More and more people are migrating to cities in search of a better life, but city life can be

extremely difficult. Explain some of the difficulties of living in a city. How can governments
make urban life better for everyone?

Essay structure and ideas:

1. Introduction: introduce the topic, then give a general answer

2. Difficulties: cost of living, unemployment, stress, traffic congestion, pollution
3. Solutions: social housing, reduce migration by improving small towns and the rural
economy, improve public transport, fewer cars
4. Conclusion: repeat / summarise

Cities are often seen as places of opportunity, but there are also some major drawbacks of living
in a large metropolis. In my opinion, governments could do much more to improve city life for
the average inhabitant.

The main problem for anyone who hopes to migrate to a large city is that the cost of living is
likely to be/usually much higher than it is in a small town or village. Inhabitants of cities have
to pay higher prices for housing, transport, and even food. Another issue is that urban areas tend
to suffer from social problems such as high crime and poverty rates in comparison with rural
areas. Furthermore, the air quality in cities is often poor, due to pollution from traffic, and the
streets and public transport systems are usually overcrowded. As a result, city life can be
unhealthy and stressful.

However, there are various steps that governments could take to tackle these problems. Firstly,
they could invest money in the building of affordable or social housing to reduce the cost of
living. Secondly, politicians have the power to ban vehicles from city centres and promote the
use of cleaner public transport, which would help to reduce both air pollution and traffic
congestion. In London, for example, the introduction of a congestion charge for drivers has
helped to curb the traffic problem. A third option would be to develop provincial towns and rural
areas, by moving industry and jobs to those regions, in order to reduce the pressure on major
cities.

In conclusion, governments could certainly implement a range of measures to enhance the

quality of life for all city residents.

IELTS Writing Task 2: disagree but give both sides

In last week's lesson I explained that we sometimes need to 'disagree' if we want to write a
balanced answer. I'll demonstrate how this works below.

Question:
Although more and more people read news on the Internet, newspapers will remain the most
important source of news. Do you agree or disagree?
My introduction:
The Internet is beginning to rival newspapers as the best place to find information about what is
happening in the world. I believe that this trend will continue, and the Internet will soon be just
as important as the traditional press.

My conclusion:
In conclusion, I disagree with the view that newspapers will continue to be the main source of
news, because I believe that the Internet will soon be equally important.

Note:
Remember that I'm disagreeing with the word "most". By arguing that the Internet will become
equally important, I can write about both newspapers and the Internet as sources of news

Although more and more people read news on the Internet, newspapers will remain the most
important source of news. Do you agree or disagree?

Be careful with this type of question. Here's why: of the word "most", I don't think we can
'partly agree'. Either we believe that newspapers will remain the most popular source of
information (agree), or we believe that they won't (disagree). This probably explains why the
question doesn't say "to what extent do you agree or disagree?".

However, there is a way to write a balanced answer: we need to disagree. We can say that we
disagree that newspapers will remain the most important source of news, because we believe that
the Internet will become equally important. This answer allows us to write one main paragraph
about each source of news.

Task:
Try writing a 'disagree' introduction in the way that I've suggested above.

Countries are becoming more and more similar because people are able to buy the same
products anywhere in the world. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

One problem that I often see with this kind of question is that students / candidates fail to
mention even one real example in their essays. Surely we should mention at least one product
for this topic, but many people don't; they simply write in general about global brands.

Task:
Fill the gaps below with three real examples.

It is easier than ever for travellers to go abroad and find recognisable products by the brands that
they use at home. For example, shops like _____, _____ and _____ can be found on the high
streets of most major cities, and tourists are guaranteed the same quality and standard of product
wherever they are.
In some countries, many more people are choosing to live alone nowadays than in the past. Do
you think this is a positive or negative development?

In recent years it has become far more normal for people to live alone, particularly in large cities
in the developed world. In my opinion, this trend could have both positive and negative
consequences in equal measure.

The rise in one-person households can be seen as positive for both personal and broader
economic reasons. On an individual level, people who choose to live alone may become more
independent and self-reliant than those who live with family members. A young adult who lives
alone, for example, will need to learn to cook, clean, pay bills and manage his or her budget, all
of which are valuable life skills; an increase in the number of such individuals can certainly be
seen as a positive development. From an economic perspective, the trend towards living alone
will result in greater demand for housing. This is likely to benefit the construction industry,
estate agents and a whole host of other companies that rely on homeowners to buy their products
or services.

However, the personal and economic arguments given above can be considered from the
opposite angle. Firstly, rather than the positive feeling of increased independence, people who
live alone may experience feelings of loneliness, isolation and worry. They miss out on the
emotional support and daily conversation that family or flatmates can provide, and they must
bear the weight of all household bills and responsibilities; in this sense, perhaps the trend
towards living alone is a negative one. Secondly, from the financial point of view, a rise in
demand for housing is likely to push up property prices and rents. While this may benefit some
businesses, the general population, including those who live alone, will be faced with rising
living costs.

In conclusion, the increase in one-person households will have both beneficial and detrimental
effects on individuals and on the economy.

(band 9)

A good way to organise your ideas is by thinking about the topic from different perspectives or
points of view. Click here to see another lesson about this.

I used the 'perspectives' technique to write a paragraph about the positives of more people living
alone (see last week's lesson).

Here's my paragraph with the perspectives highlighted:

The rise in one-person households can be seen as positive for both personal and broader
economic reasons. On an individual level, people who choose to live alone may become more
independent and self-reliant than those who live with family members. A young adult who lives
alone, for example, will need to learn to cook, clean, pay bills and manage his or her budget, all
of which are valuable life skills. From an economic perspective, the trend towards living alone
will result in greater demand for housing. This is likely to benefit the construction industry,
Do the benefits of tourism outweigh the drawbacks?

Here are some ideas. I've organised the vocabulary according to different perspectives (different
ways of looking at this issue).

Positives of tourism:

1. Personal perspective: Tourism is a popular leisure activity. Tourists can relax, have fun,
'recharge their batteries', experience different customs and cultures (sight-seeing,
sunbathing, visiting monuments, tasting new cuisine). Travel opens our minds. It can
broaden our horizons.
2. Economic perspective: The tourism industry is vital for some countries. People rely on
tourism for their income. Tourism attracts investment from governments and companies.
It creates employment due to demand for goods and services (hotels, entertainment etc.).
It helps to improve the standard of living.

Negatives of tourism:

1. Environmental perspective: Tourism can have a negative impact on the environment.

Excessive building (roads, hotels etc.) destroys natural habitats and spoils the landscape.
Tourism creates pollution and waste. It puts pressure on local resources such as food,
water and energy.
2. Economic perspective: Tourism may cause a rise in the cost of living. Prices of goods
and services go up. Tourists buy second homes. All of this affects local people.
3. Cultural perspective: Local traditions may be lost. Traditional jobs and skills die out
(e.g. farming, fishing). Local people are forced to work in the tourist industry.

Thinking about topics from different perspectives can help you to generate better ideas. This
technique isn't perfect for every topic, but it can be really useful

IELTS Writing Task 2: conditional for imagining

When discussing different views, giving your opinion or suggesting solutions to a problem, you
might want to say what would or wouldn't happen in a certain situation. In other words, you are
imagining something, and you'll need to write a conditional sentence.

Use the 2nd conditional for imagining: If + past + would

Example: If I had enough money, I would go on holiday.

Here's an example from the essay that I wrote last week:

It may be that employers begin to value creative thinking skills above practical or technical
skills. If this were the case, perhaps we would need more students of art, history and philosophy
than of science or technology.
Quick exercise - write sentences to imagine the following situations:

1. Imagine a ban on advertising.

2. Imagine a tax on unhealthy junk food.
3. Imagine schools with no teachers (computers doing the teaching).

Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like. Others believe
that they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as
those related to science and technology.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion

People have different views about how much choice students should have with regard to what
they can study at university. While some argue that it would be better for students to be forced
into certain key subject areas, I believe that everyone should be able to study the course of their
choice.

There are various reasons why people believe that universities should only offer subjects that
will be useful in the future. They may assert that university courses like medicine, engineering
and information technology are more likely to be beneficial than certain art degrees. From a
personal perspective, it can be argued that these courses provide more job opportunities, career
progression, better salaries, and therefore an improved quality of life for students who take them.
On the societal level, by forcing people to choose particular university subjects, governments can
ensure that any knowledge and skill gaps in the economy are covered. Finally, a focus on
technology in higher education could lead to new inventions, economic growth, and greater
future prosperity.

In spite of these arguments, I believe that university students should be free to choose their
preferred areas of study. In my opinion, society will benefit more if our students are passionate
about what they are learning. Besides, nobody can really predict which areas of knowledge will
be most useful to society in the future, and it may be that employers begin to value creative
thinking skills above practical or technical skills. If this were the case, perhaps we would need
more students of art, history and philosophy than of science or technology.

