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Ultimate Guide to IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essays

11 min read

Updated On Apr 12, 2024

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Ultimate Guide to IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essays

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We have all made a list of pros and cons when faced with a difficult decision. An advantages disadvantages essay in IELTS Writing is kind of like an organized pros and cons list.

In this article, we will go over the structure of Task 2 advantages and disadvantages, how to write an advantages and disadvantages essay and go over a few IELTS sample essays of this type.

Understanding the Question and Structure of the IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay

The IELTS advantages disadvantages essay is a question type you will come across in IELTS Writing Task 2 .

You will be asked to write about the benefits and drawbacks of the topic given. It can be worded in different ways. Let’s see some examples.

At the present time, the population of some countries includes a relatively large number of young adults, compared with the number of older people. Do the advantages of this situation outweigh the disadvantages?
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones in our daily lives.
Some companies and organizations require their employees to wear uniforms. What are the advantages and disadvantages of wearing a uniform?
A lot of places in the world rely on tourism as a main source of income. Unfortunately, tourism can also be a source of problems if it is not managed correctly. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world. Do you think that the benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks?
What are the pros and cons for children watching television? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant example from your knowledge or experience.
Globalization has both advantages and disadvantages. Discuss both and give your opinion.

Discussing the Question of Advantages and Disadvantages Essay IELTS

In some questions of Task 2 Advantages and Disadvantages essay, you will be asked to share your opinion. However, in most cases, discussing the pros and cons/benefits and drawbacks/advantages and disadvantages is enough.

Question of Task 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Essay IELTS

The first part of the question for advantage and disadvantage essays in IELTS Writing Task 2 will always be a statement. In the second part, you will get to know whether you have to discuss only the benefits and drawbacks or add your opinion along with it. So, no need to worry!

As you can see in the image above, the first question asks you to share your opinion, whereas in the second, you will have to discuss the advantages and disadvantages.

Structure of the IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay

The IELTS Essay writing task is quite challenging as it requires you to write an essay on an unseen topic from any walk of life – it can range from social issues to environmental discourse. To make it easy, you can practice advantage and disadvantage essay topics based on the following structure breakdown.

Paraphrase the question statement.
State what the following paragraphs will discuss.
Mention your viewpoint (if asked in the question)
Discuss the advantages.
Explain the benefits with examples in 2-3 sentences.
Discuss the disadvantages.
Explain the drawbacks with examples in 2-3 sentences.
Summarize the benefits and drawbacks discussed in the essay.

Remember that there is no right or wrong structure for advantages and disadvantages writing task 2 . However, if you use this, it will enable you to plan your essay in no time during the exam.

Join us in our IELTS webinars to learn tricks to handle IELTS Writing Task 2 essays! Explore Now!

How to Plan Your Task 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Essay?

The planning for writing any essay type in IELTS Writing Task 2 requires around 5 minutes.

The process covers essential aspects such as analysis of the question, organization of the points to be included, identifying relevant vocabulary, and understanding the marking criteria to obtain a good band score .

The following points will provide a concise guide on how to plan your answer for the advantages and disadvantages of essays in IELTS academic writing task 2 and save some time to revise your response.

To answer the advantages disadvantages essay questions in IELTS Writing Task 2, first you have to identify the keywords and instructions in the question to discuss the positives and negatives of the statement.
Plan your structure, including your main arguments, advantages, and disadvantages, to present your answer in a well-structured manner.
Take at least 10 minutes to analyze and understand the given statement and evaluate its pros and cons.
Organize your thoughts and provide a clear and concise response.
Using appropriate writing task 2 vocabulary and phrases (lexical resource) is important. But avoid stuffing too many words into irrelevant places.
Ensure that your response remains relevant to the given topic.
Understand the IELTS writing band descriptors like Task Response, Coherence and cohesion, Lexical resource, Grammatical range and accuracy to obtain a high band score .

How to Write an Advantages Disadvantages Essay for IELTS Writing Task 2?

Once you have planned your advantage and disadvantage essay for Writing Task 2, it is time to write down your answer.

Writing The Essay Introduction

The first thing that you have to do is to write an introduction for an advantages disadvantages essay.

Your introduction should paraphrase the topic of the essay and try to use different vocabulary/synonyms for the words in the topic, wherever possible.
Then, give a brief idea about what could be expected in the essay, i.e. the advantages and the disadvantages of the concerned topic.
Finally, state which side you think weighs the most (when asked for an opinion.)

Body Paragraphs for Advantages And Disadvantages Essay IELTS

Although there is no strict rule about the number of paragraphs forIELTS essays, it is better to limit the number to two. It will not only help you to follow the word count but also keep your essay concise.

Body Paragraph 1

It should state the advantage/s of the topic.
This should be backed by practical points, and the examples would be even better.
Day-to-day incidents and instances can be brought to notice.

Body Paragraph 2

It should state the disadvantage/s of the topic.
This as well should be supported by valid points, and the daily incidents and examples can be highlighted to back your points.

How To Write An Essay Conclusion?

You should conclude the topic by providing a summary of the points put forth in the entire essay and how the advantages or disadvantages of the topic outweigh the other (if applicable).

Make sure to end the essay with a well rounded conclusion.
Link your ideas discussed in the essay to ensure cohesion and coherence.
The question/s along with the essay statement should be answered.

To help you to understand this type of essay better, given below are some essential essay vocabulary you must know as well as a sample essay with a detailed outline. We’ve provided you with ample IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay topics to help you hone your essay writing skills.

IELTS Essay Vocabulary

A strong command of vocabulary is crucial for writing an effective advantages disadvantages essay in IELTS Writing Task 2.

Your proficiency in English language vocabulary will be evident in how expertly you can select the most suitable expressions to convey precise meanings. Diversifying your vocabulary will enable you to incorporate a greater variety of words in your essays. However, it is important to note that overusing uncommon words and phrases can reduce the relevance of your answer.

Wondering the Trick to Score a Band 8 in Writing Task 2? Know the Secret!

Tips for Mastering Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

Writing an essay on IELTS advantage disadvantage essay topics needs careful preparation and planning. Here are some tips that you can use to write a high quality essay:

Understand the Question: Make sure you understand the question and what is expected of you before you begin writing. Decide which advantages and disadvantages you need to talk about and if you need to share your opinion.
Generate Ideas: Spend a few minutes identifying the benefits and drawbacks of the selected subject. List the main ideas and instances you’ll utilize to support your claims.
Structure Your Essay: Write your essay with a logical and obvious structure. Begin with an introduction that briefly summarizes your key points and states the subject. After that, give each benefit and drawback a paragraph of its own, and then wrap up by summarizing your points in the conclusion.
Use Linking Words: To connect your thoughts and create a smooth writing flow, use a range of linking words and phrases, like “furthermore,” “however,” “on the other hand,” and “in conclusion.”
Support Your Points: Give particular instances, figures, or anecdotes to back up each benefit and drawback you discuss. This will improve the persuasiveness of your arguments and raise your score.
Plan your Time Effectively: During the exam, manage your time well. Plan your essay for a few minutes, then concentrate on creating paragraphs that are precise and to the point. At the conclusion, give yourself some time to review and make any required changes.
Practice is the Key to Success: It is the ultimate truth. The more you practice, the more you will become efficient in planning, organizing and structuring your advantages disadvantages essay for IELTS Writing Task 2. So, take up more writing practice tests and make the best use of them.

Ensure you’re using the right structure for IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays!

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Advantages and Disadvantages IELTS Essay Questions and Sample Answers

Given below are some sample questions for the advantages and disadvantages type of essay and band 9 methodologies of answering them.

Sample Question 1

Sample answer.

Foreign education has become one of the most sought-after ventures in this day and age. A majority of students plan on pursuing higher education in a foreign nation, especially when it comes to a master’s degree. One of the reasons why studying abroad has become such a popular phenomenon is the relaxation of travel laws and procedures across the world. However, there are pros and cons to studying abroad and the following paragraphs will explore the topic and elaborate on why the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

One of the primary reasons for studying abroad is the presence of a more refined and sophisticated education system in several first-world countries. It is common for students from underdeveloped or developing countries like Brazil, China, India, Argentina and other countries to look for better opportunities than the ones available in their native country in terms of academics. Also, residing in a foreign country helps individuals to gain international exposure and also helps them develop social and interpersonal skills, which are extremely important for being eligible for lucrative job opportunities.

Nevertheless, there are numerous drawbacks to travelling abroad for education. First of all, from the beginning of applying to a foreign university to staying in the host country for the entire duration of your degree, it is an exorbitant affair. Such a costly endeavour is often unaffordable for the household of many people. That being said, becoming accustomed to the norms and conventions of an unfamiliar country can be a tough ordeal for many due to differences in culture and social traditions.

Finally, I would like to conclude by saying that foreign education can be a blessing if it is financially feasible for aspiring students. That being said, the benefits of studying abroad surpass the drawbacks for the same.

Check Out – How to Plan an IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay (Best Strategy)

Sample Question 2

Globalization has been one of the most significant phenomena in the last few decades, and it has changed several aspects of human society both economically and socially. There has been remarkable progress in terms of economic and financial development for developing countries due to the expansion of global organizations. However, there are several drawbacks to this rapid progress that need to be addressed. Evidently, globalization has more advantages than disadvantages and the following paragraphs will elaborate on the topic and justify these views.

First of all, the most advantageous aspect of globalization is the advent of numerous international companies and franchises in developing countries. Ever since global brands and corporations have expanded their operations in countries such as India, China, Sri Lanka and many more, there has been a notable increase in employment in these countries. Additionally, due to the remarkable rise in the number of imports and exports, people from third world countries now have access to a vast catalogue of products and services that were previously unattainable.

That being said, there are drawbacks to globalization that create concerning issues for a sizable portion of the global population. One of the most disturbing consequences faced is the exploitation of labour. Many corporations are known to outsource their operations to developing countries due to cheap labour costs. This enables them to accomplish their manufacturing operations without having to provide proper remuneration. Also, due to the use of inexpensive labour, the quality of products is diminished, and customers receive inferior products.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that the effects of globalization are not entirely positive or negative. Nonetheless, the benefits brought by this occupation outweigh the drawbacks.

Practice Advantages Disadvantages Essays IELTS with IELTSMaterial

There is no doubt that you are preparing for the IELTS Writing Task 2. So, we would recommend you to take up advantage and disadvantage essay topics regularly. The more you practice, the better you will become at solving the IELTS Writing test and answers within the dedicated timeframe.

Check out our well-reviewed IELTS Writing study guide , which includes self-explanatory lessons and sample answers. If you need more guidance, don’t hesitate to contact our IELTS specialists . Make the necessary preparations to improve your score on the IELTS Speaking test and get a Band 8+.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an advantage/disadvantage essay? How do you identify that the essay falls under this category?

Is it mandatory to put advantages and disadvantages separately in two paragraphs or can I club them?

In case of questions where advantages outweigh disadvantages, I might have to write disadvantages first. Will it affect my score?

Do I have to write more than one point for advantages and disadvantages essays for IELTS Writing?

When can I note down the voc

What will happen if I write the exact question statement of the advantages disadvantages essay topic?

What is the importance of the topic sentence of an advantages disadvantages essay?

Is it mandatory to follow the word limit given with the IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay?

What can I do if my IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay is less than 250 words?

Is there any upper limit for word count for IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay?

Practice IELTS Writing Task 2 based on Essay types

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Kasturika Samanta

Kasturika is a professional Content Writer with over three years of experience as an English language teacher. Her understanding of English language requirements, as set by foreign universities, is enriched by her interactions with students and educators. Her work is a fusion of extensive knowledge of SEO practices and up-to-date guidelines. This enables her to produce content that not only informs but also engages IELTS aspirants. Her passion for exploring new horizons has driven her to achieve new heights in her learning journey.

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Post your Comments

10 comments.

Ashlin Devi

Posted on Oct 5, 2023

Nowdays, technologies are in high demand. People are possessed with their own computers and cell phones, so it is quite easy for them to do their job at home. Even though it is acknowledged with several points that working from home is quite easier, the essay will argue that the drawbacks of working from home will outweigh its strength. The main disadvantages are ineffective communication and the relationship amongst people becoming distant. First of all, people need internet to communicate. The internet connectivity is very poor at times, especially in the remote areas. Furthermore, during virtual meetings, discussion gets difficult due to connection issues where meeting is not worthwhile since no voice or no video. Moreover, working from home gives distance amongst people where you will not be able to have interact with colleague. Face-to-face discussion is very important where you get to work more effectively and efficiently. On the other hand, working from home is indeed benefit. People do not have to travel to reach work. The time which are spend on travelling, can be utilized on other activities such as house cores, leisure activities or even can work extra hours to meet the given deadline. Furthermore, people get flexibility in working hours, since there are no superior workers supervising employee. To conclude, there are some strengths on working from home but drawbacks overweigh strengths since working from home is not as easy task as people think since ineffective communication and people interaction is very important.

ria mahajan

Posted on Oct 6, 2023

Overall Band 5.5 Main ideas are relevant, but some are insufficiently developed and lack clarity, while some supporting arguments and evidences are missing for the question.Simple vocabulary is used accurately but the range does not permit much variation in expression.A mix of simple and complex sentence forms is used but flexibility is limited. For detailed analysis,you can avail a Free trial class Find the link below: https://ieltsmaterial.com/signup-1/ or you may reach out to us: +91 8929053019

Posted on May 15, 2023

More students prefer foreign colleges and universities. Although studying abroad is costly, a concerning drawback, the global exposure a student gets is the primary benefit that outweighs any disadvantage. On the one hand, pursuing education abroad is quite expensive, which is the primary concern. The tuition fee in the universities of developed countries is relatively high, and it is challenging for a student from an average financial background to afford it. Furthermore, people need to find part-time jobs to handle their daily expenditures. For example, a study by the University of Dubai revealed a drop of 25% in the enrolment of international students in the year 2023 compared to 2022 among the Gulf nations due to an increase in college fees. However, many universities provide scholarships to merit students, and youth can get global exposure which is of considerable significance. The primary benefit of choosing foreign universities is that the pupils get excellent global exposure. In many developed nations, the education system is quite advanced and leans towards practical knowledge than textbook learning. Moreover, people can build a strong network with locals which helps them in their professional careers. For instance, one of my friends, Ravi, who runs a garment business, is able to expand his work abroad due to the exposure he got while pursuing his master’s in abroad and the network he built during his education period. This is why youth prefer foreign universities. In conclusion, although studying abroad is quite expensive, the undisputed benefit of getting global exposure surpasses any hindrance.

Posted on Dec 3, 2022

“Nowadays online shopping becomes more popular than in-store shopping. Is it a positive or a negative development? Give your reasons and examples.” Isn’t this an opinion question though you have categorized it under advantages and disadvantages? I believe we have to describe only one aspect in our body paragraphs rather than describing both positive and negative aspects?

Posted on May 29, 2022

Nowadays, studying abroad is a new trend among students. Undoubtedly, there are positive and negative aspects of studying in a foreign country. However, the benefits of attending colleges and universities in a foreign country outweigh the drawbacks. The next couple of paragraphs will explain the topic and justify these viewpoints.

To begin with, studying abroad has several advantages for students. For instance, a student who is studying in a foreign country will probably improve language skills better than others. Learning a foreign language is extremely significant in a global environment. Moreover, living outside of a home country will enhance students’ worldview thanks to the culture of the host country. Therefore, it can be said that studying abroad paws the way for great career options.

However, there are undesired sides to education in a foreign state. One of them is education expenditure. Studying abroad might be expensive. Thus, it might lead to a huge economic burden for both student and his family. When a student moves to another country for education, he must face several challenges caused by living alone. For instance, some students might have some psychological problems during the first couple of weeks following their move. It can be claimed that being homesick is a common problem among young students.

In conclusion, having a graduate degree from a foreign country has both negative and positive sides. Although there are significant advantages, the benefits of studying abroad surpass the drawbacks for the same.

Posted on May 30, 2022

Band Score – 6

Concentrate on the correct usage of quantifiers and subject-verb agreement.

In some places words are used incorrectly, pay attention to them.

Use C2 level of words.

Purnima Koli

Posted on Oct 25, 2021

Parents tend to give the children better resources as compared to their own childhood. This way they also feel compensated in the process while bringing up their own child. While having a huge collection of toys to play with is not all that bad, at the same time can lead to some issues.

Firstly, having a diversity in the range of toys have multiple benefits. The child can learn how to manage or organize better. Varied exposure to different themes of toys makes one more aware.

Secondly, sharing can also develop social skills among the child’s friend circle. To get hands-on-experience with toys such as Rubix’s cube, puzzles hone mental capacity of the kid. Similarly, educational and infotainment toys help shape likes and dislikes, opinions, communication skills. Thus, caters to holistic development which is often a cause of worry for parents.

On the other hand, if the child is given more and more, this may result in losing the value of individual toy. Not only is this expenditure wasteful but also teaching consumerist tendencies to the child. Perhaps unconsciously the child stops valuing his toys and takes them for granted in desire for more.

To have enough needs to be inculcated rather than frivolous costs being incurred. The parents need to be also mindful of teaching holistic habits like outdoor games, reading, painting apart from playing with toys for all round development.

Having many toys is also burdensome when it comes to maintenance. If that could be sorted then it’s much easier to assemble and play as per the child’s convenience. Gifting once in a while is a good option to keep the spirits of the child happy.

Posted on Nov 13, 2021

If you would have presented this same as a 4 paragraph structure and added the conclusion you would have score 7 easily.

Overall band: 5

Coherence: It is better to follow a 4 paragraph structure so that it is easy for the examiner to mark you for coherence. Conclusion is missing in your essay. Conclusion is where you sum up and restate points.

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Essay Task 2

Guide to Advantage Disadvantage IELTS Essay Type

Essay Types
Double Question
Advantage Disadvantage
Problem Solution
Essay Length

IELTS advantage/disadvantage essays ask you to write about the benefits and drawbacks of a topic as well as (sometimes) asking for your opinion. This guide covers everything you need to know to complete an Academic IELTS advantage/ disadvantage essay. Let’s start preparing with Benchmark IELTS!

1.1 understanding the question, 1.2 example advantage/disadvantage questions, 2.1 essay structure 1, 2.2 essay structure 2.

3.1 Identify key words and phrases

3.2 Organise your ideas

3.3 identify vocabulary, 4.1 introduction, 4.2 main body paragraphs, 4.3 conclusion, 5.1 complete the sample advantage/disadvantage essay, 5.2 advantage/disadvantage sample essay, 1. advantage/ disadvantage essay overview.

This section of the guide will show you how to identify an IELTS advantage/disadvantage question.

Remember, there are five main types of writing task 2 questions:

Advantage/disadvantage
Double question
Problem/solution

It is very important to understand what type of question you are given in the exam so you can respond in an appropriate way: different question types will require different responses.

Advantage/disadvantage essay questions can be presented in several different ways.

Here are some examples of the way an advantage/disadvantage question may be worded:

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your opinion.
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of _____ and give your opinion.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of _____?

You may also see questions using synonyms for advantage and disadvantage, for example:

What are the benefits and drawbacks of…?

Be careful, the question itself might not always use words or phrases relating to advantage/disadvantage and they could be hidden in the statement, as seen here:

Some people believe that using a bicycle as your main form of transport has a lot of advantages , whereas others believe that it has many disadvantages . Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Here is another example of a question where you are asked to give your opinion:

Do the advantages of … outweigh the disadvantages

After you have identified the essay type , you need to understand what you are being asked to do. To do well in the Task achievement marking component, you need to ‘ address all parts of the task’ .

This type of essay question will always be split into two parts:

The IELTS statement
The question

You must always write about both the advantages and disadvantages of the given topic. As we can see in example questions 1-6, sometimes you are asked to give your opinion on the question, and sometimes you are not. Let’s compare the following questions:

You are not being asked to give your opinion

Here are some example advantage/disadvantage essay questions:

In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have more of an opportunity to study abroad.

Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Today children spend a lot of their free time watching TV.

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this practice?

Also, read the following IELTS Essay Writing Guides

IELTS Discussion Type Questions
Double Question IELTS Essay Topics
Opinion-based Task 2 IELTS Guide
Problem Solution IELTS Writing Task Statement

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy.

The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have the opportunity to study abroad.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?

More and more people prefer to read news online rather than on paper.

Do you think the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

2. Essay Structures for Advantage/Disadvantage Essays

There is more than one way to structure your advantage/disadvantage essay. You could take a thesis-led (opinion in the introduction) or an evidence-led (opinion in your conclusion).

You could also choose to focus on one or more than one advantage/disadvantage in each of your main body paragraphs.

The next two sections will give you two possible ways that you could structure your essay using four clearly organized paragraphs.

Thesis-led approach

Evidence-led approach

3. Planning your Advantage/Disadvantage Essay

Before you start writing your essay, you should give yourself 5 minutes to analyze the question and organize your ideas . Follow the tips below to create a well-planned essay!

3.1 Identify keywords and phrases

It sounds simple, but it is very important that you read the question carefully and understand what you are being asked to write about. To analyze the question, first, identify any keywords and phrases .

You should first identify the topic of the essay. If you do not write about the correct topic, you will score poorly in Task achievement . The general topic can always be found in the IELTS statement.

Let’s take a look at one of the previous examples:

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace . Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy .

The topic words are underlined and show the general topic of this essay question in nuclear weapons/power/technology .

After you have identified the general topic, you need to locate other keywords that give you more detail about the topic. In this question, the words world peace and cheap and clean energy in bold give you more information about the general topic. Therefore, your essay should only relate to these aspects of nuclear weapons/power/technology .

Now take a look at the question for our model answer at the end of this guide. Can you identify the general topic?

This is an important step that is often skipped by test-takers. By quickly writing down your key ideas, you will avoid repeating or missing any points and improve your score in both Task achievement and Coherence and cohesion .

You could use bullet points , columns , or another preferred method of writing down ideas . Here is an example for our sample essay:

Take a look at our Master Guide for a more in-depth look at idea generation and organizing your ideas.

Taking a moment to write down more uncommon vocabulary related to the essay topic will not only make you feel more relaxed in the exam but will also help you to improve your score in Lexical resources .

This doesn’t have to be a long list, just a few ideas that come into your mind. Here are some examples of the topic of studying abroad:

Culture shock
Language barrier
Broaden one’s horizons

4. Writing your Advantages/Disadvantages Essay

Your introduction should be the shortest paragraph in your essay (about 40-60 words is perfect).

You need to rephrase the IELTS statement in your own words. This is known as paraphrasing (a key skill to develop for the IELTS exam).

Take a look at our example:

You can also briefly state what your essay will be about in one clear sentence. For instance:

This essay will discuss both points of view and then I will give my opinion.

If you are taking a thesis-led approach, you can use one of the following sentence starters to briefly give your opinion:

I believe that…
It is my belief that…
In my opinion,…

A note on the use of the first person ‘I’: Unlike writing task 1, it is appropriate to use the first person in your writing task 2 essay. In fact, it is unavoidable when giving your opinion. But , you should not overuse ‘I’ in your essay and we recommend you limit your use to your introduction and conclusion.

Topic sentences Usually, the first sentence of your main body paragraph will be a topic sentence . The purpose of your topic sentence is to introduce the main idea of your paragraph .

You should include one topic sentence for each advantage/disadvantage . This means that, if your main body paragraphs focus on two advantages/disadvantages , then you should have two topic sentences per paragraph.

Here’s an example: One advantage of studying abroad is that students can improve their language skills.

Here are some other sentence starters you can use for your essays (you can replace the underlined words with vocabulary linked to your topic):

One advantage of studying abroad is that ….
Another benefit of studying abroad is that…
One downside of studying abroad is that…
Another downside of studying abroad is that…

Supporting sentences You should then expand on your topic sentence with a supporting sentence/sentences . Your sentence(s) could either describe a result of the advantage/disadvantage, go into more detail , or explain the reason(s) why these benefits/drawbacks occur.

Our example supporting sentence describes a result of the advantage given in the topic sentence.

Topic sentence – One advantage of studying abroad is that students can improve their language skills.

Supporting sentence – This means that when the students return to their home countries, they will have more employment opportunities.

Here are some sentences starters you can use to begin your supporting sentences:

This is because…
The result/consequence/reason is that…
This means that…
As a result/consequence,…
In other words,…

Giving examples For all writing task 2 essay types , you must support your response with examples. Do not personalize your examples and link them to your life instead, Keep your examples more general . Also, do not refer to made-up statistics .

Here are some instances of suitable and non-suitable examples:

Suitable For example, many young people who study in an English-speaking country for a few years develop strong communication skills and have the confidence to work in an international company when they return home.

Not suitable My cousin spent three years in an English-speaking country and they got an excellent job with an international country when they came back to Spain. ( this example is too personal as it refers to the writer’s family ) ❌

According to statistics, international students are 30% more likely to get a job in an international company when they study overseas. ( this example contains a made-up statistic )

You must include a conclusion to achieve a good score in Task achievement . Your conclusion does not have to be very long, but it needs to be clear and do two main things:

Paraphrase yourself : summarise the key points in your body paragraphs
Give your opinion : It depends if you have taken an evidence-led or thesis-led approach, you will either be re-stating the opinion given in your introduction or giving your opinion for the first time.

