advantages outweigh disadvantages essay ielts

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How to Plan & Write IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s what the lesson covers:

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

Want  to watch and listen? Click on this video.

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

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

The Question

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

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

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

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

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

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

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

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this?

Essay Structures

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

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

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

One Advantage and Disadvantage or Two?

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

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

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

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

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

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

How To Plan IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays

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

• Analyse the question
• Generate ideas
• Identify vocabulary

# 1  Analyse the question

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

• Topic words
• Other keywords
• Instruction words

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

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

So, this question is about ‘ tourism’ .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here, we are required to write about:

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

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

# 2  Generate ideas

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are my ideas using the friends technique:

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

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

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

Here are my ideas using the examples technique:

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

# 3  Vocabulary

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

Writing an IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

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

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

We’ll now start work on the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

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

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

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

1)  Paraphrase the question

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question statement.

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

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

Paraphrased question:  

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

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

2)  Outline statement

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

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

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

Outline statement:  

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

3)  Opinion statement

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

Opinion statement:  

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

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

     Introduction

This introduction achieves three important functions:

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

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

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

Main body paragraph 2  – Displacement of local people

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

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

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

Main Body Paragraph 1

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

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

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

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

Topic sentence:  

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

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

Explanation sentence: 

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

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

Consequence:

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

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

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

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea –  Displacement of local people

Example – Venice

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

Topic sentence:

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

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

Explanation sentence:

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

Finally, a specific example to explain the consequence .

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

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

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

How To Write a Conclusion

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

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

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

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

A good conclusion will:

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

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

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

• In conclusion

        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 great conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction. 

Introduction:

Here's the same information formed into a conclusion:

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

Finished IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay.

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

Example IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay for Structure 1

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

Ideas generation - Friends technique

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

Advantages of tourism – source of income:

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

Disadvantages of tourism – the problems:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 5 Task 2 Essay Types:

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

   Opinion Essays

   Discussion Essays

  Problem Solution Essays

  Advantages & Disadvantages Essays

  Double Question Essays

Other Related Pages

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

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IELTS Writing Task 2:  Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Sample Answer

Watch the video lesson on... Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Requirements

The task requires you to give your opinion (level of agreement) about a statement.

The key word here is “outweigh” . This means you are expected to take a position (give your opinion). There are 2 advisable positions to take which you should state clearly in your introduction and expand in your body paragraphs.

A. The advantages (disadvantages) totally outweigh disadvantages (advantages). In other words, you chose 100% for one or the other.

B. The advantages and disadvantages are equally important. In other words, you chose both are equally valid. 50 - 50.

If you take the position of “partly” or “mostly” outweigh, it becomes more difficult to write since you will need to give more reasons for one side than the other and your answer will be unbalanced.

It's advisable to choose position A or B

Sample Answer

In contemporary society youngsters spend a sizeable amount of their leisure time watching television.  This essay will detail the reasons why the benefits and drawbacks are of equal importance. 

For children, there are several advantages to watching television. To begin with, the educational content of certain programs can broaden their knowledge. TV channels such as National Geographic provide a variety of educationally rich content that enables youngsters to learn about other cultures and the natural world.  Moreover, from the perspective of entertainment, television can help children relax, especially during periods of pressure at school such as the exam season. These relaxation periods are essential for pupils to reinvigorate themselves which, in turn, can energize them to approach their schoolwork with renewed motivation.

On the other hand, the downsides of excessive TV watching cannot be ignored. For instance, watching TV is a passive activity that can lead to a sedentary lifestyle that can have a negative impact on children’s physical health. It has been proved that one of the factors contributing to the increasing number of obese children is a lack of physical exercise. Additionally, some TV shows may contain content that is inappropriate for minors, such as excessive violence or certain vices. Therefore, parental guidance through the monitoring of what children watch is important.  In conclusion, there are several positives such as the educational value and the relaxation time that watching TV can provide. However, the negatives should not be forgotten and include unsuitable programs for youngsters and an inactive lifestyle. 

Sample: Advantages Outweigh Disadvantages. PDF

IELTS Charlie

Your Guide to IELTS Band 7

IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay: tips, mistakes, questions & essays

In this lesson we are going to look at how to answer an IELTS Advantages Disadvantages 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 presented with a situation, a development or a trend. Your task is to discuss the advantages and disadvantages related to this situation, development or trend.

In some tasks, you may also be asked to give an opinion on whether the advantages are more  significant  than the disadvantages. These “outweigh” questions are more common in the IELTS Academic Writing Test, but they can also appear in the IELTS General Training Writing Test.

In many countries, paying for things using mobile phone (cellphone) apps is  becoming increasingly common. 

Does this development have more advantages or more disadvantages? 

Cambridge IELTS 15 General Training Test 4

How To Plan An IELTS Advantages Disadvantages 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 about mobile phone payments, such as digital wallets, payment apps like Google Pay and Apple Pay, and QR code payments.

The task is NOT about mobile phone apps in general, so don’t discuss the advantages of mobile phones or mobile apps. The task is specific to payment apps.

The question “does this development have more advantages or more disadvantages?” tells you how to respond to the topic. You simply need to answer that question.

Step 2: Decide Your Position

Next, you need to decide your position. In other words, you need to decide what you think.

In an advantages disadvantages essay, your position is your answer to the question .

So in the example question above, your position is your answer to the question: “does this development (i.e. paying for things using mobile phone apps) have more advantages or more disadvantages?”

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.

I suggest you use almost exactly the same structure, regardless of whether you are taking the Academic or General Training Test:

• Paragraph 1: introduction
• Paragraph 2: discuss  what you think   are  the advantages
• Paragraph 3: discuss  what you think are  the disadvantages
• Paragraph 4 (Ac): explain if you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages
• Paragraph 4 (GT): summarise your views

IELTS advantages disadvantages essay questions are usually on topics where there are both advantages AND disadvantages. In other words, if you argue that there are only advantages, the IELTS examiner might decide your essay lacks balance, and this could limit your band score for Task Response.

How To Write Your IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay

Let’s go through how to write the different parts of the essay.

How To Write The Introduction To an IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay

In the introduction to an IELTS Advantages Disadvantages essay, you need to do one or two things.

If you are asked “what are the advantages and disadvantages?” , then just briefly introduce the topic of the essay.

If you are asked for an opinion – e.g. “ do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages”, or “does this development have more advantages or more disadvantages?”, then also add a second sentence where you present your answer to this question.

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:

“In many countries, paying for things using mobile phone (cellphone) apps is becoming increasingly common.”

Here is one way of paraphrasing this:

“Purchasing goods with apps on mobile phones has grown in popularity over recent years.”

This sentence has the same general meaning as the original sentence, but uses different vocabulary and different grammatical structures.

How NOT To Paraphrase

When you paraphrase, do NOT just change individual words with synonyms, or you will get some very strange sentences, e.g.

“In a lot of nations, buying items using portable communication software is becoming more customary.”

DON’T DO THIS! It sounds unnatural and can be confusing for your reader.

Give Your Opinion

If you are asked questions like:

• “do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages”, or
• “does this development have more advantages or more disadvantages?”

then you are being asked for your opinion, in addition to a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages.

So write a 2nd sentence in which you clearly answer this question. e.g.

“In my view, this development has significant drawbacks overall.”

There’s little point in adding a scope sentence:  “This essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this development.” This kind of sentence doesn’t add much to your essay and the language is quite basic.

Just start writing the body.

How To Write The Body Paragraphs

In an IELTS Advantages Disadvantages essay, you need to present the advantages and disadvantages in the body paragraphs.

Write the advantages and disadvantages in separate paragraphs.

Each main body paragraph should contain:

• An advantage (or disadvantage) – your main idea
• A more detailed explanation of this
• An example which illustrates this
• You can also include a 2nd advantage or 2nd disadvantage 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 Advantages Disadvantages essay, what you write depends on the question.

If you are asked “what are the advantages and disadvantages?” then just write a summary of your ideas.

If you are asked for your opinion – e.g. “do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?” – then answer this question in the conclusion.

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 Advantages Disadvantages Essay

These are the most common mistakes made by Test Takers when writing an IELTS Advantages Disadvantages essay:

• presenting too many advantages and disadvantages: you MUST develop ALL of your ideas to get a high band score, so it’s best to present 3 or 4 advantages / disadvantages in total and explain them all
• not answering the “do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?” question. This question does not appear in all advantages disadvantages essays, but when it does, you must answer it
• writing an overly general statement about the topic in the introduction (e.g. Education is a topic of hot debate)
• The advantages / disadvantages are not explained and illustrated in enough detail. You need to develop all of your points to get a Band 7.
• Not fully understanding the essay question. This is often caused by reading the question quickly, not carefully.
• Using memorised phrases (e.g. “a hot topic”, “in a nutshell”, “pros and cons”)
• 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.

Sample IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay Questions

In the future all cars, buses and trucks will be driverless. The only people travelling inside these vehicles will be passengers. Do you think the advantages of driverless vehicles outweigh the disadvantages?

(Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic Test 4)

In some cultures, children are often told that they can achieve anything if they try hard enough. What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message?

( Cambridge IELTS 15 Academic Test 4 )

Today more and more tourists are visiting places where conditions are difficult, such as the Sahara desert or the Antarctic. What are the benefits and disadvantages for tourists who visit such places?

(Cambridge IELTS 12 General Training Test 5)

At the present time, the population of some countries includes a relatively large number of young adults, compared with the number of older people. Do the advantages of this situation outweigh the disadvantages?

(Cambridge IELTS 12 Academic Test 6)

Model IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essays

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Discover the 7 STEPS to BAND 7 in IELTS Writing Task 2

Ultimate Guide to IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essays

12 min read

Updated On Aug 01, 2024

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The article discusses the structure and strategies for writing an IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay, including planning, vocabulary use, and sample questions with answers and emphasizes practicing to improve scores.

Table of Contents

Understanding the question and structure of the ielts advantages disadvantages essay, how to plan your task 2 advantages and disadvantages essay, how to write an advantages disadvantages essay for ielts writing task 2, tips for mastering advantages and disadvantages essay, advantages and disadvantages ielts essay questions and sample answers, practice advantages disadvantages essays ielts with ieltsmaterial, more related ielts advantages disadvantages essay topics:.