In conclusion, although it might seem sensible for universities to focus only on the most useful
subjects, I personally prefer the current system in which people have the right to study whatever
they like.

And here's my plan for the second view (one paragraph only):

1. Topic sentence - only study useful subjects, various reasons

2. Give examples of subjects that are more useful than others
3. Personal reasons - job opportunities, career progression, high salary
4. Societal reasons - cover gaps in knowledge / skills in the economy
5. Future reason - new inventions lead to growth and future prosperity
Now here's the paragraph that I wrote with my students, using this plan:

(1) There are various reasons why people may believe that universities should only offer subjects
that will be useful in the future. (2) It is true that university courses like medicine, engineering
and information technology are more likely to be beneficial than certain art degrees. (3) From a
personal perspective, these courses can provide more job opportunities, career progression, better
salaries, and therefore an improved quality of life for students who take them. (4) On the societal
level, by forcing people to choose the most useful university subjects, governments can ensure
that any knowledge and skill gaps in the economy are covered. (5) Finally, a focus on technology
in higher education could lead to new inventions, economic growth, and greater future
prosperity.

Note:
To write this 'band 9' paragraph, we simply turned the 5 points in the plan into 5 full sentences.

IELTS Writing Task 2: better linking

Most students learn simple linking words (firstly, secondly, furthermore etc.). But did you know
that there are other, more sophisticated ways to link your ideas? Here are some of them:

Use this or these to refer to the idea in the previous sentence.

Use pronouns like it and they to refer to nouns you have already used.
Repeat a key word throughout the paragraph.
Repeat a key idea in different ways.
Develop an idea from 'general' to 'specific'.Y

Better linking

Linking isnt just about using words like firstly, furthermore and moreover. There are more
sophisticated ways to hold a paragraph together. Heres a good example: Some art projects
definitely require help from the state
. In the UK, there are many works of art in public spaces, such as streets or squares in city
centres . In Liverpool, for example, there are several new statues and sculptures in the docks area
of the city, which
has been redeveloped recently. These art works represent culture, heritage and history. They
serve to educate people about the city, and act as landmarks or talking points for visitors and
tourists. Governments and local councils should pay creative art ists to produce this kind of art,
because without their funding our cities would be much less interesting and attractive.

these, this = refer back to a previous idea

which, they= pronouns refer back to a noun or noun phrase (e.g. they = artworks)
art= key word repeated because it is the main theme of the paragraph
art projects= key idea that is repeated in different ways, showing variety of vocabulary
the state, the UK= general to specific: general idea which is developed in greater detail
Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later, and it is often argued that
these are the best people to talk to teenagers about the dangers of committing a crime.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is true that ex-prisoners can become normal, productive members of society. I completely
agree with the idea that allowing such people to speak to teenagers about their experiences is the
best way to discourage them from breaking the law.

In my opinion, teenagers are more likely to accept advice from someone who can speak from
experience. Reformed offenders can tell young people about how they became involved in crime,
the dangers of a criminal lifestyle, and what life in prison is really like. They can also dispel any
ideas that teenagers may have about criminals leading glamorous lives. While adolescents are
often indifferent to the guidance given by older people, I imagine that most of them would be
extremely keen to hear the stories of an ex-offender. The vivid and perhaps shocking nature of
these stories is likely to have a powerful impact.

The alternatives to using reformed criminals to educate teenagers about crime would be much
less effective. One option would be for police officers to visit schools and talk to young people.
This could be useful in terms of informing teens about what happens to lawbreakers when they
are caught, but young people are often reluctant to take advice from figures of authority. A
second option would be for school teachers to speak to their students about crime, but I doubt
that students would see teachers as credible sources of information about this topic. Finally,
educational films might be informative, but there would be no opportunity for young people to
interact and ask questions.

In conclusion, I fully support the view that people who have turned their lives around after
serving a prison sentence could help to deter teenagers from committing crimes.

IELTS Writing Task 2: focus on 'real content'

Whenever people ask me for one quick tip for writing task 2, I tell them to focus on 'real content'
rather than grammar, linking or structure.

I'm not saying that grammar, linking and structure aren't important, but the big difference
between people who get less than band 7 and people who get band 7 or higher is content.

'Real content' means ideas that are related to the question topic. And it means that a range of
good vocabulary has been used to express those ideas.

Here are the 'real content' ideas from the essay I wrote last week:

productive members of society

discourage them from breaking the law
accept advice from someone who can speak from experience
reformed offenders
dispel any ideas
 leading glamorous lives
adolescents are often indifferent to the guidance given by...
the vivid and perhaps shocking nature of these stories
have a powerful impact
informing teens about what happens to lawbreakers
reluctant to take advice from figures of authority
credible sources of information
opportunity for young people to interact
turned their lives around
serving a prison sentence
deter teenagers from committing crimes

Hopefully it's clear that this vocabulary is more impressive than linking words like 'moreover'!

Introduction
It is true that ex-prisoners can become normal, productive members of society. I completely
agree with the idea that allowing such people to speak to teenagers about their experiences is the
best way to discourage young people from breaking the law.

Conclusion
In conclusion, I fully support the view that people who have turned their lives around after
serving a prison sentence could be used to deter teenagers from committing crimes.

Examples of paraphrasing:

I completely agree with the idea that = I fully support the view that
become normal members of society = turned their lives around
ex-prisoners = after serving a prison sentence
discourage young people = deter teenagers
breaking the law = committing crimes

The older generations tend to have very traditional ideas about how people should live, think
and behave. However, some people believe that these ideas are not helpful in preparing
younger generations for modern life.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view?

Plan for a paragraph about traditional ideas which are still useful:

Work - work hard, do your best, take pride in your work

Behaviour - politeness, good manners, respect for others
Community - help others, be a good neighbour, look after local area

Full paragraph using the ideas above (topic sentence and 3 points):

In my opinion, some traditional views and values are certainly applicable to the modern world.
For example, older generations attached great importance to working hard, doing ones best, and
taking pride in ones work, and these behaviours can surely benefit young people as they enter
todays competitive job market. Other characteristics that are perhaps seen as traditional are
politeness and good manners. In our globalised world, young adults can expect to come into
contact with people from a huge variety of backgrounds, and it is more important than ever to
treat others with respect. Finally, I believe that young people would lead happier lives if they had
a more old-fashioned sense of community and neighbourliness.

4-paragraph plan:

1. Introduce the topic of 'traditional ideas and modern life', then partly agree: some ideas
are outdated, but others are still helpful
2. Paragraph about ideas which are not so helpful nowadays:
Work - having a career for life is no longer normal
Relationships - 'rules' about who and when to marry are changing
Gender roles - traditional fixed roles of men and women have changed
3. Paragraph about traditional ideas which we shouldn't forget:
Work - work hard, do your best, take pride in your work
Behaviour - politeness, good manners, respect for others
Community - help others, be a good neighbour, look after local area

Conclusion: repeat / summarise the answerIt is true that many older people believe in traditional
values that often seem incompatible with the needs of younger people. While I agree that some
traditional ideas are outdated, I believe that others are still useful and should not be forgotten.

On the one hand, many of the ideas that elderly people have about life are becoming less relevant
for younger people. In the past, for example, people were advised to learn a profession and find a
secure job for life, but todays workers expect much more variety and diversity from their
careers. At the same time, the rules around relationships are being eroded as young adults make
their own choices about who and when to marry. But perhaps the greatest disparity between the
generations can be seen in their attitudes towards gender roles. The traditional roles of men and
women, as breadwinners and housewives, are no longer accepted as necessary or appropriate by
most younger people.

On the other hand, some traditional views and values are certainly applicable to the modern
world. For example, older generations attach great importance to working hard, doing ones best,
and taking pride in ones work, and these behaviours can surely benefit young people as they
enter todays competitive job market. Other characteristics that are perhaps seen as traditional are
politeness and good manners. In our globalised world, young adults can expect to come into
contact with people from a huge variety of backgrounds, and it is more important than ever to
treat others with respect. Finally, I believe that young people would lead happier lives if they had
a more old-fashioned sense of community and neighbourliness.

In conclusion, although the views of older people may sometimes seem unhelpful in todays
world, we should not dismiss all traditional ideas as irrelevant.
Many people prefer to watch foreign films rather than locally produced films. Why could this
be? Should governments give more financial support to local film industries?

It is true that foreign films are more popular in many countries than domestically produced films.
There could be several reasons why this is the case, and I believe that governments should
promote local film-making by subsidising the industry.

There are various reasons why many people find foreign films more enjoyable than the films
produced in their own countries. Firstly, the established film industries in certain countries have
huge budgets for action, special effects and to shoot scenes in spectacular locations. Hollywood
blockbusters like Avatar or the James Bond films are examples of such productions, and their
global appeal is undeniable. Another reason why these big-budget films are so successful is that
they often star the most famous actors and actresses, and they are made by the most
accomplished producers and directors. The poor quality, low-budget filmmaking in many
countries suffers in comparison.

