IELTS Writing Task 2: Problem Solution Essay with Sample Answer
- Post author By IELTSAcademic
- Post date July 26, 2012
- 8 Comments on IELTS Writing Task 2: Problem Solution Essay with Sample Answer
IELTS Writing Task 2: Question
Try this problem solution essay about the internet. I’m sure you can think of many problems but I suggest you write about only two. You have only 40 minutes in which to write your answer.
The internet has transformed the way information is shared and consumed, but it has also created problems that did not exist before. What are the most serious problems associated with the internet and what solutions can you suggest?
IELTS Writing Task 2: Model Answer
There is no doubt that the internet has revolutionised communication and information-sharing in the same way that the telegraph and the television did before it. However, societies have had to cope with unanticipated new problems, including crimes which traditional laws are powerless to prevent. This essay will address some of the illegal acts enabled by the internet and propose solutions.
To begin with, the global scale of the internet means that national laws are no longer adequate to control what happens online. Take restrictions on legal reporting, for example. In some countries, the media is prohibited from revealing details of a defendant’s past in case this prejudices a fair trial. However, such restrictions are no longer enforceable now that information may be freely published in other countries and accessed by all. The only solution here, it seems, is to adopt global standards. Since the internet traverses national borders, the flow of information can only be controlled if all nations agree on what can and cannot be shared.
Another problem concerns anonymity, as internet users can easily conceal their identity and even impersonate others. Many crimes such as identity theft and child abuse result from the ease with which criminals can operate anonymously online. Some have proposed a system of online identification, similar to a passport, which would allow all internet users to be verified and traced. I believe this idea should be explored further, though there are clearly concerns about the security of those who use the internet to protest against oppressive regimes.
In conclusion, the only long-term solution to the problem of internet crime is greater international cooperation. Since the problem is global is scale, the solution must also be global. A new agency of the United Nations should be created to tackle the problems described here.
(298 words, IELTS 8.5)
Why does this Task 2 answer get an IELTS Band 8 score?
Task response: The model answer fully answers the question by stating two distinct problems caused by the internet together with relevant solutions to each problem. Each problem is illustrated with examples. The style is appropriate to academic writing and the answer is at least 250 words in length.
Coherence and cohesion: The introduction to this problem solution essay ends with a clear thesis statement. Each body paragraph deals with a different problem and its solution. Examples are signalled with logical connectives like for example and such as . The conclusion contains a clear recommendation which follows from the body.
Lexical resource: There are many instances of higher-level vocabulary such as prohibited , verified and oppressive . Examples of good collocation include prejudices a fair trial and tackle the problems . There are no spelling errors and correct word forms are used throughout.
Grammatical range and accuracy: The candidate uses a wide range of conjunctions to link ideas into more complex sentences. Where necessary, the candidate uses a shorter sentence to emphasise a point more strongly. Verb tenses, including modals, are always accurate. Punctuation is handled skillfully throughout.
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Problem Solution Essay IELTS: Topics & Sample Questions
- Last Updated On July 29, 2024
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Problem and solution essay IELTS or cause and solution essay IELTS is a common type of essay question asked in the IELTS Writing Task 2 Exam. Herein, a problem is presented to the candidate and you are asked to suggest relevant, specific, and possible solutions regarding the same.
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You can either write about 2 problems with both their solutions or discuss one major problem and one solution. As long as you extend and explain your ideas, you will be able to communicate your thoughts to the examiner. Maintain a formal tone throughout your essay. In a problem solution essay IELTS, examiner might ask the candidate to discuss any of the following:
- Cause of the problem
- Effect of a problem
- Methods to prevent the problem
- Possible and effective solutions to the problem
Problem Solution Essay IELTS Question: Evaluation Factors
IELTS writing tests are evaluated across 4 main factors or areas when your IELTS band scores are calculated. These areas are:
- Achievement of the task – The examiner notices here to what extent you have addressed all the parts of the task with explained and well-developed ideas.
- Cohesion and Coherence – The logical flow and organisation of your ideas and information are examined here. The examiner notices whether the essay has a logical progression of thoughts.
- Lexical Resource – The vocabulary used in the essay and its accuracy are examined here. You should use lexical items with sophistication.
- Grammatical accuracy and range – Lastly, the examiner evaluates whether the candidate has used the grammatical structures accurately. Sentences with sophisticated clauses and a clear flow should be used.
Tips to Create a Problem Solution Essay IELTS Structure
While structuring the essay in your head, make sure to use a proper approach to these questions. The steps to structure the essays are:
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Analyse the question thoroughly
Analysing the question is a crucial part of answering any IELTS writing essay questions. You can analyse the question in the best way through three main things:
- Keywords : These are the specific words that inform you about the general topic.
- Micro Keywords : These keywords identify the parts of the general topic that the examiner wants you to focus on. They generally give an opinion by emphasising a sub-category of the topic.
- Action Words : Instruction words or action words make it clear for the candidates what the examiner wants them to do.
Think of Ideas
Now that the purpose of the question is clear to you, form a specific idea for the essay in your head. For each problem you think of, identify a direct solution for the same.
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Follow the structure & write down the essay.
Write down the essay by ensuring to follow a proper structure, including an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The essay should include examples and discuss possible solutions.
Also Read: Latest 50+ IELTS Essay Topics in 2022
Problem Solution Essay IELTS Pattern
A basic four-paragraph structure should be used to structure the problem solution essay IELTS. The structure is as follows:
Paragraph 1 – Introduction
In the introduction paragraph, you can first paraphrase the statement part of the question and outline the ideas to be discussed in the essay further. Paraphrasing the questions means rephrasing the sentence without changing its meaning using synonyms. The outline sentence helps the examiner to understand what they can expect from the essay and thus ensure clarity. Cohesion and clarity play an important role in the scoring of the essay.
Paragraph 2 – Problems
In the second paragraph, state the problems you thought of and then explain the first problem and the second problem in the second half of the essay thoroughly.
Paragraph 3 – Solutions
In the third paragraph, list down the solutions to the problems listed above, the first solution with its examples, and then the second solution, along with relevant examples that support the solution.
Paragraph 4 – Conclusion
In the conclusion paragraph, cover all the important points discussed in the above 3 paragraphs and end your essay.
Problem Solution Essay IELTS: Key Points to Remember
Some of the main points to remember while attempting the problem solution essay task 2 questions in IELTS are:
- You have only 40 minutes to complete the essay writing task, and you have to write a minimum of 250 words.
- Use linking words, collocations, and phrases to ensure a flow in the essay.
- If you are using any facts or statistical data, make sure it is accurate and reliable.
- Make sure that the introduction is clear and engaging. It helps the examiner to get a sense of what will be discussed in the essay further.
- Use refined and accurate grammar and vocabulary, which will help the examiner understand your proficiency in the language.
- Provide relevant examples to explain your content. An explanation of your opinions is the best way to ensure a higher IELTS score.
- Identify the keywords and secondary keywords. Relate them with the problems and the solutions, and make sure to include the keywords in the content.
- Plan the problems you are going to discuss in your head and the possible solutions before writing them down.
- The paragraphs should be ideally balanced by discussing the problems in one body paragraph and solutions in the second body paragraph.
Also Read: Updated List Vocabulary for IELTS 2022
Common Mistakes
Though problem and solution essay in IELTS are highly asked in the exam, there are some common mistakes that are made by the candidates. Some of these mistakes that a candidate can avoid while attempting these types of questions are:
- Candidates often do not expand on their ideas and often list down a lot of problems and solutions. The examiners mark the essays on the basis of the explanation of the problems and solutions listed. It is usually advised to pick a problem or two along with their solutions and then explain them with relevant examples.
- Another common mistake by the candidates is writing indirectly about solutions that are not directly related to the questions. You should opt for concrete ideas rather than writing a generalised answer. Identify the keywords and the micro-keywords from the question and try to include those in the topic.
- Many people often list down good problems but fail to link them with the solutions. Each problem should have a directly linked solution that actually solves the problem.
- Learn to identify the problem and solution and causes and solution questions as both of them might look similar but have a certain difference in how they are to be structured.
- Avoid writing in absolute terms by using qualifiers which ensure that your sentences look like claims rather than proven facts.
Problem Solution Essay IELTS Sample Questions
There are many themes for the problem solution essay topics IELTS related to various problems. Some of the problem solution essay IELTS topics questions for your practice are as given below:
Theme 1 – Cities
- Nowadays, it is getting difficult for people to enjoy their lives in cities. Why do you think this is? What can the government do to make life in cities more enjoyable?
- In large cities, the issue of overpopulation has been a significant cause of concern which leads to a lack of jobs and traffic congestion. What is the cause of this? How can government help in solving this problem?
- In many cities and urban areas around the world, crime is increasing. What is the cause of this? How can governments help to prevent the crimes?
Theme 2 – Technology & the Internet
- People from older generations face difficulty in using new technology. What is the cause behind this? What are some possible solutions to this problem?
- A lot of children spend time on social media surfing the internet and playing video games, which hurts their studies and grades and makes them experience loneliness and health problems such as obesity. What is the reason behind this? What can the parents do to prevent it?
- The internet has changed the way information is consumed and shared among people. What are some serious issues a person can face associated with the internet, and what solutions can be implemented?
Theme 3 – Environment or Climate Change
- Sea levels have steadily risen in recent years. What do you think is the reason behind this? How can it be fixed?
- Many countries around the world are suffering from poor water and air quality, which is harmful to all of us, especially older people. What is the cause of this? How can it be solved?
- Climate change and global warming is a serious threat the world is facing, which is reducing the average life expectancy. What are some causes of this? How can governments and healthcare sectors solve this problem?
IELTS Advantages & Disadvantage Essay Topics
Foreign Language IELTS Sample Essay
A sample of the Problem Solution Essay Example Question IELTS for Writing Test 2 is given below for your reference:
As social media continue to develop, more and more youngsters have unsupervised access to all the contents available over the internet in order to meet and chat with friends and even strangers, which can lead to some potentially dangerous situations. What solutions can you suggest to deal with this problem?
Problem Solution Essay IELTS
In the modern era, a large number of young people use the internet to meet and talk with friends via social media. Due to social media and the growth of the internet in the 21st century, many children are facing issues related to their health and the expression of their feelings as a result of the lack of face-to-face interaction. This issue can be solved by opting for some measures.
To begin with, there are many people all over the world who use the internet for their work or education purposes. As a result, everyone uses it until late at night, which can lead to a variety of health issues, such as vision problems from constantly staring at computers or mobile phones and spinal curvatures from excessive sitting in front of computers and laptops. Secondly, due to the nature of online meetings and conversations, there is a lack of face-to-face interaction among people due to which youngsters are unable to express their feelings due to the loss of peer interaction.
Parents can help in resolving these issues by blocking the access of children to websites that are not children-friendly. In addition to that, parents can encourage children to go out and play instead of being on the internet all day in exchange for a surprise or more quality time. Social media companies can also contribute to the solution by restricting the access of children to the platforms on the basis of their age, which can protect them from content that is not suitable for them. For example, the social media platform Facebook recently updated its privacy policies to restrict access to children under the age of ten.
To summarise, young people use the internet to interact with various types of people online without any supervision, which gives them a sense of freedom and confidence in sending unethical messages to others. To stay out of it, parents should monitor their communication and provide suitable guidance and advice to their children.
Problem Solution Essay IELTS is a type of question that includes problems for which you have to find solutions through a logical flow of thought. 40 minutes are given to complete the 250-word essay writing task. The structure of the essay for a problem-solving question includes an introduction, a discussion of problems, possible solutions with examples, and a conclusion.
