least because
many bus and train services have been reduced because of the difficulty
in funding them. The third reason is that society has in general become more mobile
and this means more people are prepared to commute to work by car than they were
before.

There is almost certainly no one solution to this problem given the complexity of
its causes. However, one option has to be to improve the reliability of public transport to
encourage people to take the bus or the train rather than get in the car. It would also be
possible to discourage people from driving to work by introducing special tariffs
for using the roads, especially during peak periods. A successful example of this is
the congestion charge scheme in London which has certainly reduced the level of
trafficin inner-city areas.

In conclusion, there are a variety of different factors that have led to rising levels of
traffic in urban areas. While it may not be possible to find a complete solution,
any action should probably involve encouraging greater use of public transport and
making it more expensive for the motorist to drive in urban areas.
Read the IELTS factory farms essay

In recent years, farming practice has changed to include methods such as

factory farming and the use of technology to improve crops. Some people
believe these developments are necessary, while others regard them as
dangerous and advocate a return to more traditional farming methods.
Discuss both points of view and give your own opinion.

There is some controversy about how farming has been revolutionised in the past
decades. While it is possible to claim that the net effect of these changes has been for
the benefit of mankind, my view is that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. In
this essay, I shall explain my point of view by analysing both sides of the argument.

There are several reasons why these innovations in agriculture can be said to positive.
One is that the worlds population has exploded within the past century and that
traditional methods of agriculture could not provide sufficient food for everyone. It can
also be argued that we need more efficient methods of farming because many
countries in Asia and Africa suffer regular famine and droughts and the people would
starve if it was not for genetically modified crops that are drought resistant. It should
also not be forgotten that the quality of life of farmers has been improved by these
advances which are less labour intensive.

Those who argue for a return to smaller scale and more organic farming base their
arguments on the impact of agriculture on health and the environment. Firstly, it is
claimed that a variety of diseases such as BSE, swine flu and bird flu were caused by
conditions in factory farms and that organic food is much healthier. Then, there are
concerns about the lack of research into how genetically modified crops might affect
the ecosystem for the worse.

While there are strong arguments on both sides of the case, my personal belief is that
the long-term dangers of these developments mean that we should be extremely
cautious. I suggest that there should be more investment in traditional farming methods
to make them more efficient and that there should be stronger legislation to ensure
that both factory farms and GM crops are safe.
Read the IELTS refugees essay

One of the major problems facing the world today is the growing number of
refugees. The developed nations in the world should tackle this problem by
taking in more refugees. To what extent do you agree with this opinion?

There is little doubt that the issue of refugees is a global problem. While it most
immediately affects developing nations, there is a strong argument that industrialised
countries should help by allowing higher levels of immigration. This is certainly not an
easy issue though, because historically immigration has caused as many problems as it
solves.

The principal reason why developed nations should help is that we now live in a global
village and it is no longer possible to ignore what happens on the other side of the
world. This is partly a moral issue and partly because it is in the economic self-interest
of industrialised nations to ensure that developing nations continue to progress. A
practical way of achieving this would be to accept more immigration, particularly when
it is caused by natural disasters or civil war.

I would argue, however, that this is not an open and shut case, as there is a negative
side to mass immigration. The multi-cultural experiments in Europe have not always
succeeded and immigrants have often suffered badly from racism and other prejudices.
On a practical level, refugees are sometimes better off receiving aid in their native land
than begging on the streets in a country where they cannot speak the language. Many
so-called economic migrants end up returning to the country of their birth.

My personal conclusion is that developed nations should agree to take in more refugees,
but only in restricted numbers and in extreme cases. I also believe that there needs to
be a global effort to provide aid to solve the problems that cause emigration. Prevention
is as they say better than cure.
Read the IELTS arts and sciences essay

There is no doubt that the quality of our lives in the 21st century has been greatly
improved by various scientific and technological advances. Despite this, the arts and
humanities too still have much to teach us about ourselves and life in general.

One area in which we can learn from the arts is that concepts such as beauty matter in
and of themselves. In the world of science and technology, the only true measure is
whether something works or not. This is a limited view of the world and the arts differ in
that they offer us an alternative and more spiritual outlook. For example, if we listen to
Mozart we can learn about harmony and joy through the medium of music or if even we
read an author like PG Wodehouse we learn about the value of humour. These essential
aspects of life are absent from the clinical world of science and technology.