In my view, governments should support local film industries financially. In every country, there
may be talented amateur film-makers who just need to be given the opportunity to prove
themselves. To compete with big-budget productions from overseas, these people need money to
pay for film crews, actors and a host of other costs related to producing high-quality films. If
governments did help with these costs, they would see an increase in employment in the film
industry, income from film sales, and perhaps even a rise in tourist numbers. New Zealand, for
example, has seen an increase in tourism related to the 'Lord of the Rings' films, which were
partly funded by government subsidies.

In conclusion, I believe that increased financial support could help to raise the quality of locally
made films and allow them to compete with the foreign productions that currently dominate the
market.

Note:
I'm not really sure whether the New Zealand example is true, but it's fine to invent this kind of
thing in the test!

If you have a 5-idea plan, it should be relatively easy to write a paragraph. Just make each point
in your plan into a sentence. For example:

5-idea plan for "why people prefer foreign films"

1. Topic sentence - several reasons

2. First reason - budgets for action, special effects, spectacular locations
3. Example - Hollywood blockbusters like Avatar or James Bond films
4. Second reason - the most famous actors, actresses and directors
5. Final reason - poor quality local filmmaking in many countries

Full paragraph with 5-sentences (one for each idea)

There are several reasons why many people find foreign films more enjoyable than the films
produced in their own countries. Firstly, the established film industries in certain countries have
huge budgets for action, special effects and to shoot scenes in spectacular locations. Hollywood
blockbusters like Avatar or the James Bond films are examples of such productions, and their
global appeal is undeniable. Another reason why these big-budget films are so successful is that
they often star the most famous actors and actresses, and they are made by the most
accomplished producers and directors. The poor quality, low-budget filmmaking in many
countries suffers in comparison.

(106 words)

Second main paragraph: Should governments give financial support?

1. Topic sentence - governments should support local film industries

2. Explain why - talented local film-makers need opportunities
3. Explain more - they need money to pay film crews, actors etc.
4. Explain consequences - would lead to employment, income, tourism
5. Example - invent an example about your country!

IELTS Writing Task 2: strong or balanced opinion

The following question asks for your opinion. You can either have a strong opinion or a more
balanced opinion, but you should definitely make your opinion clear in your introduction.

Governments should not have to provide care or financial support for elderly people because it
is the responsibility of each person to prepare for retirement and support him or herself.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Introduction (strong opinion):

People have different views about whether or not governments should help senior citizens. I
completely disagree with the idea that elderly people should receive no support from the state.

Introduction (more balanced opinion):

People have different views about whether or not governments should help senior citizens.
Although I accept that we all have a responsibility to save money for retirement, I disagree with
the idea that elderly people should receive no support from the state.

Note:
After the first introduction, I'd advise you to write 2 paragraphs that both explain why you
disagree. The second introduction allows you to discuss both sides (which might be easier).
Some people think that strict punishments for driving offences are the key to reducing traffic
accidents. Others, however, believe that other measures would be more effective in improving
road safety. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

People have differing views with regard to the question of how to make our roads safer. In my
view, both punishments and a range of other measures can be used together to promote better
driving habits.

On the one hand, strict punishments can certainly help to encourage people to drive more safely.
Penalties for dangerous drivers can act as a deterrent, meaning that people avoid repeating the
same offence. There are various types of driving penalty, such as small fines, licence suspension,
driver awareness courses, and even prison sentences. The aim of these punishments is to show
dangerous drivers that their actions have negative consequences. As a result, we would hope that
drivers become more disciplined and alert, and that they follow the rules more carefully.

On the other hand, I believe that safe driving can be promoted in several different ways that do
not punish drivers. Firstly, it is vitally important to educate people properly before they start to
drive, and this could be done in schools or even as part of an extended or more difficult driving
test. Secondly, more attention could be paid to safe road design. For example, signs can be used
to warn people, speed bumps and road bends can be added to calm traffic, and speed cameras can
help to deter people from driving too quickly. Finally, governments or local councils could
reduce road accidents by investing in better public transport, which would mean that fewer
people would need to travel by car.

In conclusion, while punishments can help to prevent bad driving, I believe that other road safety
measures should also be introduced.

(269 words, band 9)

Is there a difference between the two questions below? How would you approach answering each
one?

Question 1
With the availability of information on the Internet, public libraries are no longer necessary. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?

Question 2
Some people consider public libraries to be unnecessary due to the availability of information on
the Internet. Others, however, believe that libraries can still play an important role in society.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

IELTS Vocabulary: from this week's essay

Did you write down the good vocabulary from the essay that I shared on Wednesday? Here are
the 'band 7-9' words, collocations and phrases that I used:
 are increasingly likely to
take on the role of househusband
breadwinners
equal rights movements
made great progress
gain qualifications,
pursue a career
become socially acceptable
the rising cost of living
marriage partners
starting a family
personal preference
should be seen as progress
equal opportunities
put under pressure
sacrifice their careers
assume childcare responsibilities
parental role
their particular circumstances and needs
wider changes in society
these developments are desirable

Try writing your own full sentences using each vocabulary item above.

These days more fathers stay at home and take care of their children while mothers go out to
work. What could be the reasons for this? Do you think it is a positive or a negative
development?

It is true that men are increasingly likely to take on the role of househusband, while more women
than ever are the breadwinners in their families. There could be several reasons for this, and I
consider it to be a very positive trend.

In recent years, parents have had to adapt to various changes in our societies. Equal rights
movements have made great progress, and it has become normal for women to gain
qualifications and pursue a career. It has also become socially acceptable for men to stay at home
and look after their children. At the same time, the rising cost of living has meant that both
marriage partners usually need to work and save money before starting a family. Therefore,
when couples have children, they may decide who works and who stays at home depending on
the personal preference of each partner, or based on which partner earns the most money.

In my view, the changes described above should be seen as progress. We should be happy to live
in a society in which men and women have equal opportunities, and in which women are not put
under pressure to sacrifice their careers. Equally, it seems only fair that men should be free to
leave their jobs in order to assume childcare responsibilities if this is what they wish to do.
Couples should be left to make their own decisions about which parental role each partner takes,
according to their particular circumstances and needs.
In conclusion, the changing roles of men and women in the family are a result of wider changes
in society, and I believe that these developments are desirable.

(274 words, band 9)

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'family' essay skeleton

These days more fathers stay at home and take care of their children while mothers go out to
work. What could be the reasons for this? Do you think it is a positive or a negative
development?

Here's my sample essay skeleton. Try writing your own!

Introduction
It is true that men are increasingly likely to take on the role of househusband, while more women
than ever are the breadwinners in their families. There could be several reasons for this, and I
consider it to be a very positive trend.

Main body 1, topic sentence

In recent years, parents have had to adapt to various changes in our societies.

Main body 2, topic sentence

In my view, the changes described above should be seen as progress.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the changing roles of men and women in the family are a result of wider changes
in society, and I believe that these developments are desirable.

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'family' topic

Here are some questions related to the topic of 'family and children'. This is a very common topic
area, so it would be a good idea to prepare ideas for it.

1) These days more fathers stay at home and take care of their children while mothers go out to
work. What could be the reasons for this? Do you think it is a positive or a negative
development?

2) Some people believe that children should be allowed to stay at home and play until they are
six or seven years old. Others believe that it is important for young children to go to school as
soon as possible. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

3) Some people think that mothers should spend most of their time raising their children, and
therefore the government should support them financially. Do you agree or disagree?
As well as making money, businesses also have social responsibilities. To what extent do
you agree or disagree?

2-sentence introduction:
Businesses have always sought to make a profit, but it is becoming increasingly common to hear
people talk about the social obligations that companies have. I completely agree with the idea
that businesses should do more for society than simply make money.

Tip:
Try searching online for "corporate social responsibility" to see what people are saying about this
issue.

For me, the easiest way would be to completely agree. Here's a quick plan for a 4-paragraph
answer:

1. Introduction: introduce the topic and completely agree

2. Main paragraph: explain why you agree that businesses need to make money, and what would
happen if they didn't (perhaps mention that many social responsibilities depend on money)
3. Main paragraph: explain why you agree that businesses also have social responsibilities (give
examples)
4. Conclusion: repeat / summarise your answer

WILD ANIMAL ESSAy

The first step is to decide whether we agree, disagree or partly agree. My preference would be to
'completely disagree'. I don't think we can partly agree in this case

Next, we need a 4-paragraph plan:

1. Introduce the topic (rights and protection of wild animals), then answer the question
(completely disagree)
2. First reason why we disagree e.g. our duty to protect animals, their rights and place in
the world
3. Second reason why we disagree e.g. the resources we should use to protect animals, and
why this is not a waste
4. Conclusion: repeat / summarise our answer

Wild animals have no place in the 21st century, so protecting them is a waste of resources. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?

Note:
I've highlighted my main paragraph 'topic sentences' in blue. Can you see how each topic sentence
relates to one part of the question?

