Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.
Write at least 250 words.
There is a clear-cut IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay structure. Obviously, the first and the last paragraph of the essay will be for Introduction and Conclusion respectively. Two paragraphs in the body, one for advantages and the other for disadvantages, works best for this type of question in IELTS Writing Task 2 .
Paragraph | Format |
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1 | Introduction |
2 | Some advantages |
3 | Some disadvatanges |
4 | Conclusion |
While brainstorming for ideas, we need to come up with at least two advantages and two disadvantages to write about. You can write more than two each, but the essay might get unnecessarily lengthy, and some ideas may lack proper development.
There are two elements to include in the Introduction paragraph of IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay.
Introduction: |
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There are people who like to spare no expense when celebrating important occasions in life. While throwing lavish parties ensures fun and entertainment for everyone involved, we should bear in mind the negative consequences as well. Apart from draining our hard-earned income, this trend might result in a decadent society obsessed with material indulgence instead of spiritual fulfilment. |
We can see in the sample above for the advantages and disadvantages essay that the Introduction paragraph begins with a paraphrase of the sentence in the question. Then, the second sentence introduces that idea of “ fun and entertainment ” as the advantages, while the third sentence hints at the disadvantages of holding such celebrations like being unreasonably expensive and possibly giving rise to a hedonistic lifestyle.
Introduction: |
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Reality shows, where singing, dancing, or other forms of performances are evaluated by public voting, have become ubiquitous in mainstream television. In my opinion, this has helped many deserving individuals to showcase their talents and make a career. However, this might present a wrong message to people that success is a result of popularity and luck instead of hard work. |
Whatever advantages and disadvantages have been alluded to in the Introduction paragraph have to be elaborated in the next two paragraphs.
For the advantages and disadvantages essay in the IELTS test, it is best to write about the pros in one paragraph and the cons in the next. Include at least two positives and at least two negatives of the situation. These points have to be explained in the body paragraphs with the help of examples.
Example: |
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There are people who like to spare no expense when celebrating important occasions in life. While throwing lavish parties ensures fun and entertainment for everyone involved, we should bear in mind the negative consequences as well. Apart from draining our hard-earned income, this trend might result in a decadent society obsessed with material indulgence instead of spiritual fulfilment. The obvious reward of lavish celebrations is fun and merriment. I believe that people should not underestimate the importance of enjoying time with family, friends, and neighbors in order to strengthen our relationships and accumulate pleasurable memories. For this, more expenditure translates into a more splendid party. On top of this, organizing posh Gatsbyesque parties might boost the social reputation of the hosts. Not only will the invitees have a great time, they will view the hosts as wealthy and generous. On the other hand, going above and beyond one’s means to hold over-the-top festivities is not sustainable in the long run. In today’s economy, organizing a grand event with food, alcohol, and entertainment costs an arm and a leg. We have heard many stories of how families have become bankrupt trying to keep up with the Joneses. In addition, as a result of this lifestyle, there is a risk of creating a depraved and profligate culture where people yield to their base desires rather than focusing on self actualization. This can be exemplified by comparing the societies of big cities, where ostentatious celebrations are a norm, to rural communities, where people seem to have stronger interpersonal bonds in spite of meagre social functions. |
Example: |
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Reality shows, where singing, dancing, or other forms of performances are evaluated by public voting, have become ubiquitous in mainstream television. In my opinion, this has helped many deserving individuals to showcase their talents and make a career. However, this might present a wrong message to people that success is a result of popularity and luck instead of hard work. From my perspective, since talent shows are platforms where competent participants can get much-needed exposure to sustain a career, they are a boon to such individuals. Otherwise, getting a break in the entertainment industry might end up being a life-long struggle or even an impossible dream. Moreover, reality shows based on performance and public judgement may lead to a meritocratic society because only those contestants who are able to win the hearts of the people succeed in such shows. An individual’s journey from obscurity to stardom in televised shows is relatively transparent compared to how other artists rise in show business. We can look at Susan Boyle, an elderly singer from the UK whose singing prowess was discovered and brought to light by the reality show Britain’s Got Talent, as the right kind of talent to benefit from such programs. Nevertheless, it is often claimed that talent shows reduce the assessment of artistry to a popularity contest. Often, rather than the most gifted candidate, the one with better physical appearance or backstory rises to the top. As a result, participants concentrate on optics as a replacement for honing their skills and improving their performance. While individually this hurts the competent but naïve participants, socially this trend disseminates a dangerous message against the need of effort and perseverance for artistic achievement. |
The final paragraph in the advantages and disadvantages essay questions in IELTS is the Conclusion paragraph . It is customary to write a summary of the main points made in the essay in the Conclusion paragraph.