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

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

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

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

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

Discussing the Question of Advantages and Disadvantages Essay IELTS

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

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

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

Structure of the IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay

The IELTS Essay writing task is quite challenging as it requires you to write an essay on an unseen topic from any walk of life – it can range from social issues to environmental discourse. To make it easy, you can practice advantage and disadvantage IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essays based on the following structure breakdown.

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

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

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

The planning for writing any essay type in IELTS Writing Task 2 requires around 5 minutes. The process covers essential aspects such as analysis of the question, organization of the points to be included, identifying relevant vocabulary, and understanding the IELTS Writing Task 2 marking criteria to obtain a good band score .

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

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

Once you have planned your advantage and disadvantage essay for Writing Task 2, it is time to write down your answer. For this of kind of practice, use authentic and updated IELTS Writing practice tests .

Writing The Essay Introduction

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

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

Body Paragraphs for Advantages And Disadvantages Essay IELTS

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

Body Paragraph 1

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

Body Paragraph 2

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

How To Write An Essay Conclusion?

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

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

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

IELTS Essay Vocabulary

A strong command of vocabulary is crucial for writing an effective advantages disadvantages essay in IELTS Writing Task 2. Your proficiency in English language vocabulary will be evident in how expertly you can select the most suitable expressions to convey precise meanings. Diversifying your vocabulary will enable you to incorporate a greater variety of words in your essays. However, it is important to note that overusing uncommon words and phrases can reduce the relevance of your answer. So, create an advanced vocabulary word list for IELTS to avoid loss of word during the actual exam and utilize time in organizing your thoughts.

Writing an essay on IELTS advantage disadvantage essay topics needs careful preparation and planning. Here are some b est IELTS Writing Task 2 tips for achieving Band 9 with a high-quality essay:

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

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

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

Sample Question 1

Sample answer.

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

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

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

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

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

Sample Question 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

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

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

When can I note down the voc

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

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

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

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

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

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IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essay Lesson

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

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

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

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

Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Understanding the Task

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

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

You could do this in  two body paragraphs:

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

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

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

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

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

Take a look at these examples:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

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

However, this one does:

Will this have more positive or negative impacts?

What does 'Outweigh' mean?

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

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

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

I believe that this has more benefits than drawbacks.

This will avoid any mistakes. 

Writing your Thesis

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

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

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

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

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

Model Advantage Disadvantage Essay 

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

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

Write at least 250 words.

Advantage Disadvantage Essay Model Answer

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

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

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

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

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

( 283 Words )

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

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

Other Ways to Answer the Question

This is not to suggest that this method is the only way to answer this type of question. There could be other ways.

For example, some people advise to write two body paragraphs - one on the advantages and another on the disadvantages, then in the conclusion state which one outweighs the other.

You can do this, but it can look at bit odd if you write about them equally, but then say there are more of one than the other! A conclusion can be cleverly worded to make this work, but that is a high level skill that many candidates do not have.

You could write only about the advantages or only about disadvantages and argue that one vastly outweights the other. However, the fact that the question uses 'outweigh' or 'more' is suggesting that there are both benefits and drawbacks.

The benefit of organising your advantage disadvantage essay as illustrated in this lesson is that by looking at both sides, you will have  more ideas to brainstorm . And importantly, your  opinion is clear and this is  reflected in the essay , which is balanced to reflect and support your opinion.

A model answer for this essay will be posted shortly so watch this space, or  sign up using the form on the right  to be notifed when there are updates to the site.

Now you can have a practice.

Try to answer this advantage disadvantage essay question:

More and more students are choosing to study at colleges and universities in foreign countries.

Do the benefits of studying abroad outweigh the drawbacks?

More Task 2 IELTS Lessons:

Using Pronouns to Improve IELTS Essay Coherency

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

How to use brainstorming and planning to generate essay ideas.

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

How to Write an IELTS Essay: The key steps

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

Writing an IELTS Essay Introduction

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

IELTS Music Essay: Understanding a Complex Question

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

How to Identify the Topic of an IELTS Essay Question

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

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

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

Writing an IELTS Essay Conclusion

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

Can you use Personal Pronouns in Essays for IELTS?

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

IELTS Problem Solution Essay Strategies and Tips

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

Paragraph Writing for IELTS: Building strong arguments

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

The 3 Types of IELTS Opinion Essays in IELTS

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

Improving Writing Coherence for IELTS essays

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

Requirements for IELTS Band 7 in Writing

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

IELTS Task Response - 25% of your essay grade

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

Using Substitution in IELTS to Improve Writing Coherency

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

Transitional Phrases for Essays

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

Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2

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

How to Identify the Task in an IELTS Essay

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

Thesis Statement Tips for IELTS Essays

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

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IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Lesson

IELTS advantages and disadvantages questions normally give you a statement and ask you to comment on the advantages and disadvantages of that statement.

The problem is that there are 2 different types of advantages and disadvantages essays, each requiring a different approach. If you answer them differently, you risk losing many easy marks.

This lesson will look at each of the three question types and suggest a standard sentence-by-sentence structure for each of them.  There will also be sample answers for each of the three questions to help you compare and understand the two approaches.

In some countries, young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.

Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary schools rather than secondary schools.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Question 1 simply asks us to discuss the advantages and disadvantages. It does not ask for our opinion or says which side is better or worse, so we should not include this information in our answer.

This requires a simple structure in which the student will look at the advantages in one paragraph and the disadvantages in the other.

Question 2 is different because we have to say if the advantages are stronger than the disadvantages. Notice I didn’t say ‘if there are more advantages than disadvantages’. The question is not asking you to talk about numbers but comment on the overall weight of the advantages or disadvantages.  For example, there are many advantages to travelling by private jet, but there is one huge disadvantage (the cost) that stops most people from flying that way, and therefore the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

In this example, we will have to decide which side (advantages or disadvantages) is stronger, affecting our structure. If you choose advantages, you will have to say why these are much stronger than the disadvantages and why the disadvantages don’t hold much weight. You would also have to make this clear in your thesis statement.

Structure for Essay 1

Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase question

Sentence 2- Outline sentence

Supporting Paragraph 1 (Advantages)

Sentence 3- Topic sentence (2 Advantages)

Sentence 4- Explain first advantage

Sentence 5- Explain second advantage

Sentence 6- Example of second advantage

Supporting Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages)

Sentence 6- Topic sentence (2 Disadvantages)

Sentence 7- Explain first disadvantage

Sentence 8- Explain second disadvantage

Sentence 9- Example of second disadvantage

Sentence 9- Summary of main points

Structure for Essay 2

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

Sentence 3- Outline sentence

Main Body Paragraph 1 (Stronger Side)

Sentence 4- Topic Sentence

Sentence 5- Explain why it is strong

Sentence 6- Example

Sentence 7- Topic Sentence

Sentence 8- Explain why it is strong

Sentence 9- Example

Main Body Paragraph 2 (Weaker Side)

Sentence 10- Topic Sentence

Sentence 11- Explain why it is not strong

Sentence 12- Example

Sentence 13- Summary of main points and restate position.

Question 1 Advantages and Disadvantages Sample Answer

Before college, many young people are advised that a year of working or travelling may be a good option. This essay will suggest that experience gained and money saved are the biggest advantages of this, but delaying careers and reducing motivation to study are the primary disadvantages.

The main advantages of a gap year are learning more about the world and earning money. For students who have just finished secondary school, working or travelling for a year will allow them to learn what life is like outside of the education system. Also, third-level education is very expensive, and many students decide to work for 12 months and save money before they begin their studies. The average student at a UK university requires over £10,000 per annum to survive, and many drop out because they cannot afford to stay.

Despite these advantages, students lose a year that could have been used to advance their future careers, and they often get used to working or travelling and don’t want to return to a life of study. As job markets are very competitive, an extra year of experience can make a massive difference when applying for jobs, and those who took a gap year are at a disadvantage. Moreover, some decide to bypass university altogether and go straight into a job that is beneath their capabilities or may not offer the same prospects their future career might have. For instance, jobs in the service industry are easy to get without a third-level education, and many gap students fill these roles only to be stuck in them for the rest of their lives.

In conclusion, taking a break from studies can be advantageous if it allows people to accumulate savings or learn more about the world. However, they should also be careful that it does not delay the start of their careers and lead to disillusionment with education.

Question 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Sample Answer

Some authorities think that it is more favourable for pupils to begin studying languages at primary school instead of secondary school. This essay will argue that the advantages of this outweigh the drawbacks. The essay will first demonstrate that the earlier someone learns an additional language, the more likely they are to master it and that it brings added cognitive benefits, followed by an analysis of how the primary disadvantage, namely confusion with their native tongue, is not valid.

The main reason to start kids off with foreign languages early is that this increases the likelihood they will achieve fluency in adulthood. That is to say that they will have far more years to perfect their skills, and speaking bilingually will seem perfectly normal. For example, in countries such as Holland and Norway, where English is taught from a very young age, most adults speak it at an advanced level. Learning a second language also helps to improve overall cognitive abilities. In other words, it benefits the overall development of a child’s brain. It is well known that bi-lingual children are significantly more likely to score higher in Mathematics and Science.

Those opposed to this say that it causes the child to become confused between their mother tongue and the other language. However, there is actually no evidence to support this view and children from bilingual families do just as well in both languages. My son was brought up speaking both Vietnamese and English and outperforms most of his classmates in both.

On balance, the fact that early foreign language learning leads to higher fluency and improved brain function clearly outweighs the flawed argument that it impairs the uptake of native languages.

Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Next Steps

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Ultimate Guide to IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essays

24 August, 2024

One of the most important parts of evaluating students’ English communication skills in the IELTS exam is the IELTS writing test, especially Task 2. The advantages and disadvantages essay is a typical essay format in Task 2. This type of essay requires students to write about a topic, highlight its advantages and disadvantages, and develop a thoughtful conclusion.

In this blog, we have covered the advantages and disadvantages of Writing Task 2, the advantages and disadvantages of essay question type, samples IELTS Writing Task 2, and other parts of Writing Task 2.

Comprehending the IELTS Writing Task 2

Advantages and disadvantages essay question type, ielts writing task 2 structure advantages disadvantages essay, samples of ielts writing task 2, suggestion to write an effective advantages and disadvantages essay.