So how do you connect your ideas (cohesion) without attracting too much attention? I think there
are 2 possible ways:
 1. Explain your ideas in a logical order so that you don't need many linking words. This is probably
what you do when writing in your own language.
2. Use easy linking words like and, but, also, firstly, secondly, finally, for example. These are so
common that they attract almost no attention.

Some people argue that it is pointless to spend money on the protection of wild animals because
we humans have no need for them. I completely disagree with this point of view.

In my opinion, it is absurd to argue that wild animals have no place in the 21st century. I do
not believe that planet Earth exists only for the benefit of humans, and there is nothing special
about this particular century that means that we suddenly have the right to allow or encourage the
extinction of any species. Furthermore, there is no compelling reason why we should let animals
die out. We do not need to exploit or destroy every last square metre of land in order to feed or
accommodate the worlds population. There is plenty of room for us to exist side by side with
wild animals, and this should be our aim.

I also disagree with the idea that protecting animals is a waste of resources. It is usually the
protection of natural habitats that ensures the survival of wild animals, and most scientists agree
that these habitats are also crucial for human survival. For example, rainforests produce oxygen,
absorb carbon dioxide and stabilise the Earths climate. If we destroyed these areas, the costs of
managing the resulting changes to our planet would far outweigh the costs of conservation. By
protecting wild animals and their habitats, we maintain the natural balance of all life on Earth.

In conclusion, we have no right to decide whether or not wild animals should exist, and I believe
that we should do everything we can to protect them.

It surprises some people when I tell them that they only need to write 13 sentences for writing
task 2:

Introduction: 2 sentences
First main body paragraph: 5 sentences
Second main body paragraph: 5 sentences
Conclusion: 1 sentence

Skeleton of an essay

People have different views about whether parents or schools should bear the responsibility for
helping children to become good citizens. In my view, this responsibility should be shared.

On the one hand, parents certainly have a vital role to play in the upbringing of their children.

On the other hand, school teachers may contribute almost as much as parents to the development
of a child.

In conclusion, both parents and schools should work together to ensure that young people
become polite and productive members of society.
Now let's look at what was missing: the detailed explanation of ideas in the main body
paragraphs. I'm tempted to refer to this as the 'muscle' on top of the skeleton's bones!

Here's an example of a full paragraph:

(1)On the other hand, school teachers may contribute almost as much as parents to the
development of a child. (2) Teachers educate large groups of children together, which means that
they must train pupils to work with their peers and respect other members of the class. (3) Pupils
also learn to behave sensibly in lessons, regardless of the distractions around them, and to follow
instructions given to them by teaching staff. (4) These behavioural skills will be crucial in later
life. (5) In the workplace, for example, adults are expected to work in teams, listen to each other,
and follow the instructions of a manager or company director.

Notice how I "build" the paragraph using 5 sentences:

1. Topic sentence introducing the main idea - the role of teachers in children's development.
2. One aspect of this role - training children to work with others.
3. Another aspect of this role - children learn to behave and follow instructions.
4. Why the two points above are important - for later life.
5. Examples - work in teams, follow a manager's instructions.

IELTS Writing Task 2: the confidence to be 'simple'

For many of the students I've taught, a breakthrough (or big improvement) came when they
found the confidence to write in a more 'simple' way.

When you stop worrying about whether you need to include passives, conditionals or 'difficult
academic words' in your essays, you are free to focus on answering the question and explaining
your ideas coherently. It takes confidence to change your approach and to believe that the
'simple' way will work.

Note: Remember that 'simple' is not the same thing as 'easy'!

If you want to get the highest score possible with your current level of English:

Focus on answering the question well. This means that you need good ideas (which is why
planning is important). Explain your ideas in detail in the main body paragraphs.
Work on topic vocabulary rather than 'any essay vocabulary'.
Forget about 'complex structures' and 'difficult words'. When you try too hard to make your
writing look difficult, it usually just seems strange or wrong.
Keep your essay structure simple: a short introduction and conclusion, and two well-developed
main body paragraphs.

IELTS Vocabulary: 'topic specific' vocabulary

Yesterday I said that linking words don't help your vocabulary score, and that you need to use
'topic specific' vocabulary if you want a high score.

But what is 'topic specific' vocabulary?

The answer is: vocabulary that you would probably only use for one particular essay question.
For example, I used this vocabulary in a lesson last week:

- impoverished or disadvantaged
- prioritise local charity
- those who live beyond our national borders
- curable diseases
- paying for vaccines that already exist

You might be able to adapt these phrases to a different topic, but it wouldn't be easy; they are
quite specific to the particular question in this lesson. However, these are the kind of words and
phrases that you need if you want to get a good vocabulary score.

We cannot help everyone in the world that needs help, so we should only be concerned with
our own communities and countries.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Some people believe that we should not help people in other countries as long as there are
problems in our own society. I disagree with this view because I believe that we should try to
help as many people as possible.

On the one hand, I accept that it is important to help our neighbours and fellow citizens. In most
communities there are people who are impoverished or disadvantaged in some way. It is possible
to find homeless people, for example, in even the wealthiest of cities, and for those who are
concerned about this problem, there are usually opportunities to volunteer time or give money to
support these people. In the UK, people can help in a variety of ways, from donating clothing to
serving free food in a soup kitchen. As the problems are on our doorstep, and there are obvious
ways to help, I can understand why some people feel that we should prioritise local charity.

At the same time, I believe that we have an obligation to help those who live beyond our national
borders. In some countries the problems that people face are much more serious than those in our
own communities, and it is often even easier to help. For example, when children are dying from
curable diseases in African countries, governments and individuals in richer countries can save
lives simply by paying for vaccines that already exist. A small donation to an international
charity might have a much greater impact than helping in our local area.

In conclusion, it is true that we cannot help everyone, but in my opinion national boundaries
should not stop us from helping those who are in need.

If you completely agree or completely disagree:

 Make your opinion clear in the introduction and conclusion.
Explain one reason for your opinion in paragraph 2 and another in paragraph 3. Imagine that
you are persuading the examiner that your opinion is right.
Don't write a paragraph about what 'other people' think. If you do that, you are in danger of
writing a "discuss both views" essay. If you mention the opposite argument, make sure that you
refute it (explain why you think it's wrong), like I did in paragraph 2 of this essay.

If you partly agree:

Make it clear in the introduction and conclusion that you have a balanced view i.e. that you
accept both sides of the argument to some extent, like I did in last week's lesson.
Write one paragraph about each side of the argument. But do this from your point of view e.g.
On the one hand, I accept that... / On the other hand, I also believe that...
Don't write a discussion essay e.g. some people believe / other people argue...

Note:
Some questions do contain a 'background' statement that you can quickly accept in your
introduction (e.g. this one). If you're unsure, just answer all parts of the question.

Happiness is considered very important in life.

Why is it difficult to define?
What factors are important in achieving happiness?

It is no doubt true that the majority of people would like to be happy in their lives. While the
personal nature of happiness makes it difficult to describe, there do seem to be some common
needs that we all share with regard to experiencing or achieving happiness.

Happiness is difficult to define because it means something different to each individual person.
Nobody can fully understand or experience another persons feelings, and we all have our own
particular passions from which we take pleasure. Some people, for example, derive a sense of
satisfaction from earning money or achieving success, whereas for others, health and family are
much more important. At the same time, a range of other feelings, from excitement to
peacefulness, may be associated with the idea of happiness, and the same person may therefore
feel happy in a variety of different ways.

Although it seems almost impossible to give a precise definition of happiness, most people
would agree that there are some basic preconditions to achieving it. Firstly, it is hard for a person
to be happy if he or she does not have a safe place to live and enough food to eat. Our basic
survival needs must surely be met before we can lead a pleasant life. Secondly, the greatest joy
in life is usually found in shared experiences with family and friends, and it is rare to find a
person who is content to live in complete isolation. Other key factors could be individual
freedom and a sense of purpose in life.

In conclusion, happiness is difficult to define because it is particular to each individual, but I

believe that our basic needs for shelter, food and company need to be fulfilled before we can
experience it.
In many cities the use of video cameras in public places is being increased in order to reduce
crime, but some people believe that these measures restrict our individual freedom.
Do the benefits of increased security outweigh the drawbacks?

This is my suggestion for an essay outline:

1. Introduce the topic, and say that the benefits do outweigh the drawbacks.
2. Explain the drawbacks of CCTV (see yesterday's ideas).
3. Explain the security benefits.
4. Conclude by repeating / summarising your opinion.

Nowadays it is easy to apply for and be given a credit card. However, some people experience
problems when they are not be able to pay their debts back. In your opinion, do the advantages
of credit cards outweigh the disadvantages?

It is all too easy to obtain a credit card and then to run up debts which are difficult to repay. In
my opinion, the disadvantages of credit cards far outweigh the advantages.

