Types:

1. Advantages and disadvantages

2. Problems and solutions
3. Opinion
4. Discussion
Advantages and disadvantages
Structure 1:
 Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase question
Sentence 2- Thesis statement (your opinion)
Sentence 3- Outline sentence
 Main Body Paragraph 1 (Advantages)
Sentence 4- Topic Sentence
Sentence 5- Explain
Sentence 6- Example
 Main Body Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages)
Sentence 7- Topic Sentence
Sentence 8- Explain
Sentence 9- Example
 Main Body Paragraph 3 (Opinion)
Sentence 10- Explain opinion
Sentence 11- Explain or give example
 Conclusion
Sentence 12 – Summary of main points
Topic: Computers are becoming an essential part of education.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your own opinion.

Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase question: Information technology is becoming a
ubiquitous part of learning.
Sentence 2- Thesis statement (your opinion): This essay will show that
this is a welcome development and can enhance educational practice.
Sentence 3- Outline sentence: It will first suggest that the instant
availability of huge amounts of information is the primary advantage,
followed by a discussion of how it can sometimes lead to plagiarism.
Main Body Paragraph 1 (Advantages)

Sentence 4- Topic Sentence

The main benefit computers bring to learners is easy access to vast
amounts resources.
Sentence 5- Explain
Learners were once limited to the books they had and the
knowledge of their teacher, now they can learn about anything
they choose at the touch of a button. 
Sentence 6- Example
Google is a prime example, because it allows people to easily
search for whatever they are looking for quickly and accurately.
 Main Body Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages)

Sentence 7- Topic Sentence

One possible drawback is that using the internet to complete academic
work can sometimes lead to pupils copying articles from the internet.
Sentence 8- Explain
As a result, students do not have to think about their tasks and learn very
little.
Sentence 9- Example
The Sunday Times recently reported that 72% of college graduates in the
UK admitted to copying and pasting Wikipedia articles at least once.
Main Body Paragraph 3 (Opinion)

Sentence 10- Explain opinion

Overall, it is a very positive development because most students
will take advantage of the power of the information superhighway
to enhance their studies, rather than using it to cheat.
Sentence 11- Explain or give example
For example, in 2005 Cambridge University found that students
who regularly used a computer were 26% more likely to get a
first-class degree than those who did not.
Conclusion

Sentence 12 – Summary of main points

In conclusion, the web has provided a gateway to

knowledge unlike anything seen before and although
it can sometimes lead to a few taking the easy route
and plagiarizing, it is a very positive step in the
evolution of education.
 Information  technology  is  becoming  a  ubiquitous  part  of  learning.  This  essay  will  show  that  this  is  a  welcome 
development  and  can  enhance  educational  practice.  It  will  first  suggest  that  the  instant  availability  of  huge 
amounts  of  information  is  the  primary  advantage,  followed  by  a  discussion  of  how  it  can  sometimes  lead  to 
plagiarism.
 The main benefit computers bring to learners is easy access to vast amounts resources. Learners were once limited 
to the books they had and the knowledge of their teacher, now they can learn about anything they choose at the 
touch  of  a  button.  Google  is  a  prime  example,  because  it  allows  people  to  easily  search  for  whatever  they  are 
looking for quickly and accurately.
 One possible drawback is that using the internet to complete academic work can sometimes lead to pupils copying 
articles  from  the  internet.  As  a  result,  students  do  not  have  to  think  about  their  tasks  and  learn  very  little.  The 
Sunday  Times  recently  reported  that  72%  of  college  graduates  in  the  UK  admitted  to  copying  and  pasting 
Wikipedia articles at least once.
 Overall,  it  is  a  very  positive  development  because  most  students  will  take  advantage  of  the  power  of  the 
information superhighway to enhance their studies, rather than using it to cheat. For example, in 2005 Cambridge 
University  found that students who regularly  used a computer were 26% more likely to get a first­class degree 
than those who did not.
 In  conclusion,  the  web  has  provided  a  gateway  to  knowledge  unlike  anything  seen  before  and  although  it  can 
sometimes  lead  to  a  few  taking  the  easy  route  and  plagiarizing,  it  is  a  very  positive  step  in  the  evolution  of 
education.