In this section, you will learn questions that will aid you in comprehending the advantages and disadvantages of the essay. 

Speak about the advantages and disadvantages of smartphone in day-to-day living.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of kids viewing TV? Include any relevant instances from your understanding or experience and the justifications for your answer.

Certain companies and groups require uniform clothing for their staff. What are the benefits and drawbacks of wearing a uniform?

Globalisation offers advantages as well as disadvantages. Talk about both and share your thoughts.

Certain countries currently have an extremely high percentage of young people compared to the number of older people. Do the advantages of this plan outweigh the disadvantages?

Tourism is the primary basis of revenue in numerous parts of the world; however, if tourism is not handled well, it can also lead to issues. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the contemporary world. Do you believe that travelling has more advantages than disadvantages?

You will be asked to express your opinions in some of the Task 2 Advantages and Disadvantages essay questions. However, most of the time, discussing the advantages and disadvantages, benefits and drawbacks or pros and cons is sufficient. There are two types of different questions given below:

Type 1 Questions that ask for your Opinion

For Instance, Some believe big businesses and industries would benefit from relocating to regional hubs outside major cities. Do you believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

From the above example, you can learn that you must give your opinion as it is asked.

Type 2 Questions that do not require you to state your Opinion

For instance, e-books are gaining more popularity than books. However, some consider this to be a positive development, and others do not. What are the advantages and disadvantages?

From the above example, the second type of question does not ask you to give an opinion.

Also, read: Describe a female leader you like - IELTS cue card

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Writing an essay on an unknown topic from any field of study is a tricky part of the IELTS Writing Task 2. You can practice writing advantage and disadvantage IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essays by using the following structure:

Introduction

Paraphrase the question statement.

State what the following paragraphs will discuss.

Mention your viewpoint (if asked in the question)

Body Paragraph 1

Discuss the advantages.

Explain the benefits with examples in 2-3 sentences.

Body Paragraph 2

Discuss the disadvantages.

Explain the drawbacks with examples in 2-3 sentences.

Summarise the benefits and drawbacks discussed in the essay.

Now, let’s learn about each section of essay writing in detail.

After you have figured out the advantages and disadvantages Writing Task 2, it's time to write your answer. Always use genuine, everyday IELTS Writing practice topics for this kind of exam preparation.

The Essay Introduction

Writing an introduction for an advantage-disadvantage essay is the first task you must carry out.

The essay's topic should be paraphrased in your introduction, and if possible, you must replace the words in the topic with synonyms or other words using your vocabulary.

Next, provide a brief overview of the essay's content.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Body Paragraphs for Advantages And Disadvantages

It is advisable to stick to two paragraphs in IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays; however, there is no such rule that you have to write two paragraphs. However, this practice will help you stick to the word limit and help you write an essay clearly and concisely.

It must describe the advantages of the topic in question.

Suitable ideas should support this; it will be even more significant if the essay has examples.

Every day, events and situations should be brought to attention.

It must list the topic's disadvantages.

Strong arguments should support this, which you can do by emphasising everyday events and examples.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Conclusion

The topic should be concluded with an overview of the main ideas discussed during the essay and an explanation of how the subject's advantages and disadvantages go beyond each other, if appropriate.

Make sure the essay has a comprehensive conclusion at the end.

Connect with the ideas you covered throughout the essay to ensure everything makes sense.

The essay statement and the questions should be addressed.

Also Check: 60+ IELTS Essay Topics 2024: IELTS Writing Task 2

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Globalisation?

One of the most important developments of the past few decades has been globalisation, which has altered many parts of human life on both an economic and social level. The growth of international organisations has contributed to a significant advancement in the financial and economic development of developing nations. Regardless, there are a number of issues with this quick development that must be resolved. Globalisation clearly offers more advantages than disadvantages, which we will learn in this essay.

First and foremost, the rise of various foreign corporations and franchises in developing nations is the most favourable advantage of globalisation. There has been a prominent rise in employment in various nations ever since multinational brands and organisations extended their operations into nations like China, India, Sri Lanka, and many more. Furthermore, people from third-world nations now have access to a considerable amount of goods and services that were once not available to all because of the significant increase in imports and exports.

A significant part of the world's population is concerned about certain adverse effects of globalisation. The exploitation of labour is one of the most problematic consequences. Many firms negotiate their operations with developing nations due to the low cost of labour. This allows them to complete their industrial processes without paying workers fairly. In addition, lower-quality items are produced and supplied to clients as a result of using cheap labour.

In conclusion, globalisation has advantages and disadvantages. However, globalisation has helped countries increase their economic growth with the rest of the world and reduce the obstacles to trade between countries. However, as globalisation has taken place for betterment, it also has many challenges that need to be addressed.

IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay topics require extensive planning and preparation before you begin writing. The following are some IELTS Writing Task 2 strategies for producing an exceptional essay:

Use Linking Words: Use a variety of linking words and phrases, such as "furthermore," "however," "on the other hand," and "in conclusion" to connect your ideas and generate an effortless writing flow.

Practice is the Key to Success: The more you practice, the more proficient you will become at organising, preparing, and arranging your advantages and disadvantages essay for IELTS Writing Task 2.

Understand the Question: Before you start writing, understand the question and what is asked. Choose which advantages and disadvantages you want to discuss, and you should express your opinion.

Plan your Time Effectively: Spend a few minutes planning your essay, then focus on writing clear, concise paragraphs. Give yourself some time to review and spare some time for any necessary changes at the end. 

Generate Ideas: Take a few minutes to list the advantages and disadvantages of the given topic. Write the key points and examples that will help you with the claims you are making.

Support Your Points: Provide specific examples or personal experiences to support each advantage and disadvantage you write. As a result, your views will be stronger, and you will receive a higher score.

Structure Your Essay: Prepare your essay using a clear, logical framework. Start by stating the topic and briefly summarise your main points in the introduction. Then, spend a paragraph on each advantage and disadvantage before concluding with a summary of your main ideas.

In summary, while appearing for  IELTS writing task 2 , you must understand and learn how to write about advantages and disadvantages according to the topic. It is always advisable to write advantages and disadvantages in two separate paragraphs. Also, write some examples or personal experiences to support your advantages or disadvantages.

We hope the above information helped you understand the essay better. However, you can contact Prepare IELTS Exam (PI) expert counsellors for further guidance. Our team of education experts is dedicated to providing you with the best guidance in the IELTS exam. You can get a one-on-one counselling session online via our platform. Contact us at [email protected] or call us at +91 9773398388 .

The word count requirement for your IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay can be met if you explain your points clearly and provide appropriate examples to support the essay. If it just lacks a few words, you can always add a desire or recommendation at the end.

These essays ask you to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a particular topic. "Advantages and disadvantages" will be commented clearly in the essay. They could occasionally be interchangeable, as in "the benefits and drawbacks."

Yes, you can start writing Task 2 first. The entire test can be written in whatever you choose. However, remember that there is not enough time to answer all the questions. Therefore, only take these steps if you can finish them before you planned. Remember that Task 2 writing gets double as many points as Task 1 writing.

It is highly recommended that time management be focused on while attempting the IELTS exam and its different parts. However, if you think you are running out of time, finish writing task 2's conclusion. With a strong conclusion, the purpose of writing an essay will be useful. If you are unable to cover the entire visual topic for Task 1, try covering the main one.

Yes, you must write two paragraphs separately about the advantages and disadvantages. Also, you need to stick to the format since the examiner will be looking for an orderly structure of the paragraphs.

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IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Advantages and Disadvantages

by Dave | Understanding Task 2 Writing | 2 Comments

I have collected a variety of advantages and disadvantages essays from the real IELTS test.

Enjoy and consider signing up for my Patreon Ebooks here .

Health services are a basic necessity. However, private companies have made them quite costly for ordinary individuals.

Do the advantages of private health care outweigh its disadvantages?

Read my essay here.

In many cities, planners tend to arrange shops, schools, offices and homes in specific areas and separate them from each other.

Do you think the advantages of this policy outweigh the disadvantages?

Young people are often influenced in their behaviors by others in the same age group. Some argue that peer pressure is important while others feel it has distinct disadvantages.

Do the disadvantages of peer pressure outweigh the advantages?

Nowadays, most countries can improve the standard of living through economic development, but some social values are lost as a result.

Do you think the advantages of this phenomenon outweigh the disadvantages?

Many people argue that restaurants should be required to disclose the nutritional information of the dishes they serve.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Get the full EBook here on Patreon.

Around the world, people are now living longer than ever before in the past. Some say an ageing population creates problems for governments. Others believe there are benefits to society having more elderly people.

To what extent do the advantages of possessing an ageing population outweigh the disadvantages?

Read my sample here.

New technologies have changed the way children spend their free time.

Do you think the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?

It has been suggested that primary children should learn how to grow vegetables and keep animals.

It is important for people to take risks, in both their professional lives and personal lives.

Do the advantages of taking these risks outweigh the disadvantages?

Some people say patriotism causes problems and is negative overall. Others feel that it is beneficial for society at large.

Do the advantages of patriotism outweigh its disadvantages?

In many cities, problems related to overpopulation are becoming more common. Some governments are now encouraging businesses and individuals to move out of cities to rural areas.

Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?

Nowadays, a lot of offices employ open-space designs instead of separate rooms for work.

Read my sample answer here.

The world should have only one government rather than a national government for each country.

People these days watch TV, films and other programmes alone rather than with other people.

Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

In the future all cars, buses and trucks will be driverless. The only people travelling inside these vehicles will be passengers.

Do you think the advantages of driverless vehicles outweigh the disadvantages?

People nowadays tend to have children at older ages.

Nowadays the differences between countries are becoming less evident because people follow the same media.

Do the advantage of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?

Fewer and fewer children are willing to look after their parents as they get older   these days.

It is now possible for scientists and tourists to travel to remote natural environments, such as the South Pole.

Machines are taking over more and more jobs previously done by humans.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your own opinion.

The personal information of many individuals is held by large internet companies and organisations.

Do you think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

It is sometimes suggested that primary schoolchildren should learn how to grow vegetables and keep animals.

Do you think that the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

In the past, knowledge was contained in books. Nowadays, knowledge is uploaded to the internet.