Advantages:
A credit card gives you access to money and the facility to pay it back later, like a loan. This
could be useful for emergencies or something expensive, like a holiday. Credit cards are a safe
way to pay. Easy access to money means that people spend, and this benefits the economy.

Disadvantages:
Credit cards encourage people to spend money they do not have. Debts can build up and leave
people in real financial difficulties. When people cannot pay their debts back, everyone suffers:
those in debt may lose their homes, the banks lose money, and the whole economy suffers.

Here are the 5 ideas from last week, about the negatives of credit cards:

1. encourage spending money that people don't have

2. leads to excess shopping, consumer culture
3. more credit cards, debt becomes out of control
4. bankrupt, in court, lose home
5. sometimes fines or even prison

Now here's a 5-sentence paragraph using these ideas:

The main drawback of credit cards is that they encourage people to spend money that they do not
have. This has led to the consumer culture and addiction to shopping that we now see in society.
When credit card users are unable to pay off their debts, they often resort to signing up for
multiple cards, and the debt becomes increasingly overwhelming. Many people in this situation
find themselves in court, bankrupt, and without a home as a final consequence of credit card
dependence. In the worst cases, they may even face prison sentences.
Note:
Notice that I made one or two changes (e.g. 'overwhelming' instead of 'out of control'), but that I
mostly followed the plan, writing one sentence for each idea. Practise doing this yourself.

In some parts of the world it is becoming popular to research the history of one's own family.
Why might people want to do this? Is it a positive or negative development?

Here's the plan I wrote for the first main body paragraph:

Paragraph 2: Why might people want to research family history?

various different reasons
to know more about themselves and their roots, where they come from, whether their
ancestors had similar personality traits
because the Internet makes it easier to do this research, we hear about others who have
done it, there are advertisements to encourage us
out of curiosity e.g. we might secretly hope that we have a famous or wealthy ancestor

Here's a full paragraph using the ideas above:

There are various reasons why people might decide to trace their family histories. One
explanation may be that they would like to know more about themselves, in terms of their roots,
where they come from, or whether their ancestors had similar personality traits. Another factor
could be that it has become so much easier to carry out genealogical research using the Internet.
We hear about people who have studied their family trees, and there are even advertisements to
encourage us to use genealogy websites. Finally, it may be that people are simply curious to find
out whether they have any famous or wealthy ancestors.

Try this exercise using the essay in last week's lesson:

1. Read the essay and make sure you understand it.

2. Read it again slowly, and make notes on a separate piece of paper. Just write the main idea or
key words from each sentence (there are only 13 sentences in the whole essay).
3. Hide my essay, and try to rewrite it using only your notes. Don't try to memorise the essay
exactly as I wrote it; the aim is to see if you can write a similar essay using the same key ideas.
4. Compare your essay with mine. Did you write the same number of sentences? Did you include
the same key vocabulary? Did you use the vocabulary correctly? Does your essay 'flow' as well
as mine does?

When you have a strong opinion, you don't need to mention the opposite view.
Here's my plan for a 4-paragraph essay:

1. Introduction: 1 sentence to introduce the topic, 1 sentence to make your opinion clear
(e.g. I completely disagree...)
2. Main paragraph: support your opinion with a reason
3. Main paragraph: support your opinion with another reason
4.Conclusion: repeat/summarise your opinion

Families who send their children to private schools should not be required to pay taxes that
support the state education system.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Here are their ideas for a 'completely disagree' answer:

difficult to calculate the tax reduction

more government staff would be required for this process
we all pay for public services that we may not need e.g. police
poorer people would pay more tax than wealthy people
state schools benefit the whole of society
high quality state education leads to equal opportunities for all
a well-educated workforce is the key to a prosperous nation
companies need educated staff
we should all be happy to contribute to public services

After brainstorming, we need to organise these ideas so that we have two paragraphs. There
seem to be two main themes in the ideas above:

1. Reasons why we think the idea would not work, or would be unfair.
2. Reasons why everyone should pay taxes that support state educa

Some people believe that parents of children who attend private schools should not need to
contribute to state schools through taxes. Personally, I completely disagree with this view.

For a variety of reasons, it would be wrong to reduce taxes for families who pay for private
education. Firstly, it would be difficult to calculate the correct amount of tax reduction for these
families, and staff would be required to manage this complex process. Secondly, we all pay a
certain amount of tax for public services that we may not use. For example, most people are
fortunate enough not to have to call the police or fire brigade at any time in their lives, but they
would not expect a tax reduction for this. Finally, if wealthy families were given a tax discount
for sending their children to private schools, we might have a situation where poorer people pay
higher taxes than the rich.

In my opinion, we should all be happy to pay our share of the money that supports public
schools. It is beneficial for all members of society to have a high quality education system with
equal opportunities for all young people. This will result in a well-educated workforce, and in
turn a more productive and prosperous nation. Parents of children in private schools may also see
the advantages of this in their own lives. For example, a company owner will need well qualified
and competent staff, and a well-funded education system can provide such employees.

In conclusion, I do not believe that any financial concessions should be made for people who
choose private education.
Should governments make decisions about people's lifestyle, or should people make their own
decisions?

This question seems difficult, but if you take "smoking" as an example of a lifestyle choice, it
becomes a lot easier. Here's my paragraph:

In some cases, governments can help people to make better lifestyle choices. In the UK, for
example, smoking is now banned in all workplaces, and it is even prohibited for people to smoke
in restaurants, bars and pubs. As a result, many people who used to smoke socially have now
given up. At the same time, the government has ensured that cigarette prices keep going up, and
there have been several campaigns to highlight the health risks of smoking. These measures have
also helped to reduce the number of smokers in this country.

Nowadays celebrities are more famous for their glamour and wealth than for their
achievements, and this sets a bad example to young people.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

It is true that some celebrities are known for their glamorous lifestyles rather than for the work
they do. While I agree that these celebrities set a bad example for children, I believe that other
famous people act as positive role models.

On the one hand, many people do achieve fame without really working for it. They may have
inherited money from parents, married a famous or wealthy person, or they may have appeared
in gossip magazines or on a reality TV programme. A good example would be Paris Hilton, who
is rich and famous for the wrong reasons. She spends her time attending parties and nightclubs,
and her behaviour promotes the idea that appearance, glamour and media profile are more
important than hard work and good character. The message to young people is that success can
be achieved easily, and that school work is not necessary.

On the other hand, there are at least as many celebrities whose accomplishments make them
excellent role models for young people. Actors, musicians and sports stars become famous idols
because they have worked hard and applied themselves to develop real skills and abilities. They
demonstrate great effort, determination and ambition, which is required for someone who wants
to be truly successful in their chosen field. An example is the actor and martial artist Jackie
Chan, who has become world famous through years of practice and hard work. This kind of self-
made celebrity can inspire children to develop their talents through application and perseverance.

Sometimes, the best way to think of ideas for an essay is to start with an example. One good
example can give you enough ideas for a full paragraph.
When choosing a job, the salary is the most important consideration. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?

Many people choose their jobs based on the size of the salary offered. Personally, I disagree with
the idea that money is the key consideration when deciding on a career, because I believe that
other factors are equally important.

On the one hand, I agree that money is necessary in order for people to meet their basic needs.
For example, we all need money to pay for housing, food, bills, health care, and education. Most
people consider it a priority to at least earn a salary that allows them to cover these needs and
have a reasonable quality of life. If people chose their jobs based on enjoyment or other non-
financial factors, they might find it difficult to support themselves. Artists and musicians, for
instance, are known for choosing a career path that they love, but that does not always provide
them with enough money to live comfortably and raise a family.

Nevertheless, I believe that other considerations are just as important as what we earn in our
jobs. Firstly, personal relationships and the atmosphere in a workplace are extremely important
when choosing a job. Having a good manager or friendly colleagues, for example, can make a
huge difference to workers levels of happiness and general quality of life. Secondly, many
peoples feelings of job satisfaction come from their professional achievements, the skills they
learn, and the position they reach, rather than the money they earn. Finally, some people choose
a career because they want to help others and contribute something positive to society.

In conclusion, while salaries certainly affect peoples choice of profession, I do not believe that
money outweighs all other motivators.

Teleworking, or the use of telecommunications to allow people to work from home, should be
adopted by all employers in order to improve the quality of life of their staff. To what extent do
you agree or disagree with this statement?

Here's my introduction:

The current trend towards teleworking is a positive one in many respects. However, I strongly
disagree with the idea that it should be introduced in all work contexts.

Can you see how this introduction allows me to write about both the positives and negatives of
teleworking, even though I expressed a strong opinion? Which word in the question allowed me
to do this?

Business perspective:
You can spend Less time on the office place, Spend less on office base, Less on supplies
More flexible, Hire the best and brightest people from across the world

Personal perspective:
Do not need to Travel to work , More productive, Effective and effecient
Some people think that in the modern world we are more dependent on each other, while
others think that people have become more independent. Discuss both views and give your
own opinion.