Example: |
---|
There are people who like to spare no expense when celebrating important occasions in life. While throwing lavish parties ensures fun and entertainment for everyone involved, we should bear in mind the negative consequences as well. Apart from draining our hard-earned income, this trend might result in a decadent society obsessed with material indulgence instead of spiritual fulfilment. The obvious reward of lavish celebrations is fun and merriment. I believe that people should not underestimate the importance of enjoying time with family, friends, and neighbors in order to strengthen our relationships and accumulate pleasurable memories. For this, more expenditure translates into a more splendid party. On top of this, organizing posh Gatsbyesque parties might boost the social reputation of the hosts. Not only will the invitees have a great time, they will view the hosts as wealthy and generous. On the other hand, going above and beyond one’s means to hold over-the-top festivities is not sustainable in the long run. In today’s economy, organizing a grand event with food, alcohol, and entertainment costs an arm and a leg. We have heard many stories of how families have become bankrupt trying to keep up with the Joneses. In addition, as a result of this lifestyle, there is a risk of creating a depraved and profligate culture where people yield to their base desires rather than focusing on self actualization. This can be exemplified by comparing the societies of big cities, where ostentatious celebrations are a norm, to rural communities, where people seem to have stronger interpersonal bonds in spite of meagre social functions. To summarize, as celebrations are important parts of life, some suggest that they should be enjoyed with fervor and opulence so as to build relationships as well as status. However, caution should be adopted to not let things become hedonistic and futile. |
Example: |
---|
Reality shows, where singing, dancing, or other forms of performances are evaluated by public voting, have become ubiquitous in mainstream television. In my opinion, this has helped many deserving individuals to showcase their talents and make a career. However, this might present a wrong message to people that success is a result of popularity and luck instead of hard work. From my perspective, since talent shows are platforms where competent participants can get much-needed exposure to sustain a career, they are a boon to such individuals. Otherwise, getting a break in the entertainment industry might end up being a life-long struggle or even an impossible dream. Moreover, reality shows based on performance and public judgement may lead to a meritocratic society because only those contestants who are able to win the hearts of the people succeed in such shows. An individual’s journey from anonymity to stardom in televised shows is relatively transparent compared to how other artists rise in show business. We can look at Susan Boyle, an elderly singer from the UK whose singing prowess was discovered and brought to light by the reality show Britain’s Got Talent, as the right kind of talent to benefit from such programs. Nevertheless, it is often claimed that talent shows reduce the assessment of artistry to a popularity contest. Often, rather than the most gifted candidate, the one with better physical appearance or backstory rises to the top. As a result, participants concentrate on optics as a replacement for honing their skills and improving their performance. While individually this hurts the competent but naïve participants, socially this trend disseminates a dangerous message against the need of effort and perseverance for artistic achievement. It should not be overlooked that most of the winners of the biggest shows like American Idol or America’s Got Talent revert back to obscurity when the show is over. Overall, there are both values and costs to people as well as society of reality-based talent shows on television. On the one hand, hidden gems in the field of art are being discovered day-by-day and the public can appreciate their journeys. On the other hand, while the most deserving artists may never thrive in such environments, television viewers might be indoctrinated to a false sense of how success is achieved. |
Next lesson:
Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? – A reliable essay format
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.
In this post, we will explore the template that can be utilized for the Advantages and Disadvantages IELTS Essay. It’s important to emphasize that merely having the template isn’t sufficient to achieve high bands in IELTS. This template serves as a basic structure, covering only 50% of the essay aspect. Generating ideas that meet the cohesion and coherence criteria outlined in the IELTS Band Descriptors is equally vital. Remember, practice is key to perfection. Regular practice will help you cultivate unique and cohesive ideas.
Below, you’ll find explanations for some key writing terminology.
Topic Sentence: A sentence that expresses the main idea of the paragraph in which it occurs.
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Supporting Sentences: The supporting sentences, also called the body of the paragraph, are used to support, explain, illustrate, or provide evidence for the idea expressed in the topic sentence. Supporting sentences should focus on the following:
1. Write an introduction to the topic 2. Think of two advantages to the situation and provide clear examples 3. Think of two disadvantages and write about these with good support 4. Write a short conclusion giving your overall opinion
1. Paragraph 1: Introduction 2. Paragraph 2: 1 Advantage with example 3. Paragraph 3: 1 Advantage with example 4. Paragraph 4: 1 Disadvantage with example 5. Paragraph 5: 1 Disadvantage with example 6. Paragraph 6: Conclusion + Your Opinion
Nowadays, (Write a general sentence about the topic) . For many people, (Write an extra sentence to support the first sentence) . However, there are both pros and cons to deciding to do this. In this essay, I will discuss some of the reasons why (reword the topic sentence) and some of the challenges to be overcome.