The introduction has an overview of the essay. The main body paragraphs discuss the problems along with their direct solutions and examples. The conclusion paragraph summarises your opinion on the task. You need to discuss the problems caused by the issues and the measures to reduce or eliminate the problem altogether.
You do not just need to state problems and solutions but also need to explain the thought process to reach that solution. Make sure the essay is readable and has a logical flow and cohesion.
You can practice for the Problem Solution Essay IELTS by writing on various topics or themes available on the internet ranging from the internet, cities, poverty, problems of rural areas or developing countries, lifestyle in developed countries, success, news, etc.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can i write the problem and solution both in one paragraph.
Ans. No, you can not write the problem and solution both in the same paragraph, as this will affect the flow and understanding of the essay. The cause and the solution or the problems and the solution will both be discussed in two different paragraphs of the main body.
How can I identify a problem solution essay type?
Ans. In the problem solution essay questions, a topic is given, and you will have to discuss the issues or problems faced in regard to that particular topic. Often, these questions can also ask for your opinion on a particular issue.
What is the difference between a cause solution essay and a problem solution essay IELTS?
Ans. Problem solution essays and cause solution essays are highly similar. However, there is a subtle difference between the two. A problem solution essay question asks about the problem with regard to a particular topic, whereas the cause solution essay asks about the causes behind an issue. The problem is to be mentioned in both essays. However, in the cause solution essay, you should focus more on the cause of that particular statement.
How can I write a solution paragraph?
Ans. First of all, for a solution paragraph, you need to develop ideas related to the given problem in your mind to check whether or not your ideas are directly relevant to the problem. After that, you have to decide how you will explain the solution to all the problems in a precise manner. After then, develop your solution with the help of a detailed explanation.
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IELTS Problem Solution Essay: tips, common mistakes, questions & essays
In this lesson we are going to look at how to answer an IELTS Problem Solution essay.
You will learn about this IELTS Writing Task 2 essay, using authentic IELTS essay questions , plus the most common mistakes. And I will finish with an IELTS model essay written by me in response to a sample IELTS essay question . So let’s get started!
What Is Your Task?
In this IELTS question type, you are usually presented with a statement about a common problem that many people or societies face. Usually you will be asked to discuss 2 things:
- the causes of the problem, or the problem itself
- and some solutions to the problem
Sometimes you may be asked to discuss the effects of the problem.
So it’s really important to read the question carefully, so you know exactly what you should discuss!
Read this task:
Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment.
What damage does plastic do to the environment?
What can be done by governments and individuals to solve this problem?
Cambridge IELTS 16 General Training Test 1
So in the task above, you are presented with a statement about a problem: “ Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment. “
Next, you are asked a question related to the problem: “ What damage does plastic do to the environment?” . In this task the question is asking you about the effect of the problem.
Then, you are asked a question related to the solution: “ What can be done by governments and individuals to solve this problem?” In other words, you need to suggest some solutions.
These types of question can be worded in a variety of ways. Here are some common examples:
- What problems are associated with this and what are some possible solutions?
- What difficulties does this cause? What can we do to tackle this problem?
What do you think are the causes of these problems and what measures could be taken to solve them?
- Why is this the case? What can be done about this problem?
As you can see, it’s really important to read the question carefully because the wording can vary a lot.
How To Plan An IELTS Problem Solution Essay
If you are aiming for a high band score (band 7 and above) it is absolutely vital that you plan your essay. A good plan will help you to see if you have answered the question, developed your ideas and organised them BEFORE you start writing.
We’re going to plan an essay using my 4 Step Planning Process .
Step 1: Understand The Task
First, you need to make sure you understand exactly what you need to write about. So you need to read the question carefully, not quickly!
Think about these three questions:
What is the topic about?
What is the topic NOT about?
How should you respond to the topic?
Let’s go back to this essay question, and answer those 3 questions:
The topic is presented in the first sentence in the task, “plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment.” So the topic is about the negative effects that plastic items (specifically bags, bottles and packaging) have on the natural world.
Note that the first sentence is a factual statement, not an opinion. It states that plastic IS bad for the environment, not “ some people think plastic is bad for the environment)
- The topic is not about pollution in general, only plastic pollution. So don’t discuss carbon emissions or petrol fumes.
- The topic also mentions only bags, bottles and packaging. So it’s probably best to avoid talking about objects made of plastic (e.g. toys…although I did this in one of my model essays! Hopefully I will get a kind examiner!)
The two questions tell you how to respond to the topic. So make sure you answer these questions. Don’t discuss the advantages of plastic, or why you think plastic is NOT bad for the environment!
Step 2: Decide Your Position
Next, you need to decide your position. In other words, you need to decide what you think.
In a problems solutions IELTS essay, your position is simply your answers to the two questions .
So in our example task, your position is your answers to these 2 questions:
- What damage does plastic do to the environment?
- What can be done by governments and individuals to solve this problem?
There aren’t questions with a factual answer, so they are really asking you for your opinion, ideally an opinion based on your own knowledge or experience.
Personally, I think that plastic damages the environment by harming wildlife, and because the plastic gets into the water supply system. What can governments and individuals do? I think governments need to tax plastic more heavily. And individuals can stop using plastic bags.
So what is YOUR position? What do YOU think?
Step 3: Extend Your Ideas
When you decided your position, you may have started thinking about the reasons for your position, the reasons for your answer. In other words, WHY are you taking this view?
Giving reasons for your view is essential in an IELTS essay. In fact, all IELTS questions tell you to “give reasons for your answer”. So in Step 3, you need to think about your reasons a little more.
However, just presenting your reasons is not enough. You need to develop them.
The two best ways of developing your ideas is by:
- giving explanations of what you mean
- giving specific examples which illustrate what you mean
Together, these add more detail to your answer.
You MUST do this to get Band 7. If you fail to develop your ideas in detail, your band score for Task Response may be limited to Band 6.
Read more about how to develop your ideas in an IELTS essay.
Step 4: Structure Your Essay
The final step in the planning process is to structure your essay. This simply means deciding which main ideas to put in which paragraphs.
Here’s a simple structure for a problem / solution essay:
- Paragraph 1: introduction
- Paragraph 2: discuss 2 problems
- Paragraph 3: discuss 2 solutions
- Paragraph 4: summarise your ideas.
Here is an alternative structure:
- Paragraph 2: discuss one problem and a solution to this problem
- Paragraph 3: discuss one problem and a solution to this problem
However, this structure is not always appropriate, so use it carefully! If your ideas are not closely related to the problem, it can cause problems with coherence. For example, one problem caused by global warming is melting icecaps; however, there is no direct solution to melting icecaps – the solution often lies a long way from the polar ice caps .
How To Write Your IELTS Problem Solution Essay
Let’s go through how to write the different parts of the essay.
How To Write The Introduction To An IELTS Problem Solution Essay
In the introduction to an IELTS Problems Solutions essay, you need to do two things:
- briefly introduce the topic of the essay
- briefly say what you are going to write about
Introduce The Topic
You should begin with a background sentence which introduces your reader to the topic of the essay. The best way to do this is to paraphrase the topic statement.
How To Paraphrase
Think about the meaning of the topic statement, and briefly rewrite it using your own words. Try not to use the same grammatical structures as in the essay question, and try to move language around. In other words, be flexible. This is important if you are aiming for a Band 7 or higher.
In the example essay question above, the topic statement said:
“Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment.”
Here is one way of paraphrasing this:
“People are becoming increasingly concerned about the damaging effects of plastic on the environment.”
This sentence has the same general meaning as the original sentence, but uses different vocabulary and different grammatical structures.
Say What You Are Going To Write About
In an IELTS Problems Solutions essay, it’s a good idea to briefly say what you are going to write about – in other words, say that you are going to answer the two questions.
In our example essay above, we need to answer two questions:
So I could write:
This essay will examine the damage done to the environment by plastic, along with some possible solutions.
How To Write The Body Paragraphs
In an IELTS Problems Solutions essay, you need to present the problem (or the causes of the problem) and possible solutions in the body paragraphs.
There a couple of possible structures:
- Body Paragraph 1: discuss the problems
- Body Paragraph 2: discuss the solutions
- Body Paragraph 1: discuss one problem and its solution
- Body Paragraph 2: discuss another problem and its solution
However, this second structure is not always appropriate. I would recommend only using the first structure.
Each body paragraph should contain:
- A problem (or a solution) – your main idea
- A more detailed explanation of the problem (or solution)
- An example which illustrates this
- You can also include a 2nd problem or (2nd solution) in the same paragraph.
This structure is what is meant by developing your ideas, and it is essential for a Band 7.
You can read more about developing your ideas here .
How To Write The Conclusion
In the conclusion to an IELTS Problem Solution essay, you need to do one thing:
- summarise your main points
Do NOT write any new ideas in your conclusion. If you think of new ideas while writing your conclusion, forget them! It’s too late.
Common Mistakes in an IELTS Problem Solution Essay
These are the most common mistakes made by Test Takers when writing an IELTS Problem Solution essay:
- presenting too many problems and solutions: you MUST develop ALL of your ideas to get a high band score, so it’s best to present 3 or 4 problems / solutions in total and explain them all
- not answering the exact question. If the question asks you to discuss the CAUSES of the problem, make sure you discuss the causes, not the problem. If the question asks you to discuss the EFFECTS of the problem, make sure you discuss the effects, not the problem. So read the question carefully!
- Writing an overly general statement about the topic in the introduction (e.g. “The Environment is a topic of hot debate.” )
- Your main ideas are not explained and illustrated enough. You need to develop all of your ideas to get a band 7 and higher.
- Writing an opinion in the conclusion: you usually only need to summarise your main points in the conclusion.
- Using memorised phrases (e.g. “a hot topic”, “in a nutshell”, “quick fix”)
- Using “research studies” as examples: examples should illustrate your ideas, not prove them. Read about how to use examples in IELTS essays .
- Trying to use rare or “novel” language: examiners are looking for groups of words used naturally, not rare words.quick fix
Sample IELTS Problem Solution Essay Questions
Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment. What damage does plastic do to the environment? What can be done by governments and individuals to solve this problem?
(Cambridge IELTS 16 General Training Test 1)
Nowadays many people complain that they have difficulties getting enough sleep. What problems can lack of sleep cause? What can be done about lack of sleep?
(Cambridge IELTS 15 General Training Test 2)
In spite of the advances made in agriculture, many people around the world still go hungry. Why is this the case? What can be done about this problem?
( Cambridge IELTS 13 Academic Test 4 )
Many working people get little or no exercise either during the working day or in their free time, and have health problems as a result. Why do many working people not get enough exercise? What can be done about this problem?
(Cambridge IELTS 13 General Training Test 2)
Model IELTS Problem Solution Essays
Here is an IELTS Problem Solution Essay that I wrote in response to this task:
In some countries the average weight of people is increasing and their levels of health and fitness are decreasing.
Cambridge IELTS 8 Test 4 (Academic)
Over the last few decades, rising obesity and a drop in people’s overall health and fitness have become a major concern in many countries, especially those in the developed world.
One of the main causes of increasing weight amongst the population is because so much food and drink contains large amounts of carbohydrates. Junk food, for example, tends to contain high quantities of cheap pasta and rice, while soft drinks often contain large amounts of sugar. If these carbohydrates are not burned up through exercise, they will simply be converted by the body into fat, leading to weight gain.
However, people are getting less exercise, which means that not only will they gain weight, they will also experience lower levels of health and fitness. One of the main reasons for this lack of exercise is our increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Whereas in the past, many people used to be engaged in manual labour such as factory work or farming, today they are more likely to be sat in an office hunched over a computer. Add to that the fact that people are more likely to commute to work by car, rather than walk or cycle, and we can see why people are getting fatter and less healthy.
