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IELTS Essay Writing Samples For All Question Types

Updated on 08 September, 2023

Mrinal Mandal

Mrinal Mandal

Study Abroad Expert

ielts essay writing samples

There are 5 main categories of essays that you may come across in IELTS writing task 2. We are discussing the various types of IELTS essay writing samples which will help in both General Training as well as Academic Writing task 2. Mentioned below are some of the IELTS essay samples and types.

  • Discussion essay (Discuss both views essay)
  • Agree/disagree essay (Opinion essay)
  • Advantage/disadvantage essay
  • Problem/solution essay
  • Two-part question essay (Direct question essay)

Discussion Essay

In this essay type, there are two opinions and each has to be discussed. Apart from these, the writer’s opinion also has to be mentioned. The topic of the sample essay is Childcare.

Childcare

The first opinion supports that preschool children should stay with grandparents and be taken care of. The second supports children of this age should stay at childcare centres. In the third paragraph, you can mention your opinion.

Discuss both the opinions and provide your view.

Since the majority of the parents these days go to work, it becomes quite confusing to take care of children who are too young to go to school. Some say children of this age should stay with their grandparents. One of the main reasons for this is that they are staying with family members and will be safer than staying with people who barely know them. Grandparents will get time to connect with the children and instil good habits. It is believed by some that children who stay with their grandparents are kinder towards others. One of the important points is also cost-saving. Most good childcare facilities charge a lot of money. This may put an extra financial burden on the parents.

Others believe that children of this age should be sent to childcare facilities. This will make them independent from a very young age. The staff at the centres are properly trained and capable of taking care of the children. Children can also socialize with other children at the facility. Children who stay at childcare facilities are more disciplined. They are taught several activities such as painting, storytelling, singing, dancing, and various other activities that boost their creativity. 

I think young children should be sent to childcare facilities that provide safety.  They can spend time with their grandparents when they are at home. Disciplining children from a tender age is important, which becomes easier by sending them to childcare facilities. Childcare facilities can also prepare students for school and get them habituated with a certain routine from an early age.

Important Resources to Read:

IELTS Essay on Space ExplorationIELTS Test FormatIELTS General Training Exam
Formal Letter Writing SamplesIdioms for IELTS SpeakingGrammar for IELTS
IELTS Speaking ExamProblem Solution Essay IELTSMS in Germany Without IELTS
IELTS Semi Formal Letter SampleTips to Improve PronunciationIELTS Introduction Sample

 

Download E-Books for IELTS Preparation

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ielts sample essays

 

Agree/Disagree Essay

In this essay type, you either have to agree with the mentioned opinion or disagree. You have to mention points that do justice to your view. The sample topic for this essay type is the Internet affecting social interaction.

Internet Affecting Social Interaction

Some reports say, people now use the internet more and spend less time in the real world. Some say that more than doing good, the internet is affecting the social interaction of human beings.

Do you agree with this opinion?

How far do you agree with this opinion?

The Internet is a wonderful tool that can be used for various purposes these days. From booking your tickets to ordering your favorite pizza, you can do almost everything from the comfort of your home. All that you need is an internet connection. However, one of the major disadvantages of the internet is that it is affecting our social interaction. These days, not only the young generation but even the elderly people have an account on almost every social media platform. It majorly helps people stay connected with others, even the ones who live in faraway places. Nevertheless, people are so much into virtual interaction that they hardly meet their friends.

These days, we can find people who live in the same city but prefer meeting their friends on video calls. We do not realize it but it affects us emotionally. We try to look perfect in our social media accounts but deep down we feel lonely and separated. The friends that we used to meet in person and chat with for hours can now only be seen in video calls for only a limited amount of time. This has also started keeping us away from people who we would have to contact in times of need.

To conclude, I would like to mention that the internet indeed is a powerful tool. We all need the internet regularly. However, we also need to balance our life and spare some time to socialize with people we love. This will not only help us connect better with others but also make our mood much better.

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Advantage/disadvantage Essay

You will have a topic and you have to mention both its advantages as well as disadvantages. Let us take the sample essay topic “Working from Home”.

Working from Home

Working from home these days is the new way of working. 

Does it come with more advantages or disadvantages?

‘Work from Home’ seems to be the new mantra of professional life. The ongoing pandemic has taught us many things and one of those is working from home. Although it is a new concept for many, it has been accepted well. Let us discuss the advantages as well as disadvantages of working from home. 

One of the biggest advantages of working from home is for the mothers who have toddlers at home. Earlier, many career-oriented mothers had to take a break from their job to raise their children. This would sometimes lead to missing out on several job opportunities. However, the concept of working from home has been a boon to those mothers. The other advantages are that you can be around your family, have your meals on time, and won't have to drive in the busy hours to make it to your office. This has not only helped us save our time but money as well. You can work while relaxing at home. 

While there are so many advantages of working from home, one of the biggest disadvantages is that you are not connecting with your colleagues anymore. You do not know who they are. It has also made our life sedentary as all we do is sit in our chairs and stare at our laptops.  

