IELTS WRITING
Task 2
(General Training & Academic)
60 MINUTES
(WRITING TASK 1 & 2)
40 minutes (TASK 2)
20 minutes (TASK 1)
IELTS Writing Task 2 CRITERIA:
● Task Response
● Coherence and Cohesion
● Lexical Resource
● Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The 3 types of essay questions:
● TYPE 1: One-sided essay
● TYPE 2: Two-sided essay
● TYPE 3: Problem & Solution
Cause & Effect
Type 1: One-sided essay
● Give your opinion
● Support only one side
● Yes or No question
Examples of
One-sided
essay questions
Example 1:
Many people believe that living a city life offers
greater benefits as compared to the countryside.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
(support only one side: One-sided essay)
Example 2:
Some people think that keeping pets is good for
children while others think it is dangerous and
unhealthy.
Which opinion do you agree with?
(Support only one side: Type 1 essay)
Example 3:
Many things that used to be done at home by hands
are now being done by machines.
Does this development bring more advantages or
disadvantages?
(support only one side One sided essay)
Example 4:
Many people are afraid to leave their home because
of crime. Some believe that more action should be
taken to prevent crime. While others feel that little
action can be done to stop crime.
What is your view?
(Choose one side and give your opinion: One-sided essay)
Example 5:
Men and women are commonly seen as having
different strengths and weaknesses.
Is it right to exclude males or females from certain
professions because of their gender?
(yes or no question: One sided essay)
Example 6:
In the past, shopping was a routine domestic task.
Many people nowadays regard it as a hobby.
To what extent do you think this is a positive trend?
(yes or no question: One sided essay)
Example 7:
International tourism has brought about enormous
benefits to many places. At the same time, there is
concern about its impact on local inhabitants and
the environment.
Do the disadvantages of international tourism
outweigh the advantages?
(yes or no question: One sided essay)
Type 2: Two-sided essay
● for and against questions
Clue words:
“and”
“both”
Examples of
Two-sided
essay questions
Example 1:
Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad
situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or storage of
money. Others argue that it is better to try and
improve such situations.
Discuss both these views and give your own
opinion.
(“both” : Two sided essay)
Example 2:
Computers are being used more and more in
education. Some people say that this is a positive
trend, while others argue that it is leading to
negative consequences.
Discuss both sides of this argument and give your
opinion.
(“both” : Two sided essay)
Example 2:
More people now have children later in life. Some
think it is not a good development for the family
and for the country.
Compare these two views.
(“both” : Two-sided essay)
Example 3:
Today more and more tourists are visiting places
where conditions are difficult, such as the Sahara
desert or the Antarctic.
What are the benefits and disadvantages for
tourists who visit such places?
(Two sided essay)
Example 4:
In some cultures, children are often told that they
can achieve anything if they try hard enough.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of
giving children this message?
( Two sided essay)
Example 5:
Nowadays, people prefer to live and work
anywhere they want because of the improvement
in transportation and technology.
Discuss the benefits and the drawbacks of this.
( “and” : Type 2 essay)
Example 5:
Having big salary is more important than job
satisfaction.
Do you agree or disagree?
[a One sided question that can be written in Type 2 (Two sided) structure]
Type 3: Problem & Solution
Cause & Effect
Example 1:
Overpopulation in many urban centres around the
world is a major problem.
What are the causes of this?
How can this problem be solved?
(problem and solution: type 3 essay)
Example 2:
Many criminals commit further crimes as soon as
they are released from prison.
What do you think are the causes of this?
What effects will this have in the society?
(cause and effect: type 3 essay)
Example 3:
Nowadays both men and women spend much
money on beauty care. This was not so in the past.
What may be the root cause of this behaviour?
Discuss the reasons and possible results.
(cause and effect: type 3 essay)
Example 4:
The number of advertisements for charities on
television and the Internet seems to be increasing.
What is causing this? Is this a positive or negative
development?
(cause and effect: type 3 essay)
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