In the past, most people worked for small businesses, while more people now work for large businesses.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of working for large businesses?

In many countries, plastic containers have become more common than ever and are used by many food and drink companies.

Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

In many workplaces, online communication is now more common than face-to-face meetings.

Many large supermarkets are being built today while the number of small shops is decreasing.

The global demand for oil and gas is increasing. Some believe that we should therefore encourage the exploitation of remote areas.

In many countries, fast food is becoming cheaper and more widely available.

Do the disadvantages of this outweigh the advantages?

Many retired people today are choosing to live in other countries.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

In some cultures, children are often told that they can achieve anything if they try hard enough.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message?

Many schools today require students to work without pay for companies as part of their education.

Is this more advantageous to students or companies?

Some believe that we should invent a new language for international communication.

These days people spend more and more time at work and less time at home.

The use of social media is replacing face-to-face interaction among many people in society.

Many museums charge for admission while others are free.

Do you think the advantages of charging people for admission to museums outweigh the disadvantages?

At the present time, the population of some countries includes a relatively large number of young adults, compared with the number of older people.

Do the advantage of this situation outweigh the disadvantages?

Recent research has shown that business meetings and training are increasingly taking place online.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Topics/Questions 2024

The list of Task 2 Advantages and Disadvantages topics that were added by IELTS student in 2024 . These Advantages and Disadvantages questions could be repeated from previous months. Keep in mind that the provided Advantages and Disadvantages questions are not predictions. The collection of Advantages and Disadvantages questions is updated every hour. Choose one of the topics and start practicing answering this type of question to prepare for the IELTS exam and to get a good grade.

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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

• Opinion Essay Questions
• Solution Essay Questions
• Discussion Essay Questions
• Direct Question Essay Titles
• All Essay Questions by Topic

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

“ Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? ” means when you put the benefits of something on one plate of a weighing scale and the demerits on the other plate, which side weighs more.

So for questions like this in IELTS , you need to think of several ideas both in favor and against the position. You should always try to make one side of the argument heavier than the other , unlike the advantages and disadvantages question type where we present a balanced essay.

Basically, “ Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? ” is a Yes/No question. It is up to you to decide how you want to approach the issue. Regardless of your choice, you have to come up to several reasons to back up your position.

If you answer the question, “Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? “, with a Yes, then you have to present more advantages than disadvantages. Conversely, if you choose to go with a No, then you have to include more arguments for disadvantages compared to advantages.

Examples of Advantages outweigh Disadvantages IELTS essay question

WRITING TASK 2

You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

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

Write at least 250 words.

Format for IELTS Writing Task 2 Advantages outweigh Disadvantages essay

There are two ways to write an essay on whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. When you think about the question, try to come up with several arguments for both positives and negatives of the situation. One side has to have more arguments than the other.

You need at least five separate ideas. You can either write about three advantages and two disadvantages, or three disadvantages and two advantages.

Since you have to demonstrate one side outweighing the other side, the essay should lean towards one side.

You can include more than five arguments as well, but remember to include at least one argument more for one side. However, writing about too many points may be counterproductive as you may run out of time during the test, or your essay becomes disorganized.

Some questions only ask you to state the advantages and the disadvantages without taking a side. To learn about such essays, click here »

Introduction paragraph for “Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?”

Like the Introduction paragraph for other types of question, the first paragraph for “Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?” question should contain three things.

• Rewrite the topic of the question
• Mention your five arguments
• Declare whether there are more advantages or more disadvantages

So our Introduction begins by setting the background of the essay. For this, I have paraphrased the two sentences from the question. Then, the next sentence highlights the two demerits of the situation, but it has also been expressed that there are “many benefits”. These benefits have been outlined in the next sentence.

Advantages outweigh Disadvantages IELTS essay: The body paragraphs

The five points mentioned in the Introduction paragraph should be developed into two body paragraphs .

Mention the advantages and disadvantages in separate paragraphs. Remember, one paragraph should include only two arguments, while the other has to include three arguments.

In this way, you can show that one side outweighs the other.

In the body paragraphs, you have to explain the points with the help of logical reasoning and examples.

Advantages outweigh disadvantages essay Conclusion

The arguments mentioned in the Introduction paragraph and detailed in the body paragraphs should be reiterated in the Conclusion paragraph of the essay.

Advantages outweigh disadvantages IELTS essay example

Next lesson:

Problem Solution Essay: IELTS Writing Task 2

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

Economic student doing research wirk

The word count is really high in the last essay…I think it’s better to trim a bit of the essay

The essay is indeed almost 400 words long. In the IELTS test, we can write an essay longer than 250 words, and there is no upper limit. However, I admit the essay could be trimmed a bit. To be honest, I was on a roll when writing it, and I couldn’t stop myself. I appreciate your comment nonetheless.

hi there I would like to know that from my experience I know that outweigh question has got a structure which is organized like 1-introduction 2-body one negative view point for your part for ex: for me advantages are more that disadvantages so my first body should be focused disadvantages 3-body two advantages 4-conclusion is that right to write an essay on this structure. thanks in advance for your answer/

Your structure is also very fine Kevin. From my experience, I have learnt that there is no strict format you have to follow for an IELTS essay. Any format where ideas flow clearly and logically and covers all the aspects of the question can get a good score. Having said that, it makes it easier to prepare for the test with a fixed template in mind. And yours is great.

IELTS advantage disadvantage essays

Three types of advantage disadvantage essays.

Updated: June 2022

Not only are there 5 types of essay questions in academic IELTS but there are 3 types of Advantage Disadvantage essays, here are some examples below and ideas on how to approach them.

Before we go further let me make something clear. IELTS tasks will ask in an advantage disadvantage essay something like:

• Do the advantage s outweigh the disadvantage s ?
• What are the advantage s and disadvantage s of this?

Notice the plural form here, advantage s and disadvantage s. Many students (and IELTS teachers) think they have to write more than one advantage and disadvantage. Yes, you can certainly do this but you can also make it much simpler by writing about one advantage and one disadvantage. I have heard from examiners that this is ok as long as you are able to support and fully exaplin your ideas. With this approach you can still write over 250 words.

The problem is that you will run out of time if you write 2 of each. You will have only 40 minutes for the essay. Planning time is around 10 minutes so that means 30 minutes of writing. Another danger of writing about 2 of each is that the word count will go well over 300 words and you could include irrelevant information.

One of the consequences of improved medical care is that people are living longer and life expectancy is increasing. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? 

Make sure you analyse the question well and then paraphrase it in the introduction. This kind of question asks about the advantages and disadvantages and an important word here is “ outweigh “. The question asks if the advantages are stronger than the disadvantages so you need to give your opinion here.

Some students just write about the advantages only but this is a wrong approach and you could lose marks. The essay needs to have balance. The first body paragraph could be about the advantages and the second body paragraph can be about the downsides with your opinion throughout the whole essay.

A lot of students fail to give their opinion in this type of essay, or maybe they just give their opinion briefly in the conclusion. Your position must be clear throughout the essay.

Let’s Review

1. analyse the question well then paraphrase it. write your opinion in the thesis statement. 2. make sure you state your opinion in the introduction, main body and also the conclusion. 3. give specific examples throughout the essay but be careful of giving too much information. keep it simple and do not overly complicate it. 4. make sure the essay is balanced and you are not just writing about advantages only., here are 2 possible structures for this type of task:.

Note: Structures are just guidelines to help you plan out your essay, there is no special magic structure that can get you a Band 7, there are many ways to structure an essay.

Some people think that consumption tax on food items is a good way to raise revenue for the government. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this policy

This type of essay does not ask for your opinion, it is more like a discussion essay so you need to write about pros and cons, you can see that the question does not ask : Do you think…? or Do you agree or disagree…? / What is your opinion ? So this is not asking a direct opinion.

First analyse the question and then paraphrase it. The essay needs to be well balanced just like in example 1 with explanations about how it’s an advantage or disadvantage. Don’t just write about advantages, give both sides in the essay. The conclusion is just a summary of the points that you made in the body paragraphs.

1. Analyse the question well then paraphrase it. 2. Give one example of the advantages in main body paragraph 1, after that give one example of the disadvantages in main body paragraph 2. 3. Do not give your personal opinion because the question does not ask for it. 4. Give good examples throughout the essay but be careful of giving too much information. Keep it simple, be careful about giving too many examples too. 5. Make sure the essay is balanced, not just writing about advantages only.

Here is a good structure for this type of task:

These days with advances in technology more and more people are working from home. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this and give your own opinion

This essay type is quite similar to example 1, here you must give your opinion and discuss the pros and cons, the main difference compared to example 1 is that it does not mention the word outweigh. The main thing to look out for is the words Discuss and Give your own opinion. Just like in example 1 you need to paraphrase the question, give a balanced approach in the main body paragraphs and give your opinion in the introduction and again in the conclusion.

The examiner needs to see your opinion throughout the whole essay.

1. Analyse the question well then paraphrase it. 2. Give an example of the advantages in main body paragraph 1, after that give an example of the disadvantages in main body paragraph 2. 3. Make sure you state your opinion in the introduction, main body and the conclusion. 4. Give specific examples in the essay but be careful of giving too much information. Keep it simple. 5. Make sure the essay is balanced, not just writing about advantages only.

What structure should i use.

Structures are just guidelines to help you plan out your essay, there is no special magic structure that can get you a high score. I recommend 2 body paragraphs for this kind of essay but you can use 3 main body paragraphs if you wish, no more than that.

• In main body paragraph 1, you can write about the advantages and explain further. Always remember to give an example. If possible write about the outcome of the advantages (prediction statement). Main body 2 is the same, write about the disadvantages with an example.
• You must give your opinion in the introduction if the question asks for your opinion. You can also use the main body paragraphs to back up your opinion. You should rephrase your view in the conclusion also.

Key point to remember . Do not give too many examples or you may go off track. You can also go with one advantage and one disadvantage as long as it is well supported, relevant and explained. You haven’t got time to go into too much detail or into tangents. Don’t try to impress the examiner with too much information.

Plan your essay well, set aside 10 minutes planning time , think of at least one supporting point for your topic sentence in each main body paragraph.