Make your conclusion easy to identify for the examiner by starting with linking phrases such as:

To sum up,…
To summarise,…
In conclusion,…

When you are paraphrasing the main points of your essay, you need to state that you have examined both sides of the argument (as that is what the question has asked you to do). To do this, consider using a phrase like:

In conclusion, having looked at this topic in detail, it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad .

You would need to replace the underlined section with your essay topic.

To give your opinion, you need to use a range of cohesive devices to introduce each example such as:

From my perspective,…
In my view,…

You then need to clearly state which side of the argument you agree with (advantage or disadvantage). Remember, your actual opinion does not matter, it is how you present your opinion using English that is important.

Here are some example sentences to do this effectively:

In my opinion, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
From my perspective, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits .

5. Example Advantage/Disadvantage Essay and Exercise

Now you’ve taken a look at how to write an advantage/disadvantage essay, let’s look at a model answer.

We have removed some of the words so you can put your knowledge to the test.

Select the correct missing words and complete the model answer.

In recent years, it has become much more common for students to complete their degree overseas instead of their house country. Many persons believe that there are significant benefits of doing this, while others argue that there are also drawbacks connected to studying abroad. This essay will discuss both points of mind and then I will give my opinion.

One advantage of study abroad is that students can improve their employee skills. This means that when the students return to their home countries, they will have more employment opportunities. An example, many young people who study in an English-speaking country for a few years develop strong communication skills and have the confidence to work in an international company when they return home. On the other hand benefit of studying abroad is that you can develop a better understanding of other cultures, Example , learning about a country’s customs, traditions and cuisines. The consequence of this is that people become more open-minded.

In the other hand, there are some disadvantages of studying abroad. One backdraw is that students may miss their friends and family and feel homesad. They may also find it difficult to connect with other students and make friends due to a language barrier . Another disadvantage is that students can experience a real culture shock when moving to another country. This is because the culture and language may be different which could lead to frustration for the student and dissatisfaction with their study experience.

To overall , it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad. In my thought, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Although it is true that the experience may be challenging at first, on balance , if you study abroad you will have an enriching experience that will broaden your horizons and increase your future prospects.

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How to Plan & Write IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays

Questions for IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays can be worded in several different ways. Here is some typical wording that might be used:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of….?
Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your opinion.

It is also common for synonyms of ‘advantages’ and ‘disadvantages’ to be used, such as ‘benefits’ and ‘drawbacks’, as can be seen in this sample question.

A lot of places in the world rely on tourism as a main source of income. Unfortunately, tourism can also be a source of problems if it is not well-managed.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world? Do you think that the benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks?

I’ll be using this question to guide you through the process of planning and writing an IELTS advantage and disadvantages essay later on in this lesson.

Here’s what the lesson covers:

Understanding IELTS advantages & disadvantages essay questions
Essay structures
How to plan
How to write an introduction
How to write main body paragraphs
How to write a conclusion

Want to watch and listen? Click on this video.

Click the links to see lessons on each of these Task 2 essay writing topics.

Once you understand the process, practice on past questions. Take your time at first and gradually speed up until you can plan and write an essay of at least 250 words in the 40 minutes allowed in the exam.

The Question

IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay questions fall into two main categories:

Questions that ask for your opinion.
Questions that do not require you to state your opinion.

The first part of the question will always be a statement. You will then be asked to write about both the advantages and disadvantages of the idea stated. You may also be required to state your opinion.

Here are two more sample questions for illustration. For the first one, you must give your opinion but in the second, you should not.

1. Small businesses are disappearing and being replaced by large multinational companies.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

2. Most career choices demand vocational skills or specialist knowledge. However, despite this, most schools still teach academic subjects such as history or social studies.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this?

Essay Structures

Now let’s look at two simple structures you can use to write IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays. They're not the only possible structures but are ones I recommend because they are easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.

I’ll explain later why I’m giving you two slightly different structures.

These structures will give you a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.

One Advantage and Disadvantage or Two?

The question will state 'advantages' and 'disadvantages' in the plural, that is, more than one. However, it is acceptable to write about just one.

This should give you an essay of just over the minimum 250 words. To write about two advantages and disadvantages will require you to write nearer 400 words which are a lot to plan and write in the 40 minutes allowed.

It is better to fully develop one advantage and one disadvantage than ending up with your second idea missing an explanation or an example because you run out of time, but you can write about two if you feel able to or more comfortable doing so.

Having said that, using essay structure 2, where you start with the examples, will enable you to easily add more than one advantage and disadvantage without having to write many more words.

It will be more suitable for some questions than others so bear this in mind when you're writing practice essays and try out both structures.

I’m going to use essay structure 2 to show you step-by-step how to write an IELTS advantage and disadvantages essay. I’ll also give you a model answer using essay structure 1 so that you can compare the two.

How To Plan IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays

The planning process only takes around 5 minutes but it is essential as it will save you time overall and will result in a far better essay and thus, higher marks. Th ere are the 3 things you need to do:

Analyse the question
Generate ideas
Identify vocabulary

# 1 Analyse the question

Analysing the question will ensure that you answer it fully. It’s quick and easy to do. You just need to identify 3 different types of words:

Topic words
Other keywords
Instruction words

Topics words are the ones that identify the general subject of the question and will be found in the statement part of the question.

Here is the question we’re going to be working on. I’ve highlighted the topic words in blue.

So, this question is about ‘ tourism’ .

Many people do this first step of the process and then write about the topic in general. This is a serious mistake and leads to low marks for task achievement.

What we need to do now that we know the general topic, is to understand exactly what aspect of tourism we're being asked to write about.

The other keywords in the question tell you the specific topic your essay must be about.

A lot of places in the world rely on tourism as a main source of income . Unfortunately, tourism can also be a source of problems if it is not well-managed.

By highlighting these words, it’s easy to see that you are being asked to write about the conflicting issues of tourism being ‘a main source of income’ in many places, yet also being ‘a source of problems’.

Your essay must only include ideas relevant to this aspect of tourism.

The instruction words are the question itself. They tell you exactly what to include in your essay.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world? Do you think that the benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks ?

Here, we are required to write about:

The advantages of tourism in relation to income generation.
The disadvantage of tourism in relation to problems it can cause.
Our opinion as to whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Note the use of the synonyms ‘ benefits ’ and ‘ drawback ’ in the second sentence of the question.

# 2 Generate ideas

The next task is to generate some ideas to write about.

There are several different ways to think up ideas. I cover them fully on the IELTS Essay Planning page.

I’m going to demonstrate two of them for you here – the ‘friends technique’, which is suitable for most IELTS essays, and the ‘example method’, which perfectly fits essay structure 2.

The ‘ friends technique ’ is the method I generally prefer as it allows you to take a step back from the stress of the exam situation and think more calmly.

Here’s how it works. Imagine that you are chatting with a friend over a cup of coffee and they ask you this question. What are the first thoughts to come into your head? Plan your essay around these ideas.

Doing this will help you to come up with simple answers in everyday language rather than straining your brain to think of amazing ideas using high-level language, which isn’t necessary.

Here are my ideas using the friends technique:

There are far too many ideas here to include in an essay of just over 250 words. Think up a few then pick one advantage and one disadvantage that you think you can develop well.

With the ' example method ', on the other hand, you start by thinking of specific examples related to the question. They can come from your own experience or be something you’ve read or heard about. These examples will generate ideas that will become the main points of your essay.

It works particularly well for the model question I’ve selected for this lesson which is why I’ve included the second essay structure.

Here are my ideas using the examples technique:

Now that we have some ideas, we’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay, but first, we have one more task to do.

# 3 Vocabulary

During the planning stage, quickly jot down some vocabulary that comes to mind as you decide what you're going to write about, especially synonyms of key words. This will save you having to stop and think of the right language while you’re writing.

Writing an IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

We’re ready to begin writing our essay. For the first model answer, I’m going to take you step-by-step through essay structure 2. I’ll then give you a model answer for essay structure 1.

Here’s a reminder of the question and the essay structure.

We’ll now start work on the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

The introduction to an IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay should have a simple 2 or 3 part structure:

Paraphrase the question
Outline the main ideas
State your opinion (if required)

Our tourism question asks for our opinion so our introduction will have 3 parts.

1) Paraphrase the question

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question statement.

Question: A lot of places in the world rely on tourism as a main source of income.

Unfortunately, tourism can also be a source of problems if it is not well-managed.

Paraphrased question:

Although holidaymakers contribute hugely to the economies of many popular destinations, the influx of tourists can also cause serious issues.

Note my use of synonyms for some of the key words. It’s fine to repeat one or two words if you can't think of suitable synonyms. Above all, your language must sound natural.

2) Outline statement

Now we need to add a statement where we outline the main points that we’ll be covering in the rest of the essay, that is, an advantage of tourism and a disadvantage of tourism.

Here are the two main ideas I’ve chosen to write about:

Advantage – Poor areas are now prosperous tourist resorts
Disadvantage – Displacement of local people

Outline statement:

This essay will demonstrate how tourism can transform the economy of poor areas but will also show that this can lead to such problems as the displacement of local people.

3) Opinion statement

The question also asks for our opinion and it’s essential that we include it in the introduction.

Opinion statement:

Whilst acknowledging that there are drawbacks, the essay will argue that the advantages of the tourist industry outweigh the disadvantages.

So, let’s bring the three elements of our introduction together.

Introduction

This introduction achieves three important functions:

It shows the examiner that you understand the question.
It acts as a guide to the examiner as to what your essay is about.
It also helps to keep you focused and on track as you write.

The two ideas in your introduction will become your two main body paragraphs.

Main body paragraph 1 – Poor areas are now prosperous tourist resorts

Main body paragraph 2 – Displacement of local people

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main body paragraphs in IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays written using structure 2, should contain 3 things:

Topic sentence – give an example
Explanation – explain the benefits/advantages
Consequence – state the result

Main Body Paragraph 1

The topic sentence summarises the main idea of the paragraph. It plays an important role in ensuring that your ideas flow logically from one to another. It does this by acting as a signpost for what is to come next, that is, what the paragraph will be about.

If you maintain a clear development of ideas throughout your essay, you will get high marks for task achievement and cohesion and coherence.

In this instance, the topic sentence will introduce our first example, for which I’ve chosen Thailand.

Main idea – Poor areas are now prosperous tourist resorts
Example – Thailand

Topic sentence:

One country that has experienced a significant economic boost from tourism is Thailand.

Next, we must write an explanation sentence that states the main point of our example.

Explanation sentence:

Over the past 50 years, many of its small fishing villages, where people often struggled to make a living, have been developed into thriving holiday destinations.

Finally, we explain the consequence or result of the situation. This is where we give an example of one specific advantage. It is better to pick one and develop it than to just add a long list.

Consequence:

With all the hotels, restaurants, shops and other tourist facilities that have been developed, there are now enough jobs for everyone and the general standard of living has greatly increased. Many local people have spotted new business opportunities and become entrepreneurs which has further diversified the economy.

That’s the 3 parts of our first main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

We’ll now follow the same process for our second main body paragraph.

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea – Displacement of local people

Example – Venice

First, we write the topic sentence to summarise the main idea.

Topic sentence:

In Venice, on the other hand, the huge popularity of the beautiful canals and stunning architecture with visitors from around the world has had a negative impact on local residents.

Now for the explanation sentence that states the main point of our example.

Explanation sentence:

The growing need for tourist accommodation, places to eat and shops has forced many people from their homes to make way for this new development.

Finally, a specific example to explain the consequence .

Not only have these people suffered by having to move away from their family and friends but the situation has also resulted in a lost sense of community in the worst affected areas.

That’s the 3 parts of our second main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

Now we need a conclusion and our IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay is done.

How To Write a Conclusion

The conclusion is a summary of the main points in your essay and can generally be done in a single sentence. It should never introduce new ideas.

If you're below the minimum 250 words after you’ve written your conclusion, you can add a prediction or recommendation statement.

Our essay is already near the minimum word limit so we don’t need this extra sentence but you can learn more about how to write a prediction or recommendation statement for IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays on the Task 2 Conclusions page.

The conclusion is the easiest sentence in the essay to write but one of the most important.

A good conclusion will:

Neatly end the essay
Link all your ideas together
Sum up your argument or opinion
Answer the question

If you achieve this, you’ll improve your score for both task achievement and cohesion and coherence which together make up 50% of the overall marks. Without a conclusion, you’ll score below band 6 for task achievement.

You can start almost any final paragraph of an IELTS a dvantages and disadvantages essay with the words:

In conclusion

To conclude

Now all you need to do is briefly summarise the main ideas into one sentence.

Here’s a top tip . Go back and read the introduction to the essay because this is also a summary of the essay. It outlines what you are going to write about.

To create a great conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction.

Introduction:

Here's the same information formed into a conclusion:

That’s it. We’ve completed our advantages and disadvantages essay. Here it is with the 4 paragraphs put together.

Finished IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay.

Go through this lesson as many times as you need to in order to fully understand it and put in lots of practice writing IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

Example IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay for Structure 1

Now, here’s a model answer for essay structure 1. First, a reminder of the structure and the ideas I generated using the friends technique.

Ideas generation - Friends technique

I’ve underline the ideas I’ve chosen to write about in this second essay:

Advantages of tourism – source of income:

Provides jobs for local people
Opportunities for local entrepreneurs
Tourist spending boosts both national & local economy
Brings improvement in local infrastructure & facilities which benefit whole community
Helps maintain traditions & culture

Disadvantages of tourism – the problems:

Money goes to wealthy business owners not local people
Increased crime
Illegal activities, e.g. drugs
More pubs & clubs – changes the local culture
Increase in property values
Destruction of the natural environment to build hotels, airports & other facilities
Displacement of indigenous people

See if you can identify the different parts of the essay and how I have developed them.

That's it. Now it's time for you to get practicing.

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More help with ielts advantages and disadvantages essays & other task 2 essays.

IELTS Writing Task 2 – T he format, the 5 question types, the 5 step essay writing strategy & sample questions. All the key information you need to know.

The 5 Types of Task 2 Essay – How to recognise the 5 different types of Task 2 essays. 15 sample questions to study and a simple planning structure for each essay type.

Understanding Task 2 Questions – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 2 Essay – Discover why essay planning is essential & learn a simple 4 step strategy, the 4 part essay structure & 4 methods of generating ideas.

How To Write a Task 2 Introduction – Find out why a good introduction is essential. Learn how to write one using a simple 3 part strategy & discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

How To Write Task 2 Main Body Paragraphs – Learn the simple 3 part structure for writing great main body paragraphs and also, 3 common mistakes to avoid.

How To Write Task 2 Conclusions – Learn the easy way to write the perfect conclusion for a Task 2 essay. Also discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

Task 2 Marking Criteria – Find out how to meet the marking criteria in Task 2. See examples of good and poor answers & learn some common mistakes to avoid.

The 5 Task 2 Essay Types:

Step-by-step instructions on how to plan & write high-level essays. Model answers & common mistakes to avoid.

Opinion Essays

Discussion Essays

Problem Solution Essays

Advantages & Disadvantages Essays

Double Question Essays

Other Related Pages

IELTS Writing Test – Understand the format & marking criteria, know what skills are assessed & learn the difference between the Academic & General writing tests.

IELTS Writing
Advantages & Disadvantages Essays
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Advantage Disadvantage Essay

IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essay Lesson

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

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

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

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

Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Understanding the Task

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

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

You could do this in two body paragraphs:

Body One: The positive points
Body Two: The negative points

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

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

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

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

Take a look at these examples:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

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

However, this one does:

Will this have more positive or negative impacts?

What does 'Outweigh' mean?

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

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

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

I believe that this has more benefits than drawbacks.

This will avoid any mistakes.

Writing your Thesis

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

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

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

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

Now take a look at the advantage disadvantage essay model answer.

Model Advantage Disadvantage Essay

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

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

Write at least 250 words.

Advantage Disadvantage Essay Model Answer

These days many people choose to live or work in other countries, which has been made possible because of the convenience of air travel and modern communications. I believe that this has more benefits than drawbacks.

The disadvantage of this development is the distance that is put between family members. If a person moves away it is true that air travel and devices such as skype mean that communication and contact can be maintained. However, it is likely that a person will only be able to return one or two times a year during holidays, and speaking on skype or via email is not the same as face-to-face contact.

Despite this, there are significant advantages it can bring to people’s lives. Firstly, it means that people have the opportunity to see other parts of the world and the way people live. For example, people from the West often go to work in Asia or the Middle East and visa-versa. This enriches many people’s lives as they get to learn about other languages, traditions, cultures and different ways of working from their own country.

In addition to this, on a wider level it may also benefit other countries. If someone moves abroad for work, it is usually because their skill is required there. To illustrate, nurses and Doctors often move to work in hospitals in other countries when there is a shortage, so this is very valuable to the place they move to.

I would therefore argue that although there are disadvantages of the current trend to live and work abroad, they are outweighed by the advantages. It can enrich people’s lives and lives of the people in the countries that they move to.

( 283 Words )

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

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

More Task 2 IELTS Lessons:

IELTS Task Response - 25% of your essay grade

The IELTS Task Response criteria in the scoring makes up 25% of your band score for your essay.

How to use brainstorming and planning to generate essay ideas.

Brainstorming and planning is a key step in developing your IELTS essay. This lesson has tips on how to coming up with ideas and organising them.

Paragraph Writing for IELTS: Building strong arguments

This paragraph writing lesson provides tips on constructing the best paragraphs for your IELTS essay.

IELTS Music Essay: Understanding a Complex Question

An IELTS essay about music is used to show you how to answer a more complex IELTS essay question that does not have a clear 'task' given to you.

Can you use Personal Pronouns in Essays for IELTS?

Learn how to use personal pronouns in essays for IELTS correctly. Can you use "I", "we" and "you"?

Using Pronouns to Improve IELTS Essay Coherency

Find out how to use pronouns to improve your coherency for IELTS task 2 essays.

How to Identify the Task in an IELTS Essay

Learn how to identify the task in an IELTS task 2 essay question. This is one of the most important steps in responding to an essay question.

Thesis Statement Tips for IELTS Essays

Your thesis statement in an IELTS essay should be written quickly and concisely. Use these tips to do that.

Requirements for IELTS Band 7 in Writing

Getting to an IELTS Band 7 is a struggle for many candidates. This lesson explains exactly what you have to do to reach this band score.

IELTS Problem Solution Essay Strategies and Tips

In IELTS problem solution essays you have to discuss a particular issue and present ideas to solve that problem.

Writing an IELTS Essay Conclusion

The IELTS essay conclusion is the final part of your IELTS essay. This lesson guides you on how to write a conclusion quickly but effectively.

How to Identify the Topic of an IELTS Essay Question

In IELTS you must identify the topic of your essay as this is a key to making sure your essay is on topic.

The 3 Types of IELTS Opinion Essays in IELTS

IELTS opinion essays in IELTS can be placed into three types. This lesson explains the different types and how to analyse these essay questions.

How to Write an IELTS Essay: The key steps

Learn key steps on how to write an IELTS Essay. This guides you on how to write a great essay plus other lessons to improve your writing skills.

Using Substitution in IELTS to Improve Writing Coherency

You can use substitution in your IELTS essays in order to improve coherency and coherence.

Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2

Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2 can be difficult but complex ideas are not expected.

Improving Writing Coherence for IELTS essays

25% of the writing grade is on how you organise your essay so this lesson shows you how to improve your writing coherence.

Tips on How to Score IELTS Band 8 in Writing and Speaking

To score IELTS Band 8 you need to understand exactly what is in the IELTS Band Descriptors for an 8 for writing and speaking first.

Writing an IELTS Essay Introduction

Tips on how to write an introduction for an IELTS essay introduction in a quick and easy way.

Transitional Phrases for Essays

Learn transitional phrases for essays to get a band 7 or higher in your IELTS writing for coherence and cohesion.

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Advantage Disadvantage Essay: Tips and Strategies for IELTS

IELTS writing task 2 consists of a wide variety of essays. While you are preparing, it is important that you familiarise yourself with the different types and understand how to approach them. One of the most popular choices of the IELTS examiners is the advantage-disadvantage essay .

For this you are given a topic and asked to discuss its advantages and disadvantages. Although it is a fairly straightforward essay, you still need to have a proper understanding of how to structure this kind of essays. Let us look at this in details.

Skills tested in IELTS Writing Task 2

This task is about assessing your ability to follow English discursive writing conventions (i.e. what order to put information in, what style to use, how to start and finish discursive writing, how to paragraph), to organise and link information coherently and cohesively and to use language accurately and appropriately.

It requires you to formulate and develop a position in relation to a question or statement. Your ideas should be supported by evidence, and examples may be drawn from your own experience. The essay should be at least 250 words in length and the ones under the required minimum word limit will be penalised.

Strategies for Advantage-Disadvantage Essays

The first strategy to write a Band 9 advantage-disadvantage essay is to know what the question asks of you. When you have this type of essay it is important to distinguish between the one that asks for your opinion and one that asks you to discuss advantages and disadvantages but does not ask your opinion.

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

You could do this in two body paragraphs as mentioned above. However, if you have the word “outweigh” or “Will this trend have more positive or negative effects?” then you are being asked for your opinion and you must say whether there mostly positive impact or mostly negative impact.

The following structure illustrates how you should structure the essay that specifically asked you to write about the advantage and disadvantage of a particular situation. For Example:

People now have the freedom to work and live anywhere in the world due to the development of communication technology and transportation. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

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

Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase question

Sentence 2- Outline sentence

Main Body Paragraph 1 (Advantages)

Sentence 3- Topic sentence (Advantage 1)

Sentence 4- Explain how this is an advantage

Sentence 5- Example

Main Body Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages)

Sentence 6- Topic sentence (Disadvantage 1)

Sentence 7- Explain how this is a disadvantage

Sentence 8- Example

Sentence 9- Summary of main points

On the other hand, the following question asks about what your opinion is:

People now have the freedom to work and live anywhere in the world due to the development of communication technology and transportation. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Will this have more positive or negative impacts?

For this kind of questions, the structure will be as follows:

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

Sentence 3- Outline sentence

Main Body Paragraph 1 (Stronger Side)

Sentence 4- Topic Sentence

Sentence 5- Explain why it is strong

Sentence 6- Example

Sentence 7- Topic Sentence

Sentence 8- Explain why it is strong

Sentence 9- Example

Main Body Paragraph 2 (Weaker Side)

Sentence 10- Topic Sentence

Sentence 11- Explain why it is not strong

Sentence 12- Example

Sentence 13- Summary of main points and restate position.

Additionally, it will also help if you look at several past papers and try to determine the language that are used to ask a particular type of question.

Understanding the question and having a proper structure for your essay, along with a range of contextual vocabulary is all that you need to achieve a high band.

Tips for Advantage-Disadvantage Essays

Here are some practical tips that will help you consolidating your ideas:

Before you start writing your essay, you should always spend 1-2 minutes on producing ideas for your answer. This way, you’ll know what to write about and your answer will be more coherent and well-structured.
In case of advantages & disadvantages essay , you need to think of 2-3 advantages and 2-3 disadvantages of the given issue.
In case of the essays asking for your opinion, you must decide what you think, before starting to write your essay.
Always time yourself while you practice.
Remember you will have to write slightly more than 250 words, so make sure you keep a tab of the word count.
Familiarise yourself with vocabulary that is particular to a specific topic.

The most important thing about an advantage-disadvantage type essay is, understanding the question; Whether you are asked to write about your own opinion or just point out the established advantages and disadvantages. If you figure this out all that is left for you to do is, arrange your points in a proper structure and use a range of grammatical structures and relevant vocabulary to establish your point.

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Task 1 Academic
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Task 2 (essay)

IELTS Writing: advantages & disadvantages essay

In this lesson you will learn how to produce a band 9 answer for advantages & disadvantages essay in IELTS Writing. As an example, we will use a topic of tourism in modern world . Basically, in all advantages and disadvantages essays your task is to describe positive and negative sides of a given topic + give your opinion.

In this lesson you will:

see a question sample
learn effective ways to quickly produce ideas for your answer
learn band 9 answer structure

for advantages and disadvantages essay in IELTS.

IELTS advantages & disadvantages question sample

For example, you can get this question for IELTS writing task 2:

A lot of places in the world rely on tourism as a main source of income. Unfortunately, tourism can also be a source of problems if it is not managed correctly.

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world. Do you think that benefits of tourism outweight its drawbacks?

This essay topic is related to tourism. Of course, topics for questions will vary, but ideal answer structure is the same for all advantages & disadvantages essays in IELTS.

Producing ideas for your answer

Before you start writing your essay, you should always spend 1-2 minutes on producing ideas for your answer . This way, you’ll know what to write about and your answer will be more coherent and well-structured. In case of advantages & disadvantages essay , you need to think of 2-3 advantages and 2-3 disadvantages of the given issue.

Let’s think about advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world.

Advantages of tourism :

boost in country’s economy due to increased spending
new job opening for local people
opportunities to discover new places for individual travelers

Disadvantages of tourism :

destruction of popular tourist destinations by large numbers of tourists
development of illegal economic activities
local people can experience loss of privacy

Now, after we’ve collected some ideas, it’s time to use them in our essay.

