ielts causes and solution essay topics

IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Causes and Solutions

by Dave | Understanding Task 2 Writing | 0 Comment

I have listed here IELTS task 2 causes and solutions question types – enjoy reading and practicing with my sample answers and essays!

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Environmental damage is a problem in most countries.

What is the cause of this damage?

What should be done about this problem?

Read my essay here.

Fewer young people play sports these days.

Why is this?

What can be done to encourage more young people to do sports?

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Today, many people do not know their neighbors.

What can be done about this?

Research shows that some activities are good for health and others are bad. Despite knowing that, millions of people engage in unhealthy activities.

What is the cause of this?

What can be done?

Read my EBook on Patreon.

Many doctors recommend that older people exercise regularly, but most patients do not follow an exercise routine.

Why do you think this happens?

How can people be encouraged to exercise regularly?

There is too much noise in many public places in cities.

What are the causes of this problem?

What can be done to solve the problem?

Read my sample answer here .

Recent research suggests that the majority of criminals who are sent to prison commit crimes after they are released.

Why is this the case?

What can be done to solve this problem?

Read my sample anwer here.

Not many young people in countries around the world go to and enjoy concerts and plays.

How should they be encouraged to attend?

Read my sample answer here.

Children are now facing educational, social, and commercial pressures.

What are the causes of these pressures?

What measures can be taken to reduce them?

Not all drivers obey the laws while driving on roads.

What are the reasons for this?

What can be done to fix this problem?

Many students find it difficult to focus or pay attention at school nowadays.

In many countries, the number of animals and plants is declining.

Why do you think this is happening?

How can this issue be solved?

Read my essay.

Nowadays many countries are facing problemsrelated to waste disposal.

How can this issue be tackled?

Many students find it is harder to study at university or college compared to when they were in grade school.

What are some possible solutions for this problem?

Childhood obesity has become a serious problem in recent years.

What are the primary causes of this?

What measures should be taken to reduce childhood obesity?

Despite the benefits for health, fewer people today than ever before exercise by walking.

What can be done to encourage more walking?

Many students find it difficult to pay attention at school.

What could be done to solve this problem?

Some people play sport when they are young but then stop doing physical exercise when they become adults.

Many people living in cities these days do not get enough physical exercise.

What are the causes of this?

What are some possible solutions?

The amount of drinkable water for people is decreasing.

In some places, young people find it difficult to communicate with older people.

What are the solutions?

In many countries, people throw away a lot of food from restaurants and shops.

Why do you think people waste food in this way?

What can be done to reduce the amount of food thrown away?

When cars and cyclists use the same roads, there are often problems.

Some old people today struggle with the use of modern technologies such as smartphones and computers.

Even though doctors advise old people to get more exercise, many old people do not get enough.

What are some possible solutions for this?

The increase in the production of consumer goods results in damage to the natural environment.

Plagiarism in academics has become a pressing problem in many countries today.

The roads in major cities today are often difficult to travel on.

More and more people today are drinking sugar-based drinks.

Nowadays children watch much more television than they did in the past and spend less time being active or creative.

What is the reason for this?

What measures should be taken to encourage children to be more active?

In spite of the advances made in agriculture, many people around the world still go hungry.

What can be done about this problem?

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• Academic practice
• General practice
• Task 1 Academic
• Task 1 General
• Task 2 (essay)

IELTS causes and solutions essay - band 9 guide

In this lesson you will learn how to write a high-scoring causes & solutions essay in IELTS Writing . As an example, the model essay will be about loss of bio-diversity . Basically, causes & solutions essay is one of the most common question types in IELTS writing task 2. This question asks you to describe causes and propose solutions for a given problem .

In this lesson you will see:

• question sample + model answer
• band 9 answer structure for causes & solutions essay
• effective strategies to produce ideas for your answer

IELTS problems & solutions question sample

For example, this is the question you’ve got for IELTS writing task 2:

Influence of human beings on the world's ecosystem is leading to the extinction of species and loss of bio-diversity.

What are the primary causes of loss of bio-diversity?

What solutions can you suggest?

Of course, the topics for causes & solutions essay may vary, but the answering strategy is pretty much the same for all essays of causes/solutions type.

Producing ideas

As you know, it’s recommended to spend about 40 minutes on IELTS Writing task 2. But before starting to write your essay, it’s a good idea to dedicate 2-4 minutes to producing some ideas for your essay. This way you’ll know what to write about and your essay will be more structured.

To produce ideas for causes and solutions essay, you have to determine 3 things :

• Causes of this problem
• Solutions to this problem

The problem is already given: loss of bio-diversity (in other words, some animals and plants are dying out).

Now let’s think about its causes and solutions. Don’t be afraid of simple ideas! Remember: getting a high score means writing simple things well. Here are some ideas that may come to your mind:

When humans artificially transform the environment (build roads, houses etc.), they destroy animals’ natural habitat.

Pollution negatively changes the flow of energy, the chemical constitution of the environment and the climate in general, so a lot of species cannot live under such conditions and die out.

When the activities connected with capturing and harvesting a natural resource are too intense in a particular area, the resource becomes exhausted. Example: too intense farming exhausts the soil; too frequent fishing, which doesn’t leave enough time for fish to reproduce, makes fish disappear.

After you’ve though of the possible causes, you can use them in your writing. You can invent more reasons of this problem, but usually, it’s enough to give 1-2 causes in your writing .

Possible solutions :

• protect areas

Protecting areas where human activity is limited and avoiding overexploitation of resources are the best ways to save the environment and prevent species from dying out.

Informing the general population about the disadvantages of loss of biodiversity will encourage people to be more conscious of the environment.

1-2 solutions are enough for a good essay. Now, after we’ve collected some ideas, it’s time to structure our thoughts into an essay.

Band 9 answer structure for causes & solutions essay

There may be many possible answering strategies, but we’ll use this good and time-tested essay structure:

Introduction

• Body paragraph 1 – causes
• Body paragraph 2 – solutions

Write the introduction in 2 sentences:

Despite knowing about biodiversity’s importance for a long time, human activity has been causing massive extinctions of different species.

This essay will examine the main causes of loss of biodiversity and possible solutions of this problem.

Body paragraph 1 - causes

The two main causes of species extinction are change of their habitats and overexploitation of natural resources.

When humans artificially transform the environment, they destroy vegetation and animals’ natural habitat. For instance, to build new roads people are cutting down the trees and cementing the soil, altering the environment. Because of that, a lot of species are dying out.

Also, when the activities connected with capturing and harvesting a natural resource are too intense in a particular area, the resource becomes exhausted. For example, too frequent fishing doesn’t leave enough time for fish to reproduce and makes them disappear.

In other words, human activities often deplete local flora and fauna and cause loss of bio-diversity.

Body paragraph 2 - solutions

Some possible solutions to this problem are protecting natural areas and promoting awareness among people.

By protecting areas where human activity is limited and avoiding overexploitation of its resources, we can save the untouched environment and prevent species from dying out. Moreover, the next step in fighting bio-diversity loss is informing the general population about the dangers of this problem. This way, people will be more conscious of the environment and won’t overuse or destroy its resources.

To conclude, people’s activities that change the environment have negative impact on the world's ecosystem.

However, we can significantly lessen the extinction of species by protecting natural areas and enlightening people as to this problem.

Model essay for IELTS Writing causes/solutions question

The model band-9 essay for this question will look as follows :

Despite knowing about biodiversity’s importance for a long time, human activity has been causing massive extinctions of different species. This essay will examine the main causes of loss of biodiversity and possible solutions of this problem.

The two main causes of species extinction are change of their habitats and overexploitation of natural resources. When humans artificially transform the environment, they destroy vegetation and animals’ natural habitat. For instance, to build new roads people are cutting down the trees and cementing the soil, altering the environment. Because of that, a lot of species are dying out. Also, when the activities connected with capturing and harvesting a natural resource are too intense in a particular area, the resource becomes exhausted. For example, too frequent fishing doesn’t leave enough time for fish to reproduce and makes them disappear. In other words, human activities often deplete local flora and fauna and cause loss of bio-diversity.

Some possible solutions to this problem are protecting natural areas and promoting awareness among people. By protecting areas where human activity is limited and avoiding overexploitation of its resources, we can save the untouched environment and prevent species from dying out. Moreover, the next step in fighting bio-diversity loss is informing the general population about the dangers of this problem. This way, people will be more conscious of the environment and won’t overuse or destroy its resources.

To conclude, people’s activities that change the environment have negative impact on the world's ecosystem. However, we can significantly lessen the extinction of species by protecting natural areas and enlightening people as to this problem.

(263 words)

IELTS Writing Task 2: Causes/Solutions Sample Essay

The “cause and solution” style of IELTS Writing Task 2 question presents a common social problem; your job is to identify the causes of the problem and propose ways the problem could be solved. For more information on this type of Writing Task 2 question, including tips and tricks, you can go to Magoosh’s guide to the different kinds of IELTS Writing Task 2 questions . And here in this post, we’ll go through a full causes and solutions model question and sample response.

The response itself is written at the band 9 level. After you read the essay, there is more explanation as to why this essay gets top marks. And to write a similarly high scored essay, check out our IELTS Writing Task 2 template .

Causes/Solutions Model Essay

This essay is a response to the sample prompt immediately below.

Sample Task

Many large cities around the world lack affordable housing. What problems does a lack of affordable housing cause? How can these problems be overcome? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Sample Essay (Band 9)

In almost every part of the world, expensive housing is closely associated with urban life. This is the underlying cause of many different problems, and civic planners are struggling to find solutions. I believe that the biggest, most important problem caused by high housing prices is homelessness. In my opinion, this problem can be addressed through rent control and welfare payments to low-income people.

Expensive urban housing leads to homelessness both directly and indirectly. The housing costs themselves cause some people to lose their homes, but such costs also drive up general prices, which can indirectly cause homelessness. For example, if a grocery store itself pays high rent, it must charge everyone more for food. This in turn forces landlords to charge more for rent in order to feed themselves. Once that happens, their tenants may have trouble paying the higher rent while also paying for more expensive food.

To reduce homelessness and make it easier for people to afford housing, I propose a twofold solution: limits on rent prices and increased welfare payments to the poor. Legally limiting rent fees will make housing much more affordable, while welfare payments can help people deal with the high costs of other goods. To give an example, if the government provides low-income people extra money for food, those people, in turn, have more room in their budget to pay rent. By employing both approaches, rent costs are directly reduced, and costs that compete with rent also go down.

In short, while expensive housing and homelessness are serious problems in cities, regulations and public assistance can help. The right kind of regulations will not only reduce the price of housing but also reduce general cost of living. This kind of government action is a win-win for everyone, whether they are homeless or not.

Word count: 300

Explanation of the Score

This essay meets all of the requirements for Band 9 in Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy; these are the categories seen in the official IELTS Writing Task 2 band descriptors . To understand this essay’s strengths, carefully read the level 9 descriptors in that document. And to further understand why an essay might receive a band 9, see the detailed score report at the bottom of Magoosh’s sample band 9 discussion essay for IELTS Writing Task 2 .

Additional Model Essays for Task 2

Would you like to see sample essays for all of the most common Writing Task 2 question types on the IELTS? At the links below, Magoosh has you covered!

• Advantage/Disadvantage Essay
• Two-Part Question Essay
• Discussion Essay
• Agree/Disagree Essay

David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles , his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru. Come join David and the Magoosh team on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram , or connect with him via LinkedIn !

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How to Structure a Cause and Solution Essay [IELTS Writing Task 2]

Posted by David S. Wills | Mar 30, 2021 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

Today, we are going to look at the process of writing an answer to a cause and solution IELTS essay . This is a common question type that will generally ask you to describe a cause (or reason) for an issue and then suggest some solutions.

What are Cause and Solution Essays?

In IELTS writing task 2, you may be asked to discuss the cause of a problem and then suggest some solutions to solve it. There are a wide array of possibilities and sometimes the words “cause” and “solution” are not actually used, so it can be a little difficult to spot these.