Any questions? leave a comment below

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IELTS Advantage Outweigh Disadvantage Essay Questions: Sample Questions for IELTS Exam 2021

IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays generally make a statement and ask you to write on the benefits and drawbacks.

The issue is that there are two kinds of advantages and disadvantages to essays, and each needs a unique approach. If you react differently, you risk missing a lot of easy points.

In this article, we will learn about IELTS advantage outweigh disadvantage essay questions. To learn how to approach these essays and improve your IELTS exam preparation, start reading now.

IELTS Online Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Section

In the sections below you will learn about the structure of this type of essay, some common queries and a set of sample questions.

Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Structure

Paragraph 1: Introduce the subject and clarify what you would talk about in your article, as is customary. Based on the type of issue, this may or may not require your view.

Paragraph 2: Discuss either the benefits or the drawbacks. If you are questioned for your viewpoint, it is a smart idea to clarify the hand on which you disagree here.

Paragraph 3: Explain the opposing viewpoint, which, if the question calls for your perspective, is the one with which you comply. It makes no difference if the section contains the benefits and which includes the drawbacks if you are not questioned for and do not include your view.

Paragraph 4: Summarize the concepts from paragraphs 2 and 3 and, if applicable, restate your view.

Also Read: How to Write Agree and Disagree Essays in IELTS? Tips to Write the Perfect Essay

IELTS Online Query 1

Do the benefits of X outweigh the drawbacks?

For this question, the ‘outweigh,’ it seems that you could clearly pick one or the other, benefits or drawbacks, and concentrate on the side you have selected. Although it is likely based on how you write the article, the topic would seem to mean that there are both benefits and drawbacks, so it would be a smart idea to address both sides. Since this article is also calling for your view, you must make it clear whether you believe the situation mentioned in the question is more favourable than not, or conversely.

IELTS Online Query 2

Is there a greater number of advantages of X than disadvantages ? Or, instead, does X have more benefits than drawbacks?

This question is, in essence, the same as the first, or maybe approached in the same manner. They are not simply requesting that you count the benefits and drawbacks and only announce the side with the highest number! The question here is whether you believe the condition outlined in the question, for instance, becoming a celebrity is more right than wrong or more negative than positive. Individuals will have differing perspectives on this, but you are clearly being asked to affirm and defend the arguments for your point of view.

IELTS Online Query 3

What are the advantages and disadvantages of X? Alternatively, what are the benefits and drawbacks of X?

The issue above asks you to discuss all the benefits and drawbacks of the case, but it does not explicitly ask for your opinion, and you are not required to express it. That being said, there will be no punishment for including it, and you are free to do so if it appears more sensible to you. After all, you’re being asked what you think, because neither party has scientifically accurate responses. In all IELTS writing queries, your viewpoint is usually inferred, if not expressly specified.

Also Read: IELTS Essay in Writing Task 2: Here’s How to Organize it Well

IELTS Advantage Outweigh Disadvantage Essay Sample Questions Set 1

# Small enterprises are being phased out and replaced by big multinational corporations. Do the benefits of this outweigh the drawbacks?

# Many of the goods we purchase are manufactured in other countries. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of this and express your own view.

# After high school, a growing majority of students attend university rather than college. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of this for young people.

IELTS Advantage Outweigh Disadvantage Essay Sample Questions Set 2

# School kids are using computers in greater numbers than ever before. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of this and express your own view.

# As countries expand, more fast-food restaurants open in the region, providing locals with greater access to fast food. Do the benefits of this outweigh the drawbacks?

# Many firms want to hire from within their own ranks rather than from outside sources. Do the benefits of this outweigh the drawbacks?

# With the rise of social media, more people are finding their news online rather than via traditional print media. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of those who read news online.

Advantages and disadvantages essay questions are typically on social problems in both positive and negative aspects. You would be simply asked to present both sides of an argument. This form of the question is rather simple, but it does necessitate careful planning in order to reach a high score.

You should be able to achieve the dream band by adopting the IELTS essay writing guidelines, but remember to practise them on a regular basis.

Level up your IELTS exam preparation with excellent courses on IELTS Ninja .

Also Read: Importance of Art in Society: IELTS Essay Sample for IELTS Writing Task 2 Explained for Band 8

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Thank you for providing these sample questions, it was really helpful and valuable information, can you also provide a booklist for boosting vocabulary?

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Madhurjya chowdhury.

Madhurjya Chowdhury, a web content writer in Ufaber EduTech has a very strong passion for writing and alluring the readers. You can find him writing articles for the betterment of exam aspirants and children. With immense interest in research-based content writing and copywriting, he likes to reach out to more and more people with his creative writing style. On the other side, he is an Electronics and Communication Engineer from LPU, Jalandhar. In his leisure time, he likes to play badminton or read about space discoveries. Apart from this, he is a pro gamer on PC, PS and Mobile gaming platforms.

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Other stories, advantages and disadvantages of online learning: ielts writing task 2 topic, describe a time you saw something interesting on social media: cue card sample questions for the ielts examination.

• IELTS Academic Writing Task 2: Advantages / Disadvantages Essay – Structure and template

Questions for this type of IELTS essay might look like this:

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? What are the advantages and drawbacks?

For instance:

Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

HERE WE NEED SYNONYMS:

Advantages – Benefits – Positive Sides

Disadvantages – Drawbacks – Negative Sides

1) If you think that there are more ADVANTAGES:

1§ Introduction: Paraphrase the Task + My Opinion: more benefits (2 SENTENCES) 2§ The first advantage + Explanation + Example 3§ The second advantage + Explanation + Example OR result 4§ One drawback: On the other hand, … + Explanation + Example OR result 5§ Conclusion: sum up the benefits + My Opinion: more benefits (2 SENTENCES)

2) If you think that there are more DISADVANTAGES

1§ Introduction: Paraphrase the Task + My Opinion: more drawbacks (2 SENTENCES) 2§ The first disadvantage + Explanation + Example 3§ The second disadvantage + Explanation + Example OR result 4§ One benefit: On the other hand, … + Explanation + Example OR result 5§ Conclusion: sum up + My Opinion: more drawbacks (2 SENTENCES)

3) If you think that there are ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES at the same time. (Both)

1§ Introduction: Paraphrase the Task + My Opinion: benefits and drawbacks (2 SENTENCES) 2§ The first advantage + Explanation + Example. Moreover, + the second benefit + Explanation + Example. In addition, the third benefit + Explanation + Example. 3§ The first disadvantage + Explanation + Example. Moreover, + the second drawback + Explanation + Example OR result. In addition, the third negative side + Explanation + Example OR result

5§ Conclusion: sum up + My Opinion: benefits and drawbacks (2 SENTENCES)

1) and 2) structures are easier than 3) BUT this is all individual. Choose what suits your own ideas best. ALL 3 OPTIONS OF THE STRUCTURE WORK.

How to master IELTS Writing: Task 1 & Task 2

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• What to write in each paragraph
• What grammar to use
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• What vocabulary to use
• What you should write to get a high score

Bonus: IELTS Punctuation PDF Guide Everything you want to know to have correct punctuation in your IELTS Writing for 7.0-9.0 Score (31 pages, .PDF)

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Sample Essay Answer For An Advantages Outweigh The Disadvantages Writing Task 2 Question.

The International English Language Testing System(or IELTS) Exam is the worlds’ premier English language proficiency test. The exam is co-owned by the British Council, IDP Education Australia and Cambridge University and is offered around the world including in Singapore. The exam comprises of 4 sections for listening, reading, writing and speaking. The writing test is often thought to be the toughest component of the exam. Let’s take a look at one of the common essay questions that is asked in the writing component of the IELTS academic exam.

In the advantages and disadvantages essay question, you will be asked to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of a particular topic or issue. There are two types of Advantages/Disadvantages essays. In the first type, you need to simply discuss the advantages and disadvantages.

In the second type, you have to discuss the advantages and disadvantages AND give your opinion on whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages or vice versa. This type of advantages and disadvantages question is often considered more challenging and test-takers struggle to fully understand what is required of them. In this article, we will take a look at what constitutes a high scoring ‘do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages’ IELTS essay type and provide you with a band 9 sample/ model answer so that you can understand how to put these strategies and tips into good use.

Understanding The Question

It might not seem like a big difference, but the word ‘ outweigh ’ has a significant impact on the content and even the layout of your answer. Many students misunderstand the meaning of this word and incorrectly assume that if the advantages of a situation outweigh the disadvantages, it means that there are a greater number of advantages than disadvantages. This is highly incorrect. If the advantages of a situation outweigh the disadvantages, then this means that the advantages are of greater significance or importance than the disadvantages. Failing to understand this key difference in meaning often costs students valuable marks in the task achievement criteria.

Before you actually start writing, take a few minutes to analyse the question and come up with a few ideas. Try to think of valid points and examples to support each idea you come up with, as well as good topic-specific vocabulary that you could include in your essay.

Sample question:

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

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

Writing A Good Introduction

To write a good introduction you need to rephrase the question statement using synonyms and then write a brief outline (called a thesis statement) of what to expect in the upcoming paragraphs. Make sure that you clearly state your opinion in the introduction paragraph of your essay, in order to straight away give the examiner a clear idea that you have understood the meaning of the question. You could do this by stating something like ‘I believe that this has more benefits than drawbacks.’

Sample Introduction:

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

The Main Body Paragraphs

For these types of questions, it is usually customary to have two main body paragraphs, on for the advantages and one for the disadvantages. You should begin with whichever option you have decided has a greater impact. So if you are of the opinion that the advantages of a particular situation are more significant, then your first main body paragraph will be about the advantages.

We need to develop our rough ideas into a cohesive paragraph using good vocabulary and cohesive devices. Use one of your main ideas to create a topic sentence. The rest of the paragraph will expand on these ideas. One of the simplest ways to do this is to add an explanation.

You can also add an example (true or not) to further justify your stance. You simply need to repeat the same process for the second paragraph.

The Conclusion

A good conclusion will neatly end the essay by linking all your ideas together and sum up your arguments or opinions. You should not introduce any new ideas or make your conclusion too long. Every conclusion should include only two to three sentences. The first sentence is basically just a summary of your introduction. And the last sentence of your conclusion should either be a recommendation sentence or a prediction sentence.