People have different views about whether we are more or less dependent on others nowadays. In
my view, modern life forces us to be more independent than people were in the past.

There are two main reasons why it could be argued that we are more dependent on each other
now. Firstly, life is more complex and difficult, especially because the cost of living has
increased so dramatically. For example, young adults tend to rely on their parents for help when
buying a house. Property prices are higher than ever, and without help it would be impossible for
many people to pay a deposit and a mortgage. Secondly, people seem to be more ambitious
nowadays, and they want a better quality of life for their families. This means that both parents
usually need to work full-time, and they depend on support from grandparents and babysitters for
child care.

However, I would agree with those who believe that people are more independent these days. In
most countries, families are becoming smaller and more dispersed, which means that people
cannot count on relatives as much as they used to. We also have more freedom to travel and live
far away from our home towns. For example, many students choose to study abroad instead of
going to their local university, and this experience makes them more independent as they learn to
live alone. Another factor in this growing independence is technology, which allows us to work
alone and from any part of the world.

In conclusion, while there are some reasons to believe that people now depend on each other
more, my own view is that we are more independent than ever.

Note:
As usual, try to analyse this essay in terms of task response (does it fully answer the question?),
organisation, 'band 7-9' vocabulary, and grammar.

Early technological developments helped ordinary people and changed their lives more than
recent developments. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Here's my introduction:

Technological progress has taken place throughout the course of human history. While early
technologies certainly changed the lives of normal people, I believe that recent breakthroughs
have had an even greater impact.

Note:
The 'while' sentence makes it clear that I favour one side of the argument, but it allows me to
mention both sides in the main body of my essay.

In conclusion, I disagree with the idea that early technologies had more of an effect on ordinary
people than recent ones.
Here's another example of a "firstly, secondly, finally" paragraph that I wrote with my
students:

Three main factors are affecting health in modern societies. One problem is the lack of
awareness among many people of the negative consequences of an unhealthy diet. This is made
worse by the prevalence of fast food and processed food, which are full of fat, salt and sugar.
Another key factor is the changing trend in lifestyles. For example, childrens hobbies now
involve much less outdoor activity, and adults are less active as jobs have shifted towards
sedentary office work instead of manual labour. In addition to this, time-saving technologies,
such as cars, elevators, dishwashers and washing machines, have made people lazier.

Analyse the paragraph by answering the following questions.

1. What is the main topic of the paragraph?

2. Which phrases are used instead of "firstly, secondly, finally"?
3. What examples of 'band 7-9' vocabulary can you find?

IELTS Writing Task 2: money and consumerism

Here are some vocabulary ideas for the topic of money and consumerism. You could use these
ideas to write an essay:

Many people say that we now live in 'consumer societies' where money and possessions are
given too much importance. Others believe that consumer culture has played a vital role in
improving our lives.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.

General ideas:

a consumer society, materialistic, earn money, make money, make a profit, success, material
possessions, connect wealth with happiness, status symbols, the power of advertising.

Positives of consumerism:

employment, income, salaries, products that we need, reduce poverty, better standard of living,
quality of life, creativity and innovation, trade between countries.

Negatives:

create waste, use natural resources, damage to the environment, throw-away culture, people
become greedy, selfish, money does not make us happy, loss of traditional values.
It is true that many people criticize modern society because it seems to be too materialistic. I
agree with this to some extent, but I do not think it is the case that everyone is a victim of
consumer culture.

On the one hand, many people do seem to focus too much on money and possessions. Wherever
we go, we are bombarded with advertising to sell us products and services, many of which we do
not need. For example, people may be persuaded to purchase the latest model of iPhone, when
their old phone is still perfectly functional. This could be seen as a demonstration that we are
obsessive consumers; we buy things based on fashion and branding, and shopping has become a
hobby or even an addiction.

Throughout history, people have dreamed of living in a perfect society. However, there is still
no agreement about what a perfect society would be like. What, in your opinion, would be the
most important element of a perfect society? What can people do to help create an ideal
society?

I made a video lesson to show you how I would do an essay plan. Today I want to show you
how I turned part of that plan into a full paragraph.

Paragraph topic: The most important element of a perfect society.

Planned ideas: Safety = No crime, trust our neighbours, feel part of a community, able to leave
doors unlocked. Trust institutions (police, government), feel protected by the law. Safety is the
most basic freedom.

Here's my paragraph using the ideas above:

If I had to choose the one, most desirable element of an ideal society, it would have to be safety.
A safe society would be one in which crime did not exist, and in which all citizens trusted their
neighbours, felt part of a community, and were even able to leave their doors unlocked without
fear. A broader definition of safety could also include belief in the integrity of state institutions,
such as governments or police forces, and confidence that we are all protected by fair laws. In
this sense, safety could be described as the most basic freedom and the starting point for the
creation of a perfect society.

What can people do to create perfect society:

We can do several things 1. Hold leaders and politicians to account, ensure institutions work
properly. 2. Get involved in our communities, help neighbors and treat others better . 3. Look
after the environment (energy, rubbish), safeguard the future of our planet
Foreign visitors should pay more than local visitors for cultural and historical attractions. To
what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

It is sometimes argued that tourists from overseas should be charged more than local residents to
visit important sites and monuments. I completely disagree with this idea.

The argument in favour of higher prices for foreign tourists would be that cultural or historical
attractions often depend on state subsidies to keep them going, which means that the resident
population already pays money to these sites through the tax system. However, I believe this to
be a very shortsighted view. Foreign tourists contribute to the economy of the host country with
the money they spend on a wide range of goods and services, including food, souvenirs,
accommodation and travel. The governments and inhabitants of every country should be happy
to subsidise important tourist sites and encourage people from the rest of the world to visit them.

If travellers realised that they would have to pay more to visit historical and cultural attractions
in a particular nation, they would perhaps decide not to go to that country on holiday. To take the
UK as an example, the tourism industry and many related jobs rely on visitors coming to the
country to see places like Windsor Castle or Saint Pauls Cathedral. These two sites charge the
same price regardless of nationality, and this helps to promote the nations cultural heritage. If
overseas tourists stopped coming due to higher prices, there would be a risk of insufficient
funding for the maintenance of these important buildings.

In conclusion, I believe that every effort should be made to attract tourists from overseas, and it
would be counterproductive to make them pay more than local residents.

I think it would become confusing if you tried to explain a balanced view for this question. The
choice of opinion is simple: either foreign visitors should pay more, or they shouldn't.

Economic progress is often used to measure a country's success. However, some people
believe that other factors are more important. What other factors should also be considered
when measuring a country's success? Do you think one factor is more important than others?

Let's start working on the question about economic progress from last week's lesson. The first
thing to do is plan your structure and think of some ideas:

1. Introduce the topic of measuring a country's success. Then answer that several factors can be
considered, and education is the most important (this was the opinion of my students).
2. Other factors: 1) Education for development of the country, jobs, people will be more civilized,
fewer social problems, less crime e.g. Scandinavian countries. 2) Personal freedom / rights e.g.
religion, free speech, political views, gender, race, privacy. 3) Health i.e. good health system,
living standards, life expectancy e.g. Japan.
3. Education is the main factor: education has an effect on all other factors. It affects health - there
will be more doctors, more research, medical discoveries; educated people tend to be healthier.
It also affects the economy - better work force, more creation of jobs, companies. Prestigious
schools and universities attract people from other countries.
4. Conclude by summarising these ideas.
Here's a plan I wrote with my students:

Paragraph about other factors:

1) Education for development of the country, providing future workforce. 2) Good health system,
living standards, life expectancy. 3) Personal freedom / rights / equality e.g. equal opportunities
for both genders.

Here's our full paragraph using the plan above:

Standards of education, health and individual human rights should certainly be considered when
measuring a countrys status. A good education system is vital for the development of any
nation, with schools, colleges and universities bearing the responsibility for the quality of future
generations of workers. Healthcare provision is also an indicator of the standard of living within
a country, and this can be measured by looking at average life expectancy rates or availability of
medical services. Finally, human rights and levels of equality could be taken into account. For
example, a country in which women do not have the same opportunities as men might be
considered less successful than a country with better gender equality.

Introduction: Introduce the topic and give a general answer to both questions.

The relative success of different countries is usually defined in economic terms. There are
several other factors, apart from the economy, that could be used to assess a country, and in my
opinion education is the most important of all.

Conclusion: Repeat / summarise your answer.

In conclusion, nations can be assessed and compared in a variety of ways, but I would argue that
the standard of a country's education system is the best indicator of its success.

Children who are brought up in families that do not have large amounts of money are better
prepared to deal with the problems of adult life than children brought up by wealthy parents.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Here are two quick tasks related to the question above.

