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IELTS Task 2 Model Essays:

ARTICLES practice

All of the essays below are model Task 2 answers and are suitable for both Academic and General Training Tests.

But I’ve taken all the articles out!

Can you put them back?

Find the answers in the original book of answers here.

© Fiona Wattam IELTS Exam Training Courses

1. Mobile phones

Mobile phones have brought many benefits, but they have also had negative effects.

Do the disadvantages of having mobile phones outweigh the advantages?

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Mobile phones have had [ ] enormous impact on many aspects of our lives. They have significantly changed [ ] way we communicate with each other in both our personal and our professional lives and they clearly have many advantages. However, there are several drawbacks.

By far [ ] most common criticism of mobile phones is [ ] fact that we are now expected to be available 24/7. Before mobile phones were invented, [ ] time spent away from work was our own, but now it seems that [ ] separation between work and free time has disappeared. In addition, mobile phones pose certain health risks and can be dangerous if drivers use them at [ ] wheel or if people cross busy roads while texting. There have been several mobile-phone related accidents and fatalities. [ ] final negative effect is that in public places such as on [ ] train or at [ ] cinema, there is no escape from [ ] noise of annoying ringtones and loud, one-sided conversations.

On [ ] other hand, there are several obvious benefits. [ ] most powerful argument in favour of mobile phones is that they can be used to call for help in [ ] most inaccessible places, for example when [ ] car breaks down in [ ] remote area, and emergency services can be called to [ ] scene of [ ] accident without delay. Moreover, being easily contactable every minute of [ ] day has real advantages for business people and for working parents.

To sum up, I feel that although there are some clear drawbacks to mobile phones, their efficiency, portability and multi-functional abilities have greatly enhanced most aspects of our lives and [ ] plus points certainly offset [ ] downsides.

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2. Violence in films

Many people believe that the high levels of violence in films today are causing serious social problems.

What are these problems and how could they be reduced?

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The increasing amount of violence that is shown regularly in films has been [ ] cause of concern for some time. Such films make violence appear entertaining, exciting and even something to be copied. However, it seems to be increasingly clear that this development is causing problems in our society. This essay will argue that [ ] issues related to [ ] portrayal of violence in films need to be urgently addressed.

It has been suggested that people who enjoy these films may stop associating [ ] violence with real consequences. They could therefore lose their sense of reality and no longer take violence seriously or have any sympathy with [ ] victims. This often leads to senseless, random 'thrill-seeking' crimes such as drug-dealing and car-jacking. Another worrying trend is that [ ] heroes of these films are shown as people to be admired, even though they are very violent characters. This may lead some people to believe that they can gain respect and admiration by copying this aggressive behaviour, and so [ ] levels of violence increase.

Unfortunately, [ ] rules regulating [ ] film industry are outdated. What is needed now is definite action and policies that reflect [ ] reality of modern-day street violence, knife crime and gang warfare. [ ] government should regulate [ ] film industry more strictly and producers must be prevented from showing meaningless violence as 'fun'. Instead, films should emphasise [ ] tragic consequences of violent acts and this would make young people realise that violence is real. [ ] 'Breaking Bad' series was [ ] very good example of this.

To conclude, I think that viewing violence as entertainment may indeed cause serious social problems and that [ ] only way to improve this situation is by rigorous censorship of violent scenes and educating [ ] public about [ ] real human suffering that such violence brings.

(298 words)

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3. Machines

We are becoming more and more dependent on machines to function in the modern world. Some people think this is a very negative development.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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It is difficult to imagine how modern life could carry on without [ ] machinery that we have come to rely on. However, this does not necessarily mean that [ ] effects of our dependence are negative. In this essay I will argue that machines have brought great benefits to most aspects of our daily lives.

First of all, let us consider [ ] countless advantages of machinery. In our homes, for instance, washing machines, kettles and all [ ] labour-saving devices that we take for granted have liberated many people, especially women, from hours of domestic chores. Similarly in [ ] workplace, computers and [ ] communication equipment that we use form [ ] basis of business and commerce. Examples of [ ] positive effect of machines in our lives are endless, whether we consider transport, medicine or many other sectors of society.

In contrast, it is hard to find reasons to argue against [ ] use of machines. Of course people may risk losing their jobs if they are replaced by more efficient machines, for example in car factories, and there are also health problems associated with [ ] more sedentary lifestyles that have resulted from manual labour becoming automated. Also [ ] passive nature of much of our entertainment can be counted as [ ] drawback. Yet these are features of modern life that individuals can change if they want to.

In conclusion, I cannot deny [ ] fact that our dependency on machines has [ ] potential to bring disaster if they all suddenly stopped working, but without them, our standard of living and [ ] economic growth and development of our society would collapse. Few of us would want to go back to subsistence farming with hand-made tools. Instead of trying to turn back history, we should appreciate [ ] many benefits that machines can bring.

(295 words)

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4. Neighbours

People do not have such a close relationship with their neighbours as they did in the past.

Why is this so, and what can be done to improve contact between neighbours?

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In [ ] past, neighbours formed [ ] essential part of people's social lives and they helped each other in times of need. Nowadays people often do not even know their neighbours and as [ ] consequence they live more isolated lives. In my opinion, getting to