Sample Conclusion:

To conclude, although tourism can have certain negative effects like the destruction of cultural heritage sites and the growth of the crime rate, it also has an extremely positive influence on country’s economy and provides a large number of new jobs for the local people. I believe that these benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks.  Governments should invest more effort, in terms of time and money, into organizing and managing the tourism sector.

Useful Vocabulary For The Advantages And Disadvantages Essay

• “In my opinion,”
• “From my perspective,”
• “In my view,”
• “From my point of view,”
• “Taking into account/consideration the fact that … I (firmly) believe…”
• “I (strongly) agree/disagree with the view that…”
• The first advantage of “this” is …”
• “There are many advantages to … and one of them is…”
• “The positive aspects of … are …”
• “The positive points include …”
• “Another positive aspect is …”
• “Another benefit is …”
• “Another advantage is …”
• “The benefits/ advantages are far more than the disadvantages.”
• “The first disadvantage of … is ….”
• “There are many negative aspects and one of them is…”
• “The drawbacks are…”
• “The negative points include…”
• “Another disadvantage is …”
• “One of the major disadvantages is the fact that….”
• “A negative consequence of … is …”
• “The disadvantages are far more than the positive aspects of this case.”

Sample Question:

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

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer:

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

The two main advantages of the developed tourism industry are a boost to the country’s economy and a large number of new job openings for the locals. To begin with, tourists spend money on a wide range of services , including hotels, amusements, transportation, food and medical services. In this way, tourism yields an additional income , which can greatly support the country’s economy. Secondly, tourism increases the level of employment within a country by creating new jobs in different sectors of the economy. For instance, the influx of tourists results in a larger demand for restaurant workers, tour guides, hotel staff and employees of retail services . Consequently, business owners are prompted to hire more people to fill these positions.

On the other hand, it should be noted that tourism also has some major disadvantages like the destruction of popular and pristine tourist destinations along with the development of illegal economic activities . Ancient buildings, temples and monuments are ill-equipped to cope with the vast amount of visitors. For example, many tourists have desecrated world heritage sites like the Great Pyramids of Giza, due to their ignorance and the resulting loss of such precious historical artefacts is immeasurable . Furthermore, the presence of a considerable number of wealthy tourists often carrying valuable s such as cameras and jewellery catches the attention of criminals and result in an increase in activities like robbery and drug dealing. However, proper hospitality management and correct usage of tourism revenue by the local government can eliminate these disadvantages.

Jonathan has been teaching students to prepare for the IELTS and PTE Exams for more than 10+ years. He's taught English to students in various countries in the world including Singapore, China, Australia, Canada and Colombia.

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• October 8, 2021

IELTS Writing Task 2: Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Sometimes, the rubric asks test takers to discuss both the advantages and disadvantages and then decide which one outweighs the other. This type of question asks for your opinion too, but it should only be about which side outweighs the other. You cannot disagree with both sides and express another. Your job is to compare both sides and say which one is stronger. That’s it!

Here’s the question we’re going to work on:

Some people regard video games as harmless fun, or even as a useful educational tool. Others, however, believe that video games are having an adverse effect on the people who play them. 

In your opinion, do the drawbacks of video games outweigh the benefits?

Step 1 :  Spend  2 minutes   reading and understanding the question . Once you have fully understood what the question asks of you, you can move on to the next step. Remember that every word counts! 

Step 2 :  Spend  8 minutes to come up with a plan , from introduction to conclusion. If you don’t do this step properly, it will be nearly impossible to get to band 7 or above.

Note 1 :  To learn how you can do steps 1 and 2 properly, take a look at  this article .

Note 2 :  It might be difficult for you to understand every part of my plan without reading my essay. My planning shows my thinking process with signs and shortened statements. I’ve put it here so that you see how I plan. Once you do your planning like this, it will make sense to you.

Here’s my plan:

Introduction: Paraphrase the question + Thesis statement

Playing vids…pastime activity…

while some…no harmful effects… and educationally beneficial… I…more harmful than…

Body paragraph 1: The advantages (not strong)

Main idea : sharper cognitive skills 

Support 1 : strategic video games → player has to analyze the movement of the enemy, familiarize with the environment, come up with a strategy, and move fast enough not to be eliminated in the game→ use critical thinking, spatial memory, and faster mental reaction. 

Support 2 : enjoyable = secretion of dopamine= hormone causes happiness and satisfaction

Body paragraph 2: The disadvantages (Stronger)

Main idea : two main drawbacks

Support 1 : Addictive: nonstop rewarding→player … in front of PC all the time→ Causes problem: do it instead of homework or replace social interactions

Support 2 : Sedentary lifestyle: most day… sit and play→health problems: obesity & high cholesterol level→ Diabetes & blocked arteries

Conclusion: Games might help the brain… but addictive = dire costs to education and health.

Step 3 : Write your full essay in 25 minutes.

Here’s my full essay:

Playing video games has become a popular pastime activity for many people. While it is claimed by some that such games do not have any harmful effects on players and are in fact educationally beneficial, I believe that playing them is more harmful than useful.

On the one hand, some video games might help players develop sharper cognitive skills. For instance, people who play strategic video games have to analyze the enemy movements, familiarize themselves with the virtual environment, think of a strategy, and react fast enough to fight the foes. All these require using critical thinking, spatial memory, and fast mental processing speed. Developing such skills will help students with subjects like mathematics and others with their careers. Moreover, playing video games has been reported to trigger the secretion of Dopamine, which is also called the pleasure-inducing hormone. Therefore, such a hobby can be a good exercise for the brain.

On the other hand, I would argue that there are two main drawbacks to such activities, which make the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. For one thing, playing such games can be highly addictive because they keep rewarding players for any little achievements in the game. As a result, gamers may choose to sit at their computers and spend a great deal of time playing. This becomes a problem when students opt to play games instead of doing their homework, or other people decide to replace social interactions in real life with virtual ones. For another, gamers spend a considerable portion of their day sitting and being physically inactive. This sedentary lifestyle leads to many health issues such as obesity and high cholesterol levels, resulting in more serious illnesses like diabetes and blocked arteries later in life. Hence I believe that playing video games is not as beneficial as some may believe.

In conclusion, playing video games seems to help players with their mental skills, but it comes with dire costs to their education and health.

(323 words)

Step 4 : Spend 5 minutes reviewing your essay and correcting your mistakes.

Here’s the summary of what you need to do:

• Read and completely understand the question in 2 minutes.
• Plan your essay in 8 minutes.
• Write your essay in 25 minutes.
• Review your work in 5 minutes.

Read about our Student's Success!

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Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

The Key to IELTS Books , The Key to IELTS Writing , Writing

Nov 16, 2018

Discussing Problems and solutions and advantages and disadvantages

I am often asked ‘ How should I answer questions about problems and solutions,  or questions where we need to say whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages ?”  The questions I’m asked often focus on numbers: ” How many paragraphs should write? Can I write about just one advantage and one disadvantage ?”

If you have read my free book, The Key to IELTS Success , then you will know that:

1) focusing on numbers is not a good idea, and

2) there is no special way to answer any question ‘type’ – all of the IELTS writing task 2 questions are marked according to the same criteria.

This means that you must always

• Address all parts of the task
• Respond to the question with relevant ideas that are extended and well supported, and
• Present a clear position throughout.

We know this because the Task response criteria for bands 7 to 9 tell us this.

From the criteria for Coherence and cohesion, we also know that you must organise your ideas into logical paragraphs so that your argument progresses in a logical way.

So, if your question presents an issue and then asks you to discuss problems and solutions, then you will need to 1) discuss any problems you can identify and 2) suggest solutions to these.

The way that you organise your ideas will always  depend on the issue you are presented with in the question and  your own personal feelings and response to that issue.

You may decide to

• Introduce the topic and the issue
• Discuss the main problems
• Discuss the possible solutions to these problems
• Reach a conclusion about the problems and solutions.

Or, if you are a more confident writer, you may decide that it is better to

• Discuss a problem and a solution to that problem
• Discuss a further problem and a possible solution
• Reach a conclusion about the problems and the solutions.

There is no single correct way to answer.

Similarly, if you are given an issue and then asked ‘  do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?’ , you could organise your essay like this:

• Discuss the advantages
• Discuss the disadvantages
• Reach a conclusion about whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Alternatively, you might decide to write about the disadvantages first.  The only thing that matters is that you

• think about what you will write
• present your ideas in a way that is logical (and that)
• makes your position clear. 

What do we mean by ‘the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?’

This question simply asks you to consider and discuss both the positive and the negative sides of an issue, then decide which ‘side’ you believe is more important. In other words, to decide whether you are prepared to accept the disadvantages because the advantages are so great.  A good example is cheap air travel – this can be uncomfortable, but many people are prepared to accept this for the greater advantage of traveling long distances quickly and relatively cheaply. So, for many people, the advantages of cheap air travel outweigh the disadvantages. However, others may disagree. They may feel very concerned about the environmental impact of air travel and so, for these people, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

When you are explaining a position that you genuinely hold, and that is based on your own experience, it is much easier to present a logical argument. Problems can occur when people do not stop to think about their position and write simply to complete the task and focus only on ‘how many ideas/paragraphs’ they are writing. As a result, their  argument  is not logical and so their position and their conclusions are not clear. 

For example, one essay sent to me by a follower of my page concluded that the advantages of sharing scientific  research  far outweighed the disadvantages. The main advantage he identified was that having access to information meant he could advise younger members of his family and help them to make career choices.   He then explained the main disadvantage: that a nuclear disaster had almost occurred near his home because of information being shared carelessly.  I am sure you can imagine that his paragraph about the nuclear disaster showed that the disadvantages were in fact terrible, and his paragraph about the advantages was not very clear or persuasive.

I suspect that this writer had not really thought about the issue and that he had simply written ‘I believe the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages’ in his introduction and conclusion because this was a template he had learned.   

Learn  about  writing a ‘balanced’ essay discussing both sides in this type of essay:  Writing a counter argument

My new book, The Key to IELTS Writing Task 2 will take you through the process of writing a balanced essay step by step .