Let’s begin by looking at the advantages of (topic sentence). One of the main positives of (write the first advantage here). What I mean by this is that (explain the advantage further) . For instance, (give an example related to the advantage) . This can make you (conclude the advantage) .
Secondly, (write the second advantage here) . Take (write what your example is about) for an example. In addition, (write a concluding sentence about the advantage) .
Turning to the other side of the argument, (write the first disadvantage in a sentence). To be more precise, (write some more sentences about the first disadvantage) . Let’s use (write what your example is about) as an example. This often leads to (write a concluding sentence about the disadvantage).
Another issue is that (write the second disadvantage here) . In other words, (write one or two sentences to explain the second disadvantage) . This process takes time and can be especially challenging if (write a concluding sentence about the second disadvantage).
All things considered, (Write a general one-sentence summary of the topic) . You need to weigh up the pros of (write two advantages here which you wrote in the second and third paragraph) , and the cons of (write two disadvantages here which you wrote in the third and fourth paragraph). Personally, I believe the benefits in terms of (write the same 2 advantages using different words) eventually outweigh any negatives. IELTSXpress.com
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic:
These days, more and more people are going to other countries for significant periods of time, either to find a job or to study. There are clearly many benefits to doing this, but people who live abroad can also face some difficulties. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of living and working in a foreign country. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.
Nowadays, taking a here out to live or study abroad is becoming increasingly popular. For many people, especially young adults, the chance to spend an extended period of time overseas is an attractive one. However, there are both pros and cons to deciding to do this. In this essay, I will discuss some of the reasons why moving abroad is so popular and some of the challenges to be overcome.
Let’s begin by looking at the advantages of moving away. One of the main positives of heading overseas is that it broadens your horizons. What I mean by this is that you have the chance to meet people from different cultural backgrounds and learn to cope with foreign customs and food. This can make you more rounded as a person.
Secondly, moving abroad can lead to a better quality of life. Take British people for an example. Thousands of people from the UK move to Spain and Australia every year. These countries have warmer climates and encourage a better work-life balance. In addition, by living Overseas, you can gain qualifications and language skills, which may improve promotion prospects on your return.
Turning to the other side of the argument, culture shock is a major problem. Many people who take a year out find it hard to cope with the language barrier, the food, and general cultural differences. This often leads to homesickness and in some cases a sense of isolation.
Another issue is that it can be difficult to start a new life from scratch. In other words, when you move abroad, you have to make new friends and find your place in the community. This process takes time and can be especially challenging if there is also a language barrier to deal with.
All things considered, starting life in a foreign country is never easy. You need to weigh up the pros of the better lifestyle, weather, and so on, and the cons of culture shock and language barrier. Personally, I believe the benefits in terms of personal growth eventually outweigh any negatives.
Also Check: Gap Year Advantages Disadvantages IELTS Essay
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A common IELTS Task 2 question requires a look at the advantages and disadvantages of a topic. A fitting response structure requires accurate interpretation of the action words of the question. To illustrate, here are some example action words that commonly accompany advantage and disadvantage type questions:
The instructions may vary and be re-worded by IELTS for the advantage disadvantage essays. Below are some ways in which IELT5 can phrase the advantage and disadvantage essay instructions:
Here are some ways in which IELTS can phrase the advantage outweigh disadvantage essay instructions:
All the instructions above are the same for each type of essay. IELTS like to paraphrase their instructions from time to time, so be aware of this.
Aim for between 270 and 290 words. That is enough words to develop your ideas for a high score. If you have two body paragraphs, you are looking for around 95 words for each paragraph. If you have three body paragraphs, you should aim for about 65 words for each body paragraph.
Some extra tips, model answers, some exclusive tips for ielts essay, related posts:.
IELTS essays frequently focus on the advantages and disadvantages of an issue but the question types may vary.
One of the most common IELTS writing task 2 essay types is: Discuss advantages and disadvantages. many test-takers also find it one of the easier question types because what it asks for is very straightforward. Nonetheless, proper planning and organization must go into your essay to ensure the highest band score possible.
Nowadays, a lot of buildings such as offices have open-space design instead of separate rooms. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?
Analyze the question – make sure you totally understand what you are supposed to answer. Spend a couple of minutes reading and underlining the key words.
In this essay type, stating your position is relatively simple. Since the question does not ask for your opinion, you can merely write that there are advantages and disadvantages to the issue.