Band 9 answer structure for causes & solutions essay

Though there are many ways to structure your IELTS essay, we’ll use this time-tested band 9 essay structure:

Introduction
Body paragraph 1 – advantages
Body paragraph 2 – disadvantages

Tip : before starting to write your essay, decide what you think: does tourism have more advantages or disadvantages? You’ll need to make accent on your opinion in one of the body paragraphs.

We’ll use the opinion that tourism has more advantages .

Introduction Write the introduction in 2 sentences:

Sentence 1 - paraphrase the question (restate the problem):

Nowadays tourism generates a significant portion of national income for many countries, but it has certain drawbacks too.

Sentence 2 - tell the examiner what you’re going to describe in your essay:

This essay will examine the advantages and disadvantages of tourism and provide a logical conclusion.

Body paragraph 1 - advantages

Sentence 1 - state 2 main advantages:

The two main advantages of developed tourism industry are boost in country’s economy and a large number of new job openings for the local people.

Sentences 2-4 - explain the first advantage + give an example (if possible):

Firstly, tourists spend money on a wide range of services, including hotels, amusements, transportation, food and medical services. This way, tourism yields an additional income, greatly supporting the countries’ economies.

Sentences 5-7 - explain the second advantage + give an example (if possible):

Secondly, tourism increases the level of employment by bringing new jobs. For instance, the influx of tourists results in a larger demand in restaurant workers, tour guides, hotel staff and employees of retail services, exhorting business owners to hire more people for these positions.

Sentence 1 - state 2 main disadvantages:

However, tourism also has some major disadvantages like destruction of popular tourist destinations and development of illegal economic activities.

Sentences 2-4 - explain the first disadvantage + give an example (if possible):

Ancient buildings, temples and monuments struggle to cope with a vast amount of visitor’s traffic and get damaged. Also, the large number of tourists can cause environmental problems. For instance, when places of interest are overcrowded, natural resources often become overexploited.

Sentences 5-7 - explain the second disadvantage + give an example (if possible):

What’s more, tourism can create more serious situations where criminal issues are involved. The presence of a considerable number of tourists with a lot of money to spend, and often carrying valuables such as cameras and jewelry, increases the attraction for criminals and brings with it activities like robbery and drug dealing.

Sentences 8 - make an accent on your opinion (we’ll use the opinion that tourism has more advantages ):

However, proper hospitality management and correct usage of tourism revenue by the local government can eliminate these disadvantages.

Sentences 1-2 - briefly restate the advantages and disadvantages

To conclude, although tourism has certain disadvantages like destructive effects and growth of crime rate, it has an extremely positive impact on country’s economy and provides a large number of new jobs for the local people.

Sentence 2 - give your final opinion

I believe that these benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks.

Band 9 answer sample

Nowadays tourism generates a significant portion of national income for many countries, but it has certain drawbacks too. This essay will examine the advantages and disadvantages of tourism and provide a logical conclusion.

The two main advantages of developed tourism industry are boost in country’s economy and a large number of new job openings for the local people. Firstly, tourists spend money on a wide range of services, including hotels, amusements, transportation, food and medical services. This way, tourism yields an additional income, greatly supporting the country’s economy. Secondly, tourism increases the level of employment by bringing new jobs. For instance, the influx of tourists results in a larger demand in restaurant workers, tour guides, hotel staff and employees of retail services, exhorting business owners to hire more people for these positions.

But tourism also has some major disadvantages like destruction of popular tourist destinations and development of illegal economic activities. іAncient buildings, temples and monuments struggle to cope with a vast amount of visitor’s traffic and get damaged. Also, the large number of tourists can cause environmental problems. For instance, when places of interest are overcrowded, natural resources often become overexploited. What’s more, the presence of a considerable number of tourists with a lot of money to spend, and often carrying valuables such as cameras and jewelry, increases the attraction for criminals and brings with it activities like robbery and drug dealing. However, proper hospitality management and correct usage of tourism revenue by the local government can eliminate these disadvantages.

To conclude, although tourism can have certain negative effects like destructive impact and growth of crime rate, it has an extremely positive influence on country’s economy and provides a large number of new jobs for the local people. I believe that these benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks.

(299 words)

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Writing Task 2: Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

General information.

Write a formal essay .
Write at least 250 words.
The task is the same for both the General and the Academic Path. However, the topic of the essay question in the General Path is sometimes more straightforward than in the Academic Path.
Depending on the question, you will need to either provide and justify your opinion, discuss a topic, outline problems and provide possible solutions, or summarise key details.
The ideas you provide should be supported with clear reasons and examples based on your knowledge and experience.
Spend 40 minutes on this task.

Scoring of Writing Task 2

This writing task is worth two-thirds of the total marks for the writing test . There are four areas that you will be marked on in writing task 2, and each area is worth 25% of the overall mark for this task.

Task Response: This gives marks for your ideas, how well you address the topic, and the extent to which you develop ideas and form a conclusion.
Coherence and Cohesion: This gives marks for the effective use of paragraphs, linking paragraphs and ideas, and referencing.
Lexical Resource: This gives marks for the range of vocabulary used, the inclusion of collocations, and accurate spelling.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: This gives marks for the use of varied sentence structures, accurate tense, and accurate punctuation.

Structure of the Essay

The essay for task 2 must be 4-5 paragraphs long to show enough skill and evidence to score well for coherence and cohesion. The structure we suggest includes:

Introduction
Body 3 (optional)

Linking Words for Coherence and Cohesion

A quarter of your overall score depends on your ability to show cohesion across the essay. Linking words will help you to do this. The words in the table below provide a range of linking words with different functions for you to use in the task 2 essay.

If you use the first 5 minutes for planning, you will have 35 minutes to complete the writing task. I recommend using approximately 30 minutes of this time to write your essay and the remaining 5 minutes to check your work.

During this time, look specifically for spelling mistakes, misused words, grammatical errors, and punctuation mistakes.

Top Tips for Writing an Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

You must explore both sides of the issue – the advantages (the positives) and the disadvantages (the drawbacks).
Separate your arguments; one main body paragraph should focus on the advantages, and a separate main body paragraph should focus on the negatives.
Be sure to give clear points to support your arguments

Planning for the Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

You must take the time to plan for writing task 2. You will already have completed two full tests and writing task 1. Your brain is likely to be fatigued at this point, so you need to take a few minutes to ensure you respond correctly to the task, generate some ideas, and sequence the essay logically.

The plan does not need to be complicated. I recommend spending up to 5 minutes on this. You can use space on the question paper to write the plan.

The plan used for an advantages and disadvantages essay requires four paragraphs only; the introduction, main body paragraph (advantages), main body paragraph (disadvantages), and conclusion. We suggest the following format:

Sample Question: Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

As China grows in size and economic stature, many people think that Mandarin will one day take over as the only language spoken in the world.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having one world language?

Model Plan: Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

Model answer: solutions essay.

Many people think that as China becomes an increasingly powerful nation, and Mandarin becomes the predominant language for business activities in the world, other world languages may, one day, cease to exist. Having just one language spoken globally would certainly simplify communication across the globe, but there are some definite disadvantages of this happening.

On the one hand, a world with a single language would certainly simplify communication between people of different nations. It is evident that this would increase global connections and open doors for people to travel more confidently and comfortably globally. In addition, the ability of countries to communicate directly with one another would also be advantageous. Many conflicts exist between countries, and can often be caused by misunderstandings or poor relationships. With all countries speaking the same language, issues can be discussed and resolved face-to-face by world leaders.

On the other hand, there are some clear disadvantages to the use of just one global language. Firstly, there is the risk of countries losing their unique culture and identity. Language is a key component of cultural identity and, by taking it away, countries could lose their individuality. In this case, if all countries became too similar, there would be less desire for people to travel and the tourism industry could collapse. Furthermore, the range of languages spoken across the world has developed over hundreds of thousands of years. Specifying that just one language should be spoken globally eliminates an essential part of world history – the development of language in cultures around the world.

Overall, it is clear that, while there are substantial advantages to having a single world language, the risk of losing cultural identity outweighs this. Ensuring the continued individuality of nations is paramount to maintaining a rich world heritage for years to come.

Key Words and Phrases for the Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

Many people think that
Some people say that
there are clear advantages/disadvantages
On the one hand…
It is evident that…
In addition, …
On the other hand…
there is the risk of
Furthermore, …
it is clear that

Practice Test: Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

Many people are becoming vegans and are eating fewer or no animal products.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

Practice Test: Model Plan

practice test: model advantages and disadvantages essay.

As plant-based diets become increasingly popular, people are consuming fewer animal products than ever before. While this has been proven to have numerous health benefits, there are also some clear disadvantages to this.

On the one hand, plant-based diets are scientifically proven to be beneficial to human health. Many scientists and doctors talk of its positive impact on the wellbeing of the human body, and there are stories of patients with life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, overcoming these through eliminating animal products from their diet. In addition, consuming less meat also helps the environment. Meat from countries such as the UK, Australia and the USA has often flown thousands of miles around the globe to reach consumers. However, plant-based products can be more locally sourced, reducing the carbon footprint of the food we consume.

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages to the elimination of meat and other animal products from our diet. Firstly, it is challenging to obtain high levels of protein with little or no meat consumption. The human body requires a higher intake of protein for weight management and to build muscle and meat is naturally very high in protein, while vegetable products are low. Furthermore, a reduction in the demand for meat products will put a significant strain on farmers whose livelihoods rely on the purchase of such products. A continued decline in this demand could put many farmers out of work.

Overall, it is clear that, while there are disadvantages to less consumption of animal products, the advantages outweigh these. The benefits to the health of humans and the environment are key factors for moving towards a vegan diet. Rather than being forced out of work, farmers should focus on the growth and harvesting of the plant-based products that are becoming increasingly high in demand.

IELTS Writing Task 2: Advantage/Disadvantage Sample Essay

Thumbs pointing up and down to show advantages disadvantages essay

In this post, we’re going to look at an IELTS Writing Task 2 advantages and disadvantages sample essay. In this type of Task 2 question, you will read a description of a common situation or practice. From there, you’ll describe the advantages and disadvantages of the idea you were presented with. For more background info and advice on this particular question type, you can go to my post on the Task 2 question types in IELTS Writing.

In this article, I’ll show you a sample advantage/disadvantage prompt and a model essay that responds to the prompt. The model essay is an example of band 9 level writing—this is the highest score you can get on the Writing section. I’ve patterned the essay after this IELTS Writing Task 2 template , which was created by Magoosh IELTS expert Rachel Kapelke-Dale.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Sample Essay

Before we get started, you should of course first read the sample prompt.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Sample Essay Question

With modern transportation, workers and students are increasingly mobile, and have more and more opportunities to study and work abroad. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this development. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Get a higher IELTS score? Start your online IELTS prep today with Magoosh.

Write at least 250 words.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Model Essay (Band 9)

Nowadays, both work and study can easily take a person out of their home country. This can be good because people can explore new cultures now more than ever. At the same time, world travelers may become disconnected from their own home countries. In this essay, I will take a closer look at the aforementioned key advantage and key disadvantage.

To be sure, ordinary people now have unprecedented access to life abroad. It is easier than ever to work or study in a foreign land for months and even years. Many large international corporations offer overseas work to their employees, just as nearly all universities provide study abroad options at partner campuses overseas. Ultimately, nearly any adult anywhere in the world can potentially immerse themselves in another language or culture, with support from their bosses or teachers.

The problem is that international workers and students sometimes become unconcerned with the affairs in the nations they are from. This kind of apathy can prevent people from doing their civic duty. As one example, people from countries with compulsory military service may spend years abroad and even renounce their citizenship to avoid protecting their homeland. Even more commonly, people who go abroad may choose not to vote in elections back home, failing to make their voice heard on important matters. So modern mobility can undermine one’s ability or desire to make a difference back home.

Learning about other cultures by actually living abroad is a powerful tool for better intercultural understanding. However, as valuable as this is, sometimes going abroad can cause people to ignore the importance of their own culture and country. Not all students and workers should go abroad, and the ones that do should not forget their role in their country of origin.

Word count: 294

Scoring Rationale

This IELTS Writing Task 2 advantages and disadvantages sample essay is held to the same standards as any other Writing Task 2 essay. These standards are listed in the official rubric for IELTS Writing Task 2 . If you read the level 9 description carefully and compare it to this essay, you should see the reasons it has a top score. But I’ve also included scorer commentary immediately below.

Scorer Commentary (Advantage/Disadvantage IELTS Essay Sample, Band 9)

The score report below is based on the official IELTS Writing Task 2 rubric . This report also looks very similar to the Magoosh IELTS essay scoring service .

Overall Band Score: 9

What was done well in the essay:

This essay has over 250 words. This is a small but important way to avoid needlessly losing points due to the IELTS Writing word count penalty .
The essay does a good job of covering both the advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of easy access to foreign experiences is explored in the first body paragraph. The disadvantages of becoming too distant from one’s home community is similarly explored in the second paragraph.
Each paragraph has a clear topic sentence, followed by supporting details, examples, and a concluding sentence that wraps things up nicely.
Transitional phrases such as “to be sure” and “even more commonly” are used to clearly link ideas between paragraphs and within paragraphs.
Vocabulary and grammar are used very fluently; this essay is free of any serious errors in this aspect of English.

More IELTS Writing Task 2 Example Responses

If you found this example essay helpful, you’ll love the rest of them. Click the links below to access model responses for the other common Task 2 question types.

Two-Part Question Essay
Causes/Solutions Essay
Discussion Essay
Agree/Disagree Essay

David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles , his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru. Come join David and the Magoosh team on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram , or connect with him via LinkedIn !

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2 responses to “IELTS Writing Task 2: Advantage/Disadvantage Sample Essay”

will it be correct to include brain drain and the problem of excessive number of immigrants in the disadvantage part?

Hi Paromita,

If you can support these ideas in the essay and explain why they are disadvantages, then that could work if your reasoning is sound.

Hope that helps! 😀

Advantages and Disadvantages essay in IELTS Writing Task 2

A common question in IELTS Writing Task 2 is the advantages and disadvantages essay . As the name suggests, you will be provided with a topic on which you have to present an essay highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of the situation.

a 3d model holding the checkmark and the cross mark

The IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay should present a balanced evaluation of the subject matter without taking sides . Never present your personal opinion regarding whether there are more merits or demerits. Since, we have to remain neutral, do not write a one-sided essay.

Some questions do ask you whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages or not. To learn about such essays, click here »

Examples of Advantages and Disadvantages IELTS essay

WRITING TASK 2

You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

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

Write at least 250 words.

IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages essay format

There is a clear-cut IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay structure. Obviously, the first and the last paragraph of the essay will be for Introduction and Conclusion respectively. Two paragraphs in the body, one for advantages and the other for disadvantages, works best for this type of question in IELTS Writing Task 2 .

While brainstorming for ideas, we need to come up with at least two advantages and two disadvantages to write about. You can write more than two each, but the essay might get unnecessarily lengthy, and some ideas may lack proper development.

Introduction for an Advantages and Disadvantages essay

There are two elements to include in the Introduction paragraph of IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay.

Rewrite the statements from the question in your own words
Briefly mention the advantages and disadvantages

We can see in the sample above for the advantages and disadvantages essay that the Introduction paragraph begins with a paraphrase of the sentence in the question. Then, the second sentence introduces that idea of “ fun and entertainment ” as the advantages, while the third sentence hints at the disadvantages of holding such celebrations like being unreasonably expensive and possibly giving rise to a hedonistic lifestyle.

Body paragraphs for IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages essay

Whatever advantages and disadvantages have been alluded to in the Introduction paragraph have to be elaborated in the next two paragraphs.

For the advantages and disadvantages essay in the IELTS test, it is best to write about the pros in one paragraph and the cons in the next. Include at least two positives and at least two negatives of the situation. These points have to be explained in the body paragraphs with the help of examples.

Advantages and Disadvantages essay: The Conclusion

The final paragraph in the advantages and disadvantages essay questions in IELTS is the Conclusion paragraph . It is customary to write a summary of the main points made in the essay in the Conclusion paragraph.

Next lesson:

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? – A reliable essay format

The government should control the amount of violence on television in order to decrease the violent crimes in society. to what extent do you agree or disagree, nowadays technology is increasingly being used to monitor what people are saying and doing (for example through cellphone tracing and security cameras). in many cases the people being monitored are unaware that this is happening. do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages, ielts essay format: solving writing task 2 easily, a 3-step process for powerful ielts essay introduction paragraph.

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Advantages and Disadvantages Essay: IELTS Writing Task 2

Updated on Apr 02, 2024, 12:10

Did you know that the Advantages and Disadvantages Essay IELTS is one of the most common questions asked in the test? Preparing for it is essential to secure a good score.

The Advantages and Disadvantages Essay the IELTS writing task requires you to discuss a particular topic's pros and cons or advantages and disadvantages. You need to present your ideas in a clear and organised manner and support them with relevant examples and evidence.

This task assesses your ability to express your opinion, analyse information, and use various vocabulary and grammatical structures. Understanding the question, brainstorming ideas, planning your essay, and proofreading your work before submitting it is important. With the right preparation and practice, you can master this task and achieve a high score on the IELTS exam.

On This Page

1. Advantages and Disadvantages Essay IELTS: How to Answer?

Advantages and Disadvantages essay topics are some of the most commonly asked question types in IELTS.

2. Advantages and Disadvantages Essay IELTS: Sample Answer

Below is a sample essay to help you understand the IELTS Writing Task 2, advantages and disadvantages essay type.

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Advantages and Disadvantages Essay IELTS: How to Answer?

While you’re answering the advantages and disadvantages essay in IELTS writing, you should ensure your essay provides attention to either advantages or disadvantages, avoiding bias or one-sided arguments. Maintain a formal tone, adhere to grammatical rules throughout your essay and use a mix of vocabulary.

The task typically presents a topic or statement requiring you to discuss the advantages and disadvantages.
The word limit for the task is 250 words.
Your aim should be to examine the topic's positive and negative aspects.
Use cohesive devices and appropriate linking words to connect ideas within paragraphs and between sections.

When tackling an advantages and disadvantages essay in the IELTS exam, it's essential to structure your response effectively and present a balanced argument. Here's how to answer:

Introduction:

Start with a clear topic statement.
Provide a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages you'll discuss in your essay.
Finish with a thesis statement that outlines your overall opinion or stance on the topic.

For Example, “ The exponential growth of the e-commerce industry has revolutionised the way we shop, work, and interact with businesses. While it brings numerous benefits, it also presents certain drawbacks that impact our society in various ways.”

Advantages Paragraphs:

Begin with a topic sentence introducing one advantage.
Provide specific examples or explanations to support your point.
Use linking words and phrases to connect your ideas logically.
Conclude the paragraph by summarising the advantage and its significance.

For Example, “ One of the primary advantages of e-commerce is its unparalleled convenience. Online shopping allows consumers to browse and purchase products from the comfort of their homes or on-the-go, eliminating the need to visit physical stores. This convenience particularly benefits individuals with busy lifestyles or limited mobility, enhancing access to a wide range of goods and services.

E-commerce also fosters competition and innovation in the marketplace. With numerous online retailers vying for customers' attention, businesses are incentivised to offer competitive prices, diverse product selections, and superior customer service. This competition drives continuous improvement and innovation, ultimately benefiting consumers with better-quality products and services.

Disadvantages Paragraphs:

Follow the same structure as the advantages paragraphs.
Start with a topic sentence introducing one disadvantage.
Support your argument with relevant examples or explanations.
Use cohesive devices to maintain coherence in your essay.
Conclude the paragraph by summarising the disadvantage and its implications.

For Example , “ Despite its advantages, e-commerce presents several challenges, including privacy and security concerns. Online transactions involve exchanging sensitive personal and financial information, making consumers vulnerable to identity theft, fraud, and cyberattacks. Ensuring robust cybersecurity measures and protecting consumer data are critical for maintaining trust and confidence in e-commerce platforms.

Another drawback is the impact of e-commerce on traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. The rise of online shopping has led to the decline of physical stores, particularly small businesses that struggle to compete with large e-commerce giants. This shift in consumer behaviour can result in job losses, economic disparities, and the decline of local communities.”

Conclusion:

Summarise the main points discussed in the essay.
Restate your thesis statement, highlighting your opinion on the topic.
Provide a balanced final thought that considers both the advantages and disadvantages.

For Example , “ In conclusion, while e-commerce offers unparalleled convenience, promotes competition and globalisation, and drives economic growth, it also raises concerns related to privacy and security, disrupts traditional retail models, and poses environmental challenges. Addressing these issues requires a balanced approach that harnesses the benefits of e-commerce while mitigating its negative impacts on society and the environment.”

Tips for Success:

Maintain a balanced approach throughout your essay, acknowledging both sides.
Use a variety of vocabulary and sentence structures to demonstrate language proficiency.
Ensure coherence and cohesion by using appropriate transition words and phrases.
Proofread your essay carefully to correct any grammatical or spelling errors.

Following these guidelines, you can effectively structure and answer an advantages and disadvantages essay in the IELTS exam. Practice writing essays on various topics to improve your skills and confidence.

Advantages and Disadvantages Essay IELTS: Sample Answer

Question: The growth in technology has made things accessible for everyone. What are the possible advantages and disadvantages of technology in our lives?

Sample Answer: Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology in Our Lives

Technology's rapid growth has revolutionised how we live, work, and interact with the world around us. While technology brings many benefits, it also introduces certain challenges and drawbacks that impact individuals and society.

One of the most significant advantages of technology is its ability to enhance communication and connectivity. With the advent of smartphones, social media, and instant messaging platforms, individuals can easily stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues regardless of geographical barriers. This increased connectivity fosters collaboration strengthens relationships, and facilitates the exchange of ideas on a global scale.

Moreover, technology has transformed education by making learning more accessible and interactive. Online resources, e-books, and educational apps provide students with opportunities for self-paced learning, personalised instruction, and access to a wealth of information beyond traditional classroom settings.

Despite its numerous advantages, technology also presents several challenges and drawbacks. One of the most pressing concerns is the impact of technology on mental health and well-being. Excessive use of digital devices, social media addiction, and constant connectivity have been linked to increased stress, anxiety, and depression among individuals, particularly young adults and adolescents.

Moreover, technology-driven automation and artificial intelligence (AI) pose job displacement and economic inequality challenges. Automating routine tasks and adopting AI-driven technologies in various industries threaten to eliminate traditional jobs, exacerbate unemployment, and widen the gap between skilled and unskilled workers. Addressing these challenges requires proactive measures to reskill workers, promote job creation in emerging sectors, and ensure equitable access to opportunities in the digital economy.

In conclusion, while technology offers numerous advantages, such as enhanced communication, improved education, and better healthcare outcomes, it also introduces mental health, privacy, data security, and socioeconomic inequality challenges.

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Every Year Several Language Die Out: IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample

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Environment Essay Topics with Samples: Writing Task 2

Q. What is essay writing for the IELTS?

A. Essay is a part of the Writing section of the IELTS exam. Here, you will be given academic topics on which you must write an impactful essay. You need to structure your essay correctly, which makes the user walk through the core concept and then give some valuable outcomes as a conclusion.

Q. How do you write an essay in IELTS?

A. There are some of the things you should mind to write an essay in IELTS:

You should gather your ideas and thoughts around the topic. Do not deviate from the essential subject of your essay.
Follow a standard format that can be meaningful for the audience.
Enrich your essay with examples that can make valid points.
Always give your own opinions and end the essay with a valid conclusion.

Q. How do I get more 7.5 in IELTS Writing?

A. Practice is more important in getting good marks in IELTS writing. You should start practising different question types to develop ideas quickly and complete your task within the timeframe. Remember there is a limited time to complete tasks like the advantage and disadvantage writing task 2, which is 40 minutes only!

Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of essays in IELTS?

A. It is one of the question forms asked in the Writing Task 2 of the IELTS exam. Here, various questions are covered around academic topics like education, economy, health, technology, etc. In all these topics, you need to focus on the benefits and the drawbacks of the particular situation and then give your concluding opinion.

Q. Are IELTS essay questions repeated?

A. The IELTS essay questions are not repeated. But yes, the topics are usually repeated in many tests. For example, there have been many questions in the past about education, technology, etc. These topics are so vast that so many questions can come around them. But each has a different question, which has to be written with a different perspective.

Q. What should I do if I run out of time during the exam?

A. Practising time management to tackle the questions better is highly advisable. However, if you feel you are running out of time, write the conclusion part of writing task 2 because the point of essay writing will be meaningless without a valid conclusion. For Task 1, try to cover the central key theme of the visuals if unable to cover the full.

Q. Why is IELTS writing difficult?

A. The IELTS Writing task is not difficult, if you prepare for it. It consists of simple writing tasks such as writing a report or an essay. The writing section of IELTS may seem complex as a wide range of topics might be asked in the question and because of the time constraints while dealing with the questions. But there’s nothing to panic about. With continuous practice, it's possible to overcome the difficulties and become efficient in dealing with them.

Q. What are the writing tasks for IELTS?

A. The writing section includes the 2 tasks:

Task 1 is based on visual representation, which you must describe in 150 words and within 20 minutes.

Task 2 will ask you to write an essay on a particular topic, requiring you to give your opinions, discussion, arguments, and problems/solutions approach. You can also get advantages and disadvantages essay topics that will require you to focus on the positive and negative aspects of the particular topic.