There are some solutions to this problem that governments could provide, such as a sugar tax. In countries where this has been introduced, such as the U.K., this has led to drinks’ manufacturers reducing the amount of sugar in their products. I also feel that higher levels of tax on petrol might make car drivers think twice about whether they should really take the car out on the road. Ultimately, however, it is up to individuals to take more responsibility for their own health and fitness. They could make the effort to walk more and take the car less, and make better choices regarding their diet using information that is widely available on the Internet.
(321 words)
Read my full plan and comments for this essay.
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The Internet Essays
by viki (South Australia)
The advent of technology and the internet makes people’s lives connected to the world's information easily. Despite numerous benefits of using the internet, there are some unavoidable downsides.
With the possibility to access the internet straightforwardly by spending small-scale amounts of money, people broadly enhance their experiences of education. Firstly , thanks to the advancement of the internet, students and teachers are capable of doing research widely based on their purposes without limitation. In addition, due to the very bad situation of COVID-19 recently, the internet takes a significant role to lower the increase of the spreads and patience. To continue the learning process in this circumstance, both students and teachers must switch to online classes. Therefore , the internet and learning management systems such as google classroom or Microsoft team in conjunction with video conferences applications are required. Besides educational reasons, the internet has been utilized in a major part for entertainment activities for all ages of people. As an illustration, we watch movies or anime, play video games, access social media, and do many other things.
Although the internet comes along with numerous benefits, there are countless drawbacks as well. The majority of young people are addicted to the internet quickly. They access the internet only for online games and leisure activities. They spend hours every day doing nonsense actions. This affects the growth of learning journey. Furthermore, by absorbing a lot of things on social media, people start to compare themselves to others on the internet so that they will see the gap in society. Another bad point is that a large amount of information published online is unreal and unfavorable and we cannot analyze whether it is true or fake.
In short, using the internet in this era helps people to enrich their living environment due to the fact that they are able to obtain more and more valuable skills, resources and capacities. Yet, there are risks if the individuals use the internet without full comprehension of the dangers that may exist.
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Problems of the Internet Essay
by Katy (Australia)
Hi, I have given IELTS 4 times and I need 7 each in academic. My latest score was: R 8.5 L 8 S 7.5 W 6.5 In all my attempts, I have not been able to get 7 in writing. Here is an example of an essay I wrote, could you please advise how I can improve? Besides a lot of advantages, some people believe that the Internet creates many problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? In today’s world, the Internet has become extremely popular. Some people believe, it is beneficial for several reasons while many argue that the disadvantages associated with it cannot be overlooked. I completely agree with the latter part. On one hand, some people believe that the Internet has been advantageous for many reasons. First of all, it helps communicate with people all over the world. The use of emails, social networking sites and video chatting has enables people to easily and quickly talk to their loved ones even from a far distance. Another benefit to be considered is that it is cheaper than sending mails via post. Furthermore, internet makes it convenient to pay the bills online and saves time as well, so people do not have to go personally to pay the bills. On the other hand, some people argue that the Internet has many disadvantages. For instance, the younger generation spends a lot of time in front of computer or on their phones which is harmful for their health as it affects their eyesight and also makes them physically inactive. In addition, inappropriate contents on the Internet like violence and obscenity negatively impacts on young people. Furthermore, the increasing number of cyber-crimes is taking place these days. More and more financial crimes are committed via the internet. Another problem the Internet creates is that overuse of it tends to make people isolated as they become unsociable and self-centred. In my opinion, the disadvantages of the Internet outweigh the advantages, hence, making it harmful to the growth of the youth. Therefore, its consumption should be reduced and people should be protected from the negative effects of internet.
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Who so ever is concerned, It is important to have habit of checking your answer after completion, otherwise no matter how good you have written, your mistakes will drain your marks and at the end you will be lingering with poor scores in writing. |
Aug 14, 2016 | You must be partly with the question. You stated that you completely agree therefore you should only discuss the negative effects all through out your body paragraphs. I guess you get 7 in majority of the ielts writing criteria except task responce which is 6.5. |
Aug 15, 2016 | Actually that is not true, Even if you completely agree / disagree with the opinion, you can still look at the other view. You need to word it carefully though to make sure you show that you are just pointing out that there is another side to it and which side you are on. |
Dec 24, 2020 | Firstly in opinion you have to mention that I partly agree with essay statement. Late on In Conclusion just rewrite opinion. The structure used in conclusion is not correct. |
The Internet and Communication
by MomAmadeus - Nuke (Indonesia)
Some people say that the Internet is making the world smaller by bringing people together. To what extent do you agree that the internet is making it easier for people to communicate with one another? It’s quite interesting and amusing at the same time, discussing this topic. If we remember back in the 80th, we still very much attached to conventional letter a.k.a postal mail. It took weeks even months before a single letter arrived at destination. But in the 90th, the way people communicate accelerated to profound degree. Internet not only allowed people to send and receive messages across countries in speed of light, but it also managed to cut the expensive cost which previously part of communication constraint. In present days, even home telephone devices are collecting dusk. Smartphone, tablet, laptop and notebooks had overtaken those “primeval” devices. People found that application like whatsapp, blackberry messenger, ease their way to interact with each others. In fact, text messaging took its turned to become obsolete. We also shouldn’t neglect the power of social media, which escalated as powerful tool for political communication. Obama, who once remarked this, had successfully gained followers to help him won the presidential election. But internet has several negative’ side as well. Instant Messenger, for instance, had been pointed out as scapegoat for making youngster became more “autistic” due to its nature in physical inactivity. When distance no longer an issue in interaction and having gadget in hand, it is all what it takes to start mingle with your peers. Not to mention, these days news related to social media’s crime scene had brought horror to certain people. It also pledged guilty as the predisposition factor for increasing numbers of infidelity and divorce among couple. So as the internet has brought a lot of advantages to human civilization and had triumphantly change the way we communicate, the cons inevitably followed as its consequences. Thus, we all shall take precaution with it. Please comment on my essay
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1. If we remember -is more like the spoken language You need to formalize your language. To recall even in the 80's, postal mail continued to be the conventional mode of communication. no 80th 80's, 90's. no abbreviation like a.k.a 2. the way people communicated -past tense in 90's 3.In present times sounds better. 4. at the speed of light 5. either expense or cost. not both. 6.collecting dust- not dusk 7. smartphone---have overtaken- plural hence plural verb- subject verb agreement. 8. blackberry have made interaction very easy making even text messages obsolete. 9. which has escalated to become a powerful tool for poli... 10. remarked on this aspect has ... help him win 11. However, the negatives impact of internet cannot be ignored or overlooked. sorry I am out of time. You need to work on ur writing skills especially the grammatical errors and sentence formation |
Jan 27, 2015 | Thank you chaya for taking time to review my essay. Very glad to read it. You have underline some of my flaws. Can i contact you directly through email? |
Problems and Solutions
by Samir Alhejaj (UK)
Hi Samir,
However I am not a subject matter in this topic, I read your essay with great joy. It is a well built up essay, I personally could just wish that once I will be able to write an essay like yours. I do prepare myself for an English exam, so I was really happy to have the chance to read and to learn how to built up my own one when time shows up.
Advantages and Disadvantages
by Devi (Indonesia)
The internet is probably the most significant invention of the last 30 years. Without it our lives would be completely different. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the internet? Recently, Internet of technology makes many different habits in our life. People do many things on internet. Actually, now not only adults and teenagers use internet, but also children too. There are a lot of negative effects and positive effects of internet. In fact, smart people use internet to help their activities, and few other people use internet just to waste their time. Because of that, I agree with this statement. I believe that internet has two benefits in the world. the first, knowledge is very important to all people, internet technology can help people for studying and finding many science. For example, there are in school not enough teachers to give information about anything, students use computer to find what they want to improve their knowledge. The second, business include important thing to human life, all people need money, while internet makes business easy and fast. For example, if you have ability to sell some things and you do not have financial to build your business, and then you can use internet to introduce your product, such as facebook, twitter, instagram and blog. Internet makes something different every time, it gives education and entertainment to make your life easy, comfortable and happy. Recently, everyone with internet technology feels different thought their activities. Please comment on my advantages and disadvantages of the internet essay
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Hi, It is a good start, but you will lose a huge point in task achievement point because you did not write about the disadvantages of the internet. Also, I think you need to add more a complex sentences and compound sentence. This website includes an excellent explanation of that. You will find it at lessons section, then click on grammar section. Lastly, I think you should include more transitions word such as moreover, whereas, so - you can learn the strategy from this site. You said that you agree that there are people have used the internet in useful aspects and others have used them in useless things. I guess this is totally different from the question which are if the internet change the world and how we can people live without it. thanks |
May 18, 2015 | Good post Thx |
Nov 20, 2015 | too many spelling mistakes 'Actifities' instead of 'activities' for example. All in all its okay it helped. |
Dec 06, 2015 | thanks so much |
Jan 20, 2016 | It's good...But it could have been better |
Decline of Face-to-Face Communication
by Ayesha Arooba (Quetta, Baluchistan)
With an increasing population communicating via the internet and text messaging, face to face communication will become a thing of the past. To what extent do you agree? Recently, the survey by Pew Research Center's Global Attitude Project, has declared March 21 to May 15, 2015, that social networking is popular in many nations around the globe. In particular, cellphones and social media are owned by overwhelming large majority of people around the world. Also, survey has declared, text massaging is a global phenomenon-across the 21st countries. Undoubtedly, social networking is hurting human interaction. Initially, Pew Internet and American Life Project set up a study on uses of cellphones and Charing and results are not so much surprising because every juvenile is more likely prefer text messaging. Even though it may be convenient in many ways, like telling someone something very important when you don't want to talk him/her face to face. Lots of times, texting is being used so much that face-to-face communication is demolished. Even eye contact is gradually going away; people are becoming more and more avoidant and forbearing. This lack of body language eliminates sincerity in typical conversation. The reason is sarcasm and other moods and attitude are not as clear through text as it could be in regular conversation. Apart from this, texting or using internet are becoming an addiction. Many psychologists also believe that it is more than that a mental illness. Even so, constant texting jeopardize physical, emotional and cognitive health. Particularly, one of the disadvantages of using advanced communication systems is this, relationships, friendships, letter writing, sending occasional cards are ruined their importance by chatting. The skill of writing has vanished, even no occasional cards are sent so as no more love remained between two people. Quality time isn't the same anymore as it was, since everyone is on their own technology. Mostly, interaction is through internet or chatting, so when you wish to meet face-to-face is now weird. Eventually, percentage around the world a out using social networking is higher in U.S. 50% and in Israel 53%, but this critical condy reveals that this addiction besieged everyone in its web. And in result, this totally ruined human interaction. Also averted people from regular conversation and gossips. The electronic communication deteriorates the people and their relationships that it urges us to forcely say that face-to-face communication soon will apart of past. *** What do you think of this Essay on the Decline of Face-to-Face Communication? You can comment below.