Here is an example:

Some people get into debt buying things they don’t need and can’t afford. What are the reasons for this behaviour? What action can be taken to prevent people having this problem?

In the first part, it does not say “what is the cause?” Instead, it says “What are the reasons…?” This is why it is important to read carefully and to think in terms of synonyms. In the second question, it does not say “solutions,” but instead says “What actions can… prevent…?” Again, if you read carefully you will realise this means “What are the solutions to the problem?”

Structure for Cause and Solution Essays

Thankfully, it is very easy to structure a cause and solution essay for IELTS. You simply need to write four paragraphs, with one body paragraph about the causes and one body paragraph about the solutions:

• Introduction – introduce the topic
• Body paragraph #1 – explain the causes of the problem
• Body paragraph #2 – explain the solutions to the problem
• Conclusion – summarise briefly

This is very, very easy to do. However, today I would like to show you a little more. In fact, I am going to discuss some complicated issues to help you produce a more advanced essay structure.

How Many Causes and How Many Solutions?

When I talk about IELTS essay structures, I often tell people to write just one main idea per paragraph. This is because for IELTS it is really important to give development and if you write too much then it can end up more like a list than an essay.

However, with cause and solution essays, you can get into multiple causes and multiple solutions if you are careful. Whilst it is fine to write one single cause and one single solution, you might find it easier to list many. However, I would suggest that you must structure this more carefully because you need to link the causes and solutions clearly.

For each cause, you could find one direct solution and link them in the following way:

I would recommend using a maximum of three problems and solutions for the aforementioned reason of development. If you wrote a list of five or six, you would not realistically be able to explain them properly.

To understand this better, let’s look at an example cause and solution question:

More and more wild animals are on the verge of extinction and others are on the endangered list. What are the reasons for this? What can be done to solve this problem?

When I read this question, I first thought, “Wow! It’s really hard to answer it because it’s such a vast issue!” Thus, I would want to mention many factors. Rather than listing them, I’ll boil them down to three causes and three direct solutions:

The benefit of this method is that I can include three big ideas about the problems and then counter each of them with a specific solution. The drawback of course is that I cannot go into much detail. This will be more of a problem for the solution section because obviously issues like “ending deforestation” are incredibly complex and require a lot of discussion. However, you cannot say everything for IELTS.

In order to put across the complexity of the situation and show my understanding of it, I will mention several times that it will be difficult to solve and that the problem is very serious. I will conclude my “solutions” paragraph with a note about the unlikeliness of any real change happening because it is true and also in order to counter any complaints about my ideas being unrealistic.

Sample Band 9 Answer

It is apparent nowadays that humans have had a devastating effect on the environment, and in particular we have caused the extinction of countless species of animals. This essay will explore the reasons for this and mention some possible solutions.

To begin with, there are various causes for the reduction in animal populations around the world. Perhaps the main cause is the destruction of their environment. Humans have cut down rainforests and polluted the seas, which has meant that animal no longer have their natural habitat and thus cannot survive. Beyond that, they are poached in order to satisfy the demand for fake medicines in Asia. Every day, elephants and rhinos are killed in Africa and then sent to China. Beyond that, the growing demand for fish has meant that vast fleets of fishing boats trawl the seas, causing the eradication of wildlife there. Many whales and dolphins, for example, are caught up in these nets as a tragic by-product of the industry.

Fixing this problem will be difficult and for many species it is already too late. The most important factor will be the cessation of deforestation in places like Brazil and Malaysia. Humans have to recognise the value of nature rather than focusing on obtaining more land for farming or housing. Education needs to be drastically improved in Asia and also punishments strictly enforced to end the sadistic trafficking of animals for these so-called medicines. Finally, ethical fishing needs to be practised, with limits on trawl nets and ranges for fishing boats. Sadly, none of this is particularly likely due to a lack of concern amongst most of the citizens of the world, and so of course education must be improved before it is too late.

In conclusion, there are various factors that have caused the tragic loss of biodiversity in this world, but there are some steps that could be taken to mitigate the damage.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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How to Plan & Write IELTS Problem Solution Essays

IELTS problem solution essays are the most challenging essay type for many people. The way they are worded can vary hugely which can make it difficult to understand how you should answer the question.

Generally, you’ll be asked to write about both the problem, or cause, and the solution to a specific issue. Sometimes, however, you will only be required to write about possible solutions.

The 3 essay types:

• Problem and solution
• Cause and solution
• Just the solution

Hence, it’s essential that you analyse the question carefully, which I’ll show you how to do in this lesson. I’m also going to demonstrate step-by-step how to plan and write IELTS problem solution essays.

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

• Identifying IELTS problem solution essays 
• 6 Common mistakes
• Essay structure
• How to plan
• How to write an introduction
• How to write main body paragraphs
• How to write a conclusion

Want  to watch and listen to this lesson?

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

Here are two typical IELTS problem solution essay questions. They consist of a statement followed by the question or instruction.

1. One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?

2. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the number of endangered species has increased significantly and we have witnessed more mass extinctions in this period than in any other period of time.

State some reasons for this and provide possible solutions.

These are some examples of different ways in which questions can be phrased. The first half of the questions relate to the problem or cause, the second half to the solution.

What issues does this cause and how can they be addressed?

What are some resulting social problems and how can we deal with them?

What problems arise from this and how can they be tackled?

Why is this? How might it be remedied?

What are the reasons for this, and how can the situation be improved?

Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?

And here are a few questions where you only have to write about the solution.

How can this situation be improved?

What solutions can you suggest to deal with this problem?

How can this problem be solved?

What measures could be taken to prevent this?

It’s important that you are able to recognise the common synonyms, words and phrases used in problem solution questions. Here are the key words and their synonyms used in the questions above.

• Problem  – issues, resulting, situation
• Cause  – reasons, why
• Solution  – deal with, addressed, tackled, remedied, improved, measures taken, solved, prevent

Before we move on to some common mistakes, I want to quickly explain the difference between a problem and a cause. Read the following examples.

Problem – I've missed the last bus home after visiting my friend for the evening.

Cause – I misread the timetable and thought the bus left at 22.45 when it actually left at 22.35.

The ‘cause’ is the reason for the ‘problem’.  We’ll be looking at question analysis in more detail in a minute.

6 Common Mistakes

These six errors are common in IELTS problem solution essays.

• Confusing problem and causes questions.
• Having too many ideas.
• Not developing your ideas.
• Not developing both sides of the argument equally.
• Not linking the problems and solutions.
• Not being specific enough.

It is common for an essay to consist of a list of problems and solutions without any of them being expanded on or linked to each other. Sometimes, a student will focus on just the problem or only the solution which leads to an unbalanced essay. Both these issues will result in a low score for task achievement.

You must choose just one or two problems and pick solutions directly linked to them. Explain them and give examples.

Another serious error is to write generally about the topic. You need to be very specific with your ideas. Analysing the question properly is essential to avoiding this mistake. I’ll show you how to do this.

Essay Structure

Now let’s look at a simple structure you can use to write IELTS problem solution essays. It’s not the only possible structure but it’s the one I recommend because it’s easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.

1)  Introduction

• Paraphrase the question
• State 1 key problem/cause and related solution

2)  Main body paragraph 1 – Problem or Cause

• Topic sentence – state the problem or cause
• Explanation – give detail explaining the problem or cause
• Example – give an example

3)  Main body paragraph 2 – Solution

• Topic sentence – state the solution
• Explanation – give detail explaining the solution

4)  Conclusion

• Summarise the key points 

This structure will give us a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.

One Problem/Cause & Solution or Two?

Most questions will state problems, causes and solutions in the plural, that is, more than one. However, it is acceptable to write about just one.

This will give you an essay of just over the minimum 250 words. To write about two problems/causes and solutions will require you to write between 350 and 400 words which are a lot to plan and write in the 40 minutes allowed.

It is better to fully develop one problem/cause and solution than ending up with one idea missing an explanation or an example because you run out of time.

The step-by-step essay structure I’m going to show you includes one problem and solution but you can write about two if you feel able to or more comfortable doing so.

How To Plan IELTS Problem Solution Essays

Here’s the question we’re going to be answering in our model essay followed by the 3 steps of the planning process.

One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you sugge st?

• Analyse the question
• Generate ideas
• Identify vocabulary

# 1  Analyse the question

This is an essential step in the planning process and will ensure that you answer the question fully. It’s quick and easy to do. You just need to identify 3 different types of words:

1. Topic words

2.  Other keywords

3.  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.

One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion .

So, this question is about ‘ traffic congestion’ .

Many people will 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 traffic congestion we're being asked to write about.

The  other keywords  in the question tell you the specific topic you must write about. 

By highlighting these words, it’s easy to see that you are being asked to write about the problem of traffic congestion in large cities. Your essay must only include ideas relevant to these ideas.

The instruction words are the question itself. These tell you the type of IELTS problem solution essay you must write. This is a ‘causes and solutions’ 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.

We’re going to use the ‘friends technique’. This is the method I 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.

You might want to try this yourself before reading on for my ideas.

Here are my ideas:

• Too many cars on the roads – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains
• Inadequate public transport – crowded, old & dirty
• Poor road layout
• Rush hour traffic – most people travel to & from work at the same times each day
• Car sharing, park-and-ride scheme, congestion charge
• Improve public transport – more frequent and better quality
• Improve infrastructure – bus lanes, cycle lanes will make it safer for people to cycle
• Flexible working hours

For each cause you think of, immediately write down a possible solution. This you will ensure that the problems and solutions you think of are linked.

You don’t need to spend long on this as you only need one or two ideas.

I’ve got more far more ideas here than I need as I spent more time thinking about it that I would in the real exam. I’m going to pick just one cause to develop in the essay and one or two solutions.

My advice on making your selection is to choose ideas you can quickly think of an example to illustrate.

Here are my choices:

Cause  – Too many cars on the roads.  Why? – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains

Solution  – Park-and-ride schemes

We’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS problem solution 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 which cause and solution you are 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. For example:

• traffic jam
• heavy traffic
• private transport
• infrastructure

With that done, we can focus on the first paragraph of the essay – the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

Good  introductions to IELTS problem solution essays have a simple 2 part structure:

• State 1 key problem/cause and related solution/s (outline sentence)
• Have 2-3 sentences
• Be 40-60 words long
• Take 5 minutes to write

1)  Paraphrase the question

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question.

Question: One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

                  What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?

Paraphrased question:  

O ne of the most serious issues facing the majority of large urban areas is traffic jams.  

Note my use of synonyms to replace key words in the question statement. You don’t have to replace every key word but do so where possible whilst ensuring that your language sounds natural.

2)  Outline statement

Now we need to add an  outline statement  where we outline the two main points that we’ll cover in the rest of the essay, that is, the cause and the solution I chose earlier. Here they are again.

Cause  – Too many cars on the roads.  Why? – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains

And, this is one way to develop them into an outline sentence.

Outline statement:

The main reason for this is that there are too many private cars on the roads these days and a viable solution is to introduce more park-and-ride schemes.

So, let’s bring the two 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  –  Too many cars on the roads  

Main body paragraph 2  –  Park-and-ride schemes

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main body paragraphs in IELTS problem solution essays should contain 3 things:

• Topic sentence – outline the main idea
• Explanation – explain it and g ive more detail

Main Body Paragraph 1

The  topic sentence  summarises the main idea of the paragraph. That’s all it needs to do so it doesn’t have to be complicated.

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.

We’ll now take the idea for our first main body paragraph and create our topic sentence.

Obviously, we’re going to write about the cause of the problem first.

Main body paragraph 1  –  Too many cars on the roads 

Topic sentence:  

The number of people owning cars increases year on year, with most families now having more than one car. 

Next, we must write an  explanation sentence  that develops the idea.