Q. Can I write Task 2 first in IELTS writing?

A. Yes, you can choose to write the Task 2 first. It’s totally up to you how you want to write the whole test. But always consider that there is always a limited time to cover the questions. So, only do that if you can complete them before the timeline. And remember that writing Task 2 is double the marks of Task 1.

Q. How can I succeed in IELTS writing?

A. Practice and direction are integral to the success of IELTS writing tasks. You need to do continuous practice in dealing with questions like the advantages and disadvantages writing task 2, opinions-based essays, etc. The right mentorship will provide guidance and feedback to improve your writing skills and achieve better results.

Q. Are all the modules of the IELTS test held on the same day?

A. No, the IELTS test is conducted in two parts. The first part includes the Listening, Reading, and Writing section, which is done on the same day. The second part includes the Speaking section. It can occur the same day or 7 days before/after the examination. As it is an uncertain aspect, you should prepare the speaking modules together with the other three.

Q. Should I prioritise one task over the other in IELTS Writing?

A. Yes, you can. And always give priority to Task 2 as it has double the weightage of Task 1. You need to cover Task 2 in 250 words, which should not take more than 40 minutes. So always take care of these limitations. And don’t forget to allocate some time to proofreading and handling the spelling and grammar issues. Because these aspects carry more marks, it becomes essential to take care of them.

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IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Model Essay

Below is an IELTS advantage / disadvantage model essay about having one language in the world. The essay is estimated at band score 9.

The development of tourism contributed to English becoming the most prominent language in the world. Some people think this will lead to English becoming the only language to be spoken globally. What are the advantages and disadvantages to having one language in the world?

It is thought by some people that English, which is now the most widely spoken language in the world, may one day predominate over all other languages and result in their eventual disappearance. Having one language would certainly aid understanding and economic growth but there will also be some drawbacks.

One evident benefit to having one global language is that it would enable greater understanding between countries. In other words, if everyone spoke one language, there would be complete understanding between not only countries but all people throughout the world which would promote learning, the flow of information and ideas. Another reason that one language would be advantageous is that it would help economic growth. With all people speaking the same language, there would be fewer barriers and therefore trade would flourish between countries, resulting in a healthier world economy.

On the other hand, there are obvious disadvantages to having only one global language. Firstly, it would mean that all other languages would eventually disappear and, along with them, their cultures. The diversity of cultures is one of the joys this world has to offer. Each culture is unique with its own way of life and own perspectives of the world which would all be lost if there were only one language. Secondly, it would result in the collapse of tourism because there would be no reason to travel for pleasure and interest if all countries had the same language and similar cultures. This would devastate many countries economically that rely on tourism as a source of income.

In conclusion, while there are plus points to having one global language, too much would be lost as a result. Maintaining local languages and cultures should be prioritised to ensure a rich world heritage for future generations.

Comments: This sample answer addresses the task fully and provides relevant, well extended ideas. All aspects of cohesion is well managed. Vocabulary is flexible and there is a good range of complex sentence structures.

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Hi dear Liz. I just wanted to ask a thing or two regarding your above model answer. (i) In the second BP, firstly and secondly is used, without lastly. Is it ok to write points like that. (ii) This was adv and disadv essay, and it was not required to give your opinion, according to the essay question. Then why did you write in the conclusion that a lot will be lost. I reckon it is a opinion. Your comments would be highly appreciated. Regards

1) Just because you use first and second does not mean you must use lastly. Also using first and second within a paragraph can be helpful, but not between paragraphs because it is too mechanical for a high score. 2) Putting a final comment in the conclusion is fine, it could be an opinion, prediction or suggestion. But you never put an additional opinion in the conclusion as a final comment if your entire essay is opinion based.

Hi Litz, Your youtube channel and this blog is really helpful in preparing for my IELTS exam. I am having a doubt, which I would like to be clarified by you. So, in the advantages and disadvantages essay, we should explain one body paragraph as advantages and 2nd as disadvantages? and then give the conclusion which is better? or either explain one those and give opinion. Please clear my this doubt as i have my exam in a week. Thank you and wish you a speedy recovery.

If you are in doubt, please see my advanced lesson in my online store for detailed training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Thank you for the reply. I just want to know what structure is used in advantage/disadvantage essay. In the above model essay you used one BP showing advat and 2nd BP showing disadvnt. I just want to know is this the structure for this essay?

Of course, this is the structure. This is the purpose of my website and of these model essays – it allows you to learn at home.

Hello Liz, I truly appreciate your valuable lessons and information about IELTS. I have a question for you. The instruction was “Do you think the advantages of taking risks outweigh the disadvantages?” So I stated my opinion that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. And I write two body paragraphs for two advantages. I include the idea that disadvantage is not big in these body paragraphs. But I am concerned that should I write one full body paragraph for disadvantage? Or supporting my opinion is fine since I stated that disadvantage is not that strong.

I hope you answer my question. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

You are marked on your logical organisation of information into paragraphs. Having both advantages and disadvantages mixed up in a body paragraph isn’t going to help your score for Coherence & Cohesion. Separating ideas into body paragraphs is essential. However, that is only one part of Coherence & Cohesion, and it won’t affect your score for the other marking criteria.

Dear Madam, I found the below topic confusing. I can’t decide whether it refers back to “Do you agree or disagree” in which we ought to focus on only one side of the essay topic and forget the other side, or the “Advantages and Disadvantages” where we should discuss both sides. If the latter is correct, which I don’t think so, then we should cover both sides of two topics (living in a house and apartment) which would be a very long essay and unwanted in IELTS. So please help me out on this and thank you in advance.

Some people prefer to live in a house, while others feel that there are more advantages to living in an apartment. Are there more advantages than disadvantages of living in a house compared with living in an apartment. (Test 1, General Training, Volume # 7, IELTS Cambridge Series)

This is a very unusual question to get in IELTS because it is complicated and too lengthy. Most essays contain instructions which are more simple such as “Discuss both sides and give your opinion” or “Do you agree” or “What are the advantages and disadvantages?”. So, before I explain I will say that although this question is found in an IELTS Cambridge test books, which makes the question authentic, it is very uncommon to get any such question. The first thing to tackle in your mind are – what are the advantages to living in a house than living in a flat. Examples: internal space, privacy, outside spaces which flats generally don’t have. The downside would be – cost more than the countryside and there are fewer houses available in cities compared to rural areas. With these ideas planned. We then think about structuring the essay using these ideas and addressing the task. We can see that generally there are more advantages and less disadvantages. So, we will present the advantages in one body paragraph and provide simple comparison points such as “a house is more spacious than a flat” and then state the disadvantages in another body paragraph. We will present the opinion in the introduction and conclude it as well. So, you can see that although the essay question is written differently, it is an outweigh essay with simple comparisons. I hope this helps you 🙂

The reason for English developing into the most well-known language in the world owes to the advancement of tourism, leading some people to speculate that it will be the sole spoken language globally. One of the main benefits would be the improvements in communications, while the lack of diversity would be the drawback if English became the only language in the world.

The greatest benefit from having a single worldwide language is that people can understand each other more than they used to. Not only is this beneficial, but this also means that information would be easily exchanged between different cultures; for instance, many people would have been more educated if they had been given access to education materials in a language that they can understand. For these reasons, it would be more useful to have the same language as everyone else in the world.

It could be argued that despite the benefits, one of the most appealing sides of diversity, the mother tongue of other cultures, would be lost. Following this, the tourism industry, which relies on showcasing different atmospheres created by the variety in languages, would suffer the consequences. Travellers would become bored more easily and their desires to visit other places would reduce. Take the latest research findings as an example; conclusion therein states that countries which lost their mother tongue have seen to have fewer annual visitors than their counterparts. Thus, there would be some problems when it comes to uniting the entire planet under one language.

In conclusion, while there are some downsides to having a global language, it would still be beneficial for the majority. Hence, convincing societies to switch to English should be our priority for the better of the posterity.

Hi Liz, can I add ” personally, I believe…” before the last sentence in conculsion section? (personally, I believe maintaining local languages and …..)

I know some examiners that find that too informal. Your essay should always be formal: in my opinion, I believe, I think, from my point of view

There is no doubt that increasing number of tourism industry has put up the English as global language, which is concern for many people as they think this will result in English as the only language spoken internationally. Having one language would certainly aid the understanding and economic growth but there will also be some drawbacks. There will be many advantages of one language being spoken world-wide. Firstly, it will enhance the human-to-human connectivity and more understanding between them. This will also enable more trade between countries and fuel the economic growth. It will also help the research and education field, for instance, all research work, technology advancement and educational books will be available only in one language and it can benefit the whole world without any translation. On the other hand, the downside will be many local languages will be lost and with this many cultures and rituals will be vanished. The world will become monotonous and there will be no variation in people’s way of life or their cultures. The world is beautiful with its rich and diverse culture and the main reason for this is the language. The people will be no more interested in visiting other parts of world as the main reason is that that to go to different parts of world to experience the different cultures and language. In conclusion, speaking one language world-wide will surely benefit people in trade and many other aspects of life but the loss will be irreparable. Maintaining local languages and cultures should be prioritized to ensure rich world heritage for future generation.

Hi Liz, I have one question. I can’t understand why you wrote the last sentence. Isn’t it an opinion? I know this question is just discussing, not requesting my opinion…but why…?

It is possible to provide a final comment in your conclusion which might be an opinion, a prediction or suggestion. However, in an opinion essay, you would not present a new opinion in this way.

Advantage of “something ” outweigh the disadvantage? In the statement, can I have opinions for both, for instance, advantages point and disadvantage point as well ?

You still need to say which is more dominant. You must present a clear position. It doesn’t mean you must choose only one, but you must be clear which outweighs more than the other.

English is becoming the most popular language around the globe for many different reasons, one of those reasons is the increasing number of tourists to English speaking countries this might lead to an only English-speaking globe. In this essay I will illustrate the positive and negative impacts of speaking one language on both individuals and countries.

There would be a number of advantages to have one language in the world which people use to communicate ideas and feelings since communication will be easier and clearer for all individuals with no room for mistranslations or misunderstandings. In addition, foreign students and workers will not have to spend long periods of time learning a new language to study, work or live abroad. The globe will be more connected with one universal language.

On the other hand, having one global language results in a loss of each country’s heritage and history since language is seriously linked to culture and religion, for instance, travelers claim that learning local language brings them closer to local residents and helps them to deeply understand their culture and customs. Moreover, human brains develop different linguistic and intellectual levels while learning a new language which enhance individuals’ skills and personalities. Furthermore, there are many jobs that are based on the number of languages people speak globally such as teaching, translation and tourism which would disappear if humans speak only one language.

In conclusion, there are various advantages and disadvantages to have one spoken language in the world. Having English as the global language would ease communication and save a lot of time translating news and information, but it would demolish extremely important aspect of individuality and uniqueness between countries and cultures.

Having a common langue will ease all the language barrier and connect the people more easily. It is obvious that having a one common languages will help us to build strong understanding between countries and people which will help to build strong relationship. When people of different countries share a common ideas strong relationship. it will automatically result to built trust and hence improve our trade and economy.

On the other hand, having a single common language will eventually lead to disappear our unique culture and heritage.

Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is better to try an improve such situations. Discuss both these views and give your opinion

Some people believe that it is better to avoid struggle and stay with what you have such as lack of money or unsatisfactory job. Whereas, other people believe that it important to work more and try to change your lifestyle. In my opinion, avoiding hard work and accepting other decision is worse approach to leave a life. At first, without courage to improve life standard it is impossible to come out from such situation. One who is not trying to change his life he will never be able to change his life. At start it is difficult to move toward progress but with passage of time improvement will come if we are consistent and doing hard word for the sake of progress. Although, competition is on the peak and it is hard to make place in market but if our decisions are strong enough then no one can compete us. In addition setting goal and objective at start will help to get reward at the end and will lead us toward progress. On the other hand, if we stay with what we have it is worse decision of our life. When we a see achievement of other and happiest moment of those who are close to their goal. It will hurt us. Study shown that, people who are not trying again and again will never get success and end up with nothing. In conclusion, hard work is key to success and laziness will lead you toward negative thoughts as a result never you will never enjoy pleasure of success.

hye liz i am your big fan please check my essay and suggest band score

Having a language dates back to the earliest centuries of human beings’ lives. It has always been needed for people to understand each other and communicate. Various languages are spoken in many countries. It is arguable, that the increasingly enhanced tourism actions are empowering the English language, because tourists can use it wherever their destination is to explain their needs. This is due to the indulgence of it in all schools and universities curriculums worldwide. A small group of individuals believe that this will lead to a world with only one spoken language, which is English. This may have several merits such as a world described to be a close-knit community and less education expenses. However, it would badly affect the traditions of local cultures, in addition to the deterioration of countries’ economies.

A world controlled by people speaking one common language would be stronger, with notable education cost reduction. Many researches and projects are held on an international level. This emphasizes the importance of complete understanding and communication that will enhance the final outcome. For instance, according to an article released in 2019, many businesses have extended their cooperation with other companies all over the world, with the use of English. Hence, it could be justified that parents spend a lot of money, about half of their salaries, for teaching their children a second language, which is mostly English in non-English speaking countries. This can be explained by the enormous spreading of its usage and demand in all different nations. Thus, if it was the only language taught in schools, there would be no need to pay extra money to learn it. As the Netherlands has become an English speaking country, this fact has helped its citizens to save more than a quarter of their yearly income.

On the other hand, traditions and values will be affected negatively with the disappearance of local languages. All customs and history are inherited from generation to generation via books and stories that are better transmitted using domestic alphabits. The globalization of English will break down all the history of ancient tribes. In India, all traditions are connected with songs and festivals, which depend incredibly on slang and proverbs. Nevertheless, these cultural distinctions are the major attraction to tourists. Individuals will find it inessential to visit a country with a similar history and inheritance. For instance, American people tend to buy tours to European countries ten times more than taking a holiday to the UK, as stated in the sun daily journal.

To conclude, English is becoming increasingly significant, as a result, there will be one monocultural nation controlling the Earth, with no need for extra fees paid for linguistic lessons, yet with a fragile economy, and eroding traditions.

I don’t usually reply to people posting their essays because I don’t offer such a service. But in this case, I will point out that your aim is to write around 270-290 words, not over 400. Keep your introduction to just two sentences and make sure your main points are very clear and well presented in the body paragraphs. See all my free lessons and tips to learn more about writing an IELTS essay: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

You are so humble and genuine.

That’s kind. Thank you

Nowadays, the tourism industry has developed on large scale because of easy transportation services and technological advancement. This development of tourism has led to English being one of the most widely used languages all around the world to communicate effectively. Moreover, some people think in the coming years English will be the only language spoken globally. There are lots of advantages and disadvantages to it as lots of countries have their native language depicting their culture and traditions. The biggest advantage of this will be that all the people around the world will have only one language to follow. This will help the traveler to communicate easily and get the desired help in an unknown place. Because of the language barrier tourism in that particular place is affected a lot hence having a single speaking language around the world will help boost the tourists’ spots and help in development. Although, the disadvantage of having a single speaking language is that every community wants to preserve its essence of culture and traditions. With languages all around the world, every particular region has its own style of communication which also contributes to history, music and art which will fade away overtime leading to extinction of communities around the world. So, having a single language as a communication protocol may work but at the same time will lead to communal protest and disagreement globally from the countries who have strong cultural and historical background in their native language.

Please Rate my Writing

Hello Liz. First of all, thank you for beautiful contents. I have a very important question. In ‘advantages-disadvantages’ essays, what if one don’t think there isn’t any advantages or disadvantages ? In the sample esssay, you tell the advantages in one body paragraph, and you tell the disadvantages in the following paragraph then you give your own statement in the conclusion (if I understand correctly.) But, what if you think there isn’t any disadvantages of monoculture and having one, predominant language in the world and you totally believe that this is how it should be ? Do pupils pretend that they think there are both advantages and disadvantages ?

This type of essay isn’t about your opinion. It is about presenting the information that IELTS are requesting. You are requested to present the advantages and the disadvantages – you must do that. It is part of the Task Response marking criterion. Furthermore, you now know that many IELTS essays will request you to do this. It isn’t a surprise. This means it should be part of your preparation to prepare ideas for topics and that includes advantages and disadvantages of various world concerns or trends.

The importance of English language which was always debatable has now become more controversial with many people claiming that it is beneficial while other reject this nation. The substational influence of this trend has sparked controversy over the potential impact in recent years. In my opinion, there are more demerits as compared to merits and i will discuss the both views in the upcoming paragraph.

On the one hand, there are some advantages on this trend. The first and foremost reason behind this is that, English is a very significant part in everyone’s life. If school provide English language since childhood then it will very beneficial for children because in this contemporary era, majority of jobs provide the job if masses know about english. Another striking benefit is that, if children do learn English since childhood do learn English since children then younger ones can easily crack their exam related abroad countries. For instance, IELTS, PTE , TOEFL etcetera and people can easily understand foreign language.

On the other hand, there are numerous reasons why I think there are more disadvantages. People avoid their native language then people do not follow the traditions and cultures so it is a very bad thing because Punjabi and Hindi language is also very important language and it maintain our discipline. During this, individuals follow their culture

In conclusion, there are some advantages, individuals can easily understand foreign language and crack the English based exam, Nevertheless, I believe that there are many pitfalls such as it become low popularity about native language .

Hi Liz, Could you please enlighten me, In adv outweigh disadv and discuss both views and give your opinion questions, Should I write the side I choose in more detail than the other? I mean Should I write two equal body paragraphs for two sides or give importance to one of them?

Best wishes Merve

The length of the body paragraphs should be equal. This is stated in the band score descriptors published by IELTS. But you can express your opinion clearly in the body paragraphs to make your stance clear.

Thanks Liz ☺️ I have been watching your videos in You tube

thank you for your model essey it was useful for me. Thank you so much again.

I had my IELTS exam last weekend. The question for task 2 was: “Some people buy their food from small shops and local markets, others buy from large supermarkets. Which one has more advantages for the customers?” What is the right way to write this essay?

Thanks and regards, Hilda

This is the “outweigh” essay. The instructions say: Do the advantages of X outweigh the advantages of Y. So, just approach it with the normal approach for the adv/disadv outweigh essay.

Hi Liz, is it okay to say in the introduction statement that “both the advantages and disadvantages of this development will be elaborated in this essay?”

Sounds very much like a learned phrase that you can apply to any adv/disadv essay. This doesn’t help your score increase. This is a language test and each sentence should be unique to yourself. Try to avoid memorising sentences to fill your essay. Also the examiner knows you will elaborate the advs and disadvs – the examiner has the instructions as well. You don’t need to repeat the instructions. So, it’s really a waste of time focusing on such sentences which are not needed and won’t increase your score. There are much more important things to focus on in your writing task 2 preparation.

Hi Liz! I love the way that you write. Thank you for your beautiful page and I hope you keep going with. You are my inspiration!

I’m glad my lessons are helpful 🙂

Could I ask, in this model essay, where are the examples in body paragraph 1 and 2 ? Could you help highlight them for me? Or is it not necessary to have examples, so you haven’t mentioned them?

Thanks for your help with this!

You don’t need examples in all body paragraphs. Explain and illustrate your ideas your way.

Hi Liz! My ielts teacher (not a native speaker of English) said it’s better to avoid using words like” firstly””secondly”, because it is like ” chidren’s essay “. But you are still using them in your essay. Is it true?

They are perfectly fine to use and certain not children’s language. However, try not to use them at the start of each paragraph to avoid “mechanical linking” which is a feature of band 6 for Coherence and Cohesion. Using them within a paragraph is fine. But use them once only.

There is no denying fact that the phenomenon of English widely spoken is ubiquitous across the globe due to the paramount importance of tourism. One school of thought opine that this should not be the case, however others consider that a couple of problems may also occur because of the same. Although this has plethora of merits yet numerous demerits are also there which will be elaborated in the upcoming paragraphs. Initiating with the best possible benefits, the most significant advantage is ease of communication. In other words, people would interact using only one language which would promote easy understanding between countries and societies. To cite an example, a survey conducted by the British magazine in 2019 reported that, 80 % of the people living in UAE communicate easily with rest of the nationalities by speaking English alone. Along with it, the relationship among the nations will become healthier. As a result, this will make countries to build a stronger bond between them. On the paradoxical side, there are several drawbacks as well. First and foremost, the extinction of the local languages. To explain further, various languages will ultimately be vanished slowly and gradually by the domination on one language. Secondly, People would not be interested to travel to other tourist places to explore the culture and lifestyle. Consequently, there will be a significant fall in the economy of the countries. To conclude, without any doubt this is a mixed bag. Although this topic has many positive aspects to centralize one language, the negative points of this notion may not be underestimated.

Wow… This is wonderful essay. It made me inspired and developed my attitude. This essay should score band 9.

The spikes in Tourism has made English the well known language in the world to communicate to which masses believe that it will be the only dialect accepted and implemented worldwide. This notion has its own advanatages and disadvantages related with it and we shall discuss on the same in this essay. I believe this should not be implemented. The effects of movies has a great impact on masses resulting an increase in travel industry. English being accepted globaly makes the communication easy with the native and tourists. Both the parties can communicate , understand and can be on the same page. Having a single language will certainly be user friendly worldwide. The possibities of awkwardness will not occur. Both the parties can convey their opinions with no hesitaion .Conversing in same speech will be fluent and smooth leading to no scope of shyness between the two person. At touristy spots, there will be no need for a local guide or translator for a traveller to shell their money on. However , a coin has two sides. Their are few disadvantages as well related with the notion. Every country has a cultural and native language which it is renowned for. For example, Europe is famous for French which has a major significance for the country. India has several cultural languages which it is famous for. Having the same language will not inculcate learning native language for the children and youth of the country. It is vital to stay grounded to your roots.The employement rate for attendant, translators will decrease. The history of the country will be hampered leading to no room of learning. To conclude English is well accepted globally but the roots of the country i.e language should be intact for the betterment.

It is a wide-known fact that English is considered to be the most dominant language worldwidely. Many claim that English will predominate over the other languages, leading to their gradual disappearance. The use of only one language universally will definitely have some benefits in terms of travelling or communication between the governments but at the same time, may have severe disadvantages on cultural identities and world economic status. Initially, an argument in favour of having a common language is that the travelling experience is enhanced and becomes more efficient. In other words, visiting a country with a different language is frequently a real struggle for some people, who might feel insecure to walk around and enjoy. Consequently, a common language may motivate more people to travel overseas, which will certainly boost the tourism for every country. Moreover, a mutual language may help addressing and tackling global issues such as the environmental problem. For instance, as long as all the governors share the same language, their communication will be more effective and their relationships will be strengthened. Under these circumstances, dealing with universal problems will be considerably more productive. On the contrary, the dominance of one language has some apparent drawbacks. Firstly, there is no doubt that each language is the bright gem of each country. This is exemplified by the fact that the various languages offer a great insight into the cultures and civilizations. If the languages start eliminating, then the long-term history and the uniqueness of each country will extinct very soon. Secondly, another equally significant argument against the prevalence of one language is that may negatively affect the travel frequency. To paraphrase, many people are motivated to learn a language and visit the country, where is spoken, either for practice or for simple interaction with local people. Provided that people speak the same language, this may discourage many to travel and as result tourism and world economy might be affected damagingly. In conclusion, although there are positive points to have a catholic language, maintaining the local languages is a great way to promote each country’s diversity and appreciate the differences that make each culture unique!

I would like you to ask you about main ideas and supporting details. Many teachers say that you should have only one main idea per paragraph and support it with your supporting ideas. So, for example, for advantages and disadvantages type of questions they recommend firstly find all ideas for advantages and disadvantages and after group them into main ideas and write one paragraph for each main ideas.But, in your eassay there is one paragraph for advantages and one paragraph for disadvantages. Is it ok to write paragraphs without main ideas? I am just confused about different style of essays.

The examiner is looking for logical organisation which means all advantages together and all disadvantages together. Furthermore, the marking criteria states that paragraphs should have a central topic – which means all advantages together. Many teachers get confused about this because they think a central topic must be a central idea – but that is not actually the case. It is about a central topic.

Hey Liz, Hope you are doing well. I got my ielts academic result today, with an overall band of 8. I just want to thank you for all the tutorial videos and sample essays you have made, they helped a lot to me. Thank you very much.

That’s a really great score 🙂 Very well done 🙂 Glad my lessons helped.

The English language has developed over the years to become one of the most recognized and popular languages all over the world. With the onset of tourism, people are connecting and interacting with different cultures and languages and English has become the preferred mode of communications. Hence, this has lead to speculations that the diversity of language spoken would become affected. While I do agree that English unites most people and allow for improved communications and sharing of knowledge, I find all languages to be rich in culture, beauty and individualism and it is highly unlikely that they would become extinct over time.

With twenty-first century becoming more globalized, there is a greater need for common ground understanding and communications with different people from all over the world. This has inspired people to pick up a second or third language and English is really popular among people. This is significant, as it allows for better sharing of knowledge, information and culture and helps bring more understanding in the world.

On the other hand, it is important to preserve different languages, as it is our culture and roots. If the world were to be left with English language, we may become less tolerable of different diversity and lose our individualism. In addition, we may find ourselves losing touch and the ability to understand our histories and artefacts (which are written in other languages).