Position: While there are practical advantages to open-space interiors, there are also disadvantages worth mentioning.
Aim for at least one well developed idea for each paragraph
Body paragraph 1 - advantages
Body paragraph 2 - disadvantages
Brainstorm for support for your advantages and disadvantages. Support can be an example, further explanation, a definition, or any statement explaining why or how your main idea is true.
Support: If a company expands in terms of its personnel suddenly, open-space offices provide space for everyone without the need to search for offices.
Start by rephrasing the prompt. Make sure you include all the sides of the topic that the writing task 2 addresses.
State your position.
Your introduction should be 3 or 4 sentences. Do not waste time getting into details in the introduction – save these for your body paragraphs.
Example introduction:
Around the world it is a growing trend to see open-space offices rather than closed, individual spaces. While there are practical advantages to open-plan interiors, like the flexibility they provide, there are also disadvantages worth mentioning including a lack of privacy.
Start with a topic sentence that introduces the central idea of the paragraph.
Open-plan offices provide companies and their employees numerous advantages.
Introduce your first main advantage.
One such advantage is the flexibility that these spaces afford the company.
Follow this with support .
Should a company require room for more employees, whether temporary or permanent, these open interiors allow for various configurations that will accommodate all staff appropriately.
Add a second main idea for the advantages in communication and include support for this as well.
Another point worth mentioning is that open plan offices facilitate communication among colleagues. An employee does not have to wonder if a colleague is available to speak; he or she simply needs to look across the room. Furthermore, having people around to speak to fosters creativity and problem solving. Rather than searching for solutions alone, employees can convene with their office mates easily to brainstorm.
Create a summary statement that is essentially a rephrasing of your topic sentence. Begin this with therefore, thus, or consequently.
Therefore, it is clear that open-space offices benefit both the employer and employee.
An IELTS writing task 2 that scores well on task response answers the question directly and develops the topic fully.
A band 9 answer leaves no further questions for the reader. The band descriptors state that a Band 9 essay:
... provides a fully developed position in answer to the question with relevant, fully extended and well supported ideas
In the example body paragraph 1, the advantages of open space offices on communication was fully developed; two aspects of this were included in the supporting sentences.
Test takers are scored on their ability to appropriately organize their paragraphs and show a logical progresion of ideas. For this reason, both body paragraphs need to have:
Sometimes, an IELTS writing task 2 may require a second main idea and piece of support, especially if the test taker is aiming for a higher band score.
Unless you have personal knowledge of architecture, it may be difficult to come up with synonyms for words and expressions like open space offices. For this reason, it is important to focus on showcasing your IELTS vocabulary in other ways.
These are all high level words that, while not topic specific, show precision and high level lexical resource.
Show flexibility with advanced grammar.
If- then statements
These are advanced grammatical structures that many IELTS test takers avoid but impress examiners when they see them. Their combination of tenses make them a bit overwhelming for some, but for higher level candidates, these should be used.
Even within these statements, called Conditionals, there are varying degrees of difficulty. You could write:
If a company requires room for more employees, these open interiors allow for various configurations that will accommodate all staff appropriately.
This is a standard conditional statement. However, you could use a conditional statement without if like this:
Should a company require room for more employees, these open interiors allow for various configurations that will accommodate all staff appropriately.
Make it even m o re complex but including a little extra information like this:
Keep it brief – 2 sentences should be enough. Start by restating your position. Leave your reader with a
general, thought-provoking statement.
Example:
In conclusion, office interiors without walls are more than likely here to stay. They provide a flexible, economic solution at the cost of privacy and sometimes efficiency.
This is another common IELTS essay type which is somewhat different than the above. Here, you must clearly state your opinion, as it is assumed that one side is stronger than the other. You will need to make your position clear throughout the essay.
Nowadays tourists and scientists are allowed to travel to remote natural environments. Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include examples from your own experience.
Analyze the question – make sure you totally understand what you are supposed to answer. Spend a couple of minutes reading and underlining the key words. There are multiple elements to write about so make sure you organize the task 2 essay in a way that covers all of them.
There are definitely important benefits to scientists traveling to remote regions and less important advantages for tourists. Despite this, the advantages outweigh any disadvantages.
In this essay, the body paragraphs must address tourists and scientists and both the advantages and disadvantages of them traveling to remote areas.
Think of areas you believe are remote. Why would it be good for scientists to go there? What would they - and science - gain? What about tourists? How would tourists benefit? The region? Any people living there?
Ask yourself similar questions for disadvantages.
Paragraph 1 - advantages
Paragraph 2 - disadvantages
Brainstorm for support for your ideas. For each of your ideas, find additional explanation, examples statistics or proof.