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Nice |
Jan 05, 2016 | I'm totally agree what this essays says.... It really hurts the human face to face interaction |
Jan 06, 2016 | Thank u Mr. Haris for reading this essay |
Oct 07, 2016 | This website is very interesting because it helps you to understand the thing you are research on |
Problems of the Internet
by Bhaskar shiva
Besides a lot of advantages, some people believe that the Internet creates many problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Now a days, Internet has been used in every field such as in education, hospital, business, companies, and so on. Internet has been a vast means of communication. I agree with the statement and I would like to give my opinion in the following paragraphs. There are many positive effects in the usage of internet. First of all, through internet one can be connected with the world easily and efficiently. Second, in the olden days, sending a letter to a person living in another area has been a very difficult situation because, it takes one or two days time to reach its destination, but now it has become very easy, if u send a mail to a person living in another area or country, it will reach in seconds to its destination. Finally, chatting can be done with the people around the world using whatsapp. One small message can be sent to number of people using internet. Now a days, social websites like facebook, twitter, has helped people to be connected with the people all around the world. Every simple doubt related to education, business and so on can be clarified using the internet. Besides the positive effects, there are some negative impacts in the usage of internet. First of all, misusing Internet is one of the main disadvantage. To illustrate, using the internet for hacking the mail id's, disturbing the social websites like facebook, twitter, by posting the bad things, and teasing the ladies by creating unknown accounts. Now a days, crimes are being done on the internet. Second, getting addicted to the internet is also one of the negative impact. To illustrate, people who do online jobs sitting at home needs some rest to their mind. In other words, refreshment should be given to their mind, if not their brains will be effected and many other problems will be a raising such as mental disorder, frustration towards the work and so on. With this intension people cannot enjoy their work. The suggestions to be given based on internet are, internet must be used for a purpose, but not for pass time. Social websites must be reduced because through these websites virus may attack and the systems or mobiles may be damaged. Therefore, I strongly support the statement but, the internet must be used to an extent. Using internet more than the purpose may cause harm. *** You can provide comments on this Problems of the Internet Essay below in order to help the candidate improve their score.
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Poorly organized and does not fulfil the purpose. Sentences structure and vocabulary are simple. Although I am not an IELTS examiner but if I am asked to grade this easy, then I will grade it 5.5 or 6 band. |
Personal Information Online Essay
Many people put their personal information online (address, telephone number, and so on) for purposes such as signing up for social networks or online banking. Is this a positive or negative development? In recent years, there have been a lot of controversial arguments about the question of whether it is safe to share personal information on the internet or not. This essay will elaborate on both sides of this conflict. There are some potential problems pertaining to identity information sharing. To begin with, by the assistance of the Internet, hackers have the chance of accessing the personal data of every individual in a society, and as a result, they can commit felonies, namely identity theft, stealing money from bank accounts, and so forth. For instance, recently, a friend of mine shared the details of his bank account on a fake website and the owner of that website utilized his information to purchase items online in my friend's name. Furthermore, thieves can easily forge a user's ID and commit crimes and blame it on someone else. Looking from another angle, asking for personal information as a website designer is the best way possible to prevent the formation of fake pages that have no clear details about the user. To clarify this, in order to have an Amazon account individuals have to insert their private details, such as mobile number, zip code, and even their address. By doing this, they can dwindle the likelihood of fake accounts formation. Thereby, it is of necessity to ask for valid data from people. In conclusion, what have been discussed above are the pros and cons brought by the insertion of personal data. Since the development of the internet, we should protect our private data in every conceivable way.
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How to Plan & Write IELTS Problem Solution Essays
IELTS problem solution essays are the most challenging essay type for many people. The way they are worded can vary hugely which can make it difficult to understand how you should answer the question.
Generally, you’ll be asked to write about both the problem, or cause, and the solution to a specific issue. Sometimes, however, you will only be required to write about possible solutions.
The 3 essay types:
- Problem and solution
- Cause and solution
- Just the solution
Hence, it’s essential that you analyse the question carefully, which I’ll show you how to do in this lesson. I’m also going to demonstrate step-by-step how to plan and write IELTS problem solution essays.
Here’s what we’ll be covering:
- Identifying IELTS problem solution essays
- 6 Common mistakes
- Essay structure
- How to plan
- How to write an introduction
- How to write main body paragraphs
- How to write a conclusion
Want to watch and listen to this lesson?
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
Here are two typical IELTS problem solution essay questions. They consist of a statement followed by the question or instruction.
1. One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.
What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?
2. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the number of endangered species has increased significantly and we have witnessed more mass extinctions in this period than in any other period of time.
State some reasons for this and provide possible solutions.
These are some examples of different ways in which questions can be phrased. The first half of the questions relate to the problem or cause, the second half to the solution.
What issues does this cause and how can they be addressed?
What are some resulting social problems and how can we deal with them?
What problems arise from this and how can they be tackled?
Why is this? How might it be remedied?
What are the reasons for this, and how can the situation be improved?
Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?
And here are a few questions where you only have to write about the solution.
How can this situation be improved?
What solutions can you suggest to deal with this problem?
How can this problem be solved?
What measures could be taken to prevent this?
It’s important that you are able to recognise the common synonyms, words and phrases used in problem solution questions. Here are the key words and their synonyms used in the questions above.
- Problem – issues, resulting, situation
- Cause – reasons, why
- Solution – deal with, addressed, tackled, remedied, improved, measures taken, solved, prevent
Before we move on to some common mistakes, I want to quickly explain the difference between a problem and a cause. Read the following examples.
Problem – I've missed the last bus home after visiting my friend for the evening.
Cause – I misread the timetable and thought the bus left at 22.45 when it actually left at 22.35.
The ‘cause’ is the reason for the ‘problem’. We’ll be looking at question analysis in more detail in a minute.
6 Common Mistakes
These six errors are common in IELTS problem solution essays.
- Confusing problem and causes questions.
- Having too many ideas.
- Not developing your ideas.
- Not developing both sides of the argument equally.
- Not linking the problems and solutions.
- Not being specific enough.
It is common for an essay to consist of a list of problems and solutions without any of them being expanded on or linked to each other. Sometimes, a student will focus on just the problem or only the solution which leads to an unbalanced essay. Both these issues will result in a low score for task achievement.
You must choose just one or two problems and pick solutions directly linked to them. Explain them and give examples.
Another serious error is to write generally about the topic. You need to be very specific with your ideas. Analysing the question properly is essential to avoiding this mistake. I’ll show you how to do this.
Essay Structure
Now let’s look at a simple structure you can use to write IELTS problem solution essays. It’s not the only possible structure but it’s the one I recommend because it’s easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.
1) Introduction
- Paraphrase the question
- State 1 key problem/cause and related solution
2) Main body paragraph 1 – Problem or Cause
- Topic sentence – state the problem or cause
- Explanation – give detail explaining the problem or cause
- Example – give an example
3) Main body paragraph 2 – Solution
- Topic sentence – state the solution
- Explanation – give detail explaining the solution
4) Conclusion
- Summarise the key points
This structure will give us a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.
One Problem/Cause & Solution or Two?
Most questions will state problems, causes and solutions in the plural, that is, more than one. However, it is acceptable to write about just one.
This will give you an essay of just over the minimum 250 words. To write about two problems/causes and solutions will require you to write between 350 and 400 words which are a lot to plan and write in the 40 minutes allowed.
It is better to fully develop one problem/cause and solution than ending up with one idea missing an explanation or an example because you run out of time.
The step-by-step essay structure I’m going to show you includes one problem and solution but you can write about two if you feel able to or more comfortable doing so.
How To Plan IELTS Problem Solution Essays
Here’s the question we’re going to be answering in our model essay followed by the 3 steps of the planning process.
One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.
What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you sugge st?
- Analyse the question
- Generate ideas
- Identify vocabulary
# 1 Analyse the question
This is an essential step in the planning process and will ensure that you answer the question fully. It’s quick and easy to do. You just need to identify 3 different types of words:
1. Topic words
2. Other keywords
3. 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.
One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion .
So, this question is about ‘ traffic congestion’ .
Many people will 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 traffic congestion we're being asked to write about.
The other keywords in the question tell you the specific topic you must write about.
By highlighting these words, it’s easy to see that you are being asked to write about the problem of traffic congestion in large cities. Your essay must only include ideas relevant to these ideas.
The instruction words are the question itself. These tell you the type of IELTS problem solution essay you must write. This is a ‘causes and solutions’ 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.
We’re going to use the ‘friends technique’. This is the method I 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.
You might want to try this yourself before reading on for my ideas.
Here are my ideas:
- Too many cars on the roads – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains
- Inadequate public transport – crowded, old & dirty
- Poor road layout
- Rush hour traffic – most people travel to & from work at the same times each day
- Car sharing, park-and-ride scheme, congestion charge
- Improve public transport – more frequent and better quality
- Improve infrastructure – bus lanes, cycle lanes will make it safer for people to cycle
- Flexible working hours
For each cause you think of, immediately write down a possible solution. This you will ensure that the problems and solutions you think of are linked.
You don’t need to spend long on this as you only need one or two ideas.
I’ve got more far more ideas here than I need as I spent more time thinking about it that I would in the real exam. I’m going to pick just one cause to develop in the essay and one or two solutions.
My advice on making your selection is to choose ideas you can quickly think of an example to illustrate.
Here are my choices:
Cause – Too many cars on the roads. Why? – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains
Solution – Park-and-ride schemes
We’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS problem solution 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 which cause and solution you are 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. For example:
- traffic jam
- heavy traffic
- private transport
- infrastructure
With that done, we can focus on the first paragraph of the essay – the introduction.
How To Write an Introduction
Good introductions to IELTS problem solution essays have a simple 2 part structure:
- State 1 key problem/cause and related solution/s (outline sentence)
- Have 2-3 sentences
- Be 40-60 words long
- Take 5 minutes to write
1) Paraphrase the question
Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question.
Question: One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.
What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?
Paraphrased question:
O ne of the most serious issues facing the majority of large urban areas is traffic jams.
Note my use of synonyms to replace key words in the question statement. You don’t have to replace every key word but do so where possible whilst ensuring that your language sounds natural.
2) Outline statement
Now we need to add an outline statement where we outline the two main points that we’ll cover in the rest of the essay, that is, the cause and the solution I chose earlier. Here they are again.
Cause – Too many cars on the roads. Why? – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains
And, this is one way to develop them into an outline sentence.
Outline statement:
The main reason for this is that there are too many private cars on the roads these days and a viable solution is to introduce more park-and-ride schemes.
So, let’s bring the two 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 – Too many cars on the roads
Main body paragraph 2 – Park-and-ride schemes
How To Write Main Body Paragraphs
Main body paragraphs in IELTS problem solution essays should contain 3 things:
- Topic sentence – outline the main idea
- Explanation – explain it and g ive more detail
Main Body Paragraph 1
The topic sentence summarises the main idea of the paragraph. That’s all it needs to do so it doesn’t have to be complicated.
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.
We’ll now take the idea for our first main body paragraph and create our topic sentence.
Obviously, we’re going to write about the cause of the problem first.
Main body paragraph 1 – Too many cars on the roads
Topic sentence:
The number of people owning cars increases year on year, with most families now having more than one car.
Next, we must write an explanation sentence that develops the idea.
Explanation sentence:
Most people like the convenience of travelling at the time they want to rather than being restricted to public transport timetables, so they prefer to drive themselves around rather than taking the bus or train. This is despite the fact that they frequently have to sit in long traffic queues as they near the city centre.
Finally, we add an example to support our main point. If you can’t think of a real example, it’s fine to make one up, as long as it’s believable. The examiner isn’t going to check your facts. Alternative, you could add another piece of information to support your idea.
Example sentence:
Whenever I have to attend a meeting in the city, I always drive because it means that I can leave home when I want to rather than getting stressed about getting to the station in time to catch the train.
That’s the 3 parts of our first main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.
We now follow the same process for our second main body paragraph.
Main Body Paragraph 2
Main idea 2 – Park-and-ride schemes
First, we write the topic sentence to summarise the main idea.