The Official Guide to IELTS and my two Vocabulary books also show you how to organise and write about common topics in writing task 1 and 2.      You can buy my books here: 

60 Comments

Hi Pauline, I hope everything is going well with your new book. I have some questions about the IELTS writing and I’d appreciate it if you could help, because I don’t know any other reliable sources. My first question is about this topic from IELTS Cambridge 10;

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

In order to achieve a 9, do I need to talk about both the positive and the negative aspects of this development even if I think it has only negative effects? I’m asking this because in your free book you said for higher scores we need to look at both sides of an argument; can I say I believe this is only a negative development and only mention the negative effects and still achieve a 9?

How about a question that asks whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Can I say that in my opinion there are no disadvantages and only mention some advantages? Would that still qualify for a 9?

Hi Lock, the answer is in the Task Response criteria for bands 6 and 7. This tells us that, for answers at band 6 ‘some parts may be more fully covered than others’ while a band 7 answer ‘addresses all parts of the task’ If you omit the negatives then you are ignoring part of the question. If you cannot see any negatives at all, then you would need to explain this so that you are not ignoring it altogether. It would be even better if you could discuss the negatives but explain why you think these are not so bad. Can you really not see any negative effects of being able to buy the same products everywhere in the world? As I explain in my book, to get ideas, think of how this affects your local area – what about local businesses? How does this affect you or others when you travel?

Hi Pauline, Thanks for the reply. A sample answer is written by an examiner at the back of the book (and I assume this is a 9). However, no positive aspect is mentioned, and the examiner says that this is LARGELY detrimental to culture and traditions. I actually expected to read some of the negative effects this development could have, because “largely” does not mean entirely, and so I expected some discussion of the positive effects, but there is no such thing, can you explain why?

If you read the post I have linked to below, you will see that model answers are not helpful in establishing what you must do – this is because a native speaker who is a professional writer can address the criteria in very subtle ways. I haven’t read that sample, but it is a mistake to look at samples like this and try to work out a way to answer. There is no single way, the answers are written simply to show the question can be answered and there is not always a commentary to help. My new book will help to address this. Here is the post: https://keytoielts.com/model-answers-and-the-invisible-ielts-band-10/

I totally understand that and I have read your post about using samples before. My question is, regardless of what the examiner has written, can I state it clearly that I can’t see anything positive in this, and then go on to talk about the negative aspects? And if yes, is that true for a “Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages question?”? (I hope you don’t see it as me insisting on my point)

No, not at all, I do understand that you are simply trying to get a clear idea. Why not send me an answer to this question that follows the plan you are suggesting here, and then I can answer more easily. One other point to make is that you say ‘the examiner has written’. Don’t assume that an examiner wrote an answer unless you are told that. Another key point is that test writers may not be examiners and test writers are often asked to write sample answers. Examiners are not test writers and are often not professional writers – we don’t expect that food critics are great chefs.

I understand that, but the book says this sample is written by an examiner as an example of a very good answer. I will definitely send an answer based on the plan I told you. and by the way, if the question asks us to discuss the causeS of and solutionS for (plural) an issue, and we only discuss one solution or cause, will that mean a lower task response even if I say I believe there is only one solution to a problem? I read this on a website that claimed to have been written by an examiner that when asked to discuss the advantages/disadvantages or causes/solutions, and we only discuss only one advantage/disadvantage or only cause/solution, this reduces the task response to a 5 since this is addressing the question only partially. Is this true?

Ok, I just wanted to point out that many people assume answers are written by examiners and that examiners are also trained writers and test writers.

Thanks, how about what I read about task response on that website? Is that true?

Which website do you mean?

It was in an earlier comment I posted. I’ll repost it:

“If the question asks us to discuss the causeS of and solutionS for (plural) an issue, and we only discuss one solution or cause, will that mean a lower task response even if I say I believe there is only one solution to a problem? I read this on a website that claimed to have been written by an examiner that when asked to discuss the advantages/disadvantages or causes/solutions, and we only discuss one advantage/disadvantage or cause/solution, this reduces the task response to a 5 since this is addressing the question only partially. Is this true?

Firstly, I can’t speak for other websites because I don’t know those people and their experience or qualifications. Anyone can claim to be an examiner, in fact, examiners are not allowed to say that they are examiners on public forums such as a website. I would only listen to a senior examiner when it comes to making pronouncements like that. Personally, I do not believe that if someone argued very convincingly that, in fact, there was only one possible cause and only one possible solution that they would not achieve a high score in task achievement. I imagine that what this person meant by their comment was that you should not simply write about one problem/cause/solution or one /advantage/ disadvantage as it is highly unlikely that there is only one and doing that would result in an essay that is likely to be repetitive and possibly even too short. Secondly, again, examiners are not test writers. Test question writers are very careful to make sure that plurals are only used when necessary. Can you honestly think of an issue with only one advantage/disadvantage/problem/solution etc?

My point is that there are many many ways to approach an answer to a formal discursive essay. Looking at how a band 10 native speaker does it will not help you to understand what is possible for yourself. It just isn’t helpful in my view. What I am aiming to do in my next book is show you how to fix band 6-6.5 writing to create band 8 or 9 responses.

Yes, that’s true, thanks for your help.

No problem at all.

Hi Pauline, Is it possible to just have two body paragraphs, and discuss one MAIN problem/advantage in one body paragraph and one MAIN solution/ disadvantage in body paragraph two? Thanks,

Are you asking about whether you need to write about advantageS and disadvantageS and about problemS and solutionS (plural not singular)? If the question asks for more than one then this is what you must write about.

Hi Paulin, But you’ve already asserted that IELTS writing is not about numbers!

That’s correct. But if your task is to discuss ‘advantages’ and ‘disadvantages’ you only mention one, without explaining why, then you are not completing the task. My comment about numbers is that it is wrong to focus on how many examples; long words; complex sentences; etc. etc. you use. Just communicate clearly – but do answer the task you are given.

Hi Pauline, I have read all your IELTS advice about writing, I have also read all of your books including your free book, but somehow I am still confused. When the question asks us “to what extent we agree or disagree with something”, and I completely agree with it, can I simply present my reasons for agreement, or do I also HAVE TO present the reasons why some other people might disagree and refute their arguments? I know that presenting the opposite view and refuting it is one way to develop an argument, but my question is if this is obligatory for someone who wants to be a 9? I really appreciate your help, you’re the only reliable source that I can refer to.

Hi Lianaa, if you look through previous posts you will find a post about this and if you read chapter 7 again I do talk about this in that chapter. The main problem occurs when people are given 2 viewpoints and then choose to only talk about the one they agree with – you must not do this because then you are missing half of the question. If you are given only one viewpoint, then you can just explain your own agreement or disagreement if you are skilled enough to do that without repeating yourself. However, many candidates who are stuck at band 6 do not have the language skills to do this without repetition, which is why I recommend talking about both sides (why you agree and why you don’t believe the opposite). This allows you to talk about the whole issue in a balanced way and prevents repetition. The issue only occurs when there is one view given in the task.

Many thanks gor your detailed answer, actually I’ve read all your books and I’ve been following your blog for a long time, but I have never come across a question where there are two points of view and it asks us to what extent we agree or disagree, I thought when there are two views the question asks us to discuss both views and give our own opinion, do you have any examples for a question that has two views and asks us how much we agree or disagree?

Hi Lianna,you are correct to a certain extent. My worry is that people try to put their own limits on what is possible within a test question and this then becomes a problem if their test question does not fit within these limits. This problem is then compounded when people put their own limits on what or how you ‘must’ write (especially the incorrect advice that you ‘must only write about the opinion you agree with’. To illustrate their advice, they often write their own test questions. For example I have seen the following shared as ‘a recent actual question’ with the date and city also given: ‘In many countries, prison is considered the best way to decrease crime. However, education is often argued to be a more effective way. Which opinion do you most agree with?’ I can tell you that this is NOT an authentic question – it is a good example of people changing questions to make their own point. These questions then circulate around the internet as ‘proof’ and people use them as practice materials. If I change this question like this: ‘Some people believe that prison is not a good way to prevent crime and that education is more effective’ Can you see that it is possible to write more than one opinion within a statement and that both / all ideas must always be discussed no matter what the question following the statement looks like? I hope this makes my advice clearer.

I really appreciate it that you take the time to reply. Now I think I understand what you mean by two points of view. Do you think this question from Cambridge book 11 falls under the same category? “Governments should spend money on railways rather than roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree?” So here I should talk about both railways and roads even if I think governments should only spend money on roads? Am I right in thinking that? And the question I had at the beginning was if I think spending money on railways is a waste of money, do I HAVE TO reject this viewpoint after presenting its argument? I mean is this refuting the side that I disagree with necessary for someone who wants to achieve 8 or 9?

Yes, I have seen essay that only talk about or discuss railways in their answer and do not mention roads. If you agree that more money should be spent on railways then you would need to explain 1) why the railways deserve / need this money and 2) why roads do not You can’t simply refute the argument without discussing or mentioning the other side. You must discuss everything mentioned.

I’m sorry if I’m asking too many questions, but unfortunately there are only 5 pages in both your vocabulary books about writing and I couldn’t find the answer in the official guide either. when the prompt presents two viewpoints and the question asks us to discuss both views and give our own opinion, when I entirely agree with one viewpoint, do I also have to refute the other side of the argument in the paragraph where I present its argument, or should I simply present the argument FOR both views and say which one I agree with? I’m asking this because the band descriptors say that my position should be clear throughout, and honestly I don’t get it when the question wants me to discuss both views and give my own opinion, whether I need to present the argument for proponents of both viewpoints and then give my own without refuting the side I disagree with or should I reject one side if I agree with the other? (I’m sorry for a long question and many thanks for your help)

No problem at all Lianna. I explain this point in greater detail in my free book: The Key to IELTS Success. You’ll find it in chapter 7. You’ll also find information about how the language you use helps to convey your position (read chapters 3 and 4 for this). You won’t find the information in my earlier books because I was not aware that it was a problem until I began being told on social media problems about the different myths circulating regarding IELTS writing task 2. If you don’t have it already, you can find the link to the book here: https://keytoielts.com/product/ielts-teacher-the-key-to-ielts-success/

Hi again Pauline, I couldn’t reply your last comment so I’m writing a new post. Actually I have read your free book 3 times, and I am clear on the fact that I must discuss both views, but unclear about my discussion of the view I disagree with. I also know that I can show my disagreement through my use of language or by saying it directly, my question is whether I need to both present and refute the side I disagree with or should I simply present both sides (without refuting any) and then state where I stand on the question? For instance, in this question from Cambridge books: “Many people think that every individual is responsible for their own healthy lifestyle. Others believe that governments should take care of it. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.” If I simply write an essay such as:

Introduction: ……………. It’s the responsibility of every individual to look after their health.