The other way in which artists can teach us more about life is that enjoying art
encourages the habit of self-reflection. If you walk into an art gallery, attend a concert
or even just stay in to read a book, you will almost certainly begin to think about your
inner values. For me, this is a invaluable lesson in life as if we begin to reflect about
ourselves, we begin not just to become more human, but also consider the lives of
others too.

So while science and technology may have made our physical lives more comfortable in
the 21st century. It remains true that the arts and humanities are still absolutely
necessary for ordinary people as they promote a more spiritual and reflective view of
life that is essential to our humanity.
Read the IELTS newspaper and books essay

Newspapers and books are outdated. Why do some people believe this? What is
your opinion?

As we move into the twenty- first century an increasing number of people are relying on
new forms of technology. A possible consequence of this is that traditional media such
as books and newspapers are not just less popular but are considered by some to be
outdated. Personally, I disagree with this point of view.

The principal reason why some people take this view is fairly clear in the case of
newspapers. It is generally much easier and quicker to discover what is happening in
the world from the internet or the television than from a newspaper. If you use Google
or another search engine or simply switch on the television, you can instantly get the
latest news bulletin. A newspaper, by contrast, is out of date the moment it is published
because it contains yesterdays news.

It is perhaps less obvious why books are said to be out of fashion. One possibility is that
fewer people choose to read for pleasure nowadays because they prefer the instant
gratification and thrills of modern technology. There is less effort involved in enjoying a
3D movie or playing a computer game than in turning the pages of a book.

My own view and conclusion is that books and newspapers will never go completely out
of fashion or become redundant. The reason for this is that they serve basic human
needs. I believe that people will always want to read about the news and escape into
the imaginary worlds of great novels. However, books and newspapers may need to
change to meet the new demands of twenty-first century consumers. We can already
see this happening with the arrival of the audio-book and the various free newspaper
internet sites. (292 words)
Read the IELTS fuel and the environment essay

The best way to solve the worlds environmental problems is to increase the
cost of fuel. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Most people would accept that one of the highest priorities today is to find a solution to
the various environmental problems facing mankind. It has been suggested that best
way to achieve this is for governments to raise the price of fuel. I am, however, not sure
that this is necessarily the case.

One reason why this approach may not work is that there is not just one environmental
problem the world faces today. If governments did make fuel more expensive, it might
well help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide we produce and so slow down the rate of
global warming and air pollution. However, it would not help with other major problems
such as intensive farming, overpopulation, the hole in the ozone layer or water
pollution. For these problems we need to find other solutions.

A second reason why this policy may not be the most appropriate is that it places the
emphasis on governmental policy and not individual responsibility. Ultimately, most
environmental problems are the result of the way we as individuals live our lives. If we
wish to find a long-term and lasting solution to them, we need to learn to live in a way
that it is greener or kinder to the environment. What governments need to do to make
this happen is to ensure there is a global programme to educate people of all ages
about the environmental consequences to their actions.

In summary, I believe that increasing the level of taxation on fuel is at best a short-term
solution to only one environmental problem. If we wish to provide a home for our
childrens children, education is likely to be the key to making this happen. (283 words)
Read the IELTS salaries essay

In many countries people working in sport and entertainment earn much more
money than professionals like doctors, nurses and teachers. Why do you think
this happens in some societies and do you consider it is good or bad?

It is undoubtedly true that there is often a major imbalance between the salaries of the
professional classes and celebrities from the worlds of sport and entertainment. At first
sight, this seems unjust, but on closer analysis it is easy to understand why it happens
and see that it is almost inevitable.

It does often seem wrong that certain people should earn so much money when their
only talent is to entertain. While giving pleasure is important, people in the medical and
educational professions have far more important roles in society. For example, a
surgeon can save your life in the operating theatre and a teacher can prepare you for
your career. Indeed, because both doctors and teachers are so vital to any society, it
would seem only right that they receive the largest financial rewards.

When, however, we look to see who earns the most, we discover that it is typically
sports and entertainment personalities. There are a variety of reasons why this should
be. Firstly, we live in the age of mass media: these people earn so much because they
are national or even global stars and get rewarded through endorsements and other
sources of income. Secondly, these stars are unique in a way doctors and teachers are
not, often they can do what no one else can. Finally, sometimes these stars may have
short careers in comparison with other professions. For instance, while doctors can work
until they are 65, footballers normally retire in their early 30s.

I personally believe that in the ideal world someones income would relate to their value
to society. However, in the modern world, it is almost unavoidable the famous will have
the highest incomes because of their media exposure.