Support: Scientists would have new areas to study for cures to diseases or to answer other questions of nature.
Start by rephrasing the task. Make sure you include all the sides of the topic that the task addresses.
State your opinion.
Your introduction should be 3 or 4 sentences.
Advances in travel technology have made it possible for people, including scientists and tourists, to travel to areas that were previously impossible to reach. While there are some clear disadvantages associated with this issue, on the whole the advantages are greater.
Start your task 2 with a topic sentence that introduces the central idea of the paragraph.
Travel to remote areas carries with it numerous disadvantages.
Introduce your first main idea.
One such disadvantage is that tourists tend to taint natural areas, not only with waste they leave behind, but with all the infrastructure required to support tourism.
When a remote area requires restaurants, hotels and wifi cables, among other amenities, it ceases to be a virgin area. This may have a negative impact on the local people living there, affecting their livelihood or way of life.
Add a second main idea for the disadvantages of travel by scientists and include support for this as well.
Similarly, scientists may affect a pristine environment as well by setting up laboratories and tampering with the native flora and fauna. The development required to support scientific inquiry may compromise the environment, causing it to lose the very essence of what made it initially appealing.
Thus, travel to remote areas may bring numerous drawbacks.
Some candidates struggle with finding ideas that are relevant. There are a number of ways to develop this task. You could have advantages of tourists and scientists in one paragraph, with disadvantages of both groups in another.
Alternatively, you could describe disadvantages of tourists in one paragraph and advantages of scientists in another. Other combinations are possible as well. When you brainstorm, see which ideas are stronger and organize your essay around those.
Part of the Coherence and Cohesion criteron examines if your paragraphing is accurate and if the order of ideas is appropriate.
Many IELTS examiners recommend leaving your strongest argument for last, closer to your conclusion. In this essay, that would mean that the first body paragraph would address disadvantages and the second advantages.
This gives the advantages paragraph more weight and it remains in the mind of the reader more strongly. It also links to the conclusion better.
The introduction and body paragraph 1 contain both general and topic specific vocabulary that is high level:
Travel to remote areas carries with it numerous disadvantages. One such disadvantage is that tourists tend to taint natural areas, not only with waste they leave behind, but with all the infrastructure required to support tourism. When a remote area requires restaurants, hotels and wifi cables, among other amenities, it ceases to be a virgin area. This may have a negative impact on the local people living there, affecting their livelihood or way of life. Similarly, scientists may affect a pristine environment as well by setting up laboratories and tampering with the native flora and fauna. The development required to support scientific inquiry may compromise the environment, causing it to lose the very essence of what made it initially appealing. Thus, travel to remote areas may bring numerous drawbacks.
Although there are clear disadvantages to remote travel, the advantages it provides cannot be overstated. Areas far removed from urban centers frequently suffer from a weak economy, therefore interest from tourists in these regions could give a much needed economic boost. Additionally, with the development of necessary infrastructure, new jobs would be created for people of the area. More importantly, however, is what research in such regions could give to the world of science. Opening an uncharted world to scientists could bring about new knowledge that would help mankind, or even perhaps cure heretofore untreatable diseases. A recent report from the New York Times indicated estimated that 22% of diseases with no cure could find treatments from plant life in areas such as deserts and rainforests. Therefore, the advantages to investigating these regions are innumerable.
In conclusion, no gain is without costs. Similarly, the advantages of travel to remote areas comes at a price. However, all told, the benefits to humanity are too great to ignore.
Reduced relative clauses
Areas far removed from urban centers = areas THAT ARE far removed from urban centers
The development required to support scientific inquiry = the development THAT is required to support scientific inquiry.
The position is restated and a thought-provoking, dramatic statement leaves the examiner with a strong impression.
Want to see how you do? You can write this essay and submit it to the team at IELTSPODCAST.COM as part of our Single Essay Correction. Get feedback from expert ex-examiners and be on your way to succeeding at IELTS.
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Model answer for an ielts advantage disadvantage (outweigh) essay..
Updated: February 2024
One of the most difficult essay types for many band 6 students is the ‘outweigh’ essay, which is an advantage disadvantage essay that is asking your opinion about which side you think is stronger.
The keyword in the task is ‘outweigh’. So you must cover the advantage and the disadvantage in this essay and clearly state your opinion. Do not only write about the advantages. you will need to cover both sides for a higher score in task response.
If you believe the advantage is stronger you must give your opinion on that in the thesis statement, but also make sure you show what a possible downside is. Have a look at the structures below for this type of essay.