Topic sentence:
A solution that is proving successful in many areas is park-and-ride schemes.
Now for the explanation sentence where we expand on this idea.
Explanation sentence:
This is where you park your car for free in a large car park on the outskirts of the city and take a bus for the final part of your journey. The fee you have to pay for the bus trip is usually very small and this public transport system is generally very regular, running every ten minutes or so.
Finally, an example to support this point.
A survey carried out in the city of Exeter showed that the rush hour congestion decreased by 10% when the council set up a park-and-ride scheme to the north of the city. There was an additional drop of another 10% in traffic volume when a second scheme began operating to the south.
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 problem solution 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 over 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 problem solution 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 problem solution essay with the words:
- In conclusion
or
- 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 good conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction.
Introduction:
Here is the same information formed into a conclusion. I’ve also added a personal statement at the end to link back to one of my example sentences. You don’t have to do this but in this case, I think that it rounds the essay off better.
That’s it. We’ve completed our essay. Here it is with the 4 paragraphs put together.
Finished IELTS problem solution 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 problem solution essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.
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More help with ielts problem solution 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.
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IELTS Task 2- Problem Solution Essay
This article explains and shows you how to reach a band 9 on your writing task 2 with a problem and solution essay. In my library of IELTS content, you will find articles on all of the task 2 essay types.
What is the problem solution essay?
The problem solution essay can be the hardest for many students. This can be due to how the question is worded. Generally you will be asked to discuss the problem and solution. But you may be asked to discuss the cause and solution and the solution only.
What's the difference between a problem, cause and solution?
Problem - I arrived at the wrong restaurant even though I had put the address into Google maps
Cause - I didn't check the postcode and discovered there was more than one 'Luigi's'
Solution - Next time I will be sure to check the correct post-code is entered to avoid arriving at the wrong destination
What is the essay structure?
As with any essay structure, you need an opening, the middle where you address the question in more depth, and the conclusion. But let's apply a more specific structure. You would have seen this in other essay posts I have written, so this should be somewhat familiar.
Introduction
- Paraphrase the question
- State 1 key problem/cause and related solution
P aragraph 1 – Problem or Cause
- Topic sentence – state the problem or cause
- Explanation – explain the problem or cause
P aragraph 2 – Solution
- Topic sentence – state the solution
- Explanation – explain the solution
- Summarise the key points
How many problems/cause should I write about?
This depends on how quickly you can write. If you can fit two in, which will result in a 350-400 word response then this is fine. Using one main problem/cause and developing your idea is also fine. With any of the essay types, it's always imperative to develop your ideas. So be sure to do this irrespective of the number of ideas.
Writing task 2 example
Let's use an example question to see how you can answer this question with a band 9 score. This question is a problem and solution essay.
The internet has transformed the way information is distributed and consumed, but it has also created problems that prior to this, did not exist.
What are the most serious problems associated with the internet and what solutions can you suggest?
We have our structure in mind but planning is always part of writing. The structure above is something you should memorise. Then use a table like below and structure your ideas down in five minutes.
You can put this into a table if it helps to remember or simply create the titles and jot down your ideas.
Writing task 2 example, in full
Since the boom of the internet in the 1990's, it has since changed how we consume and share information. In particular, the last decade has seen significant changes in how we use the internet, and our relationship with it. Although serious problems have arisen and continue to do so, there are solutions.
One of the first problems with the internet and arguably, the most worrisome, is the ease with which children can access sites with dangerous and harmful content. For example, pornography sites are easily accessible to them because they can claim to be an adult and have free rein thereafter. The lack of security in this corner of the web means that children are being exposed to content that is far beyond their emotional and cognitive understanding. Undoubtedly, this would affect their thoughts and damage how they otherwise see the world, people and relationships. It could damage their ability of forming their own understanding of sexual relationships as they grow up and mature. Such behaviour could be imitated and potentially harmful to others, and therefore negatively impacting society.
Another serious problem is the growth of online fraud and hacking. With such a wealth of our personal data online and the sophistication of hackers, our data is subject to theft. Whilst there are protective measures online and this issue is often in news stories, this issue is on the rise and has become an incredibly rich industry with hackers that can surpass online security. Even government and state conglomerates have been attacked. Take for example the 2017 NHS cyber attack. Proving that even those deemed safe and ostensibly with great power, are still susceptible to online criminals. From what is reported in the news, it seems as though regardless of status, background, or employment, we can all fall victim to the online hands of criminals.
It is important that action is taken to directly combat these problems. Firstly, Governments should ensure that adequate legislation is in place that will prevent young people from accessing dangerous sites. Clearly the current measures are not enough to protect children online. As well as this, companies dedicated to online protection should be doing more to create stricter, appropriate entries to such sites. Protection can also come from home. Parents should monitor their children whilst online and restrict access to certain sites. Fortunately this is now easier than ever and parents can control what their children consume. Similarly, the government should create stricter legislation around cyber security. Individual companies must also improve their onsite IT security systems to make fraud and hacking much more difficult and virtually impossible. Companies could collaborate on this and those operating within the same field, such as finance, could come together to create more successful online barriers.
To conclude, the internet is an incredible technological tool that has changed people's lives and brought them opportunities, connections, and much happiness but it is not without negative and genuinely harmful impacts. With the right action, especially by governments and business, alongside individuals, it can be a safe place for everyone.
Identify where the structure has been applied
- How many problems are discussed?
- What are they?
- What language is used to initiate discussion of the problems?
- How are the problems explained further?
- What solutions are discussed for each problem?
Read my example and highlight with a different colour 1-5 within the body of the text.
Practice tips
Time yourself:
You have 40 minutes in the exam to write your 250 word answer. When first starting, give yourself 50 minutes. Each time you practice, shave off five minutes and see how you can meet the word count in ideally 30 minutes. It's always good to have time left over to proofread your response.
The need to know language for the problem and cause question:
- Problem – issues, resulting, situation, obstacle, drawback
- Cause – reasons, why, source, root, basis, origin
- Solution – deal with, addressed, tackled, remedied, improved, measures taken, solved, prevent
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Problem and solutions by internet
IELTS essay Problem and solutions by internet
- Structure your answers in logical paragraphs
- ? One main idea per paragraph
- Include an introduction and conclusion
- Support main points with an explanation and then an example
- Use cohesive linking words accurately and appropriately
- Vary your linking phrases using synonyms
- Try to vary your vocabulary using accurate synonyms
- Use less common question specific words that accurately convey meaning
- Check your work for spelling and word formation mistakes
- Use a variety of complex and simple sentences
- Check your writing for errors
- Answer all parts of the question
- ? Present relevant ideas
- Fully explain these ideas
- Support ideas with relevant, specific examples
- ? Currently is not available
- Meet the criteria
- Doesn't meet the criteria
- 5 band Modern technology has greatly influenced people's ways of entertainment, making people less creative. However, in any case, that advancement is facilitating people to interact via a plethora of communication network, accessing multiple sources of information, thus helping people develop creation in entertainment or other aspect. For example, in the past, movie, music or games are not a trend and les ...
- 6 band newsatories on th and in you spapers are very often omfann Led by cichute some people say that these pocture are mora effeaive man words. what is your opinion about this? news from eilses the selevision of in neurops Pets is fad of ave daily life some naivlovers choves that photo souphs Leea inselivering information is much more advansusrous them words. I am of the opinion that giving news masugh waisten and vesoul farms is still one better than any form of deliverin ...
- 5 band Some people think saving money is good, but others think that spending money is a better way to enjoy life. Some people think saving money is good, but others think that spending money is a better way to enjoy life. Money is a key from every door. We people are dependent on it. Every adult works to earn money. Some people think that saving money helps to survive your future, but others like to spend it a ...
- 6 band Processing foods are mostly increasing day to day but as like as any other process at has many good points as well as bad points. However, I believe that Processing foods are mostly increasing day to day but as like as any other process at has many good points as well as bad points. However, I believe that they more have bad effect on our life like health problems and environmental troubles. Using some chemical substances like fertilizers are cause ...
- 5 band in the western world the percentage of overweight children has increased In the 21st century health has been a parameter upon which the levels of development of a country can be judged. In contrast to the poorer nations where malnutrition is rampant, in the western world the percentage of overweight children has increased dramatically in the last couple of years. This s ...
- 5.5 band In recent years, trialling by animals has been receiving a great deal of public attention. While there are some strong arguments against prohibiting those experiments In recent years, trialling by animals has been receiving a great deal of public attention. While there are some strong arguments against prohibiting those experiments, I tend toward the opposite view that the government should consider adopting some policies of banning this phenomenon. I still belie ...
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IELTS Writing Task 2 Problem and Solution Essay Lesson
Problem Solution Essay
This lesson on how to write a problem solution essay will:
- discuss common mistakes;
- show you how to analyse the question;
- show you how to think of ideas;
- give you a structure that can be used again and again on all problem solution IELTS essays;
- describe how to write an introduction , main body paragraphs and conclusion; and
- give you a full band 9 sample answer.
Problem/solution questions are one of the most common IELTS Writing Task 2 questions on the academic paper. Despite being very common, many students fail to do well in these questions. This post will look at some of the most common mistakes and then take you through how to answer these questions step-by-step.
Common Mistakes
- The most common mistake for problem solution essays is not expanding on your ideas and instead simply listing lots of problems and solutions. The examiner does not want a list of all the problems and solutions you can think of, and please don’t do this in the exam. Instead, if you look at how the exam is marked , the examiner wants you to pick one or two problems and solutions and then expand on them with explanations and examples. More on how to do this below.
- Another common mistake is writing about problems and solutions that are not directly linked to the question. You should be like a sniper when answering the question and only give very specific ideas rather than ideas that generally talk about the overall issue. This has a lot to do with how you identify keywords and micro-keywords in the questions which we will look at below.
- Lots of people think of good ideas for problems and then fail to link their solutions to these problems. Each problem should have a solution directly linked to it, or in other words, it should solve the actual problem.
- Finally, some candidates think of really good problems and solutions that answer the question properly and then expand their answers with explanations and examples, but they talk too generally. Instead, you should be thinking of specific examples and explanations. We will look at how to avoid this below.
Analysing the Question
This is one of the most crucial parts of answering any IELTS writing question. If you don’t take the time to think properly about what the examiner is asking you to do, then it is very difficult to answer the question correctly.
We analyse the question by thinking about three things:
- micro-keywords
- action words
Keywords are the words that tell us what the general topic is.
Micro-keywords identify which part of the general topic the examiner wants you to discuss. They often give an opinion, qualify the statement or talk about a sub-category of the bigger general topic.
Action words tell us what the examiner wants us to do.
Problem Solution Sample Essay
Global warming is one of the biggest threats humans face in the 21st Century, and sea levels continue to rise at alarming rates.
What problems are associated with this, and what are some possible solutions?
If we look at this question, we can see that the keywords are ‘ global warming ‘. This is our general topic. We will write about this, but we cannot write about any problems associated with global warming. If we do this, we have not answered the question properly. We, therefore, need to look at the micro-keywords.
The micro-keywords are ‘ humans ‘ and ‘ sea level rise ‘. So instead of writing just about the huge topic of global warming and any problems associated with that (such as increased storms, extinction of certain animals, erosion of soil), we have to talk about how particularly sea level rises will affect humans . If we talked about the problems affecting the ‘planet’ or ‘animals’ or the ‘atmosphere’, we would not be answering the question.
The action words are problems and solutions . Our task is, therefore, to write about that and only that. It does not ask our opinion about the disadvantages, advantages, or causes, just the problems and solutions. If we discussed the causes of sea level rise, we would not be answering the question.