Explanation sentence: 

Most people like the convenience of travelling at the time they want to rather than being restricted to public transport timetables, so they prefer to drive themselves around rather than taking the bus or train. This is despite the fact that they frequently have to sit in long traffic queues as they near the city centre.

Finally, we add an  example  to support our main point. If you can’t think of a real example, it’s fine to make one up, as long as it’s believable. The examiner isn’t going to check your facts. Alternative, you could add another piece of information to support your idea.

Example sentence:

Whenever I have to attend a meeting in the city, I always drive because it means that I can leave home when I want to rather than getting stressed about getting to the station in time to catch the train.

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

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

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea 2  –   Park-and-ride schemes

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

Topic sentence:

A solution that is proving successful in many areas is park-and-ride schemes.

Now for the  explanation sentence  where we expand on this idea.

Explanation sentence:

This is where you park your car for free in a large car park on the outskirts of the city and take a bus for the final part of your journey. The fee you have to pay for the bus trip is usually very small and this public transport system is generally very regular, running every ten minutes or so.

Finally, an  example  to support this point.

A survey carried out in the city of Exeter showed that the rush hour congestion decreased by 10% when the council set up a park-and-ride scheme to the north of the city. There was an additional drop of another 10% in traffic volume when a second scheme began operating to the south.

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 problem solution 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 over 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 problem solution 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 problem solution 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 good conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction. 

Introduction:

Here is the same information formed into a conclusion.  I’ve also added a personal statement at the end to link back to one of my example sentences. You don’t have to do this but in this case, I think that it rounds the essay off better.

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

Finished IELTS problem solution 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 problem solution essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

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More help with ielts problem solution 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: How to write a causes solution essay

Step by step guide to writing an IELTS causes solution essay.

Updated : January 2024

A common type of IELTS task 2 essay is a problem solution or causes solution essay. Here you will need to write about the causes of the problem in main body one and recommendations or possible solutions that could solve the issue in main body two. I could have a 3rd body paragraph but I prefer the 2 main body approach.

In this lesson we will look at:

1. A good structure for a causes/problem solution essay. 2. How to analyse the question. 3. Tips on thinking of ideas for the essay. 4. Getting ideas effectively. 5. How to paraphrase the question and write a good introduction. 6. How to build main body paragraphs. 7. How to write an effective conclusion. 8. Model Answer.

In this type of IELTS essay, you can either write about 2 problems and 2 solutions or just 1 problem and 1 solution as long as you develop and extend your ideas. Both are fine there is no one particular magic structure that will guarantee a high band score.

Example of one problem one solution structure.

Analyse the question.

This is the first thing that needs to be done before getting ideas or writing anything. Let’s look at the question.

All over the world, societies are facing a growing problem with obesity. This problem affects both children and adults. What are the reasons for this rise in obesity, How could it be tackled?

Keywords: all over the world, societies, a growing problem, obesity, affects children and adults,

(The general topic is about obesity, however, we need to focus on the issues. Keywords such as “all over the world” “societies” ” affects children/adults” “growing problem” It is important to write about the issues by looking at the keywords, not just a general essay on obesity.)

Instruction words: These words show what kind of essay you will need to write, there are 5 essay types and each structure is different. In this case, the instruction words are: “what are the reasons for this? ” and “how could it be tackled?” . I have to write about the reasons for the problem and how can the problem be solved. This is a causes solution essay.

Tips on getting ideas for the essay.

1. listing pros and cons or problems and solutions:.

This idea might work well for a problem solution essay or an advantage disadvantage essay but for the other types of essay, it might not work very well. You just list problems on the left and solutions on the right. (I will use this method in this lesson.) but remember we only choose one or two problems and solutions to write about.

This took me about 2 minutes to list them, so now I need to select just 1 or 2 problems and 1 or 2 solutions and write about those. I do not need all these ideas, be selective here.

Important: do not just write a list of problems in the essay. You have to explain the causes of the problem and give specific examples and a suggestion for what action should be taken in the body paragraphs. You only need to write about 1 or 2 problems and suggest solutions. Don’t waste time brainstorming ideas or going into too much detail because you will not have time.

2. Asking questions to yourself:

This technique is very useful for getting ideas quickly, remember that you don’t have much preparation time before writing. So you write a statement and ask yourself questions, like having a conversation with yourself. This works well for an opinion essay or discussion essay.

By the way, you can just use one problem and one solution and still get a Band 7 if the essay is well supported and developed.

You have a little conversation with yourself to get ideas and then write some notes. Imagine you are with a friend and they are having a conversation with you about this topic. Keep it short though because you have to now think of paraphrasing the question and writing a thesis statement.

Giving Examples

You do not need to be an expert on the topic, but you need to give an opinion and support it with specific examples. Another thing to bear in mind is the specific examples you give do not have to be accurate. For example, if I say “the consumption of fast food in the UK has risen by 24% since 2002 “ that sounds fine, but if I say “ it has risen by 98% “ then that just doesn’t sound believable.

Click this link on how to give examples in body paragraphs.

Tip: The IELTS test is not a general knowledge test. It is designed to test your English ability and the way you can back up your arguments with examples. Many students are scared and think their facts, opinions or statistics will be cross-checked. The examiner is not going to check online to see if your facts or statistics are correct, they just don’t have time to do that.

How to paraphrase the question and write an effective introduction.

Now it is time to paraphrase the question for the introduction and add a thesis statement. Here is the question again.

Paraphrased version:

Nations worldwide are dealing with the increasing issue of obesity. This is a cause for concern for all age groups.

These are the words and phrases that I have paraphrased using synonyms.

• All over the world – Worldwide
• Societies – Nations
• Are facing a growing problem with.. – Are dealing with the increasing issue of…
• This problem affects both children and adults – This is a cause for concern for all age groups

Have you noticed that I didn’t paraphrase everything?  It is not necessary to change every single word. Also, I changed the phrase “All over the world, societies are….” to a much simpler “ Nations worldwide” . It’s not just about paraphrasing words with synonyms the grammar can be slightly altered too. Now I need to state the causes of the problems and possible solutions in the Thesis statement.

The Thesis Statement.

There are two main causes, overconsumption of fast food and a lack of exercise. Possible solutions would be a government tax on fast food and special incentives on gym membership to get people exercising.’

Keep the thesis statement short and to the point. Another method is to state the causes of the problem and refer to the fact that there are possible solutions to the issue. This means you will have a much more concise thesis statement. Example below.

This is caused by overconsumption of fast food and a lack of exercise, however, some steps can be taken to resolve this.

Remember: Your main body paragraphs will reflect the thesis statement so you must plan your thesis statement well.

Here is the introduction in full.

Nations worldwide are dealing with the increasing issue of obesity. This is a cause for concern for all age groups. There are two main causes, overconsumption of fast food and lack of exercise. Possible solutions would be a government tax on fast food and special incentives for gym membership to get people exercising.

This introduction is around 54 words. Keep it concise it is not necessary to have a long introduction.

Main body paragraphs.

I have chosen 2 key problems which are fast food and lack of exercise so I want to stick with those and not go off onto another topic. Do not suddenly change your ideas in the middle of writing you will lose time. Take a look at the idea below.

One of the reasons people are becoming obese these days is that they eat junk food like hamburgers and chips. The solution is for the government to raise taxes on fast food.

Is there enough detail here? Is there anything missing from this paragraph? How can I improve it? The answer is that I need more detail and a specific example, not just a general example . I need to explain what can be done to solve the problem. I can also write about what the result of the solution could be.

In this case, I will go with 2 causes 2 solutions

Key: Green = main topic sentence, Blue = give an explanation, Purple = give an example,  Orange = give a possible solution,  Grey = result of the possible solution (you don’t have to use this though)

• One of the reasons that people are becoming overweight these days is that they are eating more junk food, ready meals and convenience food rather than cooking healthy meals at home. This is because many people tend to lead a busy life and after a long day at work it is easier to just buy ready meals in the supermarket or get a takeaway. For instance, In the UK sales of these types of foods have risen dramatically since 1990. This is due to busy people seeing cooking at home as time-consuming. To tackle this issue the government should take steps to increase tax on high fat, high sugar or unhealthy foods. Therefore consumers would think twice about the foods they consume, which could lead to them losing weight.

Now I will use the same technique to write the main body 2 paragraph about lack of exercise.

• Another problem that needs to be considered is the lack of exercise. As a result of leading a busy life or work pressures, many people are just too tired to go to the gym or join a sports club. For example, after a hard day at work, most people prefer to just come home and sit in front of the TV. It goes without saying that when people have time off they tend to relax rather than going to a gym. One possible solution is for employers to consider the health and well being of their employees and offer in-house company gyms or special incentives, such as discounts to join a sports or fitness club. If this is implemented it would have a positive effect on peoples health and a reduction in weight gain.

Some key phrases for introducing the causes of the problem and giving solutions

• Problem: One of the main reasons for…..   Solution : To tackle this issue…..
• Problem: Another problem to consider is…  Solution : One possible solution is….
• Problem : One main cause of…….   Solution : The way forward could be to…..
• Problem: A particular cause for concern is …   Solution: To solve this problem…

Examples for introducing problems: 


• One of the main reasons for people becoming overweight these days is that they are eating junk food, ready meals and convenience food…
• Another problem that needs to be considered is the lack of exercise…..

Grammar for showing possible results/outcomes: 


• Therefore, consumers would think twice about the food they consume…..
• As a result, this would have a positive effect on peoples health…..
• Unless action is taken, the problem will get worse……
• If the government takes steps to address the issue, the problem could be resolved…
• This would result in a reduction of obesity/This would lead to a reduction in obesity…

Key point on giving examples in body paragraphs: Something that is important for backing up your supporting points is giving specific examples, such as “In the UK sales of these types of food have risen dramatically since 1990” . You can give statistics but they are not really necessary. The examiner is not going to google your information and check. The aim of this is to show how you can use examples to back up your points.

How to write a good conclusion.

Now let’s take a look at the conclusion. Here you need to briefly summarise the 2 problems and 2 solutions with a recommendation or prediction sentence.

Key: Green = cohesive device,  Orange = summarise the 2 problems,  Blue = summarise the 2 solutions,  Purple = recommendation or prediction sentence

• In conclusion, being overweight is an increasing issue because of consumption of fast food, convenience foods and lack of exercise due to work commitments. The government needs to look at taxing fast food and companies should set up incentives for gyms, sports or fitness clubs. Unless this issue is tackled soon, then the problem of obesity will lead to a higher mortality rate in the future.

The last sentence is optional (the recommendation prediction sentence) but this is a good idea to include if you think the essay is under 250 words.
 The conclusion should briefly repeat the main points you were writing about in the main bodies of the essay. Be sure to keep the conclusion short and simple, about 3 sentences is enough.

You must write a conclusion, If you do not write a conclusion you will lose a Band score in task response. One useful method is to paraphrase your introduction in the conclusion.

Examples of cohesive devices to conclude.

• In conclusion
• To conclude

Just choose one of these in the conclusion. Some words that should not be used to conclude are ‘ All in all, Finally, Lastly, in the end, In a nutshell, I reckon … ‘ don’t use these, they are informal or are inappropriate.

Model Answer (2 causes 2 solutions)

Nations worldwide are dealing with the increasing issue of obesity. This is a cause for concern for all age groups. There are two main causes, over-consumption of fast food and lack of exercise. Possible solutions would be a government tax on fast food and special incentives for gym membership to get people exercising.

One of the reasons that people are becoming overweight these days is that they are eating more junk food, ready meals and convenience food rather than cooking healthy meals at home. This is because many people tend to lead a busy life after a long day at work it is easier to just buy ready meals in the supermarket or get a takeaway. For instance, In the UK, sales of these types of foods have risen considerably since 1990, this is due to busy people seeing cooking at home as time-consuming. To tackle this issue the government should take steps to increase the tax on high fat, high sugar or unhealthy foods. Therefore, consumers would think twice about the foods they consume, which could lead to them losing weight.