Note that these are just guidelines. There is nothing mentioned in the marking criteria about the correct structure to use.
Model answer.
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?
In recent times people have the choice of any location worldwide to live and work because of advances in communication technology and transport. Although there are downsides, this essay argues that the advantages are stronger as this has positively changed work life because people can work remotely via the internet from anywhere in the world.
One considerable advantage of technological innovation in transportation and communication is that it has revolutionised the way people work, bringing new opportunities and employment that did not exist before. In my view, this has had a positive impact on peoples lives due to the flexibility of combining work with travel. For instance, reliable Wi-fi networks and cloud computing, cheaper flights and high-speed trains allow people to live anywhere in the world while working online. Additionally, employees can participate in video conference calls and international forums, while entrepreneurs can run their businesses online from any location worldwide.
Admittedly, there are drawbacks in that some individuals have issues while living and working in different countries. In particular, culture shock and motivational problems while living outside their home country. This tends to lead to frustration for many remote workers who are relocated to offices in other countries. For example, multinational companies often neglect to train employees to deal with culture shock, as they assume that a positive experience on vacation in a new country will lead to easy cultural integration abroad. I believe communication technology has a positive role to play here, such as online coaching, which could help employees with motivation and cultural adjustment.
To conclude, despite the downsides, I believe that the benefits of communication technology and transport are greater because of new opportunities to travel and work online globally.
As you can see, I’m going with one advantage and one disadvantage here. This is ok for a Band 7+ but the essay must be well developed. If you have 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages, you may run out of time and end up with a very long essay at well over 300 words. Keep the essay concise.
You will notice in the thesis statement that I state:
‘Although there are downsides, this essay argues that the advantages are stronger as this has positively changed work life because people can work remotely via the internet from anywhere in the world.’
This shows balance as I have referred to the fact that there is a downside. In main body one, I cover the advantage and give my opinion on this. ‘ In my view, this has had a positive impact on people’s lives… .’
In main body two, I stated: ‘Admittedly, there are drawbacks….’ this shows the examiner that I’m covering the downsides now.
In the conclusion I refer to the disadvantages again briefly then restate my opinion… ‘ To conclude, despite the downsides, I believe that….’
When you turn to IELTS Writing Task 2 (the formal essay) on test day, you may encounter an “advantage and disadvantage” essay. This type of essay asks you to evaluate both sides of an issue. Having the right vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2 essays is one key to increasing your band score. This is essay is no different. In this article, we’ll look at IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay vocabulary.
An advantage/disadvantage essay is any essay that requires you to share both good and bad sides of an issue. They’re pretty easy to spot, because they almost always use the phrase “advantages and disadvantages” in the prompt.
With those ideas in mind, here are a few things you should keep in mind while writing an advantages/disadvantages essay.
When you’re writing an advantage/disadvantage essay, you want to present both sides of the issue. Sometimes, but not always, the prompt will ask you to pick which side is stronger. Don’t make a recommendation about which side is better unless the prompt says to! In other words, don’t overthink this: if the prompt doesn’t ask you to pick a side, don’t. Just focus on describing the pros and cons of the issue.
The structure of an IELTS advantages/disadvantages essay should be simple, with four paragraphs:
The main thing to keep in mind is that you should separate advantages into their own paragraph and disadvantages into their own paragraph. It doesn’t matter which one comes first, but they should be distinct.
It can be easy to get caught up in using the IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay vocabulary you’ve learned and forgetting to focus on the ideas. However, you should brainstorm ideas carefully at the beginning of your time to make sure that you have something to write about! Aim to share two advantages and two disadvantages in your essay.
With that in mind, I’ll take a look at some words and phrase you can use for this essay type.
Before we get into specifics, though, let’s look at some basic terms for this section: synonyms for “advantages” and “disadvantages”:
With those in mind, take a look at vocabulary words and phrases you can use to present each side!
So what does this look like in practice? Take a look at a sample IELTS advantages/disadvantages prompt and a high-scoring essay written in response. If you want, you can use an IELTS essay response sheet and try your own response before checking the answer below!
One major advantage of streaming films in the home is that it removes barriers between customers and the films. Couples with children do not need to find babysitters to enjoy new cinema. Another benefit of streaming services is that, in many cases, the price of new films is already included in the monthly subscription cost. This means that more people are likely to watch the film at home, even if they were not interested enough to pay money directly to see it in the theatre.