Structure 2
 Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase question
Sentence 2- Outline sentence
 Supporting Paragraph 1 (Advantages)
Sentence 3- Topic sentence (Advantage 1)
Sentence 4- Explain how this is an advantage
Sentence 5- Example
 Supporting Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages)
Sentence 6- Topic sentence (Disadvantage 1)
Sentence 7- Explain how this is a disadvantage
Sentence 8- Example
 Conclusion
Sentence 9- Summary of main points
TOPIC:
 Insome countries young people are encouraged
to work or travel for a year between finishing
high school and starting university studies.
 Discussthe advantages and disadvantages for
young people who decided to do this.
 Before embarking on college many young people are advised that a year working or
travelling may be a good option. This essay will suggest that saving money is the biggest
advantage of this and a reduced motivation to study is the primary disadvantage.
 Third level education is very expensive and lots of students decide to work for 12 months
and save up money before they begin their studies. This allows them to pay for their living
costs, tuition fees and accommodation and focus on their studies, rather than struggle
financially or have to get a part time job on top of their academic work. The Times
recently reported that the average student at a UK university requires over $12,000 per
annum just to survive and many drop out because they cannot afford to stay.
 Despite these advantages, many students often get used to working or travelling and don’t
want to return to a life of study after a year off. This short term view can cause some 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 done. For instance, a
recent survey by the British Government found that 26% of students who take a gap-year
never enter tertiary education.
 In conclusion, taking a break from studies can be advantageous if it allows people to
gather up savings, however, they should also be careful that it does not lead to
disillusionment with education altogether.
(252 words)
 Some experts believe that it is better for children to
begin learning a foreign language at primary schools
rather than secondary school.
Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Structure 3
 Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase question
 Main Body Paragraph 2 (Weaker
Side)
Sentence 2- Thesis statement (state which one outweighs
the other) Sentence 10- Topic Sentence
Sentence 3- Outline sentence Sentence 11- Explain why it is not
 Main Body Paragraph 1 (Stronger Side) strong
Sentence 4- Topic Sentence Sentence 12- Example
Sentence 5- Explain why it is strong
 Conclusion
Sentence 6- Example
Sentence 13- Summary of main
Sentence 7- Topic Sentence
points and restate position.
Sentence 8- Explain why it is strong
Sentence 9- Example
 Some authorities think that it is more favorable 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 it will seem perfectly normal to speak bilingually. For example, in countries such as Holland
and Norway where English is taught from a very young age, more than 95% of 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. A recent survey by Cambridge University
found that children who studied a new language before the age of 5 were 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. Do Nhat Nam 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 uptake of native languages.
 (299 words)
Problems and solutions
 Introduction
 Sentence 1: Paraphrase the problem
 Sentence 2: Outline sentence
 Sentence 3: (your opinion if asked)
 Body
 Problems: Sentence 4: State problem. Sentence 5: Explain what problem is. Sentence 6: What is the result of
this problem. Sentence 7: Example.
 Solutions: Sentence 8: State solution. Sentence 9: Explain how the solution will solve the problem. Sentence
10: Example.
 Conclusion:
Sentence 11- Summary of main points in paragraphs 2 and 3
Sentence 12- Prediction or recommendation

The conclusion should have no new ideas but instead should simply list the main points from the
previous two paragraphs. You can also use synonyms in this paragraph to avoid repetition.
 Globalwarming is one of the biggest threats
humans face in the 21st Century and sea levels
are continuing to rise at alarming rates. 
 Whatproblems are associated with this and
what are some possible solutions. 
Question- Global warming is one of the biggest
threats humans face in the 21st Century and sea
levels are continuing to rise at alarming rates. 