Furthermore, given the growing popularity for the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French and German languages, it becomes highly unlikely for English to be the only surviving language. People appreciate and admire the beauty and complexity with different languages and as such, I find it highly unlikely for humanity’s love for languages to die out.

In conclusion, despite the fact that having one language may improve communications, I believe that most people would agree that languages would make our world a more colourful and interesting place to be in.

In band descriptor of Writing there isnt any point explaining about idomatic language wherger we have to use or not. Yet, for speaking band descriptor explicitly mentions to use idomaric vocabulary. In your advanced lessons’ videos, u use few idomatic phrases, such as money does not grow on trees. As you are not only an IELTS teacher but also a native speaker, I have written some of your exact phrases, but my non-native tutor advised not to use them. Since I accept ur lessons more, how can I convince my teacher that they are not only ok, but also really good?

Any language I use in model essays or lessons about essay writing is fine to use for your IELTS essay. Less common idiomatic language is good for your score, but only when used appropriately.

Hello ma’am, plz check this essay fr me Topic – At the present time, the population of some countries includes a relatively large number of young adults, compared with the number of older people, Do the advantages of this situation overweigh disadvantage?

Essay : In the existing era, in some countries the population consists of large number of young generation, in comparison to the figure of old people. In my opinion, there are various benefits to this but the drawbacks cannot be overlooked. To begin with, there are several advantages of this notion. Having more youth in nation will give better development to the country. But the biggest downside of this is the loss of culture. As the older people maintains it in every home, which keeps the nation balanced. It also maintains the responsibility and strictness in the society. However, if these things get vanished in the contemporary time, there would be no limits on anyone as well as the freedom will be misused. Another evidence of this is it will result into unemployment. As there will be more young adults, more jobs will be needed. And it would not be easy for the companies to generate lot of employment. India, for example, is the country where unemployment rate is very high, especially the age group 20-40 are the most which remain jobless. In conclusion, the increase in young era may lead to various consequences although in my view, a country needs balanced population to keep it’s people well developed.

I would like to inform you that I have taken the date of exam for 7/9/2019

Most of the IELTS teacher suggest to put a example in each paragraph but I didn’t find anyone in this essay..why???

Because it is a recommendation and not a requirement. You choose how and when to illustrate. Not all illustrations need to use “for example” – not all illustrations are introduced by a linking word.

Hi Liz. I have encountered this question on your practice page. “What are the disadvantages of knocking down old buildings? Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?” Is the structure of the essay for this similar with what you have taught us on your advanced lesson video on outweighing? Or is there a new structure for this since there are two questions? I’m a little bit worried because I will be taking the exam this week. Thank you Liz!

If you have two questions, you must answer both. So in the first body paragraph, you state the disadvantages and in the second you would give your outweigh ideas. As you have only one paragraph for the outweigh – keep your position easy.

According to grammar rules mam we can not use to with verb form+ing but in your essay you have used many sentences in this form is it right? Can we use this?

It is not used as a verb. It is not a (verb+ing). It is the same as writing “I’m looking forward to hearing from you”. This aspect of grammar should not be used unless you have been trained to use it.

That is a to- infinitive, the variation Liz used is at the object position of the sentence. You can have it at the subject position too(initial part of a sentence) in which case it becomes “nominalized” e.g. ‘Reading is a good way to pass time’ or ‘To read is a good way to pass time’ My test is tomorrow Liz, wish me luck… I’m not too scared though because I’ve been following your lessons here and on youtube

I wish you all the luck in the world! Keep your eye on the clock for reading and writing. Make sure you plan your writing thoroughly. Read the essay question again and again before you start each paragraph – it will help you keep on track with ideas and language. Fingers crossed 🙂

If question says, “More advantages or disadvantages?” Does it mean “outweigh essay” which requires to mention both advantages and disadvantages along with my own opinion in Thesis statement (e.g. advantages outweigh disadvantages)?

Those instructions are the outweigh essay. IELTS like to paraphrase instructions from time to time.

How can your paid videos be accessed?

They are accessed through an email which is sent automatically after purchasing. Always check your spam folder. However, I am stopping all sales for the next month. They will be available again in September.

HI Liz, Thanks a lot for the fabulous work you are doing here. Your website has been a great help to me and even though I’ve not gone through other IELTS website, I can confidently say your site is the best out of the lot. So, I attempted my first IELTS (General) on March 23,2019 after a one week prep to sit for the exams and that as you would’ve guessed didn’t go too well. For my first attempt my results were; Listening 8.5 Reading 5.5 Writing 6.0 Speaking 6.5 Overall Band 6.5 This was obviously a bad result since I needed atleast a band of 7.0. Also, with a masters degree from a country which has English as its International language, I naturally underestimated the IELTS and I only chanced on your site after five days into my one week prep, which then meant I had very little time to get enough guidance from your site.

So, after that sore experience and having found your site, I decided to sit for the IELTS again but with enough time using solely your site as my study material and some Youtube simulation IELTS speaking videos to prep for my second attempt which was on May 23, 2019. Fast forward, I just checked my result and the breakdown is as follows; Listening 8.0 Reading 8.0 Writing 6.5 Speaking 7.5 Overall Band of 7.5

You can just imagine how excited I am right now, and this is all thanks to you Liz for your patience in replying to these many comments on your lessons and putting together such a well structured lessons on your site. This site is one-stop-shop for IELTS preps and I would encourage all those who are yet to sit for the exams to follow the lessons here diligently like I did.

Thank you again and may God continue to bless you, Liz.

Brilliant improvement – I’m really impressed !! Very well done 🙂 It really shows your determination to succeed 🙂 Thanks for recommending my site – I’m glad my lessons were helpful 🙂

Well done Seloram However, I can’t help but comment that when I read your post I really did feel you ought to have received a better score for your writing since your writing style is quite impressive. Did you contemplate giving a try for remarking?

Yes, I did consider requesting for a remark because I had enough time to plan, write and even had 5mins to go over and correct some errors for both writing tasks before the time was up. However, since I had hit my goal of getting an overall band of 7, I quickly disregarded the thought of a remark. Thanks!

I wanted to buy your new e-book, but turkey is not listed in the paypal system. So how can I get your e-book?

Unfortunately, I don’t have other payment options. However, it is possible for you to ask a friend to buy them for you.

I have been referring your website for clearing many IELTS, GT, Task2 related confusions, however, one confusion remains and, it has given me sleepless nights. It is regarding having one idea and developing/extending it or two ideas in one body paragraph.

I have seen your videos where you suggest to pick one idea, extend and support it to gain higher band. But, in your sample essays, more than often you have use two ideas in one body paragraph. I also referred other websites, which says that two ideas in one body paragraph may affect score in cohesion and coherence.

Please guide. Looking forward to your kind response. Thank you

You are confusing have one idea and having a central theme to the paragraph. You are being marked on your ability to group information into paragraphs which have a central theme. If you are giving advantages and disadvantages, a central theme would be all advantages in one body paragraph with disadvantages grouped in another. If you are presenting individual reasons for supporting your opinion, you would present each reason (each idea) in a separate body paragraph. So, your choice of structure and your paragraphing is flexible depending on what information you are presenting. This is what you are being marked on in Coherence and Cohesion.

Thank you for quick response.

you have cleared my doubt. This is the best explanation I have received.

God bless you.

I’m relieved you understood. It isn’t always easy to explain in a message.

Please feedback if this could score more than 7.5

Globally and due to tourism English has become so well known that some of us believe that, it would become the only spoken language in the world. While there are advantages in having one language such as the ease in conducting business, and improving communication among people, there are certain drawbacks such as erasing other languages, and loosing cultures identities.

Firstly, English has spread in many parts of the operational world and in particular in business. For example, many universities now are offering their postgraduate programs entirely in English. This allows international students to study and share research opportunities all in the same language. This benefit proves to be extremely rewarding as it unifies talents from all over the world and it enables students to grow in business endeavours together. Secondly, when conducting business, specifically, when it comes to transactions, it has been proven that bank operations in English are smooth and with less chances of making errors. Additionally, The Wall Street Journal has estimated that using English on the stock markets across the wold has saved expenses for many companies from translation costs as well it has substantially improved fast and easy communication. As a result, there is a clear confirmation that in business, it absolutely beneficial to use English as the main form of information.

However, there are some downsides to the notion of using one language. On the one hand, it gradually eradicates the potential to learn another language. For instance, because it is much easier when travelling or temporary visiting another country to use English instead of Spanish, people in general, lose the ability to attempt to learn a different language because they know that they can function with just applying English. A simple example, would be to communicate in English with a real estate agent in Spain, to purchasing a backpack in Germany, to even getting around with errands in China. Nonetheless, in the long run, this absolves you from the effort to learn the local language and as a result, one ends up living in a foreign country without learning to a greater extent about the culture. This appears to be only of disadvantage to us since we are not making progress in developing our skills. A study released from Harvard Psychology Magazine has found out that our brains are not as challenged by only relying on one language and therefore, they recommend continuous learning of other languages. Moreover, the notion of just having one language world-wide would definitely erase the character of many places, which we cherish as they are, for example, the authentic sound of French, the historical value of the Greek language, as well as the importance of medical terminology in Latin.

In conclusion, even though some purport to the idea that English is beneficial especially in business communications, others still think that it would eventually destroy other languages and ultimately eliminate the significance of other cultures.

I think u should go for a remarking. Your style of writing is good. Think again!!

I have been using this website since few months ago & I purchased your advance writing lessons as well. I could really enhance my knowledge through them. You are certainly born for teaching IELTS.:)

Could you please help me to build the background statement of following essay. “Some parents buy their children a large number of toys to play with.What are the advantages & disadvantages for the child of having a large number of toys?”

If I write this way is it correct ? “Although an excessive number of toys is thought by some to be useful for children, other people consider that it can be detrimental.” I have a little confusion there as question is not focused on negative aspect.

I’m going to take IELTS at beginning of May & hope you would help me.

Don’t change the content of the background. The essay question didn’t say anything about it being detrimental. It only stated a fact, not an opinion. So, you should paraphrase it exactly as it is: Some parents are indulgent and spend a lot of money buying toys for their children’s amusement. OR Some parents do not limit the number of toys they buy for their children’s amusement. OR Some children are indulged by their parents who buy them many toys to play with. (this option changes the order of information by starting with children rather than parents – this is a useful technique is paraphrasing is tough).

I took my ielts exam today. Everything went well, but I think I have messed up with essay task 2.

The question was: Companies are selling their products globally these days. Does this trend has more advantages or disadvantages. Support your answer with reasons and examples.

Unfortunately, i got confused that the question prompt is asking me to opt one side and write about it-because it said ‘or’ and not ‘and’

Was it incorrect to write only about the benefits and not disadvantages? How much would it impact my score?

It would affect your score for Task Response which is 25% of your marks for task 2. Your score cannot be predicted. Your task was to choose adv more and disadv less OR adv less and disadv more. This was an “outweigh” essay.

Hi, Mam, can you please post video lectures for cause solution and Direct Questions Essays. I need help with those. I ay. already purchased all your video lectures.

Waiting for your Kind Reply. My Ielts will be on 27 April.

Unfortunately, I stopped making videos due to health problems. See my free lessons and model essays: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . I’ll start making videos when I’m better – hopefully next year.

God Bless you and Get well soon. All good wishes to you and thanks for the reply

Wishing you speedy recovery Liz.

Thanks for giving us gerund to make a complex sentence. I used it. but I have some mistakes while making a complex sentence.my aim is 6.is it necessary to make every sentence in complex form for me

If your aim is band 6, you can use a combination of simple and complex. Review the band score criteria here: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/ . Then review all lessons and tips here: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Your website is wonderful. Please what does a note form look like? I’m going through road to ielts writing and I came across a part that said note form and bullet points are not allowed.

We write notes when we are short for time in a meeting, for example. They are not fully formed sentences – just notes. You should avoid writing like this and write with fully formed sentences which adhere to English grammar rules.

In the Adv./ Disadv. Essay with whether the Advantages outweighs disadvantages, considering an opinion where the advantages indeed outweighs the disadvantages, will it be alright if I discuss the disadvantages first and then advantages. (I feel more comfortable in placing the heavier argument in the second paragraph. )

Thanks 🙂 Shailesh

Whatever order you choose, make sure it is logical. This means that the order in the introduction follows the order of the body paragraphs. Organisation is marked on logic.

Good point to remember. Right after this comment, I saw the way to attempt such essays in your Advance Writing video, and I think that would be more appropriate than reversing the order.

Thank you Liz. You are great!! Shailesh

Great. Glad you got the Advanced Lessons. Whenever you are in doubt in IELTS always aim for logic and clarity 🙂

Hi Liz, thanks a lot for posting this answer, however, i have a doubt. The question does not require you to provide your opinion (it only asks to mention what are the advantages and disadvantages), which i think means that you have to provide a neutral answer of both advantages and disadvantages. However, in the second sentence of your conclusion, do not you think that you are leaning towards one of the sides? Would not this contradict the requirement of the question to be relatively neutral? Am particularly concerned with the “should be prioritised”. What are your thoughts on this?

This is called a final comment – it is not a new point. It is possible that an opinion is a final comment as long as it is a neutral essay. A final comment is not actually necessary – it is optional.

Could you please rate the below essay and provide feedback.

The topic is as follows:

The development of tourism contributed to English becoming the most prominent language in the world. Some people think this will lead to English becoming the only language to be spoken legally. What are the advantages and disadvantages of learning one language in the world?

My essay is as follows:

Thanks to the development of tourism, English has become the most prominent language across the globe. This creates a standard where English becomes the main language for communication across countries. However, the downside to this is that many people would neglect their own native language, which would result in that language being lost as the generations go by.

The benefits of having a universal language is that it allows knowledge, communication and innovations to be shared across countries. For instance, in the past, many people would work as translators because each country would publish their discoveries in their native language. This process has been rendered obsolete thanks to the invention of a universal language. Having one language in the world, saves a lot of time as you don’t have to translate it from one language to another. It also allows for information to be shared much more efficiently.

In earlier generations, schools would teach their students the native language and offer foreign languages as an option. Consequently, schools now teach English and offer the native language as an option. As a result, many languages are being forgotten and lost. When Languages are lost, ancient cultures and stories written in that language are also lost.

In conclusion, one major advantage of learning one language in the world is that it saves a lot of time as you don’t have to translate from one language ti another. However, the disadvantage of learning one language in the world is that many languages and ancient cultures are forgotten and lost.

Thank you so much for the example. It’s pretty well-organized and everything flows logically and I am quite able to extract a structure for the advantage/disadvantage essay out of it.

As I am currently studying this kind of essay, I came across this prompt from Cambridge IELTS 7. It says:

I am quite confused since I feel there are way more issues to address here. Here’s what I understood:

Issue 1: Living in an apartment: advantages and disadvantages Issue 2: Living in a house: advantages and disadvantages Issue 3: My answer to that question: are the advantages of living in an apartment more than the advantages of living in a house?

So if my position is: I think that living in an apartment has far fewer advantages than living in a house, how would I structure my body section? Should I talk about the disadvantages of living in an apartment in one paragraph then the advantages of living of in a house in another paragraph?

Please help! Thank you.

Your structure is too complicated. You seem to think your opinion is separate from the advantages and disadvantages. It is not. Your whole essay is your opinion. This means you have only BP1 and BP2 as described above but written as your opinion. Always keep structure simple.

Good Day, Liz. I am confused with advantage \ disadvantage type 1 and type 2 essays. Any easy solution?

Try my Advanced lessons. Those two essays are explained in an Advanced tutorial taking over 1 hour: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hey Liz !! I am learning a lot from your videos.I wanted to ask you what can be the background statement for the topic

“Some parents buy their children a large number of toys to play with. advantages and disadantage ?

A significant number of children are bought many toys by their parents.

Based on the written essay, could you please provide an analysis report showing which sentences or essay points have potentially taken into account to enable this essay to be scored band 9 based on score criterian?

An example would be as follow :

Task achievement score is band 9 because of following points : A) B)…

Lexical item band 9 because ;.. A) B)

I believe a blog post based on this structure could have better enhance ones understanding in the effort at attaining band 9 for ielts writing for task 1 and task 2.

I have been working on ielts writing for GT to get at least band 8. I’ve took the exam twice and received same band score which is band 6 for writing with comment below:

A) my conclusion is not clear B) paragraph at not aligned in logical order C ) some of the grammar mistakes

If you could show this weakness to be solve, it would be much appreciated.

I also would like to understand better on the test criteria of “use of range of grammar structure”. Would it possible to demonstrate this based on a written essay? How to enhance this section to gain band 9?

Thank you , Hema

I have already written about the marking and how to improve each marking criteria: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/ . It seems you did not visit my main writing task 2 page and read all the tips and links. I suggest you do that. Learn first, ask second: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Teacher, You wrot in the first paragraph ” To haveING ” . Sorry, but is it correct grammar ? as I know TO shoul be followed by first tense of verb. I know that is not a mistake but what are the conditions where we use it ?

“I look forward to hearing from you” – it is 100% fine to do this “to + verbing”. The “to” is a preposition!!!! It is advanced grammar, don’t use it if you haven’t learned it.

Hi Liz, Can we use the word ‘Statistics’ for giving example in IELTS General essay. I read somewhere, that Statistics must not be used as we are not giving a report but our thought/opinion, though i believe ‘Statistics’ is a better word. Also, please confirm if we can give false example to prove our point. For example, Statistics shows that 75% of women in London are working OR For example, Most women in London are working.

“statistics show that 75% …” is a learned phrase. This means it doesn’t help your score. The examiner doesn’t care what the percentages are. You don’t get a higher score because you have percentages. If your wrote “the overwhelming majority of women ..” that shows better language skills. Task 2 is an essay based on language, not a report.

Hello Liz, Please advise, if we should use comma before and or not.(Should we use Oxford Comma)

For example, which of below statements is correct or both are fine.

1: I have visited Spain, Italy, France, and UK. 2: I have visited Spain, Italy, France and UK.

This is an IELTS exam website. For English grammar lessons, please visit a grammar website.

Please advise if we should always write ‘outline statement’ in Introduction paragraph and can follow below structure. In few cases, this may not be possible. Please explain. Thanks.

1: Paraphrase Question 2: Thesis statement 3: Outline statement

The outline statement is optional. It is not a requirement of IELTS.

Thank you for this content. It is very useful.

Could you please guide further on the test criterion ‘Grammar Range and Accuracy’. What does it exactly mean to use range of sentence structures and tenses?

Yes, that is exactly right. You are being tested on your range of sentence structures and tenses. You don’t need to use all tenses, of course – that’s impossible. But you should use a range. But particularly, you should focus on a range of sentences structures. I’m currently writing an e-book for grammar range for writing task 2 – is that something you think would be popular?

Yes it would. Would be helpful if you could blog post some details on them as well.

Hi Liz, Can you please advise, where you gave examples in above mentioned Body Paragraphs, as i somehow could not find them.

I closely observes your posts and your reply for this would really help me. Thanks in advance.

There are many ways to illustrate and explain an idea. Examples are just one way and are not actually a requirement.

Hi Liz, this is what I came up with as paraphrase for the topic

English is becoming the most spoken language globally as a result of improvement in tourism, some argue that the outcome will be that English will become the only spoken language spoken around the world

the most widely spoken language in the world is Chinese 😉

No its not, English is, and there is no such language as Chinese, its called Mandarin!

Mandarin might be most native spoken language in the world (in population numbers of Chinese), but English is the most widely spoken language in the world, for example, Chinese, Spanish, Hindi, Arabic which falls into the top 5 most native speaking languages, some of them might take up or speak English as their second language, which in result makes English the most wide spoken and understood language in the world ! Hope this answers your question…but you are quite right, Mandarin/Chinese is the most spoken native language in the world ! This question in the Essay is very tricky as it it describes English as the most prominent language in the world, whether we agree or disagree, we need to stay on topic and just pretend we agree that English is the most widely spoken language in the world. This is why its very important to focus 3-4 mins on the question before responding as per Liz says.

Science has verious activities which is good for health,others are bad. Despite knowing,millions of people are having unhealty life. What do you think and is there other method to solve this.

This was the question asked in today’s ielts writing. Can any body reply these with a ansews I am doubt.

The problem is that the full essay question has not been written correctly. It contains a lot of mistakes and it makes it difficult to read. Try thinking more carefully and checking your grammar. I can’t offer tips unless I see an accurate question.

Good day, Ms. Liz! I am just confused. I want to ask about the tense you used on your second body paragraph before the second argument, it says “if there were only one language”. I am not good in grammar so I want to know why you used “were” if you are only referring to “one language” and why is it on past tense since it is has not happened yet? Thank you.

It is conditional.

I didnt see any examples on this essay.is it possible to score 7+ without giving examples ?

You give examples if you want to – it is not a requirement.

Hii lizz Thanku Is it opinion essay ‘do advantages outweigh the disadvantages?’ I’m little bit confused Gurdeep

It requires an opinion.

I studied your advanced writing course: advantage and disadvantage essay and practiced writing. I have a question: can I write one advantage and one disadvantage only? The question is asking advantages and disadvantages. Thank you!

If you can only think of one adv, then you will only be able to give one: the most significant adv is….

Hello Liz, I am taking my academic IELTS this weekend and I have been learning the tips and skills from your videos.Thank you so much for your help. But I have got a question regarding the writing tasks (especially task 2) : will I earn a higher score by writing complex sentences as many as possible by the use different clauses and conjunctions? Thank you.

Grammar counts for 25% of your marks and this includes range of tenses, range of sentence structures, punctuation and number of errors. A complex sentence in IELTS is considered a sentence that is not simple. So, for example, a sentence which contains one clause is considered a complex structure by an examiner. The biggest mistake students make is creating sentences that are too long and contain more and more clauses – one in enough and length should be controlled. Conjunctions, such as linking words, relate to the marking criteria of Coherence and Cohesion, which is 25% and also includes organisation of information and paragraphs as well as a good range of linking words. See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ and this page for my advanced writing task 2 lessons : https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi madam , how can I buy three of the videos together . Is there any other option ? Thank you Bineetha

Each lesson is bought individually. Please remember that this offer will not be available tomorrow.

Hi madam Could you please help me to understand what type of writing task 2 question is given below . We are becoming increasingly dependent on computers .They are used in business ,hospitals ,crime detection and even to fly planes .In which more field will they be used in future? Is this dependence on computers salutary or should we be more cautious about their benefits ? Is this a advantage and disadvantage question ? If it is . I guess they have also asked a opinion ( in which field they will be used in future ? ) I am confused . Their is a dilemma to understand such question . Could you please help me . I would really appreciate it . Thank you so much Bineetha

This is how I answered your topic. The world is relying more on computers, and computers have found use in various spheres of life including healthcare, forensic investigations, and even the auto pilot located on aircrafts. In my opinion, computers still have many other unexplored uses and I also believe that dependence on computers have more positive eventualities than negatives. It is worthwhile to approach the exploration of the positive attributes with caution. To begin with, in our everyday lives, computers will likely play more important roles as scientists discover more ways to apply its versatile nature. I foresee computers being used in environmental studies, for instance, measuring the amount of smog or soot in the atmosphere. Also, computers could likely replace guide dogs that walk people with visual impairment. Computers might be deployed to monitor ocean floor activities as part of an early warning system against earthquakes. The possibilities on the use of this versatile creation- the computer is truly endless. I believe that dependence on computers will have more positive eventualities than negatives. While it is argued that the dependence on computers and the increase in computer’s knowledge dubbed ‘Artificial Intelligence’ could threaten the human workforce, I am of the opinion that it will vastly increase productivity. Furthermore, computers should take over jobs which humans cannot do due to our nature. Finally, the call for caution in harnessing the positive attributes of the computer is being made in good-faith. Science fiction movies have demonstrated that computers could eventually take over the world, in collusion with some humans. It is not an idea that seems remotely impossible, since every uman process is gradually being linked to the computer. The possibility is indeed very scary. In conclusion, It is very important to be cautious as we automate and computerize our everyday activities; this is to ensure that we do not become over reliant on the computer and lose out in the end.

I’m sure it is not up to scratch, but the questions are multiple and not the usual agree/disagree type. It is more of discussion type essay.

Hi Liz, First of all thank you for your website, it has been really helpful for my IELTS study and practice. I have a question though, will they consider correct if I spell a word using the american English? Example the word “prioritize” which in UK would be “prioritise”. Thank you, Marina.

You can use either American or British Spelling – but you can’t use both. So, choose which one you will use.

You told in of your videos that you should not use “There is/are”. however, you have used it in your essay more than once?

This is not what I have said at all. Which video are you referring to?

Hello liz mam, I’d purchased your ielts essay lessons, but I’m still confused –

-Is this positive or negative development ? ( what structure I’ve to follow in this type of question ?) Body para 1 – negative side Body para 2 – posivite side It is same as advantage and disadvantage essay or some thing else ? Hoping for your reply soon as my exam is on 25 Nobember

Follow the instructions as I taught in my advanced lessons. If it ask X AND Y = both / if it asks X OR Y = you choose. Just read the instructions!!

Thank you so much mam 🤗

Another advantage will be that we don’t have to take IELTS exam

You are completely right and I agree with you.

Hello mam, Is it correct format If i write the balanced conclusion (means there are merits and demerit) in advantage and disadvange type essay????