Conversely, a negative consequence of streaming services’ popularity is that, if they reach a certain tipping point of popularity, cinemas may go out of business. Consumers have no incentive to go to the theatre to see the same films they can see in the comfort of their homes. This means that those employed by cinemas, from ushers to those working at concessions stands, may lose their jobs, which could have a knock-on effect on the economy. Another disadvantage of streaming services’ ubiquity is that some films may not be as easy to appreciate artistically on a small screen. By watching these films at home, consumers may be missing out on the director’s artistic vision.
On balance, there are both benefits and drawbacks to the recent rise in streaming services. The effects this trend has are primarily economic (on both individual and societal levels) and artistic.
Word count: 272
Eliot Friesen-Meyers is the Senior Curriculum Manager for Magoosh IELTS and TOEFL. He attended Goshen College (B.A.), New York University (M.A.), and Harvard University (M.T.S.), gaining experience and skills in curriculum development, ESOL instruction, online teaching and learning, and IELTS and TOEFL test prep education. Eliot’s teaching career started with Literacy Americorps in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and later, taught ESL programs at Northeastern University, University of California-Irvine, and Harold Washington College. Eliot was also a speaker at the 2019 TESOL International Conference . With over 10 years of experience, he understands the challenges students face and loves helping them overcome those challenges. Come join Eliot on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram . Recent blog posts Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 1 Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 2
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the question is about the trend that people are till going to cinema ,eventhoug ott platforms are available.so aforesaid essay written about pros & cons of streaming platform .it is clear that the deviation from the question.
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Tips for writing an advantage and disadvantage essay:, how to write an advantages and disadvantages essay:, why this essay is important:, the ielts exam:, other ways to say "advantages and disadvantages", what you will be evaluated on.
There are many different types of essays that students will be expected to write throughout their academic career. The same goes for students that are learning English as a second language or foreign language.
Out of all the different essays that are possible for a teacher to assign, one that serves both native English speakers and English learners well is an advantages and disadvantages essay .
While essay writing can have its difficulties, it also shows certain advantages to the writer. Here are some possible advantages of essay writing:
Essay writing can also be a daunting task. Here are some possible disadvantages of essay writing:
Before you can write an advantages and disadvantages essay, you must first understand what these two words mean.
Younger students may understand an example like, "An advantage of doing my homework when I get home from school is that I have the entire evening to play. A disadvantage is that I cannot watch my favorite show as soon as I get home from school."
After this, the teacher can give less explicit examples and see if students can come up with some ideas on their own.
College students should already have experience with this kind of essay and they will, therefore, get a much more complicated question that requires research, planning and thought.
International students might respond well to something like "What's an advantage and disadvantage of studying abroad during college?"
It's also a good idea to look up synonyms of "advantages and disadvantages" to have the best understanding of the term possible.
"Pros and cons" is quite similar and might be easier for some students to digest since it's a term they've most likely heard before.
A great exercise to help you prepare yourself for writing an advantages and disadvantages essay is to think about your own experiences with the topic.
If you weren't able to think of any intriguing topics to write about in your walk down memory lane, you'll have to look elsewhere to find something else to base your essay on.
That being said, there will also be instances in which you won't be able to choose your topic.
Unless you're given the topic directly on your test, you will otherwise have to think of your own topic, especially if it's just for a regular assignment. Luckily, there are many topic examples out there you can use to help you get started, or that will at least help you find inspiration for a similar topic:
Once you've decided on a topic that intrigues you, or you know what topic you're being assigned on your exam, it's time to get down the meat of the essay, which is the actual advantages and disadvantages you'll need to write about.
Although an advantages and disadvantages essay should be rather unbiased, it's okay to be leaning toward one side more so than the other.
The next thing you will need to do is outline your essay and eventually write it.
For your outline, you can create headlines and write what you plan on saying beneath each one.
Knowing how to write an advantages and disadvantages essay is part of perfecting your skills in English proficiency.
For students studying English as an international language, at some point, it's very likely that you'll have to take the IELTS exam.
A student who's from a country where English is not the native language will have to pass this test in order to get accepted into a U.K. university or universities in other English-speaking countries that require the same test.
Although you'll be writing an advantages and disadvantages essay, you'll want to try and find other vocabulary words to describe this.
There are plenty of other ways to say "advantages and disadvantages," and it's a good idea if you can use these other terms as much as possible in your essay in order to add some variety:
Hopefully, you had no problem with writing your advantages and disadvantages essay, and you won't be too worried as you wait for your grade.
If you aren't an English language learner, then there are many different reasons you'd be required to write an advantages and disadvantages essay.
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IELTS Preparation with Liz: Free IELTS Tips and Lessons, 2024
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
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
Ielts speaking part 2 cue card topics – 2024, new reading exercise for you (july 2024), ielts gt writing task 1 letter: using the prompts for a high score, ielts writing task 1: multiple charts, graphs and tables, ielts writing task 2 essay topics 2024.