While there are both pros and cons of working from home, even if you are into it, you need to make sure you are exercising enough. If you are an outgoing individual, you must think twice before choosing a work-from-home profile.

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Problem/Solution Essay

It is one of the most common types of questions and is great for IELTS essay writing samples. You will get a question that would provide you with a topic. The question will point to a problem. You have to discuss the problem and then come up with solutions. Let us take the sample topic “Overpopulation”.

Overpopulation

Overpopulation is giving rise to many problems in urban areas.

Discuss some problems and suggest solutions on how the government and individuals can deal with the issues.

Overpopulation is a common yet concerning problem in many countries. The urban areas in many countries are mostly overpopulated. One of the main problems that come with a lot of people in one city is the shortage of job opportunities, lesser options for good accommodation, littering, and crime. It is true that regions with a high population have a stronger and deep-rooted presence of crime.  

As we talk about the solutions to all the problems that arise because of overpopulation, we should address these to the government. It is the government of the country that is responsible for such situations. They should provide the necessary accommodation and healthcare for citizens who migrate to cities for work. To control crime, there need to be more job opportunities. Government can set up evening classes for the teenagers so that they can be involved in studies rather than spending their time roaming around in the city. The government also should add manpower to the police force so that they can patrol more in the inner as well as outer urban areas.

Apart from the government, as citizens, it is our responsibility also to keep the city clean and crime in check. If we see or know about any crime happening in our neighborhood, we must inform the police about it. We can also put pressure on the government to take better actions against criminals.

Overpopulation is a serious problem that should not be neglected. If the government and the citizens work together towards it, we will be able to find a proper solution to the problem.

Two-Part Question Essay

A two-part question essay is also called a Direct Question essay. You will be asked two direct questions and you have to answer them in one essay. The questions can be:

So many people move to countries with native language English to pursue their education at school, college, or university. 

Why is the English language so important?

Why are people so inclined to study the English language?

Countries such as the USA, UK, and Australia are English-speaking countries and also some of the top educational destinations in the world. In this essay, I will discuss why so many people are interested in this language and even want to study it.

English is one of the most common languages spoken in the world. The majority of the developed nations have English as their native language. This language has also made it easier for people to get high-paying jobs in some of the best companies located in various corners of the world. Many multinational companies offer jobs to people who can speak English. Most people study in English so that they can get a well-paid job or improve their career graph. Another reason is traveling. People who do not understand or speak English can find it difficult to travel across the world. they can especially find it difficult to communicate in the airports.

Apart from getting a decent job and traveling across the globe, English is also used as an international language. If we consider scientific research, most of them are conducted in English. This specific language is chosen for this purpose so that the research can be published for a global audience. If there is no global audience, it can be very difficult for scientists to finance themselves.

English is spoken in those countries as well where the native language is something else. If we are well-versed with this language, it becomes easier for us to communicate with others. These are some of the reasons why so many people are interested in learning this language. 

Therefore, we can conclude by mentioning that studying in English-speaking countries also makes it easier for people to learn the language and get better job opportunities.

Conclusion

The IELTS essays can be tackled easily by modelling these essays. However, do not copy or try to memorize these sample essays. Instead, you can consider these as examples, learn from them, and practice writing your own essays. It will not only improve your writing skill but also help you write on a wide range of topics. You can check more such examples and then decide on your approach. This would really ease your journey for education abroad.

IELTS Essay Writing Topics

IELTS essay writing is focused on different topics like art, culture, education, health, infrastructure, environment, social causes etc. The topics are very general so that everyone can attempt them easily. Mentioned below are some of the topics that will help you gauge the difficulty level of the IELTS writing task 2. You can take these topics as a reference for task 2 IELTS writing samples and start brushing your writing skills. 

-Government is wasting money on arts. Do you agree with this statement?

-Discipline is becoming more problematic nowadays. Some people think it is the responsibility of schools to discipline students while others think it is the role of parents. What do you think?

-In order to meet the demands of growing population, GM foods are produced in large quantities. What are the pros and cons of this?

-Obesity is increasing in children of various age groups. What do you think are the causes that contribute to this situation? What can be done to control this situation?

-Everyone should opt for vegetarian diet as consuming animal meat can lead to serious health issues. Do you agree?

-Many packaged foods contain chemicals and preservatives. What are the advantages and disadvantages?

-Media has promoted the image of young and slim woman as the ideal. What problems has this generated? What according to you are the solutions for this?

-Prevention of a disease is better than its treatment. Government funding should reflect on this. Do you agree on this?

-Applications can easily translate the foreign language into the local language and therefore learning foreign language is a waste of time and effort. Do you agree or disagree?

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Format of Essay Writing

Many students struggle with the format of essay writing. To ease your struggle, you can follow the steps below for the format of essay writing.

1) Opinion Essay Structure (Agree or Disagree)

Introduction- Paraphrase the question. Outline the main points by presenting your opinion. 