1) Vocabulary: fill the gaps in the following paragraph:

On the one hand, I agree that some children from less wealthy _____ might be in a better
position to _____ adult life. Children whose parents have less money learn to fight, struggle and
solve problems on a daily _____. They are forced to rely on _____ because they have less
financial help from parents and cannot get what they want as soon as they want it. For example,
poorer children may have to wait until a birthday to receive a toy or game that they have asked
for, and this encourages them to learn patience. These children will also learn the importance of
managing money and the value of hard _____, which will be vital _____ in later life.

2) Opinions: think of some ideas to support the opposite point of view.

Discussion question
Some people think that the teenage years are the happiest of our lives, while others believe that
adult life brings more happiness. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

2-part question
News editors decide what to broadcast on television and what to print in newspapers. What
factors do you think influence these decisions? Do we become used to bad news, and would it be
better if more good news was reported?

Some people think that governments should give financial support to creative artists such as
painters and musicians. Others believe that creative artists should be funded by alternative
sources. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

People have different views about the funding of creative artists. While some people disagree
with the idea of government support for artists, I believe that money for art projects should come
from both governments and other sources.

Some art projects definitely require help from the state. In the UK, there are many works of art in
public spaces, such as streets or squares in city centres. In Liverpool, for example, there are
several new statues and sculptures in the docks area of the city, which has been redeveloped
recently. These artworks represent culture, heritage and history. They serve to educate people
about the city, and act as landmarks or talking points for visitors and tourists. Governments and
local councils should pay creative artists to produce this kind of art, because without their
funding our cities would be much less interesting and attractive.

On the other hand, I can understand the view taken by many people that artists should not expect
the state to fund their work. Most musicians and the majority of painters make a living by
performing or selling their artistic creations to fans or collectors; they would not expect to
receive any help from their governments. Industry sponsorships can be another useful source of
revenue for creative artists. For example, media companies like the mobile giant Apple are often
willing to pay huge fees to inspirational designers who work on their advertising campaigns,
product packaging, and even the appearance of their electronic devices. Finally, some artists may
be lucky enough to receive donations from wealthy individuals.

In conclusion, there are good reasons why artists should rely on alternative sources of financial
support, but in my opinion government help is sometimes necessary.

A good way to write main body paragraphs is this:

Start with an idea; Explain it in detail; Give an example

Here's an example of how I 'build' a paragraph using the above method:

A sense of competition is necessary for success in life, and should therefore be encouraged.
Competition motivates children to get good grades at school or become better at sports, while
adults compete to climb the career ladder. In a job interview, for example, candidates compete to
show that they are the most qualified, hard-working and competent person for the post.

The subjects that children are taught in schools are decided by central authorities. Some people say
that teachers, not politicians, should be responsible for this task. To what extent you agree or
disagree with this opinion?

Model Answer 1:
While some people argue that the decision about what subjects are be taught at school should be
decided by teachers. I believe that it is rather governments responsibility to decide.

There are many reasons why the decision of school subjects should be taken by central
authorities. Firstly, governments have a better idea about the society and the economic needs of
the people. Their knowledge is built upon studies, research and experiences gathered by experts
from different fields. For example, in Sudan, the school curriculum has been changed to a new
one since the year 2000. To involve more subjects that teach students practical skills such as
Farming , as a measurement to tackle the unemployment problem in the country. Secondly,
teachers should be more concerned about how to deliver the information. They decide when and
how to teach several subjects based on their experience about childrens capabilities. In other
words teachers are more experienced in teaching than in social or economic issues.

On the other hand, the authorities role is to ensure the best quality of schooling throughout the
country. They compare different schools to know their needs of education resources in order to
reach the aimed level of education. However, it would be difficult to identify those needs if each
school has its own curriculum with its unique requirements. In addition, if school teachers is the
one who decide what are the subjects to be covered then we would have a situation of too much
variation in standards and qualification, which is obviously unfair, because some young children
for instance would receive better education than others as a result of this and in turn people
might lose their faith on the education system in the country.

In conclusion, it seems to me that both governments and teachers have their distinctive role in
education. However, it would more beneficial for the society if governments are kept to be
responsible for setting schools curriculum.

[ Written by - Omnia Touski]

Model Answer 2:
In most of the countries the academic curriculums are decided by a board of people who mostly
come from higher positions of education board and from other ministry or cabinet. They review
the subjects taught in schools and do necessary modification and amendment. Some people opine
that this responsibility should be given to the teachers who have better teaching experience and
closely understand the students who study those subjects. I personally believe that politicians
who have no previous teaching or educational institute related experience should not be included
in this review board. Rather teachers with good experience and qualified persons from the
education ministry, who came from the educational background, should decide this important
agenda.
First off all, if politicians, who have no teaching experience and have little knowledge about the
students, are included in this board, that would negatively impact the overall syllabus. Their
primary motive would be to add topics and subjects that somehow politically help them. This
often includes adding political and controversial topics on subjects like history.

Secondly, which subjects should be taught to students in a country has a major influence on the
overall education system of a country. If the politicians are to decide this utmost important issue
rather than the subject matter experts, which would be a disaster for the country. No one would
accept that some teachers are picked up to decide a change in the election rule and amendment of
necessary constitution of a country. So why do the reverse?

Finally, the political persons are experts in their own field. They should not be picked up to
decide the subjects that should be taught in schools only because they held some important
government positions. If necessary, experts from other countries who have similar experience
could be hired to get their opinion on this issue.

In conclusion, I totally agree that teachers and people who have experience in teaching and
syllabus formation should be included in the committee to decide what subjects should be taught
in schools. Relying on the politicians is the worst idea in my opinion.

Writing Task-1

Table:

**There are considerable differences in the figures for public transport.

**In Britain and Australia figures for public transport are lower, being 16% and 20% respectively.

**Less than 20% of students walk to school in Britain and Australia.

**For Singaporeans, walking is the second most common option, with a quarter of students travelling to
school on foot.

**Unlike/ Compared to the Cord Hotel, the Kendal Hotel is close to the city centre.

Bar chart:

**The graph shows the number of telephones owned per thousand of poplulation in different countries
over a five-year period.

**Overall, the number of phone owners per thousand of the population varied considerably.
**By far the higest level of phone ownership was in Singapore, where just under 430 people per
thousand were owners in 2004. This figure is slightly lower than the 2000 figure of around 40 per
thousand.

**In Brunei the second higest level of phone ownership were recorded, and the numbers fluctuated
around the 250 per thousand level across the five years.

**According to the chart, Chinese is by far the most widely spoken first language, with 1123 million
speakers.

**This is more than twice the number of speakers of any other language.

**English has the second highest number of speakers with a total of 470 million, closely followed by
Hindi, which is spoken by the third largest number of people.

**It is interesting that Bengali has the same number of speakers as Arabic : 235 million.

**Women, on the other hand, do not see a constant increase in their earnings.

**Then they hit a plateau which does not change until retirement.

**Clearly women never achieve the high income levels of their male counterparts.

**There were no figures given for male part-time workers, but female part-timers had forty hours of
leisure time, only slightly more than women in full-time employment.

**The prison population in the United States increased rapidly from 1970 to 1980 and this must be a
worrying trend.

**At the higeher levels of education, men with postgraduate diplomas clearly outnumbered their
female counterparts (70% and 30%, respectively).

**More females than males chose the bicycle.

**More women than men voted for the mobile phone.

**Fewer males than females picked the radio.

**Not as many males as females chose the radio.

**In the past, considerably more people lived in the countryside than towns.

**Meanwhile, for junior lecturers the pattern appears to be slightly different.

**The figures show that almost half of Canadian teenagers frequently go to live arts events and that
they are almost twice as likely to attend such performances as Canadians who are 60 or over.
**Not surprisingly, the greatest difference in attendance figures is for pop concerts . The 15 to 19 age
group is almost five times as likely as the over 60s to attend such concerts. Likewise, the proportion of
Canadians who go to theatre, opera and dance performances falls as age increases.

**The ratio of men to women was almost equal among country/folk concert goers.

Pie chart:

**According to the chart, CDs account for much smaller percentage/level of sales.

**While PC games account for 20% of the stores sales, the percentage of CDs sold is only 15.

**Globally 65% of degradation is caused by too much animal grazing and tree clearance, constituting
35% and 30% respectively.

**Similarly, the cost of insurance saw a rising trend, growing from only 2% to 8% by 2001.

Line graph:

**From 1950 onwards, industrial use grew steadily to just over 1000 km3, while domestic userose more
slowly to only 300km3.

**Graph A provides information on the changing percentage of new recruits in a company over a 10-
year period.

**The graph shows a fluctuating trend. It illustrates peaks, troughs and plateaux, as well as increasing
and decreasing trends.

**The graph shows how obesity levels have increased in England since 1994. Clearly, figures have
doubled over this period, reaching a current high of around 30 per cent for both male and female adults.

**Looking more closely at the trend for women, it can be seen that a steady increase took place
between 1994 and 1998, with obesity levels rising by 15 to 21 per cent. This was followed by a two-year
period of stability. Then after the year 2000, levels rose again, reaching a peak of 24 per cent in 2001.
Since then, apart from slight fluctuation, the percentage of obese women in England has increased
significantly.