For more information, go to effectively analyse an IELTS question .
How to Think of Ideas
Now that we know exactly what the question is asking us to do, we need to think of specific and relevant ideas. There are many strategies for thinking of ideas for IELTS task 2 questions TO THINK OF IDEAS FOR IELTS WRITING TASK 2 but for problem-solving questions; I like to use something called the ‘coffee shop method’.
Instead of brainstorming or mind-mapping- which take too much time and lead to irrelevant ideas in my opinion- you should pretend you are in a coffee shop with a friend and they have just asked you a simple question. In this case, it would be “What are the problems and solutions associated with sea level rise on humans?”
If you were talking to a friend about this, I’m sure you would have no problem thinking of at least 2 or 3 problems and solutions. This method takes you out of an exam situation and puts your mind into a more relaxed environment. Try it and see. If you don’t like it, try one of my other methods.
There are several problems and solutions, including:
Problem : flooding of people’s homes and businesses
Solution : build flood barriers or move to higher areas
Problem : loss of agricultural land and starvation
Solution : switch to more suitable crops
Problem : displacement of millions of people
Solution : move people in a planned and orderly way before the floods
Problem : groundwater undrinkable
Solution : build desalination plants
As you can see, I didn’t think of lots of problems and then lots of solutions. For each problem, you should think of a solution that directly solves this problem.
You now have lots of ideas, but now you must decide which ones to use. I always tell my students to pick the ones they know most about, i.e. that they can explain and give relevant examples.
I advise my students to use a basic four-paragraph structure with all problem solution IELTS essays. Your four paragraphs should look something like this:
Paragraph 1- Introduction
Paragraph 2- Problems
Paragraph 3- Solutions
Paragraph 4- Conclusion
At a sentence level, your structure should look like this:
Introduction
1- Paraphrase question
2- Outline sentence
3- State problems
4- Explain first problem
5- Explain second problem
6- Example of second problem
7- State solutions
8- Explain solution to first problem
9- Explain solution to second problem
10- Example of solution to second problem
Conclusion
Sentence 11- Summary of main points in paragraphs 2 and 3
For more structures, check out our IELTS task 2 structures guide .
Now let’s look at each paragraph in more detail.
The introduction will have two sentences: a paraphrase of the question and an outline statement.
Paraphrasing is simply saying the sentence again with different words but with the same meaning. We can do this by using synonyms and/or changing the order of the words.
Question- Global warming is one of the biggest threats humans face in the 21st Century, and sea levels continue to rise at alarming rates.
Paraphrased- Climate change is among the principal dangers facing people this century, and ocean levels are increasing dramatically.
As you can see above, I have used synonyms to change the words of the questions, but it still has the same meaning. The examiner will look for your ability to do this in the exam, so practising this skill is a good idea.
Our outline sentence is next, which tells the examiner what they will read in the rest of the essay. This makes it very clear to the examiner and makes the rest of the essay much easier to understand. You will, therefore, gain marks for coherence and cohesion.
Our outline sentence should look something like this:
This essay will first suggest that the biggest problems caused by this phenomenon are the loss of land and the flooding of homes and then argue that pollution reduction and building flood protection are the most viable solutions.
Our introduction will, therefore, look like this:
Climate change is among the principal dangers facing people this century, and ocean levels are increasing dramatically. This essay will first suggest that the biggest problems caused by this phenomenon are the loss of land and the flooding of homes and then argue that pollution reduction and building flood protection are the most viable solutions.
It should be noted that this introduction does not contain a thesis statement. This is because this particular question does not ask us for our opinion. However, IELTS problem solution questions sometimes do ask you for your opinion, and you should then include a thesis statement.
Problems Paragraph
Our problems paragraph will have this structure:
Sentence 1- State problems
Sentence 2- Explain first problem
Sentence 3- Explain second problem
Sentence 4- Example of second problem
State problems : The foremost problems caused by climbing sea levels are that land is being lost and peoples’ residences are often flooded.
Now that we have stated the problems, we must explain these. You should always consider your audience to be someone with no specialist knowledge in this area, and you, therefore, need to explain what everything means. Don’t assume that the IELTS examiner is educated and knows what you are talking about. These assumptions will stop you from writing what you need.
Explain first problem : As water levels rise, low-lying land is submerged, and many countries become smaller.
Explain second problem : Furthermore, millions of people worldwide live in coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they are inundated with water and lose their property.
Now we must give an example of what we are talking about. When we give an example, it should be as specific as possible.
An example of a very general example would be:
Lots of people in the world have experienced floods recently.
This is far too general to be considered a good example.
Example : The devastation brought about by this was clear for all to see during the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people were displaced.
This example is much more specific. Stating a place and/or date can help you make your examples more specific.
Our second paragraph will look like this:
The foremost problems caused by climbing sea levels are that land is being lost and people’s residences are often flooded. As water levels rise, low-lying land is submerged, and many countries become smaller. Furthermore, millions of people worldwide live in coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they are inundated with water and lose their property. This devastation was clear for all to see during the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people were displaced.
Now we must move on to our solutions.
Solutions Paragraph
Our solutions paragraph will have this structure:
Sentence 1- State solutions
Sentence 2- Explain solution to first problem
Sentence 3- Explain solution to second problem
Sentence 4- Example of solution to second problem
State solutions : Possible solutions to these problems would be to reduce the amount of pollution created and build flood barriers.
We now need to explain how our solution will help solve the problem. Again, do not assume that the examiner has any specialist knowledge of this topic, so you need to explain what you mean.
Explain first solution: If each person reduces their carbon footprint, the negative effects on the environment will be reduced, which will mean that the water level will stop rising.
Explain second solution : Furthermore, flood defences, such as dikes, dams, and floodgates, could be built along coasts and waterways, thereby stopping the water from reaching populated areas.
Example : The Netherlands is one of the most populated areas in the world and one of the most vulnerable to flooding. They have successfully employed various flood defence systems.
Our whole solutions paragraph will look like this:
Possible solutions to these problems would be to reduce the amount of pollution being created and to build flood barriers. If each person reduces their carbon footprint, the negative effects on the environment will be reduced, which will mean that the water level will stop rising. Furthermore, flood defences, such as dikes, dams, and floodgates, could be built along coasts and waterways, thereby stopping the water from reaching populated areas. The Netherlands is one of the most populated areas in the world and also one of the most vulnerable to flooding, and they have successfully employed various flood defence systems.
We have now answered the question and need to sum up what we have said in the conclusion.
The conclusion should have no new ideas but instead should list the main points from the previous two paragraphs. You can also use synonyms in this paragraph to avoid repetition.
Conclusion : To conclude, stemming the rising tides caused by increasing global temperatures is one of the foremost challenges we face, and it will ultimately lead to some countries losing landmass and many of the world’s cities being left underwater, but possible solutions could be to protect our environment and to utilise the flood prevention techniques already used by countries like Holland.
Our whole conclusion for this problem solution essay will look like this:
To conclude, stemming the rising tides caused by increasing global temperatures is one of the foremost challenges we face, and it will ultimately lead to some countries losing landmass and many of the world’s cities being left underwater, but possible solutions could be to protect our environment and to utilise the flood prevention techniques already used by countries like Holland.
Problem and Solution Sample Essay
Here is the whole essay:
Climate change is among the principal dangers facing people this century, and ocean levels are increasing dramatically. This essay will first suggest that the biggest problems caused by this phenomenon are the loss of land and the flooding of homes and then argue that pollution reduction and building flood protection are the most viable solutions. The foremost problems caused by climbing sea levels are that land is being lost and peoples’ residences are often flooded. As water levels rise, low-lying land is submerged and many countries become smaller. Furthermore, millions of people all over the world live in coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they are inundated with water and lose their property. The devastation brought about by this was clear for all to see during the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people were displaced. Possible solutions to these problems would be to reduce the amount of pollution being created and to build flood barriers. If each person reduces their carbon footprint, the negative effects on the environment will be reduced and this will mean that the water level will stop rising. Furthermore, flood defences, such as dikes, dams, and floodgates, could be built along coasts and waterways, thereby stopping the water reaching populated areas. The Netherlands is one of the most populated areas in the world and also one of the most vulnerable to flooding and they have successfully employed various flood defence systems. To conclude, stemming the rising tides caused by increasing global temperatures is one of the foremost challenges we face and it will ultimately lead to some countries losing landmass and many of the worlds’ cities being left underwater, but possible solutions could be to protect our environment and to utilise the flood prevention techniques already used by countries like Holland.
I hope this post helps you with IELTS problem solution essays, and if you have any questions, please comment below.
Next Steps
If you found this lesson useful and it has helped you write a problem solution essay, you should also check out our lessons on task 2 opinions essays , discussion essays and advantages and disadvantages essays .
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Ielts essay 1133 - widespread use of internet has brought many problems, ielts writing task 2/ ielts essay:, the widespread use of the internet has brought many problems. what do you think are the main problems associated with the use of the internet what solutions can you suggest.
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INTERNET: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
IELTS essay INTERNET: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
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- Television, newspapers, magazines, and other media pay too much attention to the personal lives of famous people such as public figures and celebrities. Use specific reasons and details to explain your opinion. Public figures and celebrities are famous among the mankind. All people were followed by them. All human are very much concern about their lifestyle, interests and personal lives. According this, Television, Newspapers, Magazines and other media pay too much attention to personal lives of famous p ...
- In today’s world, it is more important to work quickly and risk mistakes than to work slowly and make sure that everything is correct. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. In the contemporary world, accuracy and speed play a decisive role in achieving the efficiency of any job. The controversial question is which of the two factors is more important than the other. I believe that doing work with high accuracy, even slowly, is more effective than doing work quickly wit ...
- Recently you have attended a job interview which went well, but you are still waiting for the result. Write a letter to HR manager of the company. In your letter, you should: give details of the job tell why you think the interview went well explain why you need to know the result. Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing this letter to ask you about my interview result. My name is Ms. Su Myat Kyaw Lin and I was one of the interview candidates for senior software engineer position at your company and my interview date was on 8th May 2022. I was completed both coding test and theoretical ...
- Some people think that current environmental issues are global problems and should therefore be dealt with by the government while others believe that these problems can only tackled by individuals. Environmental concerns today are a matter of concern that the whole world is facing simultaneously. There are sections of society who believe that this is more of a government problem, whilst others believe that this is a problem that can be only solved through individual intervention. From my persp ...
- In recent years, there has been a rise in the popularity of second-hand clothing amongst the younger generation. Why is this happening? Do you think it’s a positive or negative development? The young generation is inclining to second-hand dress lately. The reason is that second-hand dresses are economical and I believe that this is a positive development because reusing products will put less pressure on our planet's environment. Second-hand products are less expensive which are much ...
- Some people believe that all children should learn a foreign language from the time they start school, while others believe it is better to wait until a child is at secondary school. The issue of time on learning another language has always been contraversial: some think formative ages are the best time for that, whereas others supports towards the high school. Although many give their preference to elementary school, I give mine to the secondery one. It is quick studying that ...
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IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Problems and Solutions
by Dave | Understanding Task 2 Writing | 0 Comment
I have collected here a variety of problems and solutions essays from the real IELTS test.
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The world has many towns and cities constructed in previous centuries that were more suitable and livable for people in those times than they are now.
What problems will this cause?
What can be done to solve these problems?
Read my full essay here.
Eco-tourism often involves visiting remote and fragile ecosystems, which raises concerns about the impact on local cultures and indigenous communities.
What problems can this cause?
How can these problems be resolved?