The conclusion summarises the main points. You can’t plan what you will write until you essay the topic and essay question. You certainly don’t memorise sentences or phrases.

Thank you mam

I have some concern with one advantage and disadvantage essay question, which state “Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this and give your opinion”. Should I follow the same structure of ” Do the advantanges outweigh the disadvantages”, in which the key is the thesis statement. Therefore, my essay will have two body paragraph which explain the advantages and disadvantages, then I explain my opinion with the side I agree with. Or can I have three body paragraph – one advantages, one disadvantages, and another disadvantages (or advantages) which clearly support my opinion. Or do I have to tackle with this question type as “Discuss both view and give your opinion”? Maybe be for some questions, it is possible to do this, for instance (discuss the advantages of both methods and give your opinion, in which my opinion can be more specific) but in this case – discuss the advantages and disadvantages, and give your opinion – my opinion can not be other than whether advantage or disadvantage. I hope my question makes sense. Please give me a feedback for this concern teacher Liz.

Thank you so much for your response, your time and for this amazing blog. All the best.

You would tackle it as “Discuss both sides and give your opinion”. However, adv & disadv essays usually say “What are the advs and disadvs?” – they don’t ask for an opinion as well. So, make sure you read the instructions very carefully.

How important it is to have only one topic sentence each paragraph for a high band score? In this essay each body paragraph has more than one key points(adv or disadv).

A topic sentence (the first line) defines the content of the paragraph – that is what you need for each body paragraph.

Hi mam liz..its my first time to paraphrase a questions for task 2 in writing and the question is ” some people think that it would be better for large companies and industry to move to regional areas outside large urban centers. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

And this is my answer.. Almost all of the people think that its better to transfer all big companies and industry to a place which is away from big cities.

Place correct my sample answer to this question..i am not confident with my grammar and vocabularies please help me to expand my ideas in creating essays…thank you so much in advance

Sorry I don’t comment on writing.

can we express our opinion in conclusion part in this kind of essay which requires a discussion on advantages and disadvantages?

It is possible to do it as a final comment. A final comment is the second sentence in the conclusion after you summarise the main points in your essay. It is not actually necessary to have a final comment. Having just one sentence which only summarises your ideas is fine.

Hello Ma’am Is it increase my band in writing task 2 if I write idioms or proverbs?

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/using-quotes-or-idioms-in-your-ielts-essay/ and then review all my tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hi Liz, I really find your lessons extremely helpful. I want to ask do I need a title for my essay? Will it affect my band score if I had/ didn’t have one?

As you can see from my model essays – there is no title.

Hey Liz I have a query regarding advantage disadvantage essay, do we have to give our opinion in conclusion as I feel u have given ur opinion in conclusion in this model answer , I thought we only have to give our opinion if the question asks do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages but not for simple advantage/disadvantage essay .Kindly help in this regard Thanks in advance Mehwish

It is not necessary to write an extra comment in the conclusion as shown above.

Hi Well i wish 2 know that in witing task 2 are no of ideas considered for marking? Nd moreover if i write few ideas or simple ideas but in an effective way how much grade shud i expect? And should i emphasize on writing gud ideas in my answer or i just hav to b concerned about my writing?

See this page to learn about writing task 2 marking: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/

I have a question about an “Advantage Disadvantage essay”. When I see question like this: “Do you think the advantages of economic development outweigh the disadvantages?” – may I state my opinion in the thesis statement? Or should I leave it impersonal?

It is asking directly what you think. Therefore, you must answer it directly. Do you think the advs outweigh the disadvs – state what you think.

Dear Liz, I received my results and I got 7.5, I wouldn’t get that without your tips and notes. I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for the help provided. You are an angel. Best Regards, Noura Ghanem

Well done, Noura!! Band 7.5 overall is a great score 🙂 I’m so pleased my lessons were helpful 🙂

Hello teacher! Can i write a couple of advantages in one paragraph ? In advantages and disadvantages question.

Yes, of course. As long as your body paragraph has a central theme (for example, one body paragraph with all advs), it’s fine.

Hi teacher, I would like to ask about when to use past tense in writing task 2? I thought in academic writing should only have present tense, but I saw you use past tense in example section..? Hopefully you can reply my message. Thank you~

Of course you must use a range of tenses in writing task 2. This is language test and they are testing your range and accuracy.

Thanks so much Liz. My exam is this week and your lessons have been of immense help. I am however confused about something . In this advantage-disadvantage essay, I noticed an opinion was given at the conclusion. I thought opinions are only allowed in opinion essays. Thanks once again as I await your response.

It is possible to add an opinion as a final comment to a conclusion. However, I often prefer to use predictions instead. In fact, it is possible to skip the final comment and just have one line summarising the main points instead as a conclusion.

Hello Liz, in your advantage and disadvantage model essay, you gave two examples for each section. My question is that if I give only one example for advantage and two examples for disadvantage, does it lower my score ?

You can choose how many examples to give. There are no rules about this. It is your choice how you support your main point.

Hope you are doing well. Kindly help me with a confusion.

When we are asked if advantages outweigh disadvantages, do we discuss both advantages and disadvantages in BP1 and BP2 respectively or just give our opinion in introduction and discuss the one which we choose. For example if we say advantages outweigh disadvantages then we just discuss advantages in the body paras or still discuss both.

I will really appreciate your guidance. Many thanks.

Warm Regards, Preeti

You must explain why one is more important than the other. So, in expressing your opinion you will refer to both sides.

Hello Liz, Can I use “one common language” or “one international language” as a synonym of “one global language”? Regards. Sadia.

Yes, both options are fine.

Hi Liz, Is it okay for coherence to put two unrelated points in the same paragraph if both are advantages for example?

See my model essay above – it shows you how I put two advantages in one paragraph. The central theme of the paragraph is “advantages” – this is what IELTS are looking for – central themes.

Thank you! That’s what I did, but my teacher said that made it incoherent, so I thought I misunderstood the method in the model essay.

I think people get confused about having only one idea in a paragraph and having a central theme to the paragraph. For cause and solution essays, it’s the same. One paragraph for causes and one paragraph for solutions. The examiner is actually looking for logically organised ideas and it definitely logical to organise it in that way. Good luck with your results 🙂

Hello, Liz! First of all, thanks a lot for your really useful materials and video lessons! I have passed my exam this Friday and Saturday. Now I am waiting for my results. I would like to ask you about writing 2 essay type which I was given. “Do advantages outweigh its disadvantages” is it same with “What advantages and disadvantages does it have”? My topic was “most government develop its economy to improve living standard but ts leads to the loss of social values”

The main differences is that the “outweigh” essay requires your opinion – which is more important – advs or disadvs. But otherwise, it is similar. Good luck with your results 🙂

Dear Liz can I use having one global languge=monolingual world

Thanks Liz….im following your tips and hope to get d desired score soon and will let u be the results…..

Thank you for sharing your knowledge to us.

I’m wondering for advantage and disadvantages essay. Could I put any conclusion sentence in last paragraph. Or I don’t have to write any conclusion for this type of essay.

Thanks, Yun

ALL essays for task 2 MUST have a conclusion. Failure to write a conclusion for task 2 will result in band 5 for Task Response which is 25% of your task 2 marks.

Hi Liz, Thank you for this wonderful site and your tips. Could you please clear me how to approach this kind of essay. for example, “Many people starts travelling to other city. is it a positive or negative trend”. i am very confused how to approach this kind of essays, are they same like advantages and disadvantages type? looking forward to hear from you soon. Thanks.

This question is asking for your opinion. Is this positive or is this negative? Give your opinion in the introduction and explain your view in the body paragraphs.

Many thanks for your fast answer…

Hi Liz, is it grammatically correct if I write ‘the benefit OF having one …’ instead of ‘TO having’? Thanks

Yes, it’s fine.

Hi Liz, Can u please clarify me: In advantages overweigh disadvantage., Do I need to mention advantages and disadvantages and then conclude? Regards, Bhavya

You need to express your view. Which is more important than the other.

Firstly, *cough, cough*, I would like to thank you kindly for such an extensive effort into providing such detailed and straightforward information. Your lessons and tips are clear and concise, and really useful. After having lived the first 14 years of my life in an english speaking country, when asked to take the IELTS for immigration purposes, I focused on the test style, namely listening and reading, having given little thought to the writing aspect of the test, thinking it would be unnecessary. My overall band score was 8.5, however, the writing score was 6.5, and the department of immigration looks only at the lowest of all band scores. Unfortunately that score is insufficient, so this time, I am making sure I do not make the same mistake.

To conclude, *ahem*, I studied solely based on the rich and vast quantity of information contained in your site and by following your instructional videos. This time, I am sure I will obtain the desired band minimum.

Thanks again for the great work, and keep well.

Even a native speaker needs to prepare for the writing test. It is skills based as well as language based. This is the reason why having excellent English is not enough. When is your next test?

This essay is very balanced but there are repetition with “would”. why ?

It’s a conditional grammar tense.

In advantages and disadvantages essays, can we write one for each and explain and give example? Or should we write at least 2?

You can give an example , two examples or none – it’s your choice.

Thank you for your time and knowledge sharing. I would like to know, if for the above model essay if they ask for give your opinion what should should be modified in order to reuse the above essay.

You can take ideas for essays but that’s all. You can’t memorise an essay to use in the test.

Hi Liz, Can you provide a sample for introduction of advantages outweighing disadvantages essay model?

I did already – please see previous comments.

Hi Liz, Can you provide a sample of an introduction for advantages outweighing disadvantages essay model?

Question: Many students take a year off between finishing high score and going to university. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Into: Having a gap year before starting tertiary education is becoming increasing popular. I believe that although there may be problems with this, in the long run it is more beneficial and helps students developing into more rounded characters.

Thank you for your kindness. It will be of great help to me.

Hi liz, in this kind of question is it okay if i state first the disadvantages then advantages afterwards? will it affect my TR? thank you

It will affect your score for Coherence and Cohesion which is 25% of your marks and includes the logical order of information and ideas. It is not logical to change the order.

Hi Liz , in this topic , you did not include any examples .is this ok ? i am sorry but i try to understand and define a certain forum to follow . thanks

You don’t need to give examples. There are many ways you can choose to illustrate your ideas. It doesn’t affect your score.

I thought giving examples is mandatory to support our ideas.Is it not required to give examples? If no,What are the other ways to illustrate our ideas?

You give examples when relevant. You don’t need to illustrate ideas, you need to develop them – explain them – give details.

Regarding the above question, could you tell me please how and where to put the likely answer for //state which you consider to be the most effective//.

Your opinion should always be put in the introduction when it is asked for. See my advanced lessons if you need training: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

Hi Liz In an advantage/ disadvantage essay, should I always say which is best in my conclusion?

No. If the instructions say “what are the advantages and disadvantages”, you don’t give your opinion at all.

Hello Liz! But you did state your opinion in your conclusion when you said that “Maintaining languages and cultures should be prioritised…”. And now you are saying that you shouldn’t give your opinion. Can you clarify this contradiction please. Regards, Vlad

It is possible in a conclusion to add a final comment which might be a suggestion or prediction.

If everyone spoke? is that past indefinite?I think its wrong.

Hi Liz! I hope you will be fine. I wanna ask, we should use connectors like firstly, secondly, on the other hand etc. in start of the paragraph or use between the paragraphs in an essay. And we should make four or five paragraphs while writing an essay.

You use sequencers and linking words where necessary depending on your ideas and the content of the next paragraph. There is no fixed rule.

Hello there Liz, I think this is a discussion essay so my question is, can I freely give my opinion on what side I am for as a conclusion even though it wasn’t asked? Thank you. =)

You only give your opinion when the instructions ask for it. Stick to that strategy and you won’t make mistakes.

With the last sentence in the sample essay, have you not stated your opinion even though you did not use ‘in my opinion’ there?

It counts as a suggestion. You could also have finished with a prediction if you wish. It’s just a final comment, that’s all.

Your videos are very helpful to me, and I’m still studying some of the essay lessons. I’m practising my writing task 2 and I have realise that I am not sure when to use can and could, shall and should, and will and would. Is there any rules of when to use these words. I hope to hear from you.

Sincerely, Lynn

See this page: http://www.learnersdictionary.com/qa/could-can-and-would

Thank you so much! This will be a great help for me.

Suncerely, Lynn

Dear Liz, One writing task which misleads always is – 2 opinions discussion and your opinion. Kindly help with this. Following are the 2 examples of that 1. Some people prefer to live in a house, while others feel that there are more advantages to living in an apartment. Are there more advantages than disadvantages of living in a house compared with living in an apartment? 2. Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

My question is the following 1. Do I need to write advantages & disadvantages of living in house- 1 paragraph, advantages & disadvantages of living in apartment- 2 paragraph and my opinion- 3 paragraph? 2. Do I need to write advantages & disadvantages of learning foreign language in primary school- 1 paragraph, advantages & disadvantages of learning foreign language in secondary school- 2 paragraph and my opinion- 3 paragraph.

Both these examples have 2 opinions instead of 1, and each opinion has advantage and disadvantage and finally writers opinion. This is going to be a long essay, kindly advise on this. Does any of your advanced essay videos address this, I want to buy them.

Yes, in my advanced lessons, the “advs disadv essay lesson” covers both “what are the advantages and disadvantages?” and also “do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?” http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore . That lesson is 1.5 hours in length and explains in great detail how to tackle those questions.

Dear Ms Liz, Thanks a lot for your lessons. my English has improved so much since i’ve got your page. However, i missed one of your essay, that is What are the advantages for a company of having uniform that you uploaded. Would you pls help me find this. Big thanks to you

Here’s the link: https://ieltsliz.com/finding-ideas-for-ielts-writing-task-2/

Dear Liz, I want to ask you about the body paragraph of advantage and disadvantage , agree or disagree .Do they have the same method ?

https://ieltsliz.com/liz-notice-2015-2016/

your page is deeply useful, thanks very much, really, thanks for all,

i just would to ask why you wrote “In other words, if everyone spoke one language” (at the beginning of the second paragraph instead “In other words, if everyone speak one language”. As I said, thank you very much for all,

I have some problem with writing and speaking what can be done to overcome this Because only 20 days left for my ielts test

See my advanced lessons for writing task 2: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore and see this page for speaking: https://ieltsliz.com/develop-your-ielts-speaking-for-free/

Hello madam, I really thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for making this site . It is very useful for my as I plan to take islets next month on February 19th and it is my first time hoping to get the score band I want .

Actually I want ask if we can use in the phrase ( in a matter of fact ) in the begging of the introduction like you used ( it is thought by ) or it will not helping in score

Thanks in advance

Sorry for some errors in writings I were not fully concentrating 🙁

Hi there, The teacher used that statement because if you go back to video she presented in the section of Discussion Essay Useful Language. She introduced the most important statements should be utilised. Therefore, I would advice to be on the sife side and use one of them better. Best regards, Salah

Hi liz I am lakhpreet from india and my ielts examz is on 29/11/2016 so i have problem in writing task1 and task2 how can i prepare to get good score in my ielts examz . I have lot of problem in writing task 2 introduction i don’t know what i should write so please give me tips

See the main pages for writing task 1 and 2 below to learn what to do: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/ https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ You can also find advanced training for writing task 2 in my online store: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

this is very useful website !!!!really

The topic is a discussion essay that does not require our opinion. However, the conclusion seems to be an opinion even though it does not use ‘I’ or ‘we’ – having one language has more disadvantages and that languages and culture should be protected.

Is this acceptable or should the conclusion be more neutral?

Good article. I am facing some of these issues as well..

I find your explanation very helpful, straight on point and easy to understand. I am very happy I came across your website. I have learned so much from the content you’ve posted here. I hope you keep up doing such great work continuously.

Warm regards,

Dear Liz Just wanted to know if there is a ques in writing task 2 How the disadvantages outweigh the advantages? Do we need to write both disadvantages and advantages at the same time and then writing in favour of disadvantages in the end or we just need to discuss the disadvantages????? Moreover, if you are slightly under words in task 2 like if you only write around 237/238 words, is that a problem? Kindly reply

Hi Mam i am Varun From India. Is it good to take stance in the introduction paragraph in both types of essays as you have done ( Arguement as well as Discussion essays )? What do you think would it be better to take stance in introduction paragraph in case of Arguement Essay and in conclusion paragraph in Discussion Essay? Please if possible then post some more model answers

Hi Liz, So in this type of question (adv vs. dsadv), there should be no thesis statement but still with a conclusion at the end? Thanks, Joharra

And, can I use “universal language” as paraphrased for “one global language”? Thanks

Yes, that’s fine. Liz

Thank you Liz 🙂

Dear Liz, I’m so thankful that I bumped to your very-useful blog. It’s nice to have an online tutor who is totally friendly and helpful. I would say that I want to share this blog to all of my friends in Indonesia who are struggling for IELTS as I am.

I have an alternative for the introduction above, if you don’t mind, you can correct it for me.. “Some people believe that because of the tourism grew up widely which influenced the usage of English to become the most spoken language, it will soon make it as the choice of language to be spoken internationally. Owing to this prediction, there would be some advantages in increasing mutual understanding and economic growth among nations. Otherwise, there also would be some disadvantages related to cultures.”

64 words, i know this is too many 🙁 Thank you so much for your response and consideration.

Sincerely, Grace, Indonesia

Sorry but I don’t comment on writing. Liz

Hi Liz, I am still very confused with how to structure my essay if the question is outweighing advantages and disadvantages. Can you please enlighten me on this? Thank you Liz.

I will be publishing a lesson on this hopefully next week. Please wait for that. It can not be explained in just a few sentences. All the best Liz

Thank you Liz. I am very keen as my exam will be on the first week of November. 🙂

Greetings from Minnesota! I’m bored to tears at work so I decided to check out your website on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the knowledge you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m amazed at how fast your blog loaded on my cell phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, very good blog!

Hope you enjoy the lessons 🙂

Hi Liz Shouldn’t you have used “had” instead of “have” in the sentence in the third paragraph?

“Secondly, it would result in he collapse of … if all countries “have” the same language…”

Isn’t this supposed to be an unreal or imaginary condition? thanks

Well spotted. It is indeed second conditional. Liz

I just came to see one Discussion essay “Discuss the advantages of both methods and give your own opinion” . Can we follow the same structure of ” Discuss both views and give your own opinion ” in this case.

Yes, you would need to have one BP for the advantages of one method and then another body paragraph for the advantages of the other method. Your opinion would either be explained in a separate body paragraph if you agree with neither side or you can explain your opinion in the BP with the side you agree with. All the best Liz

I have one doubt The development of tourism contributed to english… This is the first line in topic, But i am not able to understand where you have paraphrased this line in introduction ? You have only mention tourism section in last line of 3 paragraph .

please explain because i think it is important to describe that section.

Because it is an extra piece of information that IELTS have added which is irrelevant to the topic. While native speakers are able to distinguish this, foreign language speakers might have a problem. Sorry if it confused you. Liz

I am not confused. I thought we have to give some detail regarding tourism contribution in making english a prominant language in world as first line of statement topic is important, But I am agree that it is not relevant to the main topic

I have one more doubt about model answers given in official book provided by IDP when we book IELTS exam. The format and techniques provided by you and other internet sources are not same with the model answers in that book . Your information regarding ielts exam seem so relevant but model answer in that book cannot be wrong as they are giveb by Organization conducted ielts exam. For instance , they have written examples in thier first paragraph.

( this is my second attempt. i got 8 – reading , 6.5 – speaking and listening , 5.5 – writing. My exam date is 19 sept and i am still confused. please clear this doubt .

With Regards Anish Kashyap

The model answers from IELTS are not designed to make essay writing easier for you. They don’t want to make their test easy. But teachers work hard to make it more achievable which is why their models are better. It is best if you spend more time learning about how the writing is marked and how to improve your score based on the marking criteria. These pages will help: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-band-scores/ and also https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/ All the best Liz

Can I use ‘benefit of having global language’ rather than ‘benefit to having’

Many Thanks

Yes, sure it’s fine. Liz

Just want clarification because I keep on reading on your essays “to having”. Aren’t we suppose to write “to + infinitive” and not “to + verb(ing)”

“to” in this case is a preposition.

In the second paragraph, is it okay to say ” there would be complete understanding not only between countries but all people throughout….” instead of “there would be complete understanding between not only countries but all people throughout….”

Yes, definitely. I like the way you have re-written it very much. Liz

Hello Liz ,As you mentioned “evident benefit TO havING “…so my question is, as I learned in grammar we do no use any forms with any verb after “to” …i mean no ing,no s or es,no second forms of verb…will you please elaborate ?if i write to have will it be wrong? Thank you:)

In this sentence, “to” is a preposition not part of the noun. Please google “advantages to having” and you will see more information about it. All the best Liz

Can i say that the conclusion is paraphrasing to the introduction?

Yes, that’s right. It summarises the main points which hopefully you put in your thesis statement. Liz

Dear Liz, Thanks a lot for your invaluable tutoring. I learned so much from your video lessons and rich website. I wanted to ask a little question for clarification – if we are asked about the advantages and disadvantages (of English as a global language), why is the writer’s opinion expressed in the conclusion? (that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages) Many thanks in advance, Barak

After you summarise the main points, you have the choice of adding a final comment to your conclusion which can be a prediction or suggestions (depending on the type of essay question you have). To learn more see my advanced lessons: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore All the best Liz

Okay, Great. Thanks a lot Liz for the very quick response!

Hi Liz, Could you kindly read my following essay and give your feedback.If you could roughly give a band score i would be so greatful to u. Q.Some believe that watching tv is a waste of time.Others think that tv is a boon for all.State your view wirh examples.

Ans: Some people think that spending time on watching tv is spoiling the quality of time.While opponents argue that television is a bliss for eveyone.However,in this essay i am going to explain my view on this topic with relevant examples.

To begin with,watching tv for a long time is waste of time.It can create lots of health problems as well as mental issues.For instance,some people tend to watch tv while they eat food.Apparently they do not understand how much do they consume.Consequently they will end up with obesity.Some viewer’s give much preference for unimporant tv programmes such series and reality shows.Eventually they will isolate themselves and some psychological ilness develops among them .For example depression and stress.Furthermore,children who watch tv for a long time will be like clone.Some kids tend to behave ,act and talk like their super heroes.

Television is a popular form of entertainment.It provides diffent kind of programmes such as,information,entertainment,education and more.Any age group can find their interested programme on tv.The news gives an uptodate kwoldege around the globe.Whereas tv shows ,music programmes and all help us to relax and reduce tension.Some educational programmes broaden the horizon of peoples knowledge.

To put it in a nut shell,waching tv ease international tension and equip people with information and knowledge.In my point of view watching tv’s advantages outweigh its disadvantage.

Please read my notice: https://ieltsliz.com/posting-writing/ and also check my video about using linking words for the conclusion: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-video-lesson-conclusion-linkers/ Liz

thank you.but i wish u could help me

i want all essay of writing yask 2 … where i can find it ? give me the website .

I don’t understand. do you want essay questions, model essays, tips?? You can find all these on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ Liz

I am not sure where you’re getting your info, but great topic.

I needs to spend some time studying much more or figuring out more. Thanks for fantastic info I used to be in search of this information for my mission.

Glad it was helpful 🙂

Dear Liz, I have confusions regarding “Advantages/Disadvantages” type of question. Like – do you think this trend has more advantages or disadvantages? Do the drawbacks outweigh the benefits? In these type of questions do we need to write both advantages and disadvantages even we agree on one side?

The question asks you if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages so you need to give your answer and show that the advantages are more important than the disadvantages – that means you need to give details of both sides in order to support your answer. All the best Liz

Thank you so much for a prompt response. I have exam tomorrow . Love from Nepal

Hi, Liz! I want to thank you for an excellent video course about opinion essey writing. I have never seen such a clear explanation. So my question is when should we expect for your new amazing video on advantages&disadvantages essey type?

The next video on my course is about the discussion essay. I’m filming it at the moment. After that I’ll do the advantage disadvantage essay. I’m really pleased you found the lesson on the opinion essay useful. All the best Liz

Hi Liz, Can you post the link of advantages and disadvantages here. I’m looking for it but nothing worked! Thank you very much! Love,

I think the reason is that I haven’t added more lessons for these types of essays. I only have one extra: https://ieltsliz.com/do-the-advantages-outweigh-the-disadvantages/ . I’ll tried to add more soon. Liz

I read about you comment about not writing “this essay will look at/discuss” but I don’t know how to remove it when writing an advantage and disadvantage and problem solution essay.

I have examples below and I really appreciate if you could help me. Thanks!

In the last decade, there has been a great increase in the number and variety of online courses available to adults. This has been welcomed as a great opportunity by many students, however, other students see these courses as less effective than classroom teaching.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of studying an online course?

As more online courses are being offered to adults, different aspects of this learning medium have become apparent. Online courses offer students some advantages over studying in a classroom, however there are some definite drawbacks. This essay will discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of online courses.

example 2: Cars have become a convenient and economical form of transport and as a result, the use of cars has increased dramatically during the last century.

Discuss the problems this increase has created, and offer some practical solutions.

Most people now use cars as their main form of transport. An increase in this trend during the last centry has contributed to major traffic congestion in cities, and to a decline in the quality of our environment. This essay will look at how this is occuring and what can be done to address this problem.

Please read my notice: https://ieltsliz.com/posting-writing/ Liz

Hi Liz. Please take a look at my work and feel free to criticize.. Thank you for your help.