Another problem that needs to be considered is the lack of exercise. As a result of leading a hectic life with pressures at work, many people are just too tired to go to the gym or join a sports club. For example, after a hard day at work, most people prefer to just come home and sit in front of the TV. Furthermore, when people have time off they tend to relax rather than go to a gym. One possible solution is for employers to consider the health and well being of their employees and offer in-house company gyms or special incentives, such as discounts to join a sports or fitness club. If this is implemented it would have a positive effect on peoples health and a reduction in weight gain.

In conclusion, being overweight is an increasing issue because of consumption of fast food, convenience foods and not enough exercise due to work commitments. The government needs to look at taxing fast food and companies should set up incentives for gyms, sports or fitness clubs.

Note:   The essay doesn’t have to be this long , I did this for example purposes only, aim for around 260 to 290 words as you will not have the time to write a long essay in the exam.

There is no magic structure that can guarantee you a high band score for an IELTS essay. You can have 1 problem 1 solution as long as it is well supported or 2 problems 2 solutions or a 3rd body paragraph.

Just work with whatever you feel comfortable with. The essay must have an introduction and a conclusion though, and no more than 3 body paragraphs.

Any questions? comment below.

6 thoughts on “IELTS writing task 2: How to write a causes solution essay”

Hi, I got a bit confused. you have said the structure for this type of question, at the top of this page in a box, that in main body one, we bring the problems, and in the main body two we bring solutions, but in your Model Answers you have brought one problem and its solution in the main body 1, and the second problem and its solution in the main body two. which structure is valid then?

The one problem one solution is easier to write for many people, so i recommended that… the model answer just shows a longer essay type with 2 problems and 2 solutions but that tends to be a challenge for some people to write about as they run out of time. Both structures are ok to use, whatever you feel comfortable with.

So that means, if I wrote two problems in body 1 and their solutions in body 2, that is still OK?

yes thats fine, but try to keep the essay concise.

I would like to appreciate the way you explained each and everything in a very simple and concise way. Appreciated.

Thanks, glad it was useful.. Ray

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

IELTS Writing Task 2  Causes and Solutions: Sample Answer Watch the video on Writing Task 2: Causes and Solutions

Requirements

This question type requires you to identify causes or reasons of an issue and offer solutions. The topics are usually social and nothing controversial.

The wording of the questions can vary. For example....

“What do you think are the reasons for this?”  “Why is this happening?”

“What can be done to reverse this?”  “What measures can be taken to prevent this?”  

Sample Answer

Obesity, in recent years, has become prevalent in certain nations which has resulted in a decline in the levels of well-being. This essay will discuss reasons for this phenomenon along with proposing some measures that can be implemented to reverse this trend. 

The major reasons for weight gain, in my estimation, are an imbalanced diet along with a sedentary lifestyle. People nowadays have a preference for convenience food because they either do not have sufficient time to prepare a healthy meal or they are probably ignorant of the negative effects these fast foods have on their health. An additional factor is the idle lifestyle many citizens live as a result of the changes in working practices.  Jobs that were once done entirely by humans have become increasingly automated, especially in the industrial sector, while employees in other fields spend an inordinate amount of time in front of computer screens. 

Education can be the key to stemming this unhealthy trend which, in turn, will lighten the state’s health care expenses. Throughout the education system, children need to be taught the importance of a healthy, balanced diet in a curriculum that also values and practices physical education. Moreover, citizens could be encouraged, through government health-awareness programs, to do more physical exercise. Having their awareness raised on the ill-effects of weight gain and the numerous benefits of maintaining fitness, people can be incentivized to make positive lifestyle adjustments.

In conclusion, an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise have resulted in obesity amongst people. Governments, therefore, should take responsibility for educating their citizens to be more responsible for their weight levels and physical fitness.

Sample: Causes and Solutions. PDF

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IELTS Writing Task 2 – Topic: PROBLEMS/CAUSES – SOLUTIONS

ielts writing topics 2019

1.  More and more people are migrating to cities in search of a better life, but city life can be extremely difficult. Explain some of the difficulties of living in a city. How can governments make urban life better for everyone?   

Sample Answer

Cities are often seen as places of opportunity, but there are also some major drawbacks of living in a large metropolis. In my opinion, governments could do much more to improve city life for the average inhabitant.

The main problem for anyone who hopes to migrate to a large city is that the cost of living is likely to be much higher than it is in a small town or village. Inhabitants of cities have to pay higher prices for housing, transport, and even food. Another issue is that urban areas tend to suffer from social problems such as high crime and poverty rates in comparison with rural areas. Furthermore, the air quality in cities is often poor, due to pollution from traffic, and the streets and public transport systems are usually overcrowded. As a result, city life can be unhealthy and stressful.

However, there are various steps that governments could take to tackle these problems. Firstly, they could invest money in the building of affordable or social housing to reduce the cost of living. Secondly, politicians have the power to ban vehicles from city centres and promote the use of cleaner public transport, which would help to reduce both air pollution and traffic congestion. In London, for example, the introduction of a congestion charge for drivers has helped to curb the traffic problem. A third option would be to develop provincial towns and rural areas, by moving industry and jobs to those regions, in order to reduce the pressure on major cities.

In conclusion, governments could certainly implement a range of measures to enhance the quality of life for all city residents.

 (273 words, band 9)

2.  In many countries schools have severe problems with student behaviour. What do you think are the causes of this? What solutions can you suggest?  

It is true that the behaviour of school pupils in some parts of the world has been getting worse in recent years. There are a variety of possible reasons for this, but steps can definitely be taken to tackle the problem.

In my opinion, three main factors are to blame for the way young people behave at school nowadays. Firstly, modern parents tend to be too lenient or permissive. Many children become accustomed to getting whatever they want, and they find it difficult to accept the demands of teachers or the limits imposed on them by school rules. Secondly, if teachers cannot control their students, there must be an issue with the quality of classroom management training or support within schools. Finally, children are influenced by the behaviour of celebrities, many of whom set the example that success can be achieved without finishing school.

Student behaviour can certainly be improved. I believe that the change must start with parents, who need to be persuaded that it is important to set firm rules for their children. When children misbehave or break the rules, parents should use reasonable punishments to demonstrate that actions have consequences. Also, schools could play an important role in training both teachers and parents to use effective disciplinary techniques, and in improving the communication between both groups. At the same time, famous people, such as musicians and football players, need to understand the responsibility that they have to act as role models to children.

In conclusion, schools will continue to face discipline problems unless parents, teachers and public figures set clear rules and demonstrate the right behaviour themselves.

 (270 words, band 9)

3.  In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing. What problems will this cause for individuals and society? Suggest some measures that could be taken to reduce the impact of ageing populations.  

It is true that people in industrialised nations can expect to live longer than ever before. Although there will undoubtedly be some negative consequences of this trend, societies can take steps to mitigate these potential problems.

As people live longer and the populations of developed countries grow older, several related problems can be anticipated. The main issue is that there will obviously be more people of retirement age who will be eligible to receive a pension. The proportion of younger, working adults will be smaller, and governments will therefore receive less money in taxes in relation to the size of the population. In other words, an ageing population will mean a greater tax burden for working adults. Further pressures will include a rise in the demand for healthcare, and the fact young adults will increasingly have to look after their elderly relatives.

There are several actions that governments could take to solve the problems described above. Firstly, a simple solution would be to increase the retirement age for working adults, perhaps from 65 to 70. Nowadays, people of this age tend to be healthy enough to continue a productive working life. A second measure would be for governments to encourage immigration in order to increase the number of working adults who pay taxes. Finally, money from national budgets will need to be taken from other areas and spent on vital healthcare, accommodation and transport facilities for the rising numbers of older citizens.

In conclusion, various measures can be taken to tackle the problems that are certain to arise as the populations of countries grow older.

 (265 words, band 9)

4.  Explain some of the ways in which humans are damaging the environment. What can governments do to address these problems? What can individual people do?  

Humans are responsible for a variety of environmental problems, but we can  also take steps to reduce the damage that we are causing to the planet. This essay will  discuss environmental problems and the measures that governments and individuals  can take to address these problems.

Two of the biggest threats to the environment are air pollution and waste. Gas  emissions from factories and exhaust fumes from vehicles lead to global warming,  which may have a devastating effect on the planet in the future. As the human  population increases, we are also producing ever greater quantities of waste, which  contaminates the earth and pollutes rivers and oceans.

Governments could certainly make more effort to reduce air pollution. They  could introduce laws to limit emissions from factories or to force companies to use  renewable energy from solar, wind or water power. They could also impose ‘green  taxes’ on drivers and airline companies. In this way, people would be encouraged to  use public transport and to take fewer flights abroad, therefore reducing emissions.

Individuals should also take responsibility for the impact they have on the  environment. They can take public transport rather than driving, choose products with  less packaging, and recycle as much as possible. Most supermarkets now provide  reusable bags for shoppers as well as ‘banks’ for recycling glass, plastic and paper in  their car parks. By reusing and recycling, we can help to reduce waste.

In conclusion, both national governments and individuals must play their part  in looking after the environment.

 (250 words, band 9)

5.  More and more people are migrating to cities in search of a better life, but city life can be extremely difficult. Explain some of the difficulties of living in a city. How can governments make urban life better for everyone?

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Problem Solution Essay IELTS: Topics & Sample Questions

• Last Updated On July 29, 2024
• Published In IELTS Preparation 💻

Problem and solution essay IELTS or cause and solution essay IELTS is a common type of essay question asked in the IELTS Writing Task 2 Exam. Herein, a problem is presented to the candidate and you are asked to suggest relevant, specific, and possible solutions regarding the same.

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You can either write about 2 problems with both their solutions or discuss one major problem and one solution. As long as you extend and explain your ideas, you will be able to communicate your thoughts to the examiner. Maintain a formal tone throughout your essay. In a problem solution essay IELTS, examiner might ask the candidate to discuss any of the following:

• Cause of the problem
• Effect of a problem
• Methods to prevent the problem
• Possible and effective solutions to the problem

Problem Solution Essay IELTS Question: Evaluation Factors

IELTS writing tests are evaluated across 4 main factors or areas when your IELTS band scores are calculated. These areas are:

• Achievement of the task – The examiner notices here to what extent you have addressed all the parts of the task with explained and well-developed ideas.
• Cohesion and Coherence – The logical flow and organisation of your ideas and information are examined here. The examiner notices whether the essay has a logical progression of thoughts.
• Lexical Resource – The vocabulary used in the essay and its accuracy are examined here. You should use lexical items with sophistication.
• Grammatical accuracy and range – Lastly, the examiner evaluates whether the candidate has used the grammatical structures accurately. Sentences with sophisticated clauses and a clear flow should be used.

Tips to Create a Problem Solution Essay IELTS Structure

While structuring the essay in your head, make sure to use a proper approach to these questions. The steps to structure the essays are:

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Analyse the question thoroughly

Analysing the question is a crucial part of answering any IELTS writing essay questions. You can analyse the question in the best way through three main things:

• Keywords : These are the specific words that inform you about the general topic.
• Micro Keywords : These keywords identify the parts of the general topic that the examiner wants you to focus on. They generally give an opinion by emphasising a sub-category of the topic.
• Action Words : Instruction words or action words make it clear for the candidates what the examiner wants them to do.

Think of Ideas

Now that the purpose of the question is clear to you, form a specific idea for the essay in your head. For each problem you think of, identify a direct solution for the same.

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Follow the structure & write down the essay.

Write down the essay by ensuring to follow a proper structure, including an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The essay should include examples and discuss possible solutions.

Also Read: Latest 50+ IELTS Essay Topics in 2022

Problem Solution Essay IELTS Pattern

A basic four-paragraph structure should be used to structure the problem solution essay IELTS. The structure is as follows:

Paragraph 1 – Introduction

In the introduction paragraph, you can first paraphrase the statement part of the question and outline the ideas to be discussed in the essay further. Paraphrasing the questions means rephrasing the sentence without changing its meaning using synonyms. The outline sentence helps the examiner to understand what they can expect from the essay and thus ensure clarity. Cohesion and clarity play an important role in the scoring of the essay.