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In some parts of the world traditional festivals and celebrations have disappeared or are disappearing.
What problems is this causing?
What measures could be taken to counter this situation?
Read my essay here.
A rise in the standard of living in a country often only seems to benefit cities rather than rural areas.
How might these problems be reduced?
Today, many people do not know their neighbors in large cities.
What problems does this cause?
What can be done about this?
Nowadays more and more older people who need employment have to compete with younger people for the same jobs.
What are the solutions?
Many people who care for the elderly do not have enough time to look after them.
What are the problems related to this?
What are some possible solutions?
More and more people in developing countries are purchasing cars for the first time.
What do you think are the possible solutions?
Many people try to balance work and other parts of their life. However, this is very difficult to do.
What are the problems associated with this?
What is the best way to achieve a better balance?
Living in large cities today poses many problems for people.
What are these problems, should governments encourage more people to live in smaller towns, recommended for you.
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IELTS Writing: problem and solution essay
In this lesson you’ll learn how to answer problems/solutions questions in IELTS Writing . This type of questions gives you an issue and asks you to describe some common problems associated with it and propose some possible solutions.
- See problem-solution question sample
- Learn how to generate ideas
- Learn band 9 answering strategies
- See full band 9 answer
Question sample
This is an example of problem-solution question in IELTS Writing:
Despite a large number of gyms, a sedentary lifestyle is gaining popularity in the contemporary world.
What problems are associated with this?
What solutions can you suggest?
How to answer the question?
Before starting to write your answer, you should think of 1-2 problems and 1-2 solutions, so you know what to write about. In our case:
Problems associated with sedentary lifestyle :
- problems with backbone (osteoporosis, scoliosis)
Solutions :
- promote walking and cycling as safe and attractive alternatives to motorized transport
- promote visiting gyms and doing exercises
Now, after we’ve generated some ideas for our essay, it’s time to use them in our writing .
Remember : it’s not enough to simply state these facts, you should also extend the ideas in your writing.
Band 9 answer structure
Although there are many possible ways to structure your essay, we’ll use this band 9 answer structure that has been approved by many IELTS examiners:
Band-9 essay structure:
- Introduction
- Body paragraph 1 - problems
- Body paragraph 2 - effects
Let’s take a look at each of these sections in detail:
Introduction Write your introduction in two sentences:
- Sentence 1 - paraphrase the statement (you can use ‘nowadays/today/these days’ to start):
These days a sedentary lifestyle is becoming more and more popular despite a big number of sport facilities.
- Sentence 2 - say what you’ll write about in your essay:
This essay will discuss the main problems associated with this epidemic and propose some possible solutions to avoid them.
Body paragraph 1- problems
- Sentence 1 - summarise the main problems of inactive lifestyle:
The main problems caused by inactive lifestyle are obesity and various spine disorders.
- Sentences 2-3 - state and explain the first problem (you can also give an example). It’s very important to expand your opinion! Imagine that your examiner doesn’t know this subject at all and you have to explain everything in detail:
A growing number of body research shows that long periods of physical inactivity raise a risk of becoming overweight. This is because people burn fewer calories and easily gain weight.
- Sentences 4-5 - describe the second problem (as usual, expand your opinion). You can give an example and use linking words ‘ moreover’ , ’ what’s more’ or ‘ also ’ to start:
What’s more, a lot of studies show that so-called ‘sitting disease’ often results in posture and backbone problems. Due to constant sitting, person loses muscle tissue and curves spine, developing numerous spinal diseases. For example, it has been proven that about 80% of people experience backache at least once a week.
Body paragraph 2 - solutions
- Sentence 1 - briefly state the main solutions:
In my opinion, the best solution to this problem is promoting active lifestyle.
- Sentences 2-3 - write the first solution and explain it:
Firstly, millions of people stay less active because they use cars instead of walking. Therefore, an effective way to make people more active is to advertise walking and cycling as safe and attractive alternatives to motorized transport.
Moreover, inactive lifestyle is gaining popularity because nowadays a lot of people prefer passive rest to workouts in the gym. And the best way to avoid the hazards of unhealthy living is to obtain a regular dose of physical activity. Thus, promoting gyms and regular exercising would increase the level of activity.
Write your conclusion in 2 sentences by summing up the problems and solutions you’ve written in your body paragraphs:
In conclusion, leading a sedentary lifestyle causes a lot of health problems, including obesity and spinal diseases. The most effective solution is to increase the level of fitness among the society by advertising physical activity.
Band 9 answer sample
These days a sedentary lifestyle is becoming more and more popular despite a big number of sport facilities. This essay will discuss the main problems associated with this epidemic and propose some possible solutions to avoid them.
The main problems caused by inactive lifestyle are obesity and various spine disorders. A growing number of body research shows that long periods of physical inactivity raise a risk of becoming overweight. This is because people burn fewer calories and easily gain weight. What’s more, a lot of studies show that so-called ‘sitting disease’ often results in posture and backbone problems. Due to constant sitting, person loses muscle tissue and curves spine, developing numerous spinal diseases. For example, it has been proven that about 80% of people experience backache at least once a week.
In my opinion, the best solution to these problems is promoting active lifestyle. Firstly, millions of people stay less active because they use cars instead of walking. Therefore, an effective way to make people more active is to advertise walking and cycling as safe and attractive alternatives to motorized transport. Moreover, inactive lifestyle is gaining popularity because nowadays a lot of people prefer passive rest to workouts in the gym. And the best way to avoid the hazards of unhealthy living is to obtain a regular dose of physical activity. Thus, promoting gyms and regular exercising would increase the level of activity.
(268 words)
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IELTS Solution Essay Sample Questions
Below is a list of IELTS solution essay sample questions for writing task 2. These types of essays usually ask you to either give solutions or causes and solutions to a particular world issue. Most world issues are common issues that many countries and people face today.
IELTS Solution Essay Tips
- do you need to give only solutions?
- do you need to give both causes and solutions?
- does the question involve causes or problems?
- Analyse the topic / issue in the essay question.
- do not start writing until you have all points prepared. You are being marked on your ideas.
- Put the causes in one body paragraph and the solutions in another.
- Use flexible language of cause and consequences.
- Use a safe solution essay model to follow. There are some model essays linked below for you.
Solution Essay Practice Questions
In many developing countries, there is a problem with declining quality of air and water from both industry and construction. What measures could be taken to prevent this?
Many offenders commit more crimes after serving their first punishment. Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem? CLICK HERE: MODEL ESSAY
With the development of social media, more and more youngsters are being allowed unsupervised access to the internet in order to meet and chat with friends which can lead to potentially dangerous situations. What solutions can you suggest to deal with this problem?
Overpopulation in many major urban centers around the world is a major problem. What are the causes of this? How can this problem be solved?
More and more wild animals are on the verge of extinction and others are on the endangered list. What are the reasons for this? What can be done to solve this problem?
Many small, local shops are closing as they are unable to compete with large supermarkets in the area. How does this effect local communities? How could this situation be improved?
An increasing number of professionals, such as doctors and teachers, are leaving their own poorer countries to work in developed countries. What problems does this cause? What solutions can you suggest to deal with this situation? CLICK HERE: MODEL ESSAY
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IELTS Problem and Solution Writing Samples Band 9
The population of major cities around the world is increasing very fastly. why is this the case and what measures could be taken to solve this issue., the world is experiencing a dramatic increase in population. this is causing problems not only for poor, undeveloped countries, but also for industrialized and developing nations. describe some of the problems that overpopulation causes, and suggestion least one possible solution., in spite of the advances made in agriculture, many people around the world still go hungry. why is this the case what can be done about this problem, handwriting today is less formal than it was in the past. what are the causes of this change is it a positive or negative development, in many cities the use of video cameras in public places is being increased in order to reduce crime, but some people believe that these measures restrict our individual freedom. do the advantages of video surveillance outweigh the disadvantages, in many countries, people are now living longer than ever before. some people say an ageing population creates problems for governments. other people think there are benefits if society has more elderly people., modern children are suffering from the diseases that were once considered to only be meant for adults. obesity is a major disease prevalent among children. what are its causes, and what solutions can be offered, in the future, nobody wiil buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying., an increasing number of professionals, such as doctors and teachers, are leaving their own countries to work in developed countries. what problem does this cause what can be done to deal with this situation, in many countries, people are now living longer than ever before. some people say an ageing population creates problems for governments. other people think there are benefits if society has more elderly people. to what extent do the advantages of having an egeing population outweigh the disadavantages, there is too much noise in many public places in cities. what are the causes of this problem what can be done to solve the problem, transport delays and long journey times are a widespread phenomenon in many cities today. what are the causes of this problem, and how could the situation be improved, nowadays many people complain that they have difficulties getting enough sleep. what problems can lack of sleep cause what can be done about lack of sleep, the increase in the production of consumer goods results in damage to the natural environment. what are the causes of this what can be done to solve this problem, nowadays the way many people interact with each other has changed because of technology. in what ways has technology affected the types of relationships that people make has this been a positive or negative development, today, many people do not know their neighbors in large cities. what problems does this cause what can be done about this, recent research suggested that the majority of criminals who are sent to prison commit crimes after they are released. what is this the case what can be done to solve this problem, in the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing. what problems will this cause for individuals and society suggest some measures that could be taken to reduce the impact of ageing populations., today, the quality of life in large cities are decreasing, what are the main causes and it's solutions.
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Problems of Internet Addiction Disorder Problem Solution Essay
- To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
- As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
- As a template for you assignment
Brain Damage
Loss of self-control, social isolation, loss of interest in life, solutions to internet addiction, works cited.
Internet addiction has many negative impacts on one’s life. The two major effects are brain damage and reduction in cognitive capabilities. Various researches have shown that individuals are better in reasoning and handling matters that require good cognitive abilities before they get addicted to the Internet.
Addiction to the Internet comes with a reduction in this ability since the Internet prevents one from thinking as it provides almost all the answers to their questions. Individuals tend to go ahead and search everything on the websites, including the simple tasks they used to handle on their own before getting addicted to the Internet. Another possible cause of a reduction in the brain capabilities is the kind of the materials that one is exposed to on the Internet.
Exposure to sexual materials makes one spend most of their time thinking about sex. According to the use and disuse law in science, it is only normal that the brain develops in the direction of use. In terms of sex and matters related to it, the individual addicted to pornographic sites on the Internet will therefore be way too good in sexual matters. This, however, comes with a negative impact as far as thinking about other life issues is concerned.
It is common knowledge that one may be seated in an exam room and, instead of thinking about the solutions to the questions, the mind is wandering as he/she is thinking of the last scenes seen on the Internet. The person also spends time thinking about when he/she will be free to use the Internet again. Some even go as far as escaping activities that could develop their cognitive abilities just to have a glimpse of the funny internet scenes (Young, “Caught in the Net” 34).
The victim’s tendency to be violent increases since once an individual is addicted to the Internet, he/she becomes exposed to violent materials in the form of games and movies. In most cases, it occurs because they lose the ability to reason and handle matters using dialogue.
Thus, they think that using their muscles to iron out issues is better and much easier than sitting down to discuss them with anybody. A dialogue and other diplomatic means of solving conflicts are seen as a waste of time by those addicted to the Internet. The major reason behind this is that they will want to spend most of their time on their addiction rather than on other life issues, such as solving disputes between them and other human beings.
Some persons become violent because of the violent movies or pictures that they download from the Internet (Block 306). Almost every new action movie or picture downloaded from the Internet teaches the addicted individual a fighting skill. Unfortunately, most of these individuals are not professional wrestlers and they have nowhere to practice, and the only available area to apply their skills is on fellow human beings who have no idea of what is going on in the lives of the addicted.