Majority of countries nowadays use English as part of their languages as a result of the development in tourism. With English language dominating globally, some people have come to think that, eventually, it will be the only language used in this world. Though, it will bring advantages in communication as a whole, the national identity of a country is also threatened as a consequence.

Noted 🙂 Anyway, I just want to thank you for this very helpful website. Enjoy your day Liz 🙂

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IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Lesson

IELTS advantages and disadvantages questions normally give you a statement and ask you to comment on the advantages and disadvantages of that statement.

The problem is that there are 2 different types of advantages and disadvantages essays, each requiring a different approach. If you answer them differently, you risk losing many easy marks.

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

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

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

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

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

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

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

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

In this example, we will have to decide which side (advantages or disadvantages) is stronger, affecting our structure. If you choose advantages, you will have to say why these are much stronger than the disadvantages and why the disadvantages don’t hold much weight. You would also have to make this clear in your thesis statement.

Structure for Essay 1

Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase question

Sentence 2- Outline sentence

Supporting Paragraph 1 (Advantages)

Sentence 3- Topic sentence (2 Advantages)

Sentence 4- Explain first advantage

Sentence 5- Explain second advantage

Sentence 6- Example of second advantage

Supporting Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages)

Sentence 6- Topic sentence (2 Disadvantages)

Sentence 7- Explain first disadvantage

Sentence 8- Explain second disadvantage

Sentence 9- Example of second disadvantage

Sentence 9- Summary of main points

Structure for Essay 2

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

Sentence 3- Outline sentence

Main Body Paragraph 1 (Stronger Side)

Sentence 4- Topic Sentence

Sentence 5- Explain why it is strong

Sentence 6- Example

Sentence 7- Topic Sentence

Sentence 8- Explain why it is strong

Sentence 9- Example

Main Body Paragraph 2 (Weaker Side)

Sentence 10- Topic Sentence

Sentence 11- Explain why it is not strong

Sentence 12- Example

Sentence 13- Summary of main points and restate position.

Question 1 Advantages and Disadvantages Sample Answer

Before college, many young people are advised that a year of working or travelling may be a good option. This essay will suggest that experience gained and money saved are the biggest advantages of this, but delaying careers and reducing motivation to study are the primary disadvantages.

The main advantages of a gap year are learning more about the world and earning money. For students who have just finished secondary school, working or travelling for a year will allow them to learn what life is like outside of the education system. Also, third-level education is very expensive, and many students decide to work for 12 months and save money before they begin their studies. The average student at a UK university requires over £10,000 per annum to survive, and many drop out because they cannot afford to stay.

Despite these advantages, students lose a year that could have been used to advance their future careers, and they often get used to working or travelling and don’t want to return to a life of study. As job markets are very competitive, an extra year of experience can make a massive difference when applying for jobs, and those who took a gap year are at a disadvantage. Moreover, some decide to bypass university altogether and go straight into a job that is beneath their capabilities or may not offer the same prospects their future career might have. For instance, jobs in the service industry are easy to get without a third-level education, and many gap students fill these roles only to be stuck in them for the rest of their lives.

In conclusion, taking a break from studies can be advantageous if it allows people to accumulate savings or learn more about the world. However, they should also be careful that it does not delay the start of their careers and lead to disillusionment with education.

Question 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Sample Answer

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

The main reason to start kids off with foreign languages early is that this increases the likelihood they will achieve fluency in adulthood. That is to say that they will have far more years to perfect their skills, and speaking bilingually will seem perfectly normal. For example, in countries such as Holland and Norway, where English is taught from a very young age, most adults speak it at an advanced level. Learning a second language also helps to improve overall cognitive abilities. In other words, it benefits the overall development of a child’s brain. It is well known that bi-lingual children are significantly more likely to score higher in Mathematics and Science.

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

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

Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Next Steps

Now that you are more confident about IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays, you can practice and reach the level you need.

Do you need me to correct your essays and give you feedback on them? Check out our VIP Course .

I hope this has been of help to you, and please let me know if you have any questions or feedback.

The British Council and IDP also have some useful resources for IELTS preparation.

About Christopher Pell

My name is Christopher Pell and I'm the Managing Director of IELTS Advantage.

I started IELTS Advantage as a simple blog to help 16 students in my class. Several years later, I am very humbled that my VIP Course has been able to help thousands of people around the world to score a Band 7+ in their IELTS tests.

If you need my help with your IELTS preparation, you can send me an email using the contact us page.

Advantages / Disadvantages Essay: IELTS Writing Task 2

Ielts Writing Task 2 advantage or disadvantage essay examples. View high band score examples of ielts advantage or disadvantage essays.

Transport: IELTS Advantage/Disadvantage Essay Sample

IELTS Writing Task 2 advantage/disadvantage essay example that is a band score 8. The question is: Some people believe that using a bicycle as your main form of transport has a lot of advantages whereas others think it has many disadvantages. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Take a look at the sample answer

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IELTS Advantage/Disadvantage Essay Sample 4 – Communication

IELTS Writing Task 2 advantage/disadvantage essay example that is a band score 8. The question is: Social media has replaced the traditional methods of communicating and people use more and more of social media in communicate and to follow news and events. Some people think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your opinion with example. Take a look at the sample answer

IELTS Advantage/Disadvantage Essay Sample 3 – Transport

IELTS Writing Task 2 advantage/disadvantage essay example that is a band score 8. The question is: In order to solve traffic problems, governments should tax private car owners heavily and use their money to improve public transportation. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution? Take a look at the sample answer.

IELTS Advantage/Disadvantage Essay Sample 2 – Environment

IELTS Writing Task 2 advantage/disadvantage essay example that is a band score 8. The question is: Nowadays, it is possible to move ocean creatures from their natural habitat at sea and have them relocated in amusement parks for the purpose of people’s recreation. Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages? Take a look at the sample answer.

IELTS Advantage/Disadvantage Essay Sample 1 – Work

IELTS Writing Task 2 advantage/disadvantage essay example that is a band score 8. The question is: Some employers want to be able to contact their staff at all times, even during the holidays. Does this development have more advantages than disadvantages? Take a look at the sample answer.

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Advantages and Disadvantages [IELTS Writing]

Posted by David S. Wills | Feb 25, 2020 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

In task 2 of the IELTS writing test, you may be given a question that asks you about the advantages and disadvantages of something. It is a pretty common question type, and so you should be very familiar with how to answer it.

In today’s article, I will try to show you everything you need to know about writing this sort of essay. First, though, keep in mind a golden rule of IELTS: there is no one perfect way to give an answer! IELTS is just a test of your English skills and there are lots of ways to succeed.

Anyway, I’m going to show you the following:

A Sample Question for Advantages and Disadvantages
Two Possible Essay Structures
A Model Essay

An Overview of Advantage/Disadvantage Questions

First of all, let’s look at the basics. Some of you may never have done IELTS before or may be relatively new to it. If you are an experienced candidate or teacher, you may want to skip this section.

In the IELTS writing test, there are two parts (usually called “tasks”). The first will ask you to describe some sort of visual data like a line graph or bar chart , while the second will be a more traditional essay-type question. It will be about a common IELTS topic such as environment , society, technology , and so on.

You can generally break these question types into five categories:

Agree or Disagree
Advantages and Disadvantages
Causes and Solutions
Discuss Both Views
Two-Part Questions

These all require slightly different approaches, but generally you can write at least 250 words, divided into 4 or 5 paragraphs , and end up with a pretty good answer.

Today, though, we’re focusing on the second item in that list: advantages and disadvantages .

Sample Questions

In order to show you what an “advantages and disadvantages” question is, we shall look at a sample question. Here is one from the Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS :

In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have the opportunity to study abroad. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development? You should use your own ideas, knowledge, and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.

In an IELTS writing task 2 question, you often find a sentence or two that introduces an idea, and then another sentence that gives you the task either as an instruction or a question. In this case, it is a question: “What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?”

Here, “the development” refers to the change in the previous lines (people now having the opportunity to study abroad). Your task, then, is to think of both advantages and disadvantages to this situation and then explain them. I will show you how to do this in the next section.

If you really want to get better at IELTS writing, take a look at my books .

How to Structure an Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

When you are given this sort of question, you need to brainstorm your answer carefully. That means thinking about the question and generating ideas for what you will say in your answer.

Of course, one thing to remember is that you shouldn’t say too much . Remember that for IELTS you only have 40 minutes to write 250 words and if you just cram as many ideas into the essay as possible, you will either run out of time before you are finished or your essay will seriously lack in terms of Coherence and Cohesion . (This is one of the four components in which you will be marked by the examiner. It is worth 25% of your grade. You can see the marking rubric here .)

I’m going to suggest two structures here for your essay. These are the most common ones, but there are others that are possible.

Example Structure #1

This is by far the most common type of structure used for this sort of question and it is definitely very effective. It is easy to use and you could write a really fantastic essay with these 4 paragraphs.

Example Structure #2

You can see that this is basically the same as the previous one but with an extra paragraph. Some people might find this slightly harder to do, but others might find it easier to separate and explain their ideas. It depends on you. You will not be given a higher score for writing more paragraphs, and in fact having more paragraphs often leads to less cohesion. Still, this is fine and can produce an excellent answer.

You can learn more about how to structure an IELTS essay here . I also have information specifically about introductions and conclusions . Finally, you might be interested in how to write a good essay outline .

Advantage and Disadvantage Model Essay

ielts question advantages and disadvantages

Now that I have shown you a sample question and discussed how to structure the answer, I want to show you an answer that I wrote for this. Here it is:

In the twentieth century, it became more common for people to move about the world for various reasons, including education. Now it is reasonably common for students to go abroad to study for a few weeks or even a whole semester on programmes like the Erasmus in Europe. This essay will explore the advantages and disadvantages of this sort of arrangement. The advantages of international study are numerous and obvious. To begin with, studying abroad can give students more opportunities for academic advancement, language acquisition, and even networking to help them find jobs when they graduate. This sort of experience helps break down cultural barriers between people of different backgrounds, and also allows for the exchange of knowledge and skill between different institutions. In short, there are many different reasons why it is advantageous for this sort of exchange programme to be established. The disadvantages, on the other hand, are few and comparatively minor. Of course, students who go to live abroad may experience homesickness and culture shock. They may also find that, if their language skills are subpar, they may learn little from their lectures and perform poorly in examinations compared to if they had studied in their home country. From a very different perspective, it is also quite possible that international student exchange could be used in programmes of espionage, as countries may send spies abroad in the guise of students to investigate the research programmes at major universities. In conclusion, there are many advantages to studying abroad from the perspective of students, and also from the standpoint of society and the institutions themselves. The disadvantages are fewer, more minor, and in some cases a bit far-fetched.

Features of the Sample Essay

Here, I have used the 4 paragraph essay because I think it is the best structure in most situations. I will make some notes about each paragraph in this table:

A Slight Variation

In addition to the questions above, which all require us to simply describe advantages and disadvantages, there is also one last question type. In this case, we are asked very subtly for our opinion:

In some countries, criminal trials are shown on television so that the public can watch them. Do you think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

As such, when answering this type of question you cannot just state the advantages and disadvantages. You must also include your opinion about whether there are more of one than the other.

Doing this may require a different structure although you can certainly include your opinion in the introduction and conclusion of the 4 paragraph structure mentioned above. However, some people like to do this:

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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IELTS advantage disadvantage essay

Model answer for an ielts advantage disadvantage (outweigh) essay..

Updated: February 2024

One of the most difficult essay types for many band 6 students is the ‘outweigh’ essay, which is an advantage disadvantage essay that is asking your opinion about which side you think is stronger.

The keyword in the task is ‘outweigh’. So you must cover the advantage and the disadvantage in this essay and clearly state your opinion. Do not only write about the advantages. you will need to cover both sides for a higher score in task response.

If you believe the advantage is stronger you must give your opinion on that in the thesis statement, but also make sure you show what a possible downside is. Have a look at the structures below for this type of essay.

Note that these are just guidelines. There is nothing mentioned in the marking criteria about the correct structure to use.

IELTS advantage disadvantage essay structure

Check this blog post on the 3 types of advantage disadvantage essays.

Model answer.

People now have the freedom to work and live anywhere in the world due to the development of communication technology and transportation. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

In recent times people have the choice of any location worldwide to live and work because of advances in communication technology and transport. Although there are downsides, this essay argues that the advantages are stronger as this has positively changed work life because people can work remotely via the internet from anywhere in the world.

One considerable advantage of technological innovation in transportation and communication is that it has revolutionised the way people work, bringing new opportunities and employment that did not exist before. In my view, this has had a positive impact on peoples lives due to the flexibility of combining work with travel. For instance, reliable Wi-fi networks and cloud computing, cheaper flights and high-speed trains allow people to live anywhere in the world while working online. Additionally, employees can participate in video conference calls and international forums, while entrepreneurs can run their businesses online from any location worldwide.

Admittedly, there are drawbacks in that some individuals have issues while living and working in different countries. In particular, culture shock and motivational problems while living outside their home country. This tends to lead to frustration for many remote workers who are relocated to offices in other countries. For example, multinational companies often neglect to train employees to deal with culture shock, as they assume that a positive experience on vacation in a new country will lead to easy cultural integration abroad. I believe communication technology has a positive role to play here, such as online coaching, which could help employees with motivation and cultural adjustment.

To conclude, despite the downsides, I believe that the benefits of communication technology and transport are greater because of new opportunities to travel and work online globally.

As you can see, I’m going with one advantage and one disadvantage here. This is ok for a Band 7+ but the essay must be well developed. If you have 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages, you may run out of time and end up with a very long essay at well over 300 words. Keep the essay concise.

You will notice in the thesis statement that I state:

‘Although there are downsides, this essay argues that the advantages are stronger as this has positively changed work life because people can work remotely via the internet from anywhere in the world.’

This shows balance as I have referred to the fact that there is a downside. In main body one, I cover the advantage and give my opinion on this. ‘ In my view, this has had a positive impact on people’s lives… .’

In main body two, I stated: ‘Admittedly, there are drawbacks….’ this shows the examiner that I’m covering the downsides now.

In the conclusion I refer to the disadvantages again briefly then restate my opinion… ‘ To conclude, despite the downsides, I believe that….’

IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

This essay provides a plan and model response for an advantages and disadvantages essay in your writing paper.

Essay question:

Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed, rather than to work for a company or organisation.

Why might this be the case?

What could be the disadvantages of being self-employed?

My initial ideas:

Advantages-

You can create your own schedule
You can dictate your own pay
You can travel with work
You can experience a wider variety of work
You’re in control
You can expand and personalise your skill set and knowledge base

Disadvantages-

It may not be consistently financially successful
There may be periods of unemployment
You are responsible for your income
You are competing with many others
It may feel lonely

Essay structure

Introduction

Paraphrase the question

Outline main ideas

State opinion (if required)

Main body paragraph 1- Advantage

Topic sentence- example

Explanation- explain the benefits/advantages

Consequence- state the result

Main body paragraph 2- Disadvantage

Explanation- explain the problems/disadvantages

Summarise key points

Loop back to beginning

Many people nowadays are opting to work for themselves, rather than for a company. There is a more palpable shift towards self-employment and a greater detachment from more traditional working structures. This essay will demonstrate how self-employment can lead to financial freedom and more flexibility of one’s output, but it will also show how financial freedom can be risky and the idea of creative flexibility can be illusionary. Whilst acknowledging the drawbacks, this essay will argue how the advantages of self-employment outweigh the disadvantages.

One clear benefit of working for one’s self, is the possibility of financial freedom and creative autonomy. By being self-employed, one has the room to create your own salary. Rather than being hemmed in by a fixed monthly amount, a person working for themselves can exceed this and create a salary that is reflective of their work and one that does not impede them by wider company policy. Although some people can see pay rises, this is seldom seen in many industries and despite the extra hours people work, their pay quickly hits a ceiling. Whereas, self-employment means you are not determined by someone else’s view of what you should be paid. As well as this, someone who is self-employed has more creative control. This is highly important as being passionate about what you do should be a key characteristic with any job. By having more creative control, we can determine what we produce and the effect we want it to have. Therefore, we are in control and can enjoy the work we ultimately decide to produce.

On the other hand, there are obvious disadvantages to being self-employed. Firstly, it can involve some financial risk where each month does not necessarily look financially the same. There may be dips and troughs where the individual is learning less than the previous month. This could seep into other aspects of their life and make certain things difficult, such as paying bills. Secondly, having to be constantly creative can be more difficult than perceived and its reality not as utopian as it may seem. For example, if someone is starting their own business or creating a course, the sole creative output rests on their shoulders and this can be difficult to routinely produce, rather than having a brief to fill which is passed down from a senior or fellow colleague.

In conclusion, whilst there are disadvantages to being self-employed, I believe the potential possibilities and benefits of being self-employed outweigh working for a company. Whilst working for a company is preferred by some, the working world is shifting to a model that is more innovative, creative and less reliant on the traditional ways of work.

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256 Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Topics [2024 Update]

Is globalization a beneficial process? What are the pros and cons of a religious upbringing? Do the drawbacks of immigration outweigh the benefits? These questions can become a foundation for your advantages and disadvantages essay. And we have even more ideas to offer!

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

The picture shows the definition of an advantages and disadvantages essay.

There is nothing complicated about writing this kind of essay. Arguably the hardest part is choosing a topic. This article by our custom-writing team will help you with that. Here, you will find:

great pros and cons essay topics for high school, middle school, and college;
essay prompts and writing tips.
🔝 Top 10 Advantages & Disadvantages Topics
👍 Other Advantages & Disadvantages Topics
⭐ Top 10 Pros & Cons Topics
🆚 Other Pros & Cons Topics
💡 Essay Prompts
✍️ Writing Tips & Outline

🔍 References

🔝 top 10 advantages and disadvantages topics.

Benefits of vaccination. 
Is living abroad worth it? 
Plastic surgery: for and against. 
Vegetarianism: benefits and pitfalls. 
Pros and cons of extreme sports. 
Disadvantages of having tattoos. 
Is a Master’s degree a good investment? 
Negative and positive aspects of animal testing. 
Are motorcycles convenient or dangerous? 
Learning a foreign language: pros and cons.

👍 List of Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Topics

Here’s a list of topics that touch on subjects such as education, work, traveling, living conditions, family, politics, technology, and more.

Advantages and disadvantages of computers . You can probably think of many positive aspects of using computers. They make communication easier, they can be helpful for your studies, and you get access to a wealth of information. Yet, if you think about it, you will find plenty of disadvantages. For example, computers can break down, or they may be hacked or infected.
Write about the advantages and disadvantages of the New Year’s Day celebration. New Year’s Day is primarily associated with family gatherings and new beginnings. However, preparation for the party often requires too much effort. Moreover, celebrating all night can have problematic consequences for one’s health.
Write all arguments for and against Christmas celebrations. During the Christmas holidays, we celebrate family traditions and hold fun meetings. All this is accompanied by delicious food and gift sharing. But sometimes, these events bring no joy. The expenses are too high, and dinner preparation is energy-consuming.
Advantages and disadvantages of couch surfing. Staying for free at places registered online is becoming increasingly popular among travelers. New friends and authentic communication are additional benefits of couch surfing. However, they don’t guarantee safety and comfort.
What are the pleasant and unpleasant aspects of gift exchange? Gifts are a crucial part of celebrations such as birthdays or wedding anniversaries. Most people enjoy receiving presents, but not everyone enjoys looking for them. The difficulties of choosing a gift can spoil the holiday mood.
Pros and cons of buying an artificial Christmas tree. A beautiful Christmas tree decorated with lights instantly creates the holiday atmosphere. If you have an artificial tree, you don’t need to get a new one each year. However, a real Christmas tree is unique and has a pleasant odor.
What are the pros and cons of school uniforms ? Standard uniforms can save students time while dressing up in the morning. Moreover, it prevents clothes-related bullying and contributes to the discipline necessary for studying. However, such standards impose certain restrictions on children’s individuality.
Is an official dress code at work a benefit or an obstacle? Almost every company and organization has its requirements for the employees’ appearance. On the one hand, a dress code disciplines workers and demonstrates the company’s seriousness. On the other hand, employees can resist suppressing their self-expression.
Keeping an online blog : for and against. The Internet provides people with colossal opportunities for finding new hobbies and occupations. For example, everyone can become a blogger: all you need to do is choose a topic and a platform. However, unflattering comments, lack of interest, or extreme popularity can become a serious problem for a blogger.
A hitchhiking journey: an enjoyable adventure or a dangerous undertaking? Hitchhiking can be a budget option for travelers. This way, people can learn more about the place they’re traveling to and make friends. However, some drivers can turn out to be dangerous.
What are the strengths and shortcomings of intellectual property rights ? Valuable and original ideas are essential to the success of a person or a company. Intellectual property rights protect data from being stolen by competitors. Opponents of such measures believe that nobody should own ideas and that the information sphere is too vulnerable to manipulations.
Describe the pros and cons of learning a language with a native speaker. Modern technologies make it possible to communicate with people from all around the world. This ability provides additional opportunities to learn a foreign language with native speakers. A potential downside is the difficulty of finding good teachers or understanding their accents.
Talk about the benefits and disadvantages of alternative voting methods. Voting by mail or online is convenient for those who find it challenging to come to polling stations. Moreover, this way, people can save time. Nevertheless, the reliability of such methods is still in question.
Being successful: what are the benefits and pitfalls? Achieving success is the goal of millions of people. It is usually associated with wealth and happiness, but there is also the other side. Successful people often feel more pressure and responsibility and make sacrifices.
For and against family businesses . Perfect mutual understanding is what people typically expect from a family business. However, this description is more of an idea rather than a reality.
Being creative: a gift or a curse? Society admires inspiring and mysterious artists. The creative process seems to be an easy activity, but some artists may disagree with this statement. Creativity crisis, procrastination, and lack of understanding from the public are only a few of the shortcomings they have to face.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of managing your own business. In search of professional freedom, some people start a business. This way, they can have complete control and be their own boss. At the same time, entrepreneurship requires talent and significant effort. Moreover, some businesses may turn out to be unprofitable.
What are the possible advantages and drawbacks of being a professional athlete? Sport allows people to discover the hidden capabilities of their bodies. Such activities make them stronger and more disciplined, but doing sports full-time requires many sacrifices. Professional athletes endure significant stress and injuries, so this lifestyle is not for everyone.
Is having young parents a benefit or an obstacle?
Advantages and disadvantages of being married
For and against working part-time after school
What are the pros and cons of writing essays?
Positive and negative aspects of returning to school as an adult
Is it better to be living in a small town or a big city ?
The benefits and shortcomings of living in a large country
Do the positive aspects of living in the countryside outweigh the negative ones?
Is working on a rotational basis beneficial or harmful?
Is it better to be working remotely or in an office?
Is working with the help of technology beneficial or risky?
Advantages and drawbacks of physical labor
Working with customers: perks and shortcomings
What are the beneficial aspects of working with animals?
Pros and cons of working with children
Is making your hobby into a job profitable or disadvantageous?
What are the pros and cons of changing jobs?
Quitting a job or being fired: which option is better?
Working in a multilingual setting: benefits and drawbacks
Is having a job that requires a lot of traveling exciting or challenging?
Choosing to pursue a creative profession: pros and cons
Is hiring older or younger employees more beneficial?
Privately-owned companies : benefits and pitfalls
What are the advantages and disadvantages of working for the government?
Business competition vs. monopoly
What is better: owning a business with other people or partnership business models?
Owning a car vs. other modes of transportation
What are the benefits and shortcomings of using public transportation ?
Is being self-employed better than working for somebody else?
Describe the pros and cons of knowing or learning multiple languages
Choosing to pursue a technical profession : for and against
What are the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing a humanitarian career?
Is receiving an education online a waste of time or a good investment?
Perks and disadvantages of studying on Saturdays
What are the pros and cons of reducing the length of the summer vacation?
Completing online courses , classes, or training: arguments for and against
Learning foreign languages online vs. in class
What is more effective: private tutoring or group learning?
Open group discussions during class: for and against
Is it more beneficial to work in groups or alone?
Describe the strengths and weaknesses of studying with textbooks
What are the pros and cons of learning with interactive media?
Using traditional vs. new methods of teaching
Is taking tests better than answering questions in a free form?
Advantages and disadvantages of using exams as a primary source of knowledge assessment
Giving students different tasks according to their grades: pros and cons
Is separating students according to their behavior and performance efficient or harmful?
Strengths and weaknesses of using  multilingual online dictionaries
Extracurricular activities: pros and cons
Studying and having a part-time job : benefits and obstacles
Going to a university in your town vs. moving to another town
Is living in a dormitory preferable to living at home while studying in college?
Entering a fraternity or a sorority during college years: arguments for and against
Living with parents vs. living separately from them
Is living alone burdensome or delightful?
What are the obstacles and benefits of having a long-distance relationship?
Having friends that live abroad or in other cities: advantages and disadvantages
Being in a relationship vs. being single
Pros and cons of early marriages
Visiting the most popular places for tourists: for and against
What hardships and benefits come with living in the most visited places in the world?
What positive and negative outcomes do countries and cities that encourage tourism face?
Pros and cons of visiting unexplored places
Is it better to travel on your own or with friends?
Having a tour guide vs. traveling without anyone’s help
Traveling by car: advantages and disadvantages
What is better: hiking alone or with other people?
Short vs. long hiking trips
Is it better to be tall or short?
Being a foreigner in a country where you live: benefits and pitfalls
Listening to music at home vs. live
Watching movies at home vs. seeing them in theaters
Is it better to have children early or later in life?
Being the only child: advantages and disadvantages
Perks and drawbacks of having siblings
Being the oldest vs. the youngest sibling
Describe the pros and cons of sharing items with other people
Is it better to be living together or apart while being in a relationship ?
Living in a small apartment: pros and cons
What are the arguments for and against living in a big house?
Renting or purchasing a house vs. an apartment
What are the pros and cons of having a small pet?
Living in the city center vs. the suburbs
What benefits and pitfalls come with having a diverse cultural background ?
Is being a famous actor or musician a positive or negative experience?
Being a leader or taking up a position of leadership : positive and negative sides
Going to a private school vs. a public school
Is it better to have a big or small family?
Having many friends vs. having few friends
What is more efficient: being a night owl or an early riser?
Is waking up early more burdensome than waking up late?
What are the dangers and benefits of dieting ?
Does fast food have any advantages?
Arguments for and against cooking at home
Bringing food to work or school vs. eating at a cafeteria
Positive and negative outcomes of regular physical activity
Rapid technological progress: arguments for and against
Is it preferable to live in a cold or hot climate?
Living close to the water (river, lake, sea, or ocean): pros and cons
What are the positive and negative aspects of countries that have rainy or windy weather?
Is direct democracy more efficient than representative democracy?
Pros and cons of various types of government ( democracy , autocracy, monarchy)

The picture shows a quote by W. Clement Stone.