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4. Writing your Advantages/Disadvantages Essay 4.1 Introduction. Your introduction should be the shortest paragraph in your essay (about 40-60 words is perfect). You need to rephrase the IELTS statement in your own words. This is known as paraphrasing (a key skill to develop for the IELTS exam). Take a look at our example:
Example IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essayfor 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:
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. ... Practice Advantages Disadvantages Essays IELTS with IELTSMaterial. There is no doubt ...
Sample topic sentences. (paragraph 1) There are numerous advantages to internet-based learning. (paragraph 2) Readily available knowledge is not without its disadvantages, however. Tip: It is a good idea to memorise some topic sentences such as these, as you can apply them to most advantage/disadvantage essays. e.g.
This essay topic is related to tourism. Of course, topics for questions will vary, but ideal answer structure is the same for all advantages & disadvantages essays in IELTS.. Producing ideas for your answer. Before you start writing your essay, you should always spend 1-2 minutes on producing ideas for your answer.This way, you'll know what to write about and your answer will be more ...
First, write the introduction where you have to paraphrase the statement and write what the essay will discuss. For the second type of essay, give your opinion in the introduction as well. Next, write the main body: Finally, write the conclusion where you have to summarise advantages and disadvantages.
Structure for Essay 1 . Introduction . Sentence 1- Paraphrase question. Sentence 2- Outline sentence. Supporting Paragraph 1 (Advantages) ... Now that you are more confident about IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays, you can practice and reach the level you need. Do you need me to correct your essays and give you feedback on them?
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.
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.
The best way to structure an IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay is by following the IELTS Advantages Disadvantages Essay Structure, which includes four main sections: introduction, advantages, disadvantages, and conclusion. Ensure to maintain balance in your arguments, providing equal attention to both pros and cons. 4.
The biggest mistakes with this are 1) using inappropriate linking words 2) stating a different main point that hasn't been given in the essay 3) running out of time to write the conclusion. See this video lesson about using the last 5 mins of your writing test: Last 5 Mins Tips.
This essay provides a plan and model response for an advantages and disadvantages essay in your writing paper. Essay question: Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed, rather than to work for a company or organisation. ... Essay structure . Introduction. Paraphrase the question. Outline main ideas. State opinion (if required) Main body ...
3. Some disadvatanges. 4. Conclusion. While brainstorming for ideas, we need to come up with at least two advantages and two disadvantages to write about. You can write more than two each, but the essay might get unnecessarily lengthy, and some ideas may lack proper development.
What was done well in the essay: This essay has over 250 words. This is a small but important way to avoid needlessly losing points due to the IELTS Writing word count penalty. The essay does a good job of covering both the advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of easy access to foreign experiences is explored in the first body paragraph.
1. Write an introduction to the topic. 2. Think of two advantages to the situation and provide clear examples. 3. Think of two disadvantages and write about these with good support. 4. Write a short conclusion giving your overall opinion.
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 ...
Make a note to use your advantage disadvantage paraphrases in your essay. Structure: four paragraphs (intro, advantage, disadvantage, conclusion) The introduction paraphrases the essay question and states your opinion clearly. You will need to use "In my opinion" or, "I think" or both.
introduce focus of the lesson: Writing Task 2 - Essay structures and introductions. give each student a copy of Worksheet 1 and one minute to read the Task 2 question. elicit possible next steps before writing i.e. brainstorming ideas. draw attention to the True / False task and clarify the importance of spending time with the question before ...
Body paragraph 1 - advantages. Open interiors allow companies flexibility as their staffing changes. No walls means open communication among colleagues. light, airy feeling. Body paragraph 2 - disadvantages. No walls means no privacy. too many distractions - difficult to focus. not optimal for all types of businesses.
The keyword in the task is 'outweigh'. So you must cover the advantage and the disadvantage in this essay and clearly state your opinion. Do not only write about the advantages. you will need to cover both sides for a higher score in task response. If you believe the advantage is stronger you must give your opinion on that in the thesis ...
in. IELTS Vocabulary. When you turn to IELTS Writing Task 2 (the formal essay) on test day, you may encounter an "advantage and disadvantage" essay. This type of essay asks you to evaluate both sides of an issue. Having the right vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2 essays is one key to increasing your band score. This is essay is no different.
Label one as "advantages" and the other as "disadvantages" and write all the ideas that come to mind beneath each section. You should then add some details and examples under each idea, and ideally, you should decide on which advantages and disadvantages are the most crucial to your argument. 5. Choose a Side.
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.