Paraphrased- Climate change is among the

principal dangers facing people this century and
ocean levels are increasing dramatically.
Our outline sentence

 This essay will first suggest that the

biggest problem caused by this
phenomenon is the flooding of homes and
then submit building flood protection as
the most viable solution. 
Intro:

Climate change is among the principal dangers

facing people this century and ocean levels are
increasing dramatically. This essay will first
suggest that the biggest problem caused by this
phenomenon is the flooding of homes and then
submit building flood protection as the most
viable solution. 
Body

State problem:
The foremost problem caused by climbing sea
levels is the flooding of peoples’ residences.
Explain:
Millions of people all over the world live in coastal
areas and if the sea rises by even a few
centimeters, they will be inundated with water and
lose their property.
Result:
Shelter is one of the most basic of human
needs and widespread flooding would cause
millions of people to become homeless, not
to mention losing all of their possessions.
Example:
The devastation brought about by widespread
flooding was clear for all to see during the
2011 Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of
people were displaced.
Solution

State solution:
A possible solution to this problem would be
to build flood barriers.
 Explain solution:
Flood defences, such as dikes, dams, and
floodgates,  could be built along coasts and
waterways, thereby stopping the water
reaching populated areas.
 Example:

The Netherlands is one of the most populated

areas in the world and also one of the most
vulnerable to flooding and they have successfully
employed various flood defence systems.
Conclusion

Restate: To conclude, stemming the rising tides caused

by increasing global temperatures is one of the foremost
challenges we face and it will ultimately lead to many of
the worlds’ cities being left underwater, but a possible
solution could be to utilise the flood prevention
techniques already used by countries like Holland.
Prediction: It is predicted that more and more countries
will be forced to take such measures to avoid a watery
catastrophe.
Climate change is among the principal dangers facing people this century and ocean levels are increasing
dramatically. This essay will first suggest that the biggest problem caused by this phenomenon is the flooding of
homes and then submit building flood protection as the most viable solution.

The foremost problem caused by sea levels creeping up is the flooding of peoples’ residences. Millions of people all
over the world live in coastal areas and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they will be inundated with water and
lose their property. Shelter is one of the most basic of human needs and widespread flooding would cause millions of
people to become homeless, not to mention losing all of their possessions. The devastation brought about by this
was clear for all to see during the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people were displaced.

A possible solution to this problem would be to build flood barriers. Flood defences, such as dikes, dams and
floodgates, could be built along coasts and waterways, thereby stopping the water reaching populated areas. The
Netherlands is one of the most populated areas in the world and also one of the most vulnerable to flooding and
they have successfully employed various flood defence systems.

To conclude, stemming the rising tides caused by increasing global temperatures is one of the foremost challenges
we face and it will ultimately lead to many of the worlds’ cities being left underwater, but a possible solution could
be to utilise the flood prevention techniques already used by countries like Holland. It is predicted that more and
more countries will be forced to take such measures to avoid a watery catastrophe.