Paragraph 2 – Problems

In the second paragraph, state the problems you thought of and then explain the first problem and the second problem in the second half of the essay thoroughly.

Paragraph 3 – Solutions

In the third paragraph, list down the solutions to the problems listed above, the first solution with its examples, and then the second solution, along with relevant examples that support the solution.

Paragraph 4 – Conclusion

In the conclusion paragraph, cover all the important points discussed in the above 3 paragraphs and end your essay.

Problem Solution Essay IELTS: Key Points to Remember

Some of the main points to remember while attempting the problem solution essay task 2 questions in IELTS are:

• You have only 40 minutes to complete the essay writing task, and you have to write a minimum of 250 words.
• Use linking words, collocations, and phrases to ensure a flow in the essay.
• If you are using any facts or statistical data, make sure it is accurate and reliable.
• Make sure that the introduction is clear and engaging. It helps the examiner to get a sense of what will be discussed in the essay further.
• Use refined and accurate grammar and vocabulary, which will help the examiner understand your proficiency in the language.
• Provide relevant examples to explain your content. An explanation of your opinions is the best way to ensure a higher IELTS score.
• Identify the keywords and secondary keywords. Relate them with the problems and the solutions, and make sure to include the keywords in the content. 
• Plan the problems you are going to discuss in your head and the possible solutions before writing them down.
• The paragraphs should be ideally balanced by discussing the problems in one body paragraph and solutions in the second body paragraph.

Also Read: Updated List Vocabulary for IELTS 2022

Common Mistakes

Though problem and solution essay in IELTS are highly asked in the exam, there are some common mistakes that are made by the candidates. Some of these mistakes that a candidate can avoid while attempting these types of questions are:

• Candidates often do not expand on their ideas and often list down a lot of problems and solutions. The examiners mark the essays on the basis of the explanation of the problems and solutions listed. It is usually advised to pick a problem or two along with their solutions and then explain them with relevant examples.
• Another common mistake by the candidates is writing indirectly about solutions that are not directly related to the questions. You should opt for concrete ideas rather than writing a generalised answer. Identify the keywords and the micro-keywords from the question and try to include those in the topic.
• Many people often list down good problems but fail to link them with the solutions. Each problem should have a directly linked solution that actually solves the problem.
• Learn to identify the problem and solution and causes and solution questions as both of them might look similar but have a certain difference in how they are to be structured.
• Avoid writing in absolute terms by using qualifiers which ensure that your sentences look like claims rather than proven facts.

Problem Solution Essay IELTS Sample Questions

There are many themes for the problem solution essay topics IELTS related to various problems. Some of the problem solution essay IELTS topics questions for your practice are as given below:

Theme 1 – Cities

• Nowadays, it is getting difficult for people to enjoy their lives in cities. Why do you think this is? What can the government do to make life in cities more enjoyable?
• In large cities, the issue of overpopulation has been a significant cause of concern which leads to a lack of jobs and traffic congestion. What is the cause of this? How can government help in solving this problem?
• In many cities and urban areas around the world, crime is increasing. What is the cause of this? How can governments help to prevent the crimes?

Theme 2 – Technology & the Internet

• People from older generations face difficulty in using new technology. What is the cause behind this? What are some possible solutions to this problem?
• A lot of children spend time on social media surfing the internet and playing video games, which hurts their studies and grades and makes them experience loneliness and health problems such as obesity. What is the reason behind this? What can the parents do to prevent it?
• The internet has changed the way information is consumed and shared among people. What are some serious issues a person can face associated with the internet, and what solutions can be implemented?

Theme 3 – Environment or Climate Change

• Sea levels have steadily risen in recent years. What do you think is the reason behind this? How can it be fixed?
• Many countries around the world are suffering from poor water and air quality, which is harmful to all of us, especially older people. What is the cause of this? How can it be solved?
• Climate change and global warming is a serious threat the world is facing, which is reducing the average life expectancy. What are some causes of this? How can governments and healthcare sectors solve this problem?

IELTS Advantages & Disadvantage Essay Topics   

Foreign Language IELTS Sample Essay

A sample of the Problem Solution Essay Example Question IELTS for Writing Test 2 is given below for your reference:

As social media continue to develop, more and more youngsters have unsupervised access to all the contents available over the internet in order to meet and chat with friends and even strangers, which can lead to some potentially dangerous situations. What solutions can you suggest to deal with this problem?

Problem Solution Essay IELTS

In the modern era, a large number of young people use the internet to meet and talk with friends via social media. Due to social media and the growth of the internet in the 21st century, many children are facing issues related to their health and the expression of their feelings as a result of the lack of face-to-face interaction. This issue can be solved by opting for some measures.

To begin with, there are many people all over the world who use the internet for their work or education purposes. As a result, everyone uses it until late at night, which can lead to a variety of health issues, such as vision problems from constantly staring at computers or mobile phones and spinal curvatures from excessive sitting in front of computers and laptops. Secondly, due to the nature of online meetings and conversations, there is a lack of face-to-face interaction among people due to which youngsters are unable to express their feelings due to the loss of peer interaction.

Parents can help in resolving these issues by blocking the access of children to websites that are not children-friendly. In addition to that, parents can encourage children to go out and play instead of being on the internet all day in exchange for a surprise or more quality time. Social media companies can also contribute to the solution by restricting the access of children to the platforms on the basis of their age, which can protect them from content that is not suitable for them. For example, the social media platform Facebook recently updated its privacy policies to restrict access to children under the age of ten.

To summarise, young people use the internet to interact with various types of people online without any supervision, which gives them a sense of freedom and confidence in sending unethical messages to others. To stay out of it, parents should monitor their communication and provide suitable guidance and advice to their children.

Problem Solution Essay IELTS is a type of question that includes problems for which you have to find solutions through a logical flow of thought. 40 minutes are given to complete the 250-word essay writing task. The structure of the essay for a problem-solving question includes an introduction, a discussion of problems, possible solutions with examples, and a conclusion. 

The introduction has an overview of the essay. The main body paragraphs discuss the problems along with their direct solutions and examples. The conclusion paragraph summarises your opinion on the task. You need to discuss the problems caused by the issues and the measures to reduce or eliminate the problem altogether.

You do not just need to state problems and solutions but also need to explain the thought process to reach that solution. Make sure the essay is readable and has a logical flow and cohesion.

You can practice for the Problem Solution Essay IELTS by writing on various topics or themes available on the internet ranging from the internet, cities, poverty, problems of rural areas or developing countries, lifestyle in developed countries, success, news, etc.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can i write the problem and solution both in one paragraph.

Ans. No, you can not write the problem and solution both in the same paragraph, as this will affect the flow and understanding of the essay. The cause and the solution or the problems and the solution will both be discussed in two different paragraphs of the main body.

How can I identify a problem solution essay type?

Ans. In the problem solution essay questions, a topic is given, and you will have to discuss the issues or problems faced in regard to that particular topic. Often, these questions can also ask for your opinion on a particular issue.

What is the difference between a cause solution essay and a problem solution essay IELTS?  

Ans. Problem solution essays and cause solution essays are highly similar. However, there is a subtle difference between the two. A problem solution essay question asks about the problem with regard to a particular topic, whereas the cause solution essay asks about the causes behind an issue. The problem is to be mentioned in both essays. However, in the cause solution essay, you should focus more on the cause of that particular statement.

How can I write a solution paragraph? 

Ans. First of all, for a solution paragraph, you need to develop ideas related to the given problem in your mind to check whether or not your ideas are directly relevant to the problem. After that, you have to decide how you will explain the solution to all the problems in a precise manner. After then, develop your solution with the help of a detailed explanation.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Problem and Solution Essay Lesson

Problem Solution Essay

This lesson on how to write a problem solution essay will:

• discuss common mistakes;
• show you how to analyse the question;
• show you how to think of ideas;
• give you a structure that can be used again and again on all problem solution IELTS essays;
• describe how to write an introduction , main body paragraphs and conclusion; and
• give you a full band 9 sample answer.

Problem/solution questions are one of the most common IELTS Writing Task 2 questions on the academic paper. Despite being very common, many students fail to do well in these questions. This post will look at some of the most common mistakes and then take you through how to answer these questions step-by-step.

Common Mistakes

• The most common mistake for problem solution essays is not expanding on your ideas and instead simply listing lots of problems and solutions. The examiner does not want a list of all the problems and solutions you can think of, and please don’t do this in the exam. Instead, if you look at how the exam is marked , the examiner wants you to pick one or two problems and solutions and then expand on them with explanations and examples. More on how to do this below.
• Another common mistake is writing about problems and solutions that are not directly linked to the question. You should be like a sniper when answering the question and only give very specific ideas rather than ideas that generally talk about the overall issue. This has a lot to do with how you identify keywords and micro-keywords in the questions which we will look at below.
• Lots of people think of good ideas for problems and then fail to link their solutions to these problems. Each problem should have a solution directly linked to it, or in other words, it should solve the actual problem.
• Finally, some candidates think of really good problems and solutions that answer the question properly and then expand their answers with explanations and examples, but they talk too generally. Instead, you should be thinking of specific examples and explanations. We will look at how to avoid this below.

Analysing the Question 

This is one of the most crucial parts of answering any IELTS writing question. If you don’t take the time to think properly about what the examiner is asking you to do, then it is very difficult to answer the question correctly.

We analyse the question by thinking about three things:

• micro-keywords
• action words

Keywords are the words that tell us what the general topic is.

Micro-keywords identify which part of the general topic the examiner wants you to discuss. They often give an opinion, qualify the statement or talk about a sub-category of the bigger general topic.

Action words tell us what the examiner wants us to do.

Problem Solution Sample Essay

Global warming is one of the biggest threats humans face in the 21st Century, and sea levels continue to rise at alarming rates. 

What problems are associated with this, and what are some possible solutions? 

If we look at this question, we can see that the keywords are ‘ global warming ‘. This is our general topic. We will write about this, but we cannot write about any problems associated with global warming. If we do this, we have not answered the question properly. We, therefore, need to look at the micro-keywords.

The micro-keywords are ‘ humans ‘ and ‘ sea level rise ‘. So instead of writing just about the huge topic of global warming and any problems associated with that (such as increased storms, extinction of certain animals, erosion of soil), we have to talk about how particularly sea level rises will affect humans . If we talked about the problems affecting the ‘planet’ or ‘animals’ or the ‘atmosphere’, we would not be answering the question.

The action words are problems and solutions .  Our task is, therefore, to write about that and only that. It does not ask our opinion about the disadvantages, advantages, or causes, just the problems and solutions. If we discussed the causes of sea level rise, we would not be answering the question.

For more information, go to effectively analyse an IELTS question .

How to Think of Ideas 

Now that we know exactly what the question is asking us to do, we need to think of specific and relevant ideas. There are many strategies for thinking of ideas for IELTS task 2 questions  TO THINK OF IDEAS FOR IELTS WRITING TASK 2  but for problem-solving questions; I like to use something called the ‘coffee shop method’.

Instead of brainstorming or mind-mapping- which take too much time and lead to irrelevant ideas in my opinion- you should pretend you are in a coffee shop with a friend and they have just asked you a simple question. In this case, it would be “What are the problems and solutions associated with sea level rise on humans?”

If you were talking to a friend about this, I’m sure you would have no problem thinking of at least 2 or 3 problems and solutions. This method takes you out of an exam situation and puts your mind into a more relaxed environment. Try it and see. If you don’t like it, try one of my other methods.