They also find satisfaction from winning such violent wars as their victims do not possess the same skills. This motivates them and makes them watch more violent movies on the Internet to learn more fighting techniques. At the end of it all, they lose themselves in violence, as they develop high levels of violent behaviors leading to isolation, since people tend to avoid their company (Watts 88).
An individual addicted to the Internet loses self-control and other social abilities. Self- control is all about being able to use your brain to say No to some things and Yes to others.
Unfortunately, those addicted to the Internet lose this capability as they are not in a position to differentiate between what is good and bad in their lives (Damasio 42). Furthermore, addiction to the Internet comes with other addictions, such as pornographic materials, drugs, and masturbation. Once an individual has many addictions, he/she has no room to ponder on whether to be into actions related to the addictions or not.
A simple thought related to such persons’ addictions, or mentioning of the act related to their addiction, comes with a strong urge forcing them to repeat the act. This is indeed degradation of the social ability of individuals and their ability to control their lives. Eventually, they end up losing their lives in the addictions. The levels of violence are likely to go up, as analyzed in the previous paragraph, which has to do with temperamental issues. At times in life, all that is required of an individual is to control their tempers.
This will prevent one from indulging in regrettable actions, but those addicted to the Internet resort to other means of solving temper related issues. They only consider violence the best option to exercise in all circumstances. This is the reason individuals addicted to the Internet become more violent every day. If it happens that one loses their temper at the lowest agitation, they will therefore lose friends, and this will definitely impact their lives negatively (Martin 72).
Social isolation is also a major negative impact of being addicted to the Internet. Individuals are good in socializing before they get addicted to the Internet. There is usually a balance between social life and other life matters. This, however, comes to an end immediately after one becomes an Internet addict (Pinker 32).
Individuals addicted to the Internet will want to spend most of the time alone in closed rooms away from distraction as they want to give all their concentration to their addiction, since having friends around them may not give them a chance to give undivided attention to the Internet scenes.
Friends tend to engage them in conversations that require concentration while they are using the Internet, yet they want to have all the time to surf the Internet. Thus, they develop poor relations with their friends, as they are not willing to follow the conversations with them and, in most cases, they take a lot of time to answer questions that are necessary to keep the conversations going.
When they finally answer the questions, the answers are usually wrong or kill the conversation, and with time, friends and family members lose interest in conversing with the individuals. The temper and violence issues also have a great impact on the individual’s social life. Nobody will enjoy staying around a person who punches them from time to time. All persons enjoy their peace and staying around calm people who can handle their tempers. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the individuals addicted to the Internet.
The Internet is a major issue in the lives of the addicted. They will spend a good amount of hours staring at Internet sites, reading funny materials, or watching silly movies. Addicted individuals will want to sacrifice every aspect of their lives just to have time to go through the Internet. Sleep becomes a thing of the past for these individuals. They go to bed with their laptops or Internet-enabled phones. All they do is chatting over the Internet with people they do not even know.
When caught up with sleep, they go out of bed to wash their faces. They do their best not to fall asleep easily, thus having more time to chat with their so called “friends”. For married couples, addiction may cause breakups or even divorces in extreme cases (Young, “Internet Addiction” 7). This happens when one partner finds it difficult to stay around the addicted. For instance, an addicted individual will laugh in the middle of the night just because of an interesting chat or scene on the Internet.
They end up waking up their partners in marriage, and with time, their partners will want to sleep alone in separate beds just to have some sleep. This way, the sexual contact, or even the romance, that is meant to keep a couple together disappears. The addicted individual may find sexual satisfaction from the Internet pornographic scenes forgetting that they have partners who need them. This is another reason as to why married individuals end up cheating on their partners.
It is common sense that if one cannot get what they want from their partners, they will look for it elsewhere. Eating is also a thing of the past for individuals addicted to the Internet since they eat less quantities of food, and with time, they become emaciated and lose their strength. A truly internet addiction is a vice that kills all the other aspects of one’s life (Dijik 46).
Feasible solutions refer to methods that can be used to solve the problem and that will provide a desirable outcome. These solutions are;support from family members and rehabilitation of the addicted individuals. Family members, friends, and other people in the lives of the addicted have a big role to play to help them out.
Family members and friends can create social events that make the addicted forget about the Internet for some time (Wallace 39). They can take them for swimming, mountain climbing, or enjoyable picnics. It is always advisable to replace bad addictions with good addictions like jogging, playing chess, or scrabble. Such activities will see the addicted spend less time on the Internet, and later on, they will be out of their trap.
Rehabilitation centers can also be attended by individuals who really want to overcome their addictions. At the centers, they will be taken through therapies that are likely to reduce their level of addiction (Welch 99). They may be treated with the help of music play lists, positive games, or even lessons that discourage them from using the Internet.
The use of mobile phones that are not Internet enabled is another way of fighting the addiction. This means that the individuals will only use the Internet when they get to cyber cafes or their computers. Indeed, Internet addiction is a vice that can take away an individual’s life, if not done away with at early stages, and thus dealing with it is a worthy endeavor.
Counseling is also another step that can be taken to ensure that the addicts are saved from their obsession. This process involves getting a psychiatrist to talk to the addicted individuals so as to understand why they prefer the Internet compared to the normal social life. Sometimes, people end up being addicted to the Internet due to unsolved psychological issues that can be dealt with by the psychiatrist.
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Pinker, Steven. How the Mind Works . New York, NY: Brilliance Publishers, 2012. Print.
Van Dijik, Jose. The Culture of Connectivity: A Critical History of Social Media. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2013. Print.
Wallace, Paul. The Psychology of the Internet , London, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Print.
Watts, Duncan. Six Degrees: The Science of a Connected Age . London, UK: Vintage, 2009. Print.
Welch, Edward. Addictions: a Banquet in the Grave . Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania: P & R Publishing, 2010. Print.
Young, Kimberly. Caught in the Net: How to Recognize the Signs of Internet Addiction. London, UK: Routledge, 2011. Print.
Young, Kimberly. “Internet Addiction: Symptoms, Evaluation, and Treatment.” Professional Resource Press 17.1 (2006):1-35. Print.
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Try this problem solution essay about the internet. I'm sure you can think of many problems but I suggest you write about only two. You have only 40 minutes in which to write your answer. The internet has transformed the way information is shared and consumed, but it has also created problems that did not exist before.
This is an outline of how to write a problem solution essay. It explains some problems the internet has and how to solve these problems. It includes how to write the introduction, 2 main body paragraphs and the conclusion.
Here again is a plan for the problem solution essay for the solutions paragraph: Solution 1: Governments. Idea: Adequate legislation and controls for young people. How: More complex website access criteria. Solution 2: Parents. Idea: Monitor children and restrict access. How: Use a computer program.
Tips to Create a Problem Solution Essay IELTS Structure. Analyse the question thoroughly. Think of Ideas. Follow the structure & write down the essay. Problem Solution Essay IELTS Pattern. Paragraph 1 - Introduction. Paragraph 2 - Problems. Paragraph 3 - Solutions. Paragraph 4 - Conclusion.
It is a problem/solution essay. A good structure for your essay would be: Paragraph one - introduce the topic generally and mention the problems of the use of the internet (in this case censorship and hacking are mentioned in the first paragraph). Paragraph two - write at least 2 disadvantages of the internet (expand on the ideas you ...
Step 4: Structure Your Essay. The final step in the planning process is to structure your essay. This simply means deciding which main ideas to put in which paragraphs. Here's a simple structure for a problem / solution essay: Paragraph 1: introduction. Paragraph 2: discuss 2 problems. Paragraph 3: discuss 2 solutions.
Problems of the Internet Essay. by Katy (Australia) Hi, I have given IELTS 4 times and I need 7 each in academic. My latest score was: R 8.5 L 8 S 7.5 ... Please can someone read and comment on my Use of the Internet Essay - Problems and Solutions. Comments for Problems and Solutions. Click here to add your own comments. Mar 01, 2015: Hi
It's not the only possible structure but it's the one I recommend because it's easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay. 1) Introduction. Paraphrase the question. State 1 key problem/cause and related solution. 2) Main body paragraph 1 - Problem or Cause.
Expert strategies for mastering problem-solution essays and achieving Band 9 proficiency! ... This question is a problem and solution essay. The internet has transformed the way information is distributed and consumed, but it has also created problems that prior to this, did not exist.
Procedure: introduce the focus of the lesson: Academic Writing Task 2 - Problems and Solutions essays. elicit environmental problems in general or show the class some pictures related to overfishing and elicit the topic. give students a copy of Worksheet 1 and draw attention to the essay question. elicit keywords from the question to identify ...
Problem and solutions by internet W8P3q. The internet is really essential for all sectors and people. In this modern world, everyone can do anything by passing through the internet. According to the international and local business, the online markets are so much popular in these days. Initially before the internet is not available, we are ...
Problem: flooding of people's homes and businesses. Solution: build flood barriers or move to higher areas. Problem: loss of agricultural land and starvation. Solution: switch to more suitable crops. Problem: displacement of millions of people. Solution: move people in a planned and orderly way before the floods.
Sample Answer 2: Many people believe that the Internet is the reason for many severe problems in society despite its numerous benefits. This essay will discuss some major problems of Internet usages and some of the solutions to resolve them. For several reasons, the worldwide use of the Internet is the root cause of several serious issues.
There are 2 solutions for people to tackle the problems. Firstly, people need to be educated about how to secure their information, and new laws about internet security need to be enforced. In addition, adults must control their kids and the time they spend on the internet. And parents need to organize more activities outside for their children ...
Make sure that your essay is well-balanced. The most original part of your essay, and the section which will require the most critical thinking, will be the solutions. Make sure that you address the solutions in depth. The solutions section of the essay should be as long or longer than the section describing the problem.
Check your IELTS essays right now! The list of Task 2 Problem and Solution topics that were added by IELTS student in 2024. These Problem and Solution questions could be repeated from previous months. Keep in mind that the provided Problem and Solution questions are not predictions. The collection of Problem and Solution questions is updated ...
IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Problems and Solutions. by Dave | Understanding Task 2 Writing | 0 Comment. I have collected here a variety of problems and solutions essays from the real IELTS test. Enjoy and consider signing up for my Patreon Ebooks here. Dave.
Body paragraph 2 - solutions. Sentence 1 - briefly state the main solutions: In my opinion, the best solution to this problem is promoting active lifestyle. Sentences 2-3 - write the first solution and explain it: Firstly, millions of people stay less active because they use cars instead of walking.
You can use the same structure as the advantage/ disadvantage essay here - 3 problems and 3 solutions. Follow this pattern: Describe the situation. Say there are problems with this. Introduce what you will do in this essay. Linker word, topic sentence - to say there are problems. Linker word, problem one.
IELTS Solution Essay Sample Questions. Below is a list of IELTS solution essay sample questions for writing task 2. These types of essays usually ask you to either give solutions or causes and solutions to a particular world issue. Most world issues are common issues that many countries and people face today.
IELTS Problem and Solution Writing Samples Band 9
PROBLEM-SOLUTION-ESSAY - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. The passage discusses problems caused by the internet and potential solutions. It notes that while the internet has transformed information sharing, it has also created new issues. One problem is children's easy access to inappropriate websites without parental filtering.
A truly internet addiction is a vice that kills all the other aspects of one's life (Dijik 46). Solutions to Internet Addiction. Feasible solutions refer to methods that can be used to solve the problem and that will provide a desirable outcome. These solutions are;support from family members and rehabilitation of the addicted individuals.