Body paragraph 1: On the one hand, some people think that this responsibility lies with the government. These people believe ……………..

Body paragraph 2: On the other hand, I think it is our responsibility as individuals to look after our health ……………..

Conclusion: individuals not the government

So in the first body paragraph I have merely represented the arguments for the side I disagree with, and in the second body paragraph I have presented the arguments for the side I agree with (and I have made it clear by saying “I think”) Now in order for this essay to score 8 or 9, do I need to change the tone of my first body paragraph so that it shows my disagreement or simply presenting my own opinion in the second body paragraph (without refuting the other side) is enough? (I’m so sorry for asking many questions again, but I couldn’t find any model answers for discussing both views from you in your books)

Hi Lianna, why not write out this essay and send it to me so that I can be clear in making the point? It is always easier to understand an idea when using real language examples. Essentially, yes, the language you use to discuss the side you disagree with should make your disagreement clear. This is not only language but also the way that you present the ideas. Again, if you send me your answer I can demonstrate this.

I definitely will. Thank you so much for your help.

hi Pauline I really appreciate your efforts to clear each and ever doubt students have in their minds. my question is about CONCLUSION.Do i need to re-state my main ideas in the conclusion if so then isn’t it repetition? some people say that students shouldn’t write anything new in the conclusion like any suggestion, is it true? Thanks

Hi Karam, a lot of the confusion comes from the fact that you will always find examples that are different to the ‘rules’ you are given. The truth is that there is no one fixed way to write an essay. However, there ARE conventions that you should follow until you are at a level where you can break those rules (which is what skilled professional writers can do). With your conclusion, the convention that I teach is that you should sum up your main argument (which is your overall main idea) and make your conclusion clear. Too many conclusions I see consist of only one sentence – I don’t believe this is enough – you should aim to write at least 2 sentences. Those who lack language skills will simply repeat the same ideas and the same words, if you are band 7 or above, you will be able to sum up your ideas without repeating them (I am teaching this in my Key to IELTS Writing Workbook)

Hello Pauline, Cambridge 10 WT2 on Page 129: [Some parents buy their children a large number of toys to play with. What are the advantages and disadvantages for the child of having a large number of toys?] How should this question be approached? In the task, it is not specifically asking to give your opinion on whether advantages outweigh the disadvantages. But to keep a clear position throughout the response, it is natural to be inclined towards advantages or disadvantages. Please suggest, Thanks.

As I explain the chapter 7 of The Key to IELTS Success, you must always answer the question based on 1) The task you are given and 2) The criteria used to assess your answer. The Task response criteria makes it clear that you must always give your position. With a question like this I would give my personal view in the conclusion.

Hello Pauline Going through your blog was really enlightening I have a question. This is regarding essays with question type Do the advantages outweigh disadvantages?? Firstly,Can we write 2 paras for the advantages and one for the disadvantages to clarify the position?? Secondly,if we see the disadvantages more than the advantages can we take the opposite stand. In other words can we write more disadvantages than the advantages??

This post might help: https://keytoielts.com/do-the-advantages-outweigh-the-disadvantages/

Hi Pauline, I saw about your wrist on your Facebook page, I’m sorry about that, I hope you get well soon.

I asked a question under a more recent post, but I didn’t get a reply. Should I post my question here or you can’t answer questions until 7 weeks later?

You can post it here – I will try to answer hen I can – typing is tiring so I cannot give long answers.

Hi Pauline, In a task such as “Discuss the advantages and disadvantages” or “Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?”, would we loose mark if we talk about only ONE advantage and ONE disadvantage?

This post will answer that: https://keytoielts.com/do-the-advantages-outweigh-the-disadvantages/

Hi Mam, I can hope you are perfectly alright. Could you please review my essay and give you an expert opinion on it?

Some people prefer to live in a house, while others feel that there are more advantages to living in an apartment. Are there more advantages than disadvantages of living in a house compared with living in an apartment?

Presently, few people believe that living in a house is a better idea. However, some others argue that living in an apartment would be very beneficial for them. There are a number of reasons why living in a house is always a good decision. So, that’s right living in house has more advantages that I will discuss in forthcoming paragraphs.

There could be several reasons why people prefer to live in houses. Primarily, when you live in a house, you feel a sense of ownership because you do not need to worry about paying rent and other multiple fees to third body. For instance, if someone is living in a house, they just care about their own premises, as they are the sole owners of their houses. Infact, if something got damaged in their house, they really do not need to pay any external authorities that will charge them in terms of depreciation. Moreover, you are responsible for any major wear and tear in your house. Mostly, people prefer to fix all those things on their own. Thus, people tend to live in the houses.

Furthermore, people feel more comfort and peace in their life when they live in their own house. Because they are not concerned about answering to anyone about anything, they feel more confidence in their personal life. Also, you are not bound to obey any rules and regulations like people living in apartments have to face routinely. For example, a fixed parking space is allocated to each tenant in parking lots and they need to park their vehicles there, but house owners can park their cars in garages. Infact, they park their cars right in front of their house and no one would ask them about it. So, people find it useful about living in a house.

In conclusion, I would like to say that people who are living in houses are blessed with countless benefits as they are independent in their respective premises. Also, they are expected to respect the general rights of people living nearby. But they do not need to worry about extra expenses at all like tenants have to bear on a daily basis.

(353 Words)

Hi Mohsin, I don’t have time to give detailed feedback right now but your main problem seems to be that you have misunderstood the question. You seem to believe that living in a house is the same as owning a house, and that living in a flat means only renting. So, your discussion is about owning V renting. In fact, you can own or rent a house or a flat. The question is asking about which it is better to live in. Also, be careful not to change the meaning of the question – the first sentence of your introduction is different to what the question states (few = not many, which is not the same as ‘some’)

Thanks a lot, mam for your insightful review. Your points are very helpful for me, and I have not got any sort of good feedback so far. So, does my essay lack relevant ideas if I am not wrong? For such an essay, what could be more suitable and relevant ideas? Any suggestion please? Thanks.

Kind Regards, Mohsin.

Hi Mohsin, you have effectively changed the question to: ‘Some people think it is better to rent a flat, other people think is it better to own a house.’ These are both very different propositions. Because of that, your answer has more issues than a lack of relevant ideas. Always answer the very specific question you are given and spend time thinking before you begin writing.

Thanks a lot, Mam. I would be very careful for the next time. And I really appreciate the way you gave me in-depth feedback. Stay blessed mam and take very good care of yourself!

Hello Ms Pauline, In response to a question like that “Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?”, when should I state my opinion unreservedly (e.g. I believe that)? in the conclusion only? or in both the introduction and conclusion?

Read chapter 7 of The key to IELTS Success – I discuss this in detail there.

Thanks for your reply. I have read it, but I would appreciate if you could give me a short (and direct) answer :).

I would really recommend you re-read the chapter. It isn’t enough to read the book once – you need to read, process, re-read, then apply the ideas in your practice. There isn’t always a short, simple answer to complex issues and I do discuss this in detail in chapter 7.

hye, Pauline mam mam, may i use weaker modals to show opposite side and strong modals to show my possition in paragraphs, if question asks my opinion

Can you give me an example? I’m not sure what you mean by weak and strong modals.

Hi, Pauline. I wonder if I need to say which outweighs which every time – since sometimes I feel both advantages and disadvantages are great, and I think both are of equal weight. Can I say that in the IELTS writing?

Hi Thomas, you need to answer the question – it doesn’t matter what your response is, only that you answer it. In other words, it can be ‘x outweighs y’ ‘Y outweighs X’ or ‘actually I think they’re as bad / good as each other.’ Just don’t ignore it.

That’s clear to me. Thank you.

What a valuable piece of advice… It answered my questions in details… Thanks

Hello Pauline, Could you please explain how I can make my position clear when answering questions related to advantages and disadvantages as well as questions where I need to explain both points of views? I looked at a sample writing you posted, but it was only explaining only one stance where you either agree or disagree, and I quite understand how this works here. However, in questions like “advantages and disadvantages” are where I struggle. My imagination is that if I agree that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, I kind of dedicate a paragraph for the advantages and how I agree with them and a paragraph explaining the disadvantages and how I believe they are less important in the same paragraph. Afterwards, I follow this up with a conclusion where I state my opinion clearly. Is this how it should be done? Or should I explain the advantages and disadvantages with a neutral stance before stating my opinion? Thank you so much

Hi Hazem, my new course shows you how to do this step by step and explains where you are going wrong. I take you step by step through the writing process from getting ideas, to planning, then writing and checking. I also show you how to make sure your position is clear throughout. I will be sharing a link to the course very soon.

Hey Pauline, can we use counter arguments in do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages essays? in the first paragraph, I can write about the advantages (2 ideas) in the second paragraph I can write about one disadvantage and then present a counter argument. how does that sound?

Yes, that’s a good plan – as long as you make it clear that this is a ‘counterargument’ and not something you agree with (the most common problem I see). My new book outlines the main problems and shows how to address them.

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The Key to IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Part 3 Video worksheet

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Advantages / Disadvantages Outweigh # Tips

Advantages and disadvantages are the most common questions that are asked in IELTS. And often instead of simply asking to state the benefits and drawbacks you are asked whether the Advantages / Disadvantages Outweigh the other. But then how must you answer such questions? Well, given below are some tips that could be helpful in writing essays of this kind.

• Find out ideas supporting both the sides. The question is asking for your opinion.
• Find out which one do you support more? Advantages or disadvantage? The answer to this question must form the thesis statement.

Advantages / Disadvantages Outweigh

• Use the word outweigh
• Explain that there are more advantages than disadvantages
• Avoid using some phrases for your thesis statement
• In the first body paragraph, state the details of the side that you are against off. Explain using examples.
• In the second body paragraph, state the details of the side you support. Support the point with reasons.
• Restate your opinion in the conclusion in a different language. Make sure that your point of view is clearly explained

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