(298 words)
 Opinion: Agree or Disagree?
 Introduction 
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question
Sentence 2- Thesis Statement (It is agreed…/It is disagreed…/This essay
agrees/disagrees…)
Sentence 3- Outline Sentence (This essay will discuss….)
 Main Body Paragraph 1 
Sentence 4- Topic Sentence
Sentence 5- Explain Topic Sentence
Sentence 6- Example
 Main Body Paragraph 2
Sentence 7- Topic Sentence
Sentence 8- Explain Topic Sentence
Sentence 9- Example
 Conclusion 
Sentence 10- Summary and opinion
 Some people believe that unpaid community
service should be a compulsory part of high school
programmes (for example working for a charity,
improving the neighborhood or teaching sports to
younger children).
 To what extent do you agree or disagree?
 Sample Answer
 It is argued that volunteering should be made part of the school curriculum. This essay agrees with
that suggestion completely because of the benefits it brings to pupils. The essay will first look at how
voluntary work can help students develop soft skills and then discuss how these extracurricular
activities are valued by universities and employers.
 Education should not be limited to strictly academic pursuits and those in education should also
develop life skills, such as teamwork, empathy and self-discipline, and one of the best ways to hone
these aptitudes is through community service. Serving those less fortunate than ourselves teaches us
many lessons including how to work with people from other backgrounds and the value of hard work.
For example, I personally volunteered to spend 6 weeks in Hau Giang teaching disadvantaged children
and this led to a much higher work ethic when I returned to my studies.
 Many colleges and companies are also increasingly looking for this type of experience. Most school
leavers have the same grades and charitable works can help set you apart from the herd. For
example, Cambridge and Oxford receive thousands of applications from straight-A students every year
and can only accept a small percentage of applicants. What you have done outside the classroom is
often the thing that differentiates you from everyone else and gets you that coveted spot.
 In conclusion, teenagers should be made to partake in unpaid work as part of their schooling because
it will help them learn things they wouldn’t ordinarily learn from their teachers and it will also boost
their chances of getting into third level education.
Discussion
 Introduction 
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question
Sentence 2- State Both Points of View
Sentence 2- Thesis Statement
Sentence 3- Outline Sentence
 Main Body Paragraph 1
Sentence 1- State first viewpoint
Sentence 2- Discuss first viewpoint
Sentence 3- Reason why you agree or disagree with viewpoint
Sentence 4- Example to support your view
 Main Body Paragraph 2
Sentence 1- State second viewpoint
Sentence 2- Discuss second viewpoint
Sentence 3- Reason why you agree or disagree with viewpoint
Sentence 4- Example to support your view
 Conclusion 
Sentence 1- Summary
Sentence 2- State which one is better or more important
 Computers are being used more and more in
education. Some people say that this is a
positive trend, while others argue that it is
leading to negative consequences.
 Discuss both sides of this argument and then
give your own opinion.
 There is an ever increasing use of technology, such as tablets and laptops, in the classroom. It is
often argued that this is a positive development, whilst others disagree and think it will lead
to adverse ramifications. This essay agrees that an increase in technology is beneficial to students
and teachers. This essay will discuss both points of view.
 It is clear that the internet has provided students with access to more information than ever
before. Moreover, learners have the ability to research and learn about any subject at the touch
of a button. It is therefore agreed that technology is a very worthwhile tool for education.
Wikipedia is a prime example, where students can simply type in any keyword and gain access to
in-depth knowledge quickly and easily.
 However, many disagree and feel that technology deprives people of real human interaction.
Human interaction teaches people valuable skills such as discourse, debate and empathy. Despite
this, human interaction is still possible through the internet and this essay disagrees technology
should be dismissed for this reason. For instance, Skype and Facebook make it possible for people
to interact in ways that were never before possible.
 In conclusion, while the benefits of technology, particularly the internet, allow students to tap in
to limitless sources of information, some still feel that people should be wary of this new
phenomenon and not allow it to curb face to face interaction. However, as long as we are careful
to keep in mind the importance of human interaction in education, the educational benefits are
clearly positive.
 (266 words)
Introduction writing
 Common Problems
1. Talking too generally about the topic.
Most of these essays start off with ‘Nowadays……’ or ‘In modern life….’ followed by general information
about the topic. In my opinion, this is the worst start you can possibly make. Remember that you are
supposed to answer the question not write generally about the topic.
2. Not including a thesis statement
This is the most important sentence in the essay. Not including one will lose you marks in several
different ways. I will tell you more about this below.
3. Not outlining what you are going to do
If you don’t include a sentence outlining what your essay will say, the examiner doesn’t really know
what you are going to write about in the rest of your essay. This will also lose you marks. I’ll show you how
to write an outline sentence below.
4. Trying to write a ‘hook’ or be entertaining
There are no extra points for being interesting, in fact being boring will probably help you. This will
help you avoid ‘flowery’ language.
5. Using an informal style
Know your audience. You are expected to write in an academic style.
An opinion essay should have three sentences and
these three sentences should be:

 Paraphrase question
 Thesis statement
 Outline statement
Question: There is a good deal of
evidence that increasing car use is
contributing to global warming
and having other undesirable
effects on people’s health and
well-being.
 Increasing
 Car use
 Global warming
 People’s health and well-
being
Paraphrase: Rising global
temperatures and human health and
fitness issues are often viewed as
being caused by the expanding use of
automobiles.
 Expanding
 use of automobiles
 rising global temperatures
 human health and fitness
Thesis statement:
 This essay agrees that increasing use of motor vehicles is
contributing to rising global temperatures and certain
health issues.
 You should start your thesis statement with:
 This essay agrees that….. or this essay disagrees that….. (Opinion
essays)
 The main cause(s) of this issue is….. (Causes and solutions)
 The principal advantage(s) is (xxxxx) and the main disadvantage is
(xxxxxx). (Advantages and disadvantages).
For a discussion (of two points of view) essay you should
state both points of view clearly.

 Some aspects of celebrity culture have a bad influence on young people.