**The trend for men has been similar during this period, although the levels were quite a bit lower in
the mid to late nineties. However, between 1998 and 2000 a surge took place when the male figure hit
21 per cent.

**Then this figure fell, reaching a low of 15 hours per week by 2004.
**Over this span of 28 years, the quantities of goods transported by road, water and pipeline have all
increased while the quantity transported by rail has remained almost constant at about 40 millon
tonnes.

Map:

**The maps show the develoments which took place in the coastal town os Youngsville between 1980
and 2005.

**The town was a much greener residential area with a large number of trees and individual houses, but
during the next 25 years the town experienced a number of dramatic changes.

**The most noticeable is that all of the trees south of the River Alanah were cut down, with all the
houses along the railway line being knowed down and replaced by skyscrapers.

**Overall, a comparison of the two maps reveals a change from a largely rural to mainly urban
landscape.

**There was a dramatic development in the town centre.

**The neighbourhood was completely transformed.

**There was a total recontruction of the residential area.

**The entertainment district was completely mordernised.

**Over the 25 years, all the houses were demolished/knocked down.

**The single dewellings were replaced by the skyscrapers.= The single dewellings made way for the
skyscrapers

**The trees were chopped down/cut down.

**The area witnessed/experienced dramatic changes.

Diagram:

**transitive verb= design, produce, send, manufacture, obtain, become

**intransitive verb= fall, rise, die

**both= begin, dry, grow, cool

**After a motorcycle is designed; a prototype is made. It is tested and the motorcycle is manufactered.
After this it is exported and sold.

**First the wheat is planted, and later the crop is harvested. The wheat is transported to the mill where
it is made into flour. The flour is bought by a baker. Later the bread is baked and sold.

** The diagram show the process by which coal was formed over a period of millions of years.

**As the pressure and the heat grew over time, the layer of dead plants was trapped underneath.

**The diagram shows the various stages in the production of clean energy from coal.

**Following that, the purified gas is used to drive a gas turbine.

**The turbine afterwards powers a generator.

**Once the paper is collected, it is sent for recycling.

**As soon as the food is processed, it is packaged and then it is distributed.

Children today are experiencing increasing academic, social and commercial pressures.
What are the causes? What measures can be taken to reduce them?-from another ielts
teacher

1. Academic pressure

Cause: harder to get into university

Solution: governments can invest in establishing more universities

2. Social pressure

Cause: the media sets behavioural standards eg: dress

Solution: More classes at school to teach children how to be more self-confident

3. Commercial pressure

Cause: advertising today is focusing more on children (eg: toys, fast food)
Solution: ban child focused advertising on television before 10pm

Certainly, children today appear to be under a great deal of pressure, especially in their
schooling, the way they interact with their friends, and from business. In this essay, I will
identify the causes of this, along with some possible solutions.

There are, I feel, some clear causes. From an academic perspective, the competition for
university places is intense, and therefore there is enormous pressure to succeed at high
school. For example, in Korea students often go to a second private school in the evenings,
attending extra classes from 4pm to 10pm four nights a week. This, certainly, is stressful.
On a social and commercial level, the media encourages children to live up to certain
stereotypes, as well as targeting them with advertising. Children often see unrealistic
images of beauty on, say, music videos, and peer pressure exacerbates this, often resulting
in damaging their self esteem. Additionally, the constant targeting of children by
advertisers such as McDonalds and toy companies also puts pressure on them to become
consumers at a young age.

Fortunately there are also solutions. One is that governments can allocate more funding to
establishing more tertiary education places to make university study more accessible. If
they do so, schools can reduce scores, in turn allowing students to focus more on learning
subjects they truly enjoy. What this could do is lessen the demands on them and invariably
reduce their concerns. Another is that the authorities can introduce compulsory classes at
school designed to teach children to become more self-confident. A good example is Xiamen
in China, a progressive city, as it devoted more funds to this area in 2000. As such, there
has been a reduction in depression and even teen suicide, which is why, ultimately, this
policy has been effective. Finally, governments can restrict advertising aimed at children
below 14 until 10pm.

Overall I believe the causes of this issue are clear, and the solutions, while challenging to
implement, offer hope.

Children are the future of our society. As the world has been progressing, there has been many
positive developments such as the advancement of technology, however, there has also been
some drawbacks. Advocates are of the view that there has been an increasing pressure on
children in regards to education, socially and commercially. In my view, I agree to this
consensus and will discuss the reasons as well as a solution to this problem.

There are important reasons to this hurdle. Firstly, we live in a highly competitive environment
in the 21st century. There has been an increasing sense of high expectation from parents towards
their children. In addition to do well academically, they want them to excel in all parts of life,
such as in extracurricular activities. This extra pressure to do well can be burdensome for some
students and can lead to lower performance, overall. Secondly, children today study in free
public schools, where individuals from all socioeconomic status are mixed together. Children
who can afford material things, therefore influence pupils who belong to lower economic status.
These children would have the need of want for such items and can have an instant
dissatisfaction with their lives, if their needs are not fulfilled. Moreover, commercial
advertisement on television of products also add do this rising problem.

To counter this problem, parents need to take an initiative by realizing the potential of a child, as
every child is different. In addition, they also need to be close to their children by sharing their
love, kindness and listen as well as understand the problems they are going through, which will
create a trust between a parent and a child.

In conclusion, we can see that to tackle the pressures put on a child, parents need to be realistic
in their approach and realize the difficulties a child faces while growing up. It is imperative that
an initiative be taken to handle this rising crises.
Adnan (student)

Questions from 2015 IELTS

Some people say that science lessons should be mandatory in schools, while others argue that
they are unnecessary. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Schools do not do enough to teach students about their health. Do you agree or disagree?

Some practical skills such as money management should be taught at high school. Do you agree
or disagree?

Many people believe that cooking is an essential life skill and should be taught to boys and girls
in schools. Others disagree and believe it is a waste of school time. Discuss both these views and
give your own opinion.

Some people believe that students should be allowed to evaluate and criticise their teachers to
improve the quality of education. Others, however, think this is disrespectful to teachers. Discuss
both these views and give your own opinion.

Some teachers tend to reward students who get high academic results. Others, however, support
and reward students who improve their grades the most. Discuss both these approaches and give
your own opinion on which approach is best.

Some people believe that universities should focus on providing academic skills, while others
think that universities should prepare students for their real future careers. Discuss both these
views and give your own opinion.

In most universities students focus on specialised subjects. However some people believe that
universities should encourage students to study a wide range of subjects. To what extent you
agree or disagree?

Giving lectures in auditoriums to large numbers of students is an old way of teaching. With the
technology available today there is no justification for it, and everything should be done online.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
For more IELTS Writing Task 2 questions, have a look at the posts in the IELTS Writing topics
category of my blog.

Vocabulary for common IELTS Writing Task 2 topics in 2015

As you could get a similar IELTS Writing Task 2

topic to one of the examples above, it would pay to improve your vocabulary related to these
topics before your test.

To get started, check you understand the following vocabulary. (You can click on the vocabulary
for a dictionary definition).

School subjects:

maths, English, science (biology, physics, chemistry), geography, history, art and design, music,
physical education (PE)

Adjectives to describe school subjects:

compulsory, optional, academic

The quality of education:

high/low academic standards

Student achievement:

high/low grades, high/low marks

Adjectives to describe skills:

practical, technical, academic, transferable, basic (e.g. the basic skills of reading, writing and
arithmetic)

Adjectives to describe qualifications:

academic, professional, vocational

Types of university study:

lectures, tutorials, online tutorials, practicals, assignments, group work, exams

2016 IELTS

1. Some argue that it is the responsibility of the parents to teach children about healthy
eating habits, whereas others believe that teachers should be responsible for teaching their
students how to eat in a healthy way.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

2. Some believe that more academic subjects, such as chemistry, physics and history,
should be taught in schools, while others believe that students will derive more benefit from
studying practical subjects, such as motor mechanics and cooking.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

3. Nowadays modern gadgets are widely used by young people and the use of these
products reduces their creativity.

Do you agree or disagree?

4. Nowadays more and more people read news on the Internet. Nevertheless, newspapers
will remain an important source of news and information for the majority of people.

Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

5. It is more important for school children to learn about their local history than world history.

Do you agree or disagree?

6. In recent years children have been given more freedom than in the past.

Do you think this is a positive or a negative development?

7. Nowadays environmental problems are too big for individual countries or people to solve.
We have reached the stage where we need cooperation on an international level to protect
the environment.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

8. Nowadays children are experiencing increased educational, social and commercial
pressure.

What are the reasons for this?

What is a solution to reduce the pressure?
9. Some people say that television is useful for education, while others say it is useful only
for entertainment.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

10. Some say that parents whose children are breaking the law must be punished in some
way.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?