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IELTS Writing Task 2 Advantage and Disadvantage Essay Topic: Many university students live with their families

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Updated On Sep 13, 2023

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Sample essay, band 9 sample essay.

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Many university students live with their families, while others live away from home because their universities are in different places. What are the advantages and disadvantages of both situations?

Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

Introduction

Refer to the statement. State that there are advantages and disadvantages.

Paragraph 1 – living with families (1) advantage – economize on accommodation (2) advantage – enjoy family support: meals, heating costs, room-sharing (3) disadvantage – too many distractions may harm studies

Paragraph 2 –  (1) disadvantage – high cost of accommodation (2) advantage – easier to make study routines and to interact with fellow students.

Personal circumstances differ, but we can identify advantages and disadvantages of both situations.

It is true that, although some university students are able to live with their families while studying in their home town, others are forced to live away from home to pursue their studies . There are advantages and disadvantages to both these situations.

If university students can live with their families, there are both benefits and drawbacks. Firstly, one major advantage is that they are able to economize , since they do not have to pay for accommodation. Secondly, they enjoy family support in terms of sharing meals, heating costs, possibly even sharing a room with a brother or sister. However, the home situation may also have its disadvantages. Family routines are often disruptive for students who have to concentrate on their studies in a quiet atmosphere. Without a dedicated space in which to study, for example in the evenings or weekends, it is hard to keep up with a study schedule .

On the other hand, when students live away from home, they also face challenges . One disadvantage is having to find accommodation. Universities are often located in major urban centres, where rents are high if students have to find a room with even the basic facilities . However, there are benefits of learning to study independently in another city. Students are able to escape the distractions of family life, and thereby establish study routines and form friendships with other students who find themselves in the same situation. These factors may help them in their studies.

In conclusion, while there will clearly be differences in the personal circumstances of individual university students, some potential advantages and disadvantages of living at home or away from home can be identified.

  • to pursue their studies [expression]

Meaning: to continue studying Example: Peter and Mary have got jobs at McDonald’s, but they plan to continue their studies part-time.

  • to economize [verb]

Meaning: to use less money than you normally use Example: Japan has introduced hydrogen cars to reduce air pollution and to economize on fuel costs.

  • disruptive [adjective]

Meaning : causing problems, such as noise, so that something cannot continue normally Example: The librarian had to warn some disruptive students who were talking too loudly in the library.

  • dedicated [adjective]

Meaning : used for one particular purpose only Example : In the USA, some TV channels are dedicated to 24-hour news.

  • to keep up with [expression]

Meaning : to make progress at the same rate as something Example : The teacher spoke so quickly that it was hard for me to keep up with all the information she gave us.

  • to face challenges [expression]

Meaning : to have to deal with situations which may be difficult Example : Children from poor families face many challenges if they want to go to university.

  • facilities [noun]

Meaning : equipment provided for a particular purpose Example : The library has excellent facilities for users to access the internet.

  • distractions [noun]

Meaning : things that take your attention away from what you are doing Example : I find it hard to work at home because there are too many distractions.

  • to form friendships [expressions]

Meaning : to start to create and develop friendships Example : She formed many close friendships at university, particularly in the subjects that she was studying

  • circumstances [noun]

Meaning : the facts and conditions which affect a situation Example : Police said that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of the President.

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The journey of higher education involves making tough decisions at every turn. One of the most consequential choices a student needs to make when planning for a university course is whether to travel to a different location or operate from home. There are indeed merits and demerits to both these approaches and the choice depends entirely upon the student. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss the primary advantages and disadvantages of both studying abroad and from home.

First and foremost, it is important to understand that the judgement of whether to travel for education or not can be impacted by several factors. The nature of the environment where a study will potentially study is a key attribute to consider among many others. Furthermore, features like employment opportunities, accommodation and social culture also influence these decisions significantly. Consequently, if a person seeks admission to a university in a foreign country, they are bound to procure better corporate jobs, gain international exposure and improve their interpersonal skills. However, joining a local college and studying from home can also be beneficial as the monetary expenditure is significantly less and hindrances like language and social barriers are also absent.

On the flip side, there are certain drawbacks to both foreign and local education that make it hard to settle for either one. First of all, it is a known fact that the total cost of education in foreign nations are tremendous. Therefore, people from modest economic backgrounds either have to borrow hefty amounts of credit in the form of student loans or give up on their ambitions of studying abroad. That being said, a student’s potential opportunities are substantially reduced and their personality also remains comparatively underdeveloped when they refrain from choosing colleges outside their city or country of residence.

In conclusion, an individual will be presented with benefits and complications if they plan on applying to a foreign university as will people who pick colleges situated in their locality.

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Janet

Janet had been an IELTS Trainer before she dived into the field of Content Writing. During her days of being a Trainer, Janet had written essays and sample answers which got her students an 8+ band in the IELTS Test. Her contributions to our articles have been engaging and simple to help the students understand and grasp the information with ease. Janet, born and brought up in California, had no idea about the IELTS until she moved to study in Canada. Her peers leaned to her for help as her first language was English.

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IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Sample Essay Questions

Below is a list of IELTS sample essay questions for advantage / disadvantage essays in writing task 2. These essay types are often taught together with discussion essays but I think it is worth studying them separately to be better prepared.

Advantage / Disadvantage Essay Tips

  • spend time planning the benefits and drawbacks of the statement given
  • make sure you have relevant supporting points
  • put your advantages together in one body paragraph and the same with the disadvantages
  • follow a safe advantage disadvantage essay model

Advantage / Disadvantage Essay Questions

It is becoming increasingly popular to have a year off between finishing school and going to university. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
Some people think that it would be better for large companies and industry to move to regional areas outside large urban centers. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
With the rise of e-books comes the decline in paper books. Some people see this as a good step forward while others do not. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?
The rise of convenience foods has helped people keep up with the speed of the modern life style. What are the advantages of this trend? Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
There seems to be an increasing trend towards assessing students through exams rather than continual assessment. What are the advantages and disadvantages of exams as a form of assessment?
Space exploration costs tax payers an exorbitant amount of money each year. What are the advantages and disadvantage of spending money on space exploration?
Many elderly people are no long looked after by their families but are put in care homes or nursing homes. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?
It is often considered that change is more beneficial to people than trying to avoid it and have everything remain the same. Do you think the advantages of change outweigh the disadvantages?

Other IELTS Essay Questions

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