There are several problems and solutions, including:

Problem : flooding of people’s homes and businesses

Solution : build flood barriers or move to higher areas

Problem : loss of agricultural land and starvation

Solution : switch to more suitable crops

Problem : displacement of millions of people

Solution : move people in a planned and orderly way before the floods

Problem : groundwater undrinkable

Solution : build desalination plants

As you can see, I didn’t think of lots of problems and then lots of solutions. For each problem, you should think of a solution that directly solves this problem.

You now have lots of ideas, but now you must decide which ones to use. I always tell my students to pick the ones they know most about, i.e. that they can explain and give relevant examples.

I advise my students to use a basic four-paragraph structure with all problem solution IELTS essays. Your four paragraphs should look something like this:

Paragraph 1- Introduction

Paragraph 2- Problems

Paragraph 3- Solutions

Paragraph 4- Conclusion

At a sentence level, your structure should look like this:

Introduction 

1- Paraphrase question

2- Outline sentence

3- State problems

4- Explain first problem

5- Explain second problem

6- Example of second problem

7- State solutions

8- Explain solution to first problem

9- Explain solution to second problem

10- Example of solution to second problem

Conclusion 

Sentence 11- Summary of main points in paragraphs 2 and 3

For more structures, check out our IELTS task 2 structures guide .

Now let’s look at each paragraph in more detail.

The introduction will have two sentences: a paraphrase of the question and an outline statement.

Paraphrasing is simply saying the sentence again with different words but with the same meaning. We can do this by using synonyms and/or changing the order of the words.

Question-  Global warming is one of the biggest threats humans face in the 21st Century, and sea levels continue to rise at alarming rates. 

Paraphrased- Climate change is among the principal dangers facing people this century, and ocean levels are increasing dramatically.

As you can see above, I have used synonyms to change the words of the questions, but it still has the same meaning. The examiner will look for your ability to do this in the exam, so practising this skill is a good idea.

Our outline sentence is next, which tells the examiner what they will read in the rest of the essay. This makes it very clear to the examiner and makes the rest of the essay much easier to understand. You will, therefore, gain marks for coherence and cohesion.

Our outline sentence should look something like this:

This essay will first suggest that the biggest problems caused by this phenomenon are the loss of land and the flooding of homes and then argue that pollution reduction and building flood protection are the most viable solutions.

Our introduction will, therefore, look like this:

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 problems caused by this phenomenon are the loss of land and the flooding of homes and then argue that pollution reduction and building flood protection are the most viable solutions.

It should be noted that this introduction does not contain a thesis statement. This is because this particular question does not ask us for our opinion. However, IELTS problem solution questions sometimes do ask you for your opinion, and you should then include a thesis statement.

Problems Paragraph 

Our problems paragraph will have this structure:

Sentence 1- State problems

Sentence 2- Explain first problem

Sentence 3- Explain second problem

Sentence 4- Example of second problem

State problems : The foremost problems caused by climbing sea levels are that land is being lost and peoples’ residences are often flooded.

Now that we have stated the problems, we must explain these. You should always consider your audience to be someone with no specialist knowledge in this area, and you, therefore, need to explain what everything means. Don’t assume that the IELTS examiner is educated and knows what you are talking about. These assumptions will stop you from writing what you need.

Explain first problem : As water levels rise, low-lying land is submerged, and many countries become smaller.

Explain second problem : Furthermore, millions of people worldwide live in coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they are inundated with water and lose their property.

Now we must give an example of what we are talking about. When we give an example, it should be as specific as possible.

An example of a very general example would be:

Lots of people in the world have experienced floods recently. 

This is far too general to be considered a good example.

Example : 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.

This example is much more specific. Stating a place and/or date can help you make your examples more specific.

Our second paragraph will look like this:

The foremost problems caused by climbing sea levels are that land is being lost and people’s residences are often flooded. As water levels rise, low-lying land is submerged, and many countries become smaller. Furthermore, millions of people worldwide live in coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they are inundated with water and lose their property. This devastation was clear for all to see during the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people were displaced.

Now we must move on to our solutions.

Solutions Paragraph

Our solutions paragraph will have this structure:

Sentence 1- State solutions

Sentence 2- Explain solution to first problem

Sentence 3- Explain solution to second problem

Sentence 4- Example of solution to second problem

State solutions : Possible solutions to these problems would be to reduce the amount of pollution created and build flood barriers.

We now need to explain how our solution will help solve the problem. Again, do not assume that the examiner has any specialist knowledge of this topic, so you need to explain what you mean.

Explain first solution: If each person reduces their carbon footprint, the negative effects on the environment will be reduced, which will mean that the water level will stop rising.

Explain second solution : Furthermore, flood defences, such as dikes, dams, and floodgates, could be built along coasts and waterways, thereby stopping the water from reaching populated areas.

Example : The Netherlands is one of the most populated areas in the world and one of the most vulnerable to flooding. They have successfully employed various flood defence systems.

Our whole solutions paragraph will look like this:

Possible solutions to these problems would be to reduce the amount of pollution being created and to build flood barriers. If each person reduces their carbon footprint, the negative effects on the environment will be reduced, which will mean that the water level will stop rising. Furthermore, flood defences, such as dikes, dams, and floodgates, could be built along coasts and waterways, thereby stopping the water from 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.

We have now answered the question and need to sum up what we have said in the conclusion.

The conclusion should have no new ideas but instead should list the main points from the previous two paragraphs. You can also use synonyms in this paragraph to avoid repetition.

Conclusion : 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 some countries losing landmass and many of the world’s cities being left underwater, but possible solutions could be to protect our environment and to utilise the flood prevention techniques already used by countries like Holland.

Our whole conclusion for this problem solution essay will look like this:

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 some countries losing landmass and many of the world’s cities being left underwater, but possible solutions could be to protect our environment and to utilise the flood prevention techniques already used by countries like Holland.

Problem and Solution Sample Essay

Here is the whole essay:

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 problems caused by this phenomenon are the loss of land and the flooding of homes and then argue that pollution reduction and building flood protection are the most viable solutions. The foremost problems caused by climbing sea levels are that land is being lost and peoples’ residences are often flooded. As water levels rise, low-lying land is submerged and many countries become smaller. Furthermore, millions of people all over the world live in coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they are inundated with water and lose their property. 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. Possible solutions to these problems would be to reduce the amount of pollution being created and to build flood barriers. If each person reduces their carbon footprint, the negative effects on the environment will be reduced and this will mean that the water level will stop rising. Furthermore, 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 some countries losing landmass and many of the worlds’ cities being left underwater, but possible solutions could be to protect our environment and to utilise the flood prevention techniques already used by countries like Holland.

I hope this post helps you with IELTS problem solution essays, and if you have any questions, please comment below.

Next Steps 

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Cause/Solution Essay Topic: Juvenile Delinquency

Updated On Aug 05, 2024

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The article discusses an IELTS problem-solution essay, focusing on juvenile delinquency. It explains how to outline the essay, presenting causes such as lack of supervision and negative media influence, and suggests solutions.

Table of Contents

Band 8 sample essay, band 9 sample essay, more writing task 2 essay topics.

IELTS Writing Prediction Questions for 2024

One of the various types of essays that can be asked in the IELTS Writing Task 2 is a problem solution essay. IELTS problem solution essay requires candidates to talk about a specific problem or its causes and suggest possible solutions to the same. The problem-solution essay topics like Juvenile Delinquency are based on real-life situations and issues and are essential to be familiar with the pattern of the essay topics in order to perform well in Writing Task 2. If you want to practise regularly, check out the Writing Task 2 practice tests .

Given below is an example of a problem & solution essay. Let’s understand how to frame the essay from the ideas we have.

In some countries, a high proportion of criminal acts are committed by teenagers. Why has this happened? What can be done to deal with this?

Cause solution Essay

Introduction

• Give insight about the topic and elaborate briefly.
• Give prelude to what can be expected in the essay
• Paragraph 1: Cause (Without supervision from parents or caregivers, children’s extreme behaviours such as aggression, hostility or defiance are given free rein to develop in their later lives. In addition, there is a direct correlation between the lack of engagement in educational activities and serious criminal offending in children.)
• Paragraph 2: Solution (The better cure for young criminals is rehabilitation. Throughout education and training, the youth can realise their wrongful actions and be given opportunities to turn over a new leaf and transform themselves into useful members of society later in life.)

Reparaphrase the question and end up with the solution stated.

Today, youth crime is rife. Theft, burglary or even murder are now committed by people of younger and younger ages. The aim of this essay is to investigate the factors responsible for the increase in juvenile delinquency and put forward a number of ways to appropriately punish young offenders.

It is observed that extreme behaviours are exhibited by most children from dysfunctional families. Without supervision from parents or caregivers, children’s extreme behaviours such as aggression, hostility or defiance are given free rein to develop in their later lives. In addition, there is a direct correlation between the lack of engagement in educational activities and serious criminal offending in children. Out of boredom, children befriend antisocial peers and will gradually copy their behaviours. Media also plays an enormous role in shaping children’s criminality. For example, games such as grand theft auto can desensitise younger players to extreme acts of violence and cruelty, encourage them to commit crimes while giving them the impression that it is morally acceptable to do so.

Imprisonment is often cited as a way to punish juvenile offenders. However, it is my view that this approach can produce extremely destructive effects. The youth can potentially be victims of physical or sexual abuse from older prisoners, as well as can adopt their negative behaviours. I feel that the better cure for young criminals is rehabilitation. Throughout education and training, the youth can realise their wrongful actions and be given opportunities to turn over a new leaf and transform themselves into useful members of society later in life.

There are reasons to explain why today antisocial behaviour among the youth nowadays has reached a historically unprecedented high and rehabilitation is the answer for this.

It has been pervadingly seen that the crimes by the hands of juveniles, due to various reasons, is seen a menace to society and more so, their conditioning. This essay discusses the causes of this and the possible solutions to cope up with this increasing plight.

It is generally observed that such heinous offences by teenagers, which are today hysterically expanding, are because of the clamorous and derisive environment children are being subjected to. The environment in which they thrive and prosper is somehow the most pronounced cause of such misdemeanour. Reportedly, the type of personality one develops is often predetermined by the parenting, and upbringing one goes through in childhood. Secondly, the prospering technology and its directly proportional deleterious side effects, which includes unsupervised and disproportional exposure to provocative and misleading content. Some online games promote burglary, while some might cause one to have a belligerent attitude. Misleading television shows and graphical content percolates in the innocent and malleable mindsets of the children, thereby causing them to commit such serious actions.

A possible remedy to this starts right away from the way children are brought up. Being extra vigilant while they are around and cutting the unnecessary vulnerability of being influenced in the wrong helps children a great deal. Digital usage is understandably ineludible. However, in the supervision of a responsible adult and the perusal of them, the risks and perils of children being guided in a corrosive way are palliated to a much greater extent. Schools should alarmingly and intensively monitor the children who are being browbeaten by the hands of bullies, as surveys have often suggested that those are the children who are usually more susceptible to committing a crime.

Therefore, it could be summed up that though it is undoubtedly a problem to society as a whole, by proper monitoring, parenting, and supervision, juvenile misconduct could be largely contained and alleviated.

Have a look at the IELTS Vocabulary for the sample answer on the essay topic 'Juvenile Delinquency'.

• Youth crime is rife: Youth crime is very common.
• Juvenile delinquency: act of crime committed by the young
• Defiance (n.): behaviour in which you refuse to obey others
• Aggression (n.): behaviour that is threatening or involves harm
• To be given free rein to develop: go uncontrolled.
• Desensitise (v.): cause people to experience emotion less strongly than before.
• Out of boredom: Because they are bored
• To produce extremely destructive effects: have bad results.
• Wrongful actions: Actions which are unfair and illegal
• To turn over a new leaf: To become another person.
• Rehabilitation (n.): the act of returning someone to a good condition, normal life.

Here are some related topics for you to practice:

• The problem of juvenile delinquency is increasing day by day. What are the reasons for this? Suggest a few solutions.
• It is often thought that the increase in juvenile crime can be attributed to violence in the media. What do you think is the reason for this phenomenon? Suggest some measures to combat this problem.
• In many countries, the age of criminals is getting lower. Provide reasons for this problem, along with solutions. Support your arguments with examples.