 To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

 To keep things simple, we have two options-

 Agree that some aspects of celebrity culture have a bad influence on young people.
 Disagree that some aspects of celebrity culture have a bad influence on young people.
 My essay will argue that celebrity culture does have a bad influence and my thesis
statement will there be:
 This essay agrees that the some famous people’s lifestyles have a detrimental effect on
the youth of today.
 I have stated my opinion in one sentence and used synonyms to make sure I don’t
just repeat the question.
Outline statement
 Question:There is a good deal of evidence that
increasing car use is contributing to global warming and
having other undesirable effects on people’s health and
well-being.
 Outline statement: Firstly, this essay will discuss the
production of greenhouse gases by vehicles and secondly,
it will discuss other toxic chemicals released by internal
combustion engines.
 Main body paragraph 1- production of greenhouse gases by cars.
 Main body paragraph 2- toxic chemical produced by car engines.
 Foradvantages and disadvantages essays
and problem and solution essays you could
write something like this:
 Advantages and disadvantages: this essay
will first discuss the (main advantage(s))
followed by an analysis of the (main
disadvantage(s)).
 Problem and Solution: This essay will
analyse the principal problem(s) and offer
solutions to this issue.
Conclusion:
 Conclusion Quick Tips
1. Never write any new ideas in your conclusion. A conclusion should always simply
restate the ideas you have in the rest of the essay. New ideas should be in the main
body and not in the conclusion.
2. Make sure you answer the question in the conclusion. The conclusion should state
what you think about the question and make it clear how you feel about the issue.
3. Vary your language. Just because you are restating the ideas you have in the rest of
your essay, doesn’t mean you use the same language. Instead you show the examiner
you have a wide vocabulary by paraphrasing.
4. Don’t try to include everything. You are not required to go into detail, you have
already done that in your main body paragraphs. Instead you will just summarise
your main points.
5. Always write one. It is very difficult to get a good score in task 2 if you haven’t
finished your essay with a conclusion. Even if you are running out of time, make sure
you write one.
6. Two sentences are enough. 
Linking phrases
 First you should start with a linking phrase, but some are better than others . Here are some
examples:
 Finally
 In a nutshell
 In general
 In conclusion
 To conclude
 Finally isn’t really suitable because it indicates that you are making a final point and
therefore a new idea. Finally belongs in the main body of your essay, not the conclusion.
 In a nutshell is too informal and we should never use it in IELTS conclusions.
 In general tells the reader you are going to talk generally about a topic. This is not what we
are going to do in our conclusion and we should therefore not use it.
 In conclusion and to conclude are the only two linking phrases you should use to start your
conclusion. They tell the reader exactly what the paragraph is about and they are formal.
How to Write a Good Conclusion
Restating the main points of your
essay
Varying your vocabulary by
paraphrasing
Introduction

 It is argued that students should be taught real life

skills, like how to look after money. This essay agrees
that they should be part of the curriculum. The essay
will first discuss how everyday competencies benefit
people later in life and then talk about the dangers of
not being taught how to manage money at an early age. 
Conclusion

 In conclusion, this essay supports the idea that

teenagers ought to be taught functional subjects like
financial planning because it helps them in adulthood
and a lack of education related to these topics can have
serious consequences. 
Introduction

 Contemporary advances have a serious effect on the

planet. While I appreciate that critics may hope that
people will shun the latest developments, I believe that
technology itself can give us an answer.  This essay will
first discuss how not using electronics is unfeasible,
followed by a discussion of how science is now coming
up with ways to reverse global warming and pollution. 
Conclusion

 In conclusion, this essay acknowledges

that technological progress does jeopardise the planet,
but cutting-edge discoveries can actually halt and even
heal this destruction. 
Adding a Prediction or Recommendation to Our
Conclusion (optional) 

 In conclusion, this essay supports the idea that teenagers

ought to be taught functional subjects like financial
planning  because it helps them in adulthood and a lack of
education related to these topics can have serious
consequences. It is recommended that governments make
this a compulsory part of the education system. 
 In conclusion, this essay acknowledges that technological
progress does jeopardise the planet, but cutting-edge
discoveries can actually halt and even heal this
destruction. It is predicted that climate change will
be successfully tackled with such inventions.