⭐ Top 10 Pros and Cons Essay Topics

Advantages of ecotourism
Pros and cons of facial fillers
Instant foods: good or bad?
Is international marriage worth it?
Classroom debates: pros and cons
Student loans: benefits and pitfalls
Working with friends: for and against
Drawbacks of having a double major
Arguments for and against quitting social media
Is working abroad a good or bad experience?

🆚 Pros and Cons Topics for Essays

Write about the advantages and disadvantages of the United Nations . The UN is a well-known international organization. Its activities aim to support human rights, establish friendly relations between countries, and promote peace. These goals are admirable, but is the organization effective enough in achieving them?
Is consuming sugar beneficial or harmful? Recently, the media started promoting the idea that sugar is the leading cause of many diseases. On the one hand, we are discouraged from consuming it. On the other hand, carbons are necessary for the human body to receive essential microelements, such as glucose.
Pros and cons of using Wikipedia . Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia. It’s a popular source of information on countless subjects, from cosmology to literature. It often reveals various aspects of a topic that are interesting to the reader. However, since anyone can edit it, you can never be sure of the information’s accuracy.
Benefits and drawbacks of living in a multicultural society. Society is becoming more diverse, and immigration is commonplace. Moreover, freedom of choice allows people to adhere to any traditions that are attractive to them. Such conditions help us develop multifaceted humanity but can potentially lead to conflicts.
Write about the pros and cons of urbanization . In cities, the population is continuously growing, while in rural areas, it decreases. In a metropolis, people have a greater choice for their activities, and their social circle is wider. However, urbanization leads to overpopulation and an increase in stress levels.
What are the pros and cons of online therapy? Therapy can be a powerful source of motivation and emotional balance. Some people may find it challenging to visit mental health specialists, which makes online consultations a practical option. However, insufficient understanding of facial expressions or faulty Internet connection are some of the obstacles to using this format.
Describe the strengths and weaknesses of business investments . Investing is a popular way to receive additional passive income. Such activities don’t require too much effort and can be very promising. However, they also have disadvantages, including high risks and the need to have significant starting capital.
Arguments for and against watching TV shows. Watching TV shows is a trendy pastime. A good plot and interesting characters can be great entertainment. However, some TV shows take too much time to watch, and some plot twists can be disappointing.
Discuss the pros and cons of freelanc ing. The advantages include an opportunity to decide where and when to work and choose the tasks. At the same time, a freelancer needs to communicate more with customers, and the income can be uneven.
The ubiquitous use of surveillance cameras: guaranteed security or loss of privacy? We can see security cameras everywhere, including stores, banks, and houses. They are designed to contribute to our security. However, many believe that in this way, people are losing privacy. Moreover, surveillance technology is quite expensive, and its effectiveness is doubtful.
Advantages and disadvantages of an authoritarian teaching style . Representatives of the teaching profession often choose a specific model of behavior. For example, an authoritarian teacher is good at motivating and disciplining students. At the same time, this behavioral model can discourage children and cause resistance.
What are the pros and cons of clinical trials? Clinical trials are created to prove the effectiveness of a specific cure. Patients can get unique medical treatment, which may help other patients in the future. Trials are also associated with risks since unexpected side effects are possible.
Kindergartens : beneficial social interaction or stress for a child? Preschool is the first step in education for children. In kindergartens, kids form social skills and acquire basic knowledge. Nevertheless, some parents doubt whether it is worth it.
Write about the advantages and disadvantages of referendums. Referendums can be used to solve political problems. They help governments understand the public’s attitude towards possible changes. However, the conduct of a referendum can be subject to manipulation.
For and against women’s military service . Gender equality is becoming a part of various spheres of activity. However, in some fields, transformations are occurring slower. Women have already demonstrated their ability to be soldiers and continue to do so. Nevertheless, some army units still question their effectiveness.
Gun ownership : advantages and disadvantages. The issue of weapons ownership causes serious disputes between politicians. Those who advocate for this idea are sure that people need protection. The opponents of gun ownership believe that gun-related accidents need to be prevented.
Pros and cons of being optimistic . People who are positive worry less and achieve their goals easily. But optimism can also be an obstacle. For instance, an optimist can underestimate a threat and fail to take cautionary measures.
What are the pros and cons of being selfish? Selfishness is often perceived negatively in society. Individuals who are showing this quality risk becoming outcasts. However, people may misunderstand selfishness because it sometimes manifests as self-care.
Benefits of different societal classes
Market economy vs. free market
Outline the advantages and disadvantages of a planned economy
Pros and cons of party systems : one, two, or multiple parties?
Different  voting systems  (choice voting, Electoral College): which one is more efficient?
Different economic systems (capitalism, socialism, and mixed economy)
Is having a  parliament a benefit or an obstacle?
Pros and cons of advertising  and its  different mediums
Having a laptop vs. having a desktop computer
Is the development of artificial intelligence (AI) beneficial or harmful?
Cloning  and genetic modifications: dangers and advantages
What are the pros and cons of using old research for new studies?
Is scientific advancement in medicine beneficial or dangerous?
The growing use of the  Internet of Things  (IoT) in people’s daily lives: pros and cons
Storing files in the cloud vs. on physical storage devices
Is having one full-time job more efficient than multiple part-time jobs?
Networking to build more connections: pros and cons
Advantages and disadvantages of volunteering
Having a fixed vs. a flexible schedule
Being a vegetarian  or  vegan  vs. eating everything
What are the strengths and weaknesses of having multiple jobs?
Are hot or cold climates more beneficial for farmers?
Choosing to pursue a rare profession: benefits and pitfalls
What are the possible benefits and obstacles of pursuing a trendy job?
Technical advancement in society: a threat or a welcome change?
Arguments for and against pursuing extreme sports as a hobby
Going to a music festival: an unforgettable experience or a nightmare?
Pros and cons of having access to the Internet
Are Internet regulations a safety measure or an infringement of rights?
The positive and negative  effects of globalization
What are the advantages and downsides of popular culture ?
Are stereotypes productive in any way?
Positive and negative outcomes of the rising population on the planet
The increasing lifespan of people: pros and cons
The ability to obtain a driver’s license at sixteen vs. eighteen years old
The right to work without parents’ permission at sixteen years old: pros and cons
Dangers and possible advantages of global warming  
Space travel and exploration: a good idea or waste of money?
Arguments for and against television
Is open access to books and movies beneficial or damaging?
Is oral communication better than written communication?
Nonverbal communication : positive and negative sides
What are the positive and negative aspects of Facebook  (and other social platforms)?
Is online dating dangerous or advantageous?
Having a pen pal: advantages and disadvantages
What is more efficient: using digital or film cameras?
Arguments for and against using email as the primary source of conversation
Is calling better than  texting ?
Describe the pros and cons of online communication
Is being open and active on social media dangerous or profitable?
Pros and cons of different sources of power (gas, oil, wind, solar, nuclear, and others)
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy
Recycling  and upcycling: benefits and pitfalls
Pros and cons of organic materials and products
Plastic and other synthetic materials : life saver or toxic waste?
Possible benefits and obstacles of using  credit cards
Arguments for and against different types of  financial aid
What are the advantages and downsides of having  health insurance ?
Life insurance : advantages and disadvantages
Free health care: a longer life expectancy or more logistical challenges?
Would a free introductory course in higher education improve academic performance or worsen it?
Describe the pros and cons of taxes
Is demonetization a success or failure?
Arguments for and against vaccines
Are plastic surgeries ethical or not?
Shopping online vs. in brick-and-mortar stores
What is more convenient: reading paper books or electronic books?
Using DVDs vs. streaming platforms for watching movies
What are the benefits and obstacles of buying music online?
Storing medical records and other important information online: pros and cons
Is online banking safe or not?
Possible risks and benefits of making investments
Video games  and online games: good pastime or waste of time?
Making movies based on source materials in other media: pros and cons
Getting news from online sources vs. reading  print media
Hourly wages and salaries: what is more beneficial?
Can having a competitive working environment improve or decrease productivity?
Arguments for and against irregular working shifts : working at night, on weekends, or on holidays
Pros and cons of services with paid memberships and subscriptions
Sales, special offers, and coupons: a marketing tool or a real opportunity to save money?
Positive and negative effects of businesses outsourcing to different countries
Arguments for and against moving businesses from the city center to the outskirts
Recruiting one’s employees for new positions vs. hiring new people
Finding work through connections and relatives: benefits and downsides
Pros and cons of seeking a job online
Care facilities  and nursing homes for elderly: advantages and disadvantages
What are the possible beneficial and harmful effects of having a routine?
Small business or a big organization: which one has more benefits?
Buying locally manufactured and grown products vs. buying imported goods
What are the possible pros and cons of spending more time with teachers than with parents?
Arguments for and against process automation
Are robots that replace humans at work dangerous or effective?
Is reducing the working week beneficial or harmful?
What are the major benefits and drawbacks of having many national holidays?
College: to go or not to go?
Working after high school: advantages and disadvantages
Taking a gap year before continuing education: is it worth it?
What benefits and obstacles come with continuing your education ( master’s and Ph.D. degrees)?

Need more essay ideas? Feel free to use our topic generator !

The picture shows the fact that advantages and disadvantages essays are commonly used in IELTS.

💡 Pros and Cons Essay Prompts

Pros and cons of living in a big city essay.

For your essay, you can consider the following benefits of living in a big city:

There are many employment opportunities. Since big cities are places with many companies of different industries, it might be easier to find a job.
Big cities have better infrastructure. It includes international airports, various dining options, and other opportunities.

The main downsides of living in a big city include the following:

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Higher living costs. Although you can find a job that suits you, living in a big city requires more money.
High crime rates. The statistics say that big cities usually have higher crime rates than smaller ones.

Pros and Cons of Abortion Essay

Here are some examples of the procedure’s benefits:

Abortions give women control over their bodies. The choice of whether or not to have children is a right of every woman.
Every child should be a wanted child. Having children is an enormous responsibility that requires time, money, and energy. Unwanted pregnancies might result in child abuse and maternal depression and have other negative consequences.

You can also write about the following disadvantages of abortions:

Abortion may lead to future medical problems for the mother. Negative consequences for a woman may include health complications such as infection or heavy bleeding.
Abortion might result in psychological trauma. Women who undergo an abortion have a high chance of having depression.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media Essay

Consider these arguments in favor of social media for your essay:

Social media is an excellent place for online marketing. Nowadays, every big and small company promotes its services online.
Information spreads online instantly. Thanks to social media, we can immediately receive and share all the urgent news.

And these are the cons you might want to write about:

Lack of privacy. Location and personal information can be easily shared online and used against you.
Lack of intimacy. Whether it is a family or friends’ reunion, everyone tends to be less engaged in conversations, instead preferring to scroll on the phone.

Federalism Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

Here are some advantages of federalism for you to write about:

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Federalism supports political participation and policy innovation. Thanks to federalism, we have benefits such as child labor laws and women’s right to vote.
Federalism encourages groups, individuals, and social movements to help shape public policy and participate in it. It is possible because of the two levels of government that federalism creates.

Now, have a look at the cons of federalism:

Federalism creates economic disparities across states. It leads to competition between states to attract businesses by lowering regulations and taxes.
Federalism cuts off federal efforts to address national problems. For example, health care insurance could not be made more accessible to Americans due to legal challenges.

Pros and Cons of Immigration Essay

Immigration has benefits as well as pitfalls. Take a look at the positive aspects first:

Immigration stimulates economic growth. Immigrants contribute to the labor force, which results in economic development.
Immigration builds a multicultural society. Because of the immigrants, one country can be more diverse.

And here are the cons that you may consider writing about:

Immigration might result in a higher unemployment rate. Since immigrants are often willing to work for a lower wage, native-born workers might be displaced.
Immigration might lead to higher housing costs. Immigrants in limited housing stock areas might contribute to reducing living standards and increasing housing prices.

Pros and Cons of Working in a School Cafeteria Essay

Here are some of the arguments in favor of working in a cafeteria:

Free lunches for workers. Working with the food, you get to have lunches at your workplace for free.
Flexible shifts. You can work short hours to keep up with your studies.

However, there are also plenty of downsides, including the following:

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Low wages. The school cafeteria pays minimum wage, which is often not enough.
Reduced working hours. In a cafeteria, there’s no opportunity to work and earn more.

Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet

The Internet has plenty of advantages you can cover, including the following:

You can learn about virtually anything you want online. There are countless resources on the Internet, and it’s possible to access them from any part of the world.
Unlimited communication. You can reach out to anyone from any part of the globe.

It also has many drawbacks, such as:

There is a lot of spam on the Internet. We receive advertisements and other unimportant information through emails. Besides, there are many unconfirmed facts online.
Leaking of personal information. We regularly upload a lot of personal information online. Unfortunately, it might be easily leaked or stolen.

✍️ How to Write a Pros and Cons Essay

Even if you do not have the necessary writing experience, your chances of getting an A+ for this task are relatively high. All you need to do is:

Think of a good pros and cons topic. Keep reading to find the best topic for your paper.
Make a list of all advantages and disadvantages and give details about each item. It can help you make a template for your future essay. Make sure to have enough points to cover.
Draw conclusions on whether something is overall good or bad. Show the results of your research and answer the question your essay asks.
Check out our article on essay writing to learn how to complete your assignment successfully.

Pros and Cons Essay Outline

The advantages and disadvantages essay should have the following structure:

Introduction. Briefly introduce your topic, give some background information, and write your thesis statement that covers both sides of the issue.

Studying abroad might be a great experience filled with unforgettable memories, but it also has some financial and psychological pitfalls.

Main Body. This part introduces both sides of the argument, starting with the positive aspects.
Pros: introduce the advantages.

Being an international student, you get to meet people from all over the world and experience a new culture first-hand.

Cons: introduce the disadvantages.

However, you might feel homesick and experience culture shock while studying in another country.

Conclusion. Summarize your essay by restating your thesis and illustrating your most important arguments for and against the thing in question. If necessary, state whether the pros outweigh the cons. Finish your paper with a strong statement connecting all of your ideas.

Although being an international student has both positive and negative sides, it can bring you many unforgettable memories.

We hope you found the best topic for your pros and cons essay. Let us know what topic you’ve chosen, and don’t forget to share this article with your friends!

FICPI & ASIPI // Webinar Series // Advantages and disadvantages of arbitration for IP conflict resolutions

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The first webinar in the new series discusses the advantages and disadvantages of arbitration for ip conflict resolutions: a comparative study in latam, india, usa, and europe., in this webinar we will analyse how the issue of arbitration costs could be addressed in countries where court costs are low but arbitration costs are high, as well as the problem of nullity of awards rendering the arbitration system unusable., become a member of ficpi.

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COMMENTS

Ultimate Guide to IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essays
Understanding the Question and Structure of the IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay The IELTS advantages disadvantages essay is a question type you will come across in IELTS Writing Task 2. You will be asked to write about the benefits and drawbacks of the topic given. It can be worded in different ways. Let's see some examples.
IELTS Essay Structure
4. Writing your Advantages/Disadvantages Essay 4.1 Introduction. Your introduction should be the shortest paragraph in your essay (about 40-60 words is perfect). You need to rephrase the IELTS statement in your own words. This is known as paraphrasing (a key skill to develop for the IELTS exam). Take a look at our example:
IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays
Example IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essayfor Structure 1. Now, here's a model answer for essay structure 1. First, a reminder of the structure and the ideas I generated using the friends technique. Ideas generation - Friends technique. I've underline the ideas I've chosen to write about in this second essay:
IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essay Tips and Strategies
Advantage Disadvantage Essay Model Answer. These days many people choose to live or work in other countries, which has been made possible because of the convenience of air travel and modern communications. I believe that this has more benefits than drawbacks. The disadvantage of this development is the distance that is put between family members.
How To Write An Advantages Or Disadvantages Essay
Both the advantages/disadvantages are fully supported in the main body paragraphs in the essay, with fully extended and well-supported ideas. the style of the writing is appropriate for an academic essay. Coherence and Cohesion - The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs and each main body paragraph only has one main idea ...
Advantage Disadvantage Essay: Tips and Strategies for IELTS
You could simply write one paragraph on the advantages and another on the disadvantages. Introduction. Sentence 1- Paraphrase question. Sentence 2- Outline sentence. Main Body Paragraph 1 (Advantages) Sentence 3- Topic sentence (Advantage 1) Sentence 4- Explain how this is an advantage. Sentence 5- Example.
Advantages & disadvantages essay in IELTS writing
This essay topic is related to tourism. Of course, topics for questions will vary, but ideal answer structure is the same for all advantages & disadvantages essays in IELTS.. Producing ideas for your answer. Before you start writing your essay, you should always spend 1-2 minutes on producing ideas for your answer.This way, you'll know what to write about and your answer will be more ...
Writing Task 2: Advantages and Disadvantages Essay
Top Tips for Writing an Advantages and Disadvantages Essay. You must explore both sides of the issue - the advantages (the positives) and the disadvantages (the drawbacks). Separate your arguments; one main body paragraph should focus on the advantages, and a separate main body paragraph should focus on the negatives.
IELTS Task 2 Writing
Sample topic sentences. (paragraph 1) There are numerous advantages to internet-based learning. (paragraph 2) Readily available knowledge is not without its disadvantages, however. Tip: It is a good idea to memorise some topic sentences such as these, as you can apply them to most advantage/disadvantage essays. e.g.
IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay: tips, mistakes, questions
In an IELTS Advantages Disadvantages essay, you need to present the advantages and disadvantages in the body paragraphs. Write the advantages and disadvantages in separate paragraphs. Each main body paragraph should contain: An advantage (or disadvantage) - your main idea. A more detailed explanation of this. An example which illustrates this.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Advantage/Disadvantage Sample Essay
What was done well in the essay: This essay has over 250 words. This is a small but important way to avoid needlessly losing points due to the IELTS Writing word count penalty. The essay does a good job of covering both the advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of easy access to foreign experiences is explored in the first body paragraph.
Advantages and Disadvantages essay in IELTS Writing Task 2
Some advantages. 3. Some disadvatanges. 4. Conclusion. While brainstorming for ideas, we need to come up with at least two advantages and two disadvantages to write about. You can write more than two each, but the essay might get unnecessarily lengthy, and some ideas may lack proper development.
Advantages and Disadvantages Essay: IELTS Writing Task 2
The task typically presents a topic or statement requiring you to discuss the advantages and disadvantages. The word limit for the task is 250 words. Your aim should be to examine the topic's positive and negative aspects. Use cohesive devices and appropriate linking words to connect ideas within paragraphs and between sections.
IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Sample Essay Questions
Below is a list of IELTS sample essay questions for advantage / disadvantage essays in writing task 2. These essay types are often taught together with discussion essays but I think it is worth studying them separately to be better prepared. Advantage / Disadvantage Essay Tips. spend time planning the benefits and drawbacks of the statement given.
Tips for writing advantages and disadvantages essays
There are at least two different ways to write an advantages and disadvantages essay. However, we suggest the best and the easiest ones to complete the task if you get in your IELTS exam. Step 1. Analyse the task. Do not start writing immediately. First, read the statement and underline key information.
IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Model Essay
Below is an IELTS advantage / disadvantage model essay about having one language in the world. The essay is estimated at band score 9. The development of tourism contributed to English becoming the most prominent language in the world. Some people think this will lead to English becoming the only language to be spoken globally.
IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Lesson
This essay will suggest that experience gained and money saved are the biggest advantages of this, but delaying careers and reducing motivation to study are the primary disadvantages. The main advantages of a gap year are learning more about the world and earning money.
Advantages / Disadvantages Essay: IELTS Writing Task 2
IELTS Writing Task 2 advantage/disadvantage essay example that is a band score 8. The question is: Social media has replaced the traditional methods of communicating and people use more and more of social media in communicate and to follow news and events. Some people think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Advantages and Disadvantages [IELTS Writing]
This essay will explore the advantages and disadvantages of this sort of arrangement. The advantages of international study are numerous and obvious. To begin with, studying abroad can give students more opportunities for academic advancement, language acquisition, and even networking to help them find jobs when they graduate.
IELTS advantage disadvantage (outweigh) essay model answer
The keyword in the task is 'outweigh'. So you must cover the advantage and the disadvantage in this essay and clearly state your opinion. Do not only write about the advantages. you will need to cover both sides for a higher score in task response. If you believe the advantage is stronger you must give your opinion on that in the thesis ...
IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay
Whilst acknowledging the drawbacks, this essay will argue how the advantages of self-employment outweigh the disadvantages. One clear benefit of working for one's self, is the possibility of financial freedom and creative autonomy. By being self-employed, one has the room to create your own salary.
A for and against essay
A for and against essay. Look at the essay and do the exercises to improve your writing skills. ... In conclusion, I want to say that despite the disadvantages of watching TV, you can learn a lot of new things when you watch it. ... some of them is dangerous, you may hurt yourself.On the other hand, performer can win prize.One of advantages of ...
256 Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Topics [2024 Update]
The expenses are too high, and dinner preparation is energy-consuming. Advantages and disadvantages of couch surfing. Staying for free at places registered online is becoming increasingly popular among travelers. New friends and authentic communication are additional benefits of couch surfing.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Street Children
Essay Example: The plight of street children remains one of the most heart-wrenching yet overlooked issues in today's society. These children, often invisible to the bustling masses of city life, embody the profound disparities and systemic failures that persist across the globe. ... Advantages And Disadvantages Of Street Children. (2024, Apr ...
NPSC CTSE 2024
An initiative to provide free classes to those preparing for NPSC 2024 (Technical & Allied) , any interested person can join and watch my classes to help wit...
FICPI & ASIPI // Webinar Series // Advantages and disadvantages of
The first webinar in the new series discusses the advantages and disadvantages of arbitration for IP conflict resolutions: a comparative study in LATAM, India, USA, and Europe. In this webinar we will analyse how the issue of arbitration costs could be addressed in countries where court costs are low but arbitration costs are high, as well as ...

Ultimate Guide to IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essays

Understanding the Question and Structure of the IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay

Discussing the Question of Advantages and Disadvantages Essay IELTS

Structure of the IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay

How to Plan Your Task 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Essay?

How to Write an Advantages Disadvantages Essay for IELTS Writing Task 2?

Writing The Essay Introduction

Body Paragraphs for Advantages And Disadvantages Essay IELTS

Body Paragraph 1

Body Paragraph 2

How To Write An Essay Conclusion?

IELTS Essay Vocabulary

Tips for Mastering Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages IELTS Essay Questions and Sample Answers

Sample Question 1

Sample Question 2

Practice Advantages Disadvantages Essays IELTS with IELTSMaterial

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Step 1 of 3

Great Going!

Guide to Advantage Disadvantage IELTS Essay Type

Table of Contents

3.2 Organise your ideas

2. Essay Structures for Advantage/Disadvantage Essays

3. Planning your Advantage/Disadvantage Essay

3.1 Identify keywords and phrases

4. Writing your Advantages/Disadvantages Essay

5. Example Advantage/Disadvantage Essay and Exercise

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How to Plan & Write IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays

The Question

Essay Structures

One Advantage and Disadvantage or Two?

How To Plan IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays

# 1 Analyse the question

# 2 Generate ideas

# 3 Vocabulary

Writing an IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

How To Write an Introduction

1) Paraphrase the question

2) Outline statement

3) Opinion statement

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main Body Paragraph 1

Main Body Paragraph 2

How To Write a Conclusion

Example IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay for Structure 1

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IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essay Lesson

Understanding the Task

What does 'Outweigh' mean?

Writing your Thesis

Model Advantage Disadvantage Essay

Advantage Disadvantage Essay Model Answer

Other Ways to Answer the Question

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