PROBLEM-SOLUTION

ESSAY
1. Understanding problem-solution essay topics
2. Organizing your ideas
3. Writing Thesis Statement
4. Developing body paragraphs
5. Writing Conclusion
UNDERSTANDING PROBLEM-SOLUTION ESSAY
TOPICS
Exercise: Read the essay questions below. Which one asks you to write an
opinion essay and which one is for problem-solution essay? The underlined
words may help you to reach your decision.
1. Many newspapers and magazines feature stories about the private lives of
famous people. We know what they eat, where they buy their clothes and who
they love. Is it appropriate for a magazine or newspaper to give this kind of
private information about people? What do you think? Write an essay about the
issue explaining your reasons.
Opinion Essay

2. Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems. Identify one or

two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle
these problems.
Problem-Solution Essay

3. Procrastination is the practice of carrying out less urgent tasks in preference to

more urgent ones, or doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable
ones, and thus putting off tasks to a later time, sometimes to the "last minute".
Procrastination is very common in university students. Why is it a problem and
how can a student avoid procrastinating?
Problem-Solution Essay
2. ORGANIZING YOUR IDEAS
STEP 1: Understand the essay topic and ask some questions.

Sample Essay topic: Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems. Explain
the problems and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems.

To explain the problem(Body paragraph #1), think about the

answers to these similar questions:
 What are the problems that overpopulation causes in
cities?
 What are the consequences of overpopulation in cities?
 What happens when the cities are overpopulated?
 Why is it a problem?
STEP 2: GATHERING INFORMATION/BRAINSTORMING
Find answers to your questions in Step 1 and write as many ideas as you can in your
chart.
BODY PARAGRAPH #1 (EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM)
Problems in public
difficult to transportation
provide
greater poverty services for all
people
Crowded buses,
trains, metro

Overpopulation
Automobile
exhaust in cities
large volumes of
uncollected waste

the loss of habitat and

air pollution significant impact food sources
on human health
STEP 3: CLASSIFYING IDEAS for describing the PROBLEM (BODY PAR. #1)
Now, classify your ideas under more general topics. This will help you decide which ideas can be supporting ideas and
which ideas can be used for justifications (examples, explanations) in your body paragraph #1 .
Find at least 2 different ideas. (There are 3 different ideas below.)

BODY PARAGRAPH 1:

Overpopulation in
cities

Problems in public Environmental

People’s health(1st supporting
services(2nd supporting problems(3rd
idea)
 Air pollution(automobile idea) sup.idea-optional)
exhaust, houses, factories)  the loss of
 Uncollected waste habitat for
Ex: Lung/respiratory diseases
 crowded buses, metro animals
 large volumes of
 heavy traffic  loss of food
uncollected waste
Ex: infectious diseases sources
 stress, depression  Loss of forests
2. ORGANIZING YOUR IDEAS

STEP 4:Now, it is time to think about the second part of the

essay topic.(Body paragraph #2)

Sample Essay topic: Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems.
Explain the problems and suggest ways that governments and individuals can
tackle these problems.

To suggest solutions(Body paragraph #2), think about the

answers to these similar questions:
 What are the solutions?/How can this problem be solved?
 What can governments do to get rid of these problems?
 What should individuals/citizens/people do to solve them?
 How can we overcome these problems?
STEP 5: FINDING SOLUTIONS
Now look back at the problems one by one and create solutions for each.

(BODY PARAGRAPH #1)

(BODY PARAGRAPH #2)

 reducing air pollution by upgrading

People’s health
energy use and alternative transport
 Air pollution(automobile exhaust,
systems
houses, factories)  providing free health care for the
Ex: Lung/respiratory diseases
citizens
 large volumes of uncollected waste
 providing free psychological
Ex: infectious diseases
counselling for the citizens
 stress, depression

 More investment on public

Problems in public services
transportation
 More trains, longer metro lines,
 Uncollected waste
less cars in traffic
 crowded buses, metro
 Motivating people not to waste
 heavy traffic
food and to recycle
Now that you have decided the content of body
paragraphs, you are ready to start writing your essay.

REMEMBER the paragraph plan of problem-solution

essay:

Paragraph 1: Introduction
General Statements
Thesis Statement

Paragraph 2: Description of the problem (Body p.#1)

Paragraph 3: Solution to the problem (Body #2)
Paragraph 4: Conclusion
 3. WRITING THE THESIS STATEMENT
Thesis statement in Problem-Solution essay should have two parts:

Part 1: Expressing the general problem Part 2: hint about the solution

expressing the general problem

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems. However,

there are still several things that governments and individuals can do in
expressing the problem order to overcome these problems.

hint about the solution

Exercise 1: Write a thesis statement for the given problem-solution essay topics.

Example:
Topic 1: During the last weeks of the academic year, there is a
decrease in students’ motivation. What are the reasons for this
problem and how can it be solved? expressing the general problem
Thesis statement:
University students may lose their interest in the lessons at the end
of the year, yet there are many things that can done to prevent this.
hint about the solution

Write 2 alternative thesis statements:

University students usually feel demotivated in their studies towards the end
of the year. However, we can still do many things to solve this problem.

 There is always a loss of concentration and motivation among university

students at the end of the semestre, but this can still be prevented by taking
some specific steps.
Developing the body paragraph #1 (describing the
problem)
Sample essay topic: Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems.
Explain the problems and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle
these problems.

Topic sentence for Body Paragraph#1:

There are many problems associated with overpopulation in
cities.
Write alternative topic sentences:
Overpopulation causes lots of problems in big cities.
Overpopulation leads to several problems in big cities.
Big cities are negatively affected by the overpopulation.
There are several problems in big cities caused by
overpopulation.
 Developing the body paragraph #1 (describing the problem)

People’s health(1st Overpopulation in Problems in public

supporting idea) services(2nd supporting
 Air pollution(automobile
cities idea)
exhaust, houses,
factories)  Uncollected waste
Ex: Lung/respiratory diseases  crowded buses, metro
 large volumes of  heavy traffic
uncollected waste
Ex: infectious diseases
 stress, depression

Overpopulation causes lots of problems in big cities.(TOPIC SENTENCE) First

problem is that it negatively affects people’s health. (1st supporting idea) Air
pollution caused by car exhaust, factories and houses makes it very difficult to
breath and it also leads to respiratory diseases among people. Moreoever,
people suffer from stress and depression in overpopulated cities since they face
with lots of problems during their daily lives. Secondly, there are lots of problems
in public services.(2nd supporting idea) For instance, the waste of the city
cannot be collected and the streets can be full of garbage, which is a bad scene
for the citizens. Furthermore, buses and trains are always crowded and people
lose a lot of time while travelling.
5. Writing Conclusion
In conclusion paragraph, you should return to the
thesis statement, restate it and express your final
thoughts and recommendations.

 Here are two strategies:

1. Add a final observation about how people view

the problem.

2. Make a ‘call for action’ that asks people to do

something to help solve the problem.