Get Evaluated for FREE:

Do you have an essay on this topic? Please post it in the comments section. One of our IELTS trainers will evaluate your essay from an examiner’s point of view and reply to the comment. This service is completely FREE of cost.

• Every year several languages die out
• Some People Think That Parents Should Teach Children How to be Good Members of Society
• Happiness is considered very important in life
• In some countries the average weight of people is increasing
• Young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school
• Research Indicates That the Characteristics We are Born With Have Much More Influence On Our Personality

Also check :

• Tips to write introduction in IELTS Writing Task 2
• Tips to write great writing essay
• IELTS Sample essays
• IELTS Writing task 2 Preparation Tips
• IELTS Writing tips
• How to get band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2
• IELTS Writing recent actual test
• IELTS Band 9 essays
• IELTS Writing Answer sheet

Practice IELTS Writing Task 2 based on Essay types

Effective IELTS Essay Connectors for Writing Task 2 & Task 1

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

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IELTS Problem Solution Essay Model Answer

Below is an IELTS model answer for the IELTS problem solution essay in writing task 2. There are five types of essays in IELTS writing task 2 and the “solution” type essay is a common one. However, make sure you follow the instructions. You need to know the difference between “what are the causes?” and “what problems does this cause?”.  The first requires causes and the second requires problems.

Problem Solution Essay Instructions

The instructions for problem solution questions are often paraphrased in different ways. Below you can see a few examples:

• What are the problems to this and how can it be solved?
• What problems are caused by this? What solutions would you recommend?
• What problems arise from this situation? What measures can be taken to deal with it?
• What problems does this cause? What can be done to deal with this situation?

You can find some essay questions for solution essays and problem solution essays on this page: Solution Essay Questions  and you can find over 100 essay questions to practice: 100 Essay Questions for IELTS

IELTS Problem Solution Essay Question

An increasing number of professionals, such as doctors and teachers, are leaving their own poorer countries to work in developed countries. What problems does this cause? What can be done to deal with this situation?

Model IELTS Essay: Problems and Solutions

More and more professionals from developing or underdeveloped countries are choosing to live and work in richer countries. As a result, poorer countries will struggle to develop but this can be tackled by offering more incentives to stay and better living conditions.

The main problem faced by poorer countries due to the brain-drain, in fields such as medicine and education, is that they will struggle to develop and find it difficult to improve their economy as well as living conditions. One of the main ways that a developing country can better themselves is through the skills and dedication of their professionals which is negated when they choose to take their skills to benefit another country. Consequently, less developed countries will not be able to offer their citizens high levels of education or health care, and this in turn will hinder their ability to compete on a global scale, to entice investors and ultimately to stop the poverty cycle.

One effective solution to deal with professionals leaving their country is for their government to encourage them to stay by offering better work conditions. This can be done by increasing wages and investing in state-of-the-art equipment and training to tempt doctors and teachers to continue working there. Another possible answer is for  poorer countries to offer better standards of living, more tolerance and a positive future as a way to entice their professionals back to their own country after they have completed their training abroad. However, these solutions are financially demanding which means poorer governments may have to look to developed countries for aid in order to implement these changes.

In conclusion, poorer countries are unable to develop due to the brain-drain which can only be tackled by enticing professionals to remain in their country of origin through better conditions.

Question Prompt: A rise in the standard of living in a country often only seems to benefit cities rather than rural areas. What problems can this cause? How might these problems be reduced?

One-sided rise of living standards in cities as opposed to poor and underdeveloped rural areas can create conflicts and conflagrations between communities, but equal distribution of funds for developing both urban and rustic landscapes and infrastructures can solve these issues.

Better education, income or living conditions, which can only be seen in city areas create inequality between the urban dwellers and those residing in pastoral grounds. Consequently, it leads to resentment and hatred against each other, creating ground to bear infighting between people. Therefore, civil war and rebellions will arise if social equality is not achieved between residents of different regions. For example, the French revolution in the Renaissance era occurred because of the growing divide between the rich aristocrats in the urban areas and the poor common people in the outskirts of France.

One of the effective solutions to tackle this problem is to implement equal wealth distribution policies amongst different jurisdictional areas in a nation. In other words, the resources and wealth of a country should be equally divided, regardless of whether it is urban or rural. Only then, the quality of life in both of the regions will be improved together at the same time, without an evident disparity. For instance, the Malaysian government equally divides the capital for investments in the construction of buildings amongst 13 states of the republic, modernising them equally at the same time.

In conclusion, war and political divide between cities and the countryside can result as a consequence of unequal living standards, while establishment of policies advocating fair distribution of resources will shorten the gap of disparaging living standards.

As the professionals, such as doctors and teachers leave their own poor nations with lower incomes to seek jobs in the first world countries with better living standards, the essential institutions in their home countries cease to function. However, with better incentives, these skilled workers may be enticed to return to their countries of origin.

The first and foremost problem arises from the professionals moving to richer countries is the resultant shortage of labour and lack of skilled employees. As a result, the departments and establishments run by these professionals are no longer able to operate, and are closed down. Consequently, the residents of these underdeveloped nations struggle to find services and providers for their day-to-day activities. For example, many third world nations in SouthEast Asia have inefficient health care services with a shortage of competent medical professionals, compared to their counterparts in Europe despite producing millions of doctors, nurses every year.

One possible solution to this issue is to offer enticements to persuade the much needed skilled service providers to stay in the country. In other words, if employee benefits are enhanced by giving a higher pay, free living, better pension schemes or cheaper health care, they will be willing to settle down in the areas they were trained. In addition, these countries will also attract foreign workers to come and replace those who are still willing to leave due to other reasons, such as personal preferences or weather. For instance, many poor African countries pay these highly sought after professionals attractive wages and salaries, which are three-times higher than that of the minimum pay in the country.

In conclusion, many poor countries have been significantly experiencing an emigration of professionals, creating a shortage of the services provided by them, whereas raising the standard of living of these professionals can convince them to work for their own countries.

It has been universally accepted that problem of professionals are migrating from own poorer countries is escalating at an alarming rate. The problem is bringing a state of depression among the masses and in economy too. There are plethora of reasons of the same and its possible solutions can be suggested too which are discussed as follows.

In regards to the problem, the major reason which can be stated is inflation. dozens of professionals when they pass from institutions they start to find a good job, but due to inflation if they get a reasonable job then they cannot fulfill even basic needs for their family members. that is the point where they start thinking of migrating to developed countries. Another problematic cause is those professionals who fail to achieve a better job and then they select a crime path. Government should take a stand on this point and focus on the employment sector and how to create ease in the job market for the professionals who really can be a valuable asset for our country’s growth and economy. Seeing the problem with a brighter mind, many solutions can be helpful to this menace. One of the solutions is whenever they are passing out from university Government should offer paid internship program via an aptitude test. To conclude, solving a global issue is not easy but with the efforts of the Government, control can be taken over the problem with the aforementioned suggested measures. I believe that government should come forward to mitigate this problem.

For a IELTS solution essay if the instructions ask to write solutions but does not mention to write about problems/causes then I assume I only write about solutions only?

That is correct. You follow the instructions precisely and don’t change them. An essay question about solutions only will be an essay based on solutions only.

Thank you ma’am this was really helpful

Hi miss Liz. what are the differences between “what are the reasons” and “what are the problems” in problem-solution essay. I mean that in which way should I answer these questions?

“Reasons” are similar to causes. It’s an explanation for why something is happening. “Problems” are negative effects.

I kindly hope evaluating my essay answer, even merely a score prediction. =============================================== Undoubtedly, the prosperity of the developed countries increasingly attracts highly qualified individuals to immigrate and forsake their struggling people regardless of the severe issues they may cause such as the decreased quality of health and education; besides, economic recession. Those issues will be illustrated and addressed separately.

Firstly, to efficiently handle the migration issue, we have to be aware of two of its fundamental impacts. Brain drain has been a direct immigration impact. Consequently, an absence of physicians leading to a high number of patients; furthermore, a reduced number of educators causing unqualified post-graduates. However, the predicted and indirect result from immigration is a heavy burden affecting the economy of the third world because they have been forced to hire foreigners from the developed countries to establish some hospitals and universities to fill the gap caused by the vocational immigrants. Therefore, the shortage of doctors and teachers and the economic problems are the essential issues aroused from immigration. That should be quickly treated by governments.

Secondly, after understanding the results of immigration toward economically developed countries, I am convinced that the best solution to tackle this situation is that the authorities of the suffered states should closely observe any ambitious and clever pupil and foster him. In other words, they have to establish specialized schools that receive every high IQ scored student and seriously teach him all types of contemporary sciences. In addition, continuous communications should be done to any high qualified immigrant to make him believe that he is immensely demanded and respected among his hometown and has a responsibility to be involved and serve his people, who fostered and taught him before his success, whenever he is wanted. Based on that, high-quality education and tightly connection with immigrants will markedly mitigate the impact of the brain drain phenomena.

In conclusion, the challenges the developing countries have been recently facing for decades could be addressed within few years if those countries considered the risk of low health care and poor education aroused from migration. I believe that a pivotal role could be achieved by the administrators of those poor countries by education and conducting with the qualified immigrants.

Sorry I don’t offer marking or feedback.

Hey miss, I’ve been trying to improve my writing but unfortunately, due to not getting feedback I’m not sure whether am i writing correct or not. I just wrote a problem solution essay can you pls give me feedback it will helped me alot. Q : Nowadays, more and more younger people needs to compete with older people for the same jobs. What problems does this cause? What would you suggest as a solution.

Currently, many youngsters are facing competition with elderly people for similar kind of jobs. This essay will suggests, the major problem that causes is Higher unemployment amongst young employees, and proposing a retirement age on old employees as a viable solution.

Due to rising competition, youngsters struggles alot in finding jobs. Due to not having enough experience, they fail in getting jobs and this leads to poverty. Inspite of, due to lack of jobs, they are deprived of paying their living expenses. For instance, majority of the people who are of aged 40-60, are working more rather than young people.

Therefore, authorities should implement a law on those employees who are of aged ( 40-70 respectively). Those of them who just crossed the age of 40, must gets retired as well as government should take care of their living expenses. Moreover, giving them social benefits and ensuring that no worker will gets employed after the age of 40, will automatically eliminate the escalating competition among both young workers and old workers. For example, if older people stopped working than young people can get more chances in showing their skills and boosting the economy.

In conclusion, by preventing elderly people from working will gives a positive impact and the rivalry among them wil be finished

Hi Liz, Is this a problem solution essay or direct question essay? “Nowadays the increasing number of garbage is a real concern .why is this happening? what can be done to resolve it?”

Be careful with labelling what type of essay something is. Each teacher labels essays differently and IELTS labels them differently again. There are clearly two direct questions. However, I teach them under causes/solution essays.

Hi Liz, can I bring some information not related to the question to make the lengthen my essay

You will be marked down for padding out your essay with information that is not 100% relevant to the question. This is why you need to prepare lots of ideas for topics so that your essays can contain relevant, highly focused points.

I love your tips and it is quite easy to understand. But I have a question in the below question it does not ask for causes. In such situations do we need to write the causes as well?

In many developing countries, there is a problem with declining quality of air and water from both industry and construction. What measures could be taken to prevent this?

You should only ever follow instructions. If you are asked for only solutions, you will give only solutions. For marking criteria of Task Response is not just about the ideas you use, it is also about how you fulfil the instructions – always write a focused, relevant essay 🙂

Thank you! Liz. Appreciate your answer.

Hey Liz, can you tell.me is this a proper way to paraphrase (intro) this question in task 2 Some cities create housing areas by providing taller buildings.others create housing by building houses one a wider area of land what solution is better? My ans: as a result of rapidly increasing population the demand for housing has increased . I believe that creating housing through high rise buildings is better than constructing houses on a wider area of land.