Main body (First paragraph)- Start with the topic sentence. Introduce your first supporting comment. Explain it and give examples that support your topic.

Main body (Second paragraph)- Link the second paragraph with the first using linking words. Add a second supporting statement. Explain it and substantiate your statement with examples. 

Conclusion: Summarize by highlighting the main points. 

2) Advantages and Disadvantages type- IELTS Essay Structure

Introduction- Paraphrase the question. Outline the main points by presenting your opinion. 

Main body (First paragraph)- State advantages and explain all the advantages with examples.

Main body (Second paragraph)- State disadvantages and explain all the disadvantages with examples.

Conclusion- summarize by highlighting the main points.  

3) Discussion Essay

Introduction- Paraphrase the question. Outline the main points by presenting your opinion. 

Main body (First paragraph)- State the view point and elaborate it with the help of examples.

Main body (Second paragraph)- State another view point and repeat the second step.

Conclusion- Summarize by highlighting the main points. 

4) Problem and Solution Essay

Introduction:  Paraphrase the question. Outline the main points by presenting your opinion. 

Main Body(First paragraph) : State problems and elaborate it. Go on explaining the second problem. Cite related examples.

Main body (Second paragraph): State solutions to the first and the second the solution with examples. 

Summarize all the main contents of the essay in a single paragraph and conclude the essay.

5) Two Part Questions Essay

Introduction:  Paraphrase the question. Outline the main points by presenting your opinion around both the questions.

Main Body(First paragraph) : Answer the first question and elaborate it. Cite related examples.

Main body (Second paragraph): Answer the second question and explain it . Go on explaining with relevant examples.

Conclusion: Summarize all the main contents of the essay in a single paragraph and conclude it. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

How to start writing essays for IELTS?

In order to write a good essay for IELTS, you need to work on grammatical structure and enrich your lexical knowledge. Following points will help you write a good essay for IELTS:

  1. Start by introducing the topic, give examples and then extend your argument. 
  2. Understand what the question demands of you and stick to the requirements of the essay. Do not waste your time and efforts in writing irrelevant sentences. 
  3. Use examples to support your topic. The examples should be relatable to the topic of interest. 
  4. Present all the opinions equally in terms of word length in two paragraphs that form the body of the paragraph. 
  5. Use linking words to connect the ideas together and form coherent sentences. 
  6. Use lexical terms that are uncommon and relate to the topic. 
  7. Avoid basic grammatical errors. 
  8. Use correct punctuation to maintain coherency and deliver meaningful sentences. 
  9. Summarize the contents of the essay in conclusion.

How to write essay IELTS examples?

While writing examples in IELTS essay one needs to make sure that the examples are not repetitive. The examples used should be related to the topic of interest. You can use real life examples or facts or data to support your statements.

How many types of essays are in IELTS writing task 2?

There are five types of essays that appear in IELTS writing task 2 and these are as follows:

  1. IELTS opinion essay
  2. IELTS discussion essay
  3. IELTS advantage and disadvantage essay
  4. IELTS solution essay
  5. IELTS direct question essay (also known as two question essay)

How to get a 8-band in IELTS essay writing?

To attain a 8-band in IELTS essay writing, you need to incorporate the following steps:

  1. The answer should be relevant to the question asked. Avoid moving away from the topic by using statements that are not related to the topic. 
  2. The ideas should align with what is asked in the question. Do not use irrelevant examples. 
  3. Cover all the parts of the question. If you are asked about two opinions make sure both the opinions are addressed equally. 
  4. Organize the essay in a logical order with smooth transitions and clear progressions using linking phrases. 
  5. Use references and substitutions like pronouns to avoid repetition. 
  6. Use punctuation to make your essay coherent. 
  7. Ideas of the essay should sync and be sequenced correctly. 
  8. Avoid the use of cliché statements or phrases. 
  9. Make use of uncommon words and spell them correctly. 
  10. Organize your essay in various parts. You can use the “PEEL” approach while organizing your essay:  

P- Point – introduce the topic or topic sentence 

E- Example – Support your point with example

E- Explain – Explain your evidence that supports your point 

L- Link – Transition to the next topic or paragraph

  1. Use good vocabulary that reflects your lexical knowledge. 
  2. Use variety of complex sentences.

What are the evaluation criteria for IELTS essay task 2?

IELTS essay writing task 2 is evaluated on four pillars and on this basis the band score is calculated:

  1. Task Response by the examinee– It assesses the extent to which the examinee covers all parts of the task with a fully developed position, fully extended and well-supported ideas.
  2. Coherence - It assesses the ability of the candidate to organize the information and ideas logically. 
  3. Lexical accuracy– It assesses the examinee’s vocabulary and the accuracy by which it is used in the context. 

Grammatical range and accuracy – It assesses the examinee’s ability to use correct grammatical structures while displaying his/her grammatical range. It also tests their ability to form complex sentences wherever needed.

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Mrinal Mandal

Study Abroad Expert

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Disclaimer

The above tips are the Author's experiences. upGrad does not guarantee scores or admissions.