It’s fine.

Thank you so much dear LIZ, you are a blessing After watching your videos I can do my writing in a very efficient way, I can control over time so easily, hope I can make it it in my test. I highly appreciated all the tips you advise us in your videos.

I’m so glad my lessons are helping you. Good luck in your test !! 🙂

Hi Liz It is a wonderful site !! What if I label an essay differently from my examiner. 🙃 How many points do tend to loose?

There are no labels that the examiner follows. Only teacher give labels in order to help explain and teach.

Hi Liz, One question contains this at the end, ‘… why do you think that is? What could be done to encourage more people to take interest in the arts?’ Is this also a course+ solution essay?? Looking forward a response

Yes, it asks for causes and solutions. It is common for IELTS to paraphrase instructions.

Dear Li, I will be taking the IELTS General Training test next week. I’d like to know if the problem/solution or cause/solution essays are only for Academic Test takers or GT candidates should also expect them in the test.

The question types are the same for both tests. This applies to both writing task 2 and the reading test.

Thank You dear Liz

Thank You for your helps

The question prompt usually says “What are the problems due to this phenomenon?” and “What are the solutions to this problems?”. In this case, are we supposed to write two problems and two solutions or one problem and one solution? I ask this because question says problems and solutions, which is plural but if we write two problems and solutions than we will have to write about 350 to 400 words to fully develop those ideas to get higher task achievement scores. This will mean that completing task in 40 minutes will be tough. What do you suggest in this case? Is writing one problem and a solution answering all parts of the task? Looking forward to your response. Thanks

The page above gives you a model essay for exactly that type of essay. Read through it and learn how to write it using a reasonable word count.

Hello Liz. Can you share with me the link to your video lessons where you explain “cause and solution essay”? Looking forward your response. Thanks.

I don’t have a video for that essay question yet. Sorry.

Hi Liz, Firstly wanted to thank for the info you’re providing!

I just have one question about the solution essay. When they just ask to provide the solution in the essay (not mentioning cause or problems) how do we structure the two BP’s? One solution each body BP?

I can’t see any examples about this on your website!

Thanks in advance,

Who said you could only have two body paragraphs? It is fine to have three. The number of body paragraphs will depend on the number of solutions you have.

Thanks a lot for you effort

Dear Liz, For a problem solution essay, can I follow the following structure to get higher bands? 1- Intro 2- Body paragraph 1 (problem + solution) 3- Body paragraph 2 (problem + solution) 4- Conclusion

It is a standard, correct structure to use. There are many reasons to get a higher score based on the 4 marking criteria – that only will not help you.

Thank you so much.

Can you please tell where could I find your problem solution essay video lesson … shall be thankful

I haven’t made that lesson yet.

Thank you for the essay. I observed that this essay does not consist of any examples in both the body paragraphs. Does that mean we have to only include examples in opinion essays? or we can afford to not mention examples in writing task 2 and still get a good band score?

Thank you for your help in advance.

You give examples when you want. Some teachers teach students always to give examples because it is an easy way to explain ideas. But it isn’t a requirement. Ideas can be developed in many ways.

Understood. Thank you.

Thank you for this model answer. But, I have a feeling that the solution could be more fully developed. Please clear my doubt dear teacher.

You don’t get marks for a longer essay and this essay is long enough. Developing solutions further would not increase your score.

The official criteria is very confusing which states that not developing ideas could lower your writing score. What should I do teacher? Ielts is so confusing.

I think you need to consider what the requirements are. An essay is under 300 words (about 290). This means the intro is about 40 or 50, the conclusion about 30. So, you are left with about 105 or 110 words per body paragraph (for two body paragraphs). This means to get band 9, those words are enough. Just be logical. An underdeveloped body paragraph contains one or two sentences – no more. Try to work within the requirements. See my advanced lessons for training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz!i want to pay 24$.can i do through bank.i face face problem in my visa card.

The payments are processed by paypal using either a debit or credit card. All lessons are bought individually.

Thank you Liz Your free training is doing a good work in me, I actually need to extend time for my IELTS test.

Thank you Liz for your brilliant ideas and tips!!

Dear liz Pls let me know GT task 2 questions are similar to academic task 2 questions? As I need GT task 2 questions to practice please give me some details about it?

Yes, they are similar. GT questions are sometimes easier.

Hello mam please I’d like to ask who marks ielts exam papers? Are they sent to british council uk or marked in country where its taken? Just to clear a doubt please. Thanks mam.

This has recently changed. Before the writing was marked by examiners in the city where you did your test. Now the papers are sent to a central location abroad where examiners will mark them.

Hi Liz, Since when did they start sending the writing papers to be assessed at central location. Does this mean we can’t apply for remark anymore?

Of course, you can apply for a remark. All remarks are checked by a senior examiner. The change in system has NO influence on candidates, on your score or on your remarking.

Liz can you please explain use of articles in particular ‘the’? I feel like I miss them before abstract nouns. Is there any lesson/video I could watch? I’m desperate for your help!

My website is based on IELTS exam technique. You will need to find an English language website. See this page for some links: https://ieltsliz.com/useful-websites-and-resources-for-ielts/ or use google.

Thank you very much, Liz. You have been very helpful.

Thank you very much madam

Hello Liz, thanks for sharing your knowledge with us, “poor mortals”. If you were an examiner, would you give which band for this problem solution essay you made as a model? Would it be band 9, indeed? If so, I’m very confident I got the right structure to build it. Thanks a lot!

Yes, it would be a band 9. It addresses the task fully with relevant, well developed ideas. Signposts and linking are used flexibly. Paragraphing is logical. Vocab and grammar are flexible and also error free. The real aim for a high score is keeping your English language error free – don’t take risks.

Thank you liz. It was long awaited. I also purchased your other writing videos. They are great. Your way of explaining is very good and easy to understand.

I’m really glad my advanced writing task 2 lessons were useful. I tried to pack them with as many flexible techniques as I could 🙂

For Writing Task 1 and 2, can extra sheet be given?

If you have filled the answer sheet, you can raise your hand and ask for another. However, the answer sheets are the right length for the writing required.

I knew that I need two sheets because I practised on them before therefore I ask for them at the beginning of writing part. I’ve obtained them without any problem.

You will not be given them at the start of the writing part. You must first full the answer sheets provided. Always remember that your aim is to write under 300 words for task 2 and under 200 for task 1.

Thank you Liz for your prompt response .

Thanx alot mam liz. This is very helpful eassy of solution and problem. Can we use this eassy words for every eassy of solution and problem.

I don’t understand your question. Are you talking about memorising the essay? You definitely can’t memorise it but you can learn vocabulary from it.

What is the paraphrase of financially demanding?

Thanks for whole essay . It is really nice answer for problem and solution type of essay. My problem is I could not copy your sample essay and paste it into word doc. Could you please tell me how it can be done? I know it is a silly question. I prefer read them rather on the paper than on computer. . Thank you

Unfortunately, you’ll have to type the essay into your laptop to copy it. It will do you good to test your English accuracy 🙂

Splendid😊😊 Thanks liz Is lure equal tempt??

It has a similar meaning but I wouldn’t use it in this context. You need to be very careful with synonyms. Although they have similar meaning, they might not all be suitable for the same topics or contexts.

thanks for the answer to this essay. But one thing I want to clarify is that “brain-drain” is an informal word. So can we use it in writing ? thanks & regards,

It is not an informal word – it’s fine to use.

Thanks alot Liz.. I have LWR on Dec. 2nd and this has help alot.

Good luck!! See my last minute tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-exam-tips-on-the-day/

Is conclusion word not used in introduction and conclusion of task 2.

Sorry I don’t understand this comment at all. The linking words “In conclusion” are used to start the conclusion of the essay above.

Thanks liz .. Your ielts tips are really helpful.

Hi Liz Thank you very much for your efforts writing the wonderful essay, Can I ask you there is a repeatation of (entice) is there any exact synynom for entice or it is ok to repeat it?? Thanks

It’s fine and natural for some words to be repeated. As long as you show paraphrasing skills that’s all that is needed. Your aim isn’t change all words, all the time.

Good morning Liz, thanks. ☺

I watched your videos on all modules and I would like to sincerely thank you for your guidance and support. Your videos and tips are very much helpful, after watching your videos my preparation style and concepts on each modules are changed completely.

Thank you so much for your support.

You’re welcome 🙂

Thank You Liz for your update Currently, I’m preparing my IELTS test and all tips in your website really helps me

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How to answer cause and effect questions

Home  »  IELTS academic task 2 » How to answer cause and effect questions

Cause-and-effect questions are different because they are easier to miss-read.

What is actually a cause-and-effect question can be answered incorrectly as a problems-and-effects or a problem-and-solution.

However, this can be easily solved by carefully reviewing the question.

What kinds of questions are cause-and-effect?

Firstly, the wording actually varies quite a bit even within this question type.

There is a variety of language that can be used, and this can cause confusion.

Spend some time to ask yourself:

• Have I truly understood this question?
• Do I understand what they are asking me for?

You have to make sure that you carry that question with you throughout the essay.

Sample question 1:

More and more children are becoming obese. What are the causes of this and what are the effects?

This could easily be interpreted as problem - solution, but that is absolutely not what the question has asked.

It's asking what are the causes for childhood obesity?

(Why are children in the world getting heavier and heavier?).

And then what are the effects of this?

What are the effects of childhood obesity?

This is even more specific than discuss this problem and then suggest solutions.

It is incredibly important to answer the question being asked.

Example question 2

Nowadays we have become a throwaway society with where it is common to throw away devices and gadgets instead of repairing them. Why is this happening and what are the effects of this?

Again the wording is a little different.

The examiner is asking you WHY is this happening?

Make sure to NOT writing this is a problem, we must say why it is happening.

And for the second paragraph:

What results from this (throw away society)?

Example question 3

People spend less time at home than they used to. What are the reasons for this change and what are the effects on society and individuals?

Here we are looking for reasons.

The wording has changed a little bit, but in essence, the information they want is the same.

Why is this happening?

What are the causes of this?

And then, of course, they asked for the effects.

You are lucky if you have this type of question in the exam

These types of questions are helpful because they are essentially telling you how to frame your answer.

They're making it specific, which is all your planning taken care of.

Click here to find out how to plan your essay for these types of questions.

Audio tutorial

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Tutorials and Tips to Prepare for Task 2

• How to Get Ideas for Task 2
• Extremely Useful Sentences for Task 2
• Five Powerful Sentence Structures to use in your IELTS Writing test
• How to use comparisons in Task 2
• Concession Paragraphs for “do I agree/disagree essays”
• How to write an IELTS Essay Conclusion
• IELTS Cohesion and Coherence
• 3 ways to paraphrase for your Task 2 introduction
• Marking Criteria for IELTS Writing
• Topics Sentences for Your Essays
• 7 Ways to Improve your Sentences in Your IELTS Essays
• Grammar for IELTS Writing
• Academic Collocations for Task 2

• Free Essay Band Score Evaluation
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• Jump to Band 7 or it’s Free
• IELTS Writing Evaluation
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• Sample Topic Answers
• Useful Sentences
• Sample Task 2 Questions 2022
• Introduction to Paraphrasing
• Model Band 9 Essay
• Five Band 9 Words
• Model Band 7 Essay
• Differences Band 9 vs Band 7 Essay
• Band 6.5 Essay
• Academic Collocations
• Topic Sentences
• Discuss Both Views
• Tutorial: To What Extent Essays
• Paraphrasing Introductions
• Essay Structures
• Essay Plans
• Describe a Pie Chart
• Using Percentages
• Map Vocabulary
• Describe Flow Charts
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• How to get Band 9
• AT 1 Sample Questions 2022
• Describe a Graphic
• GT Task 1 Questions 2022
• IELTS Vocabulary
• Google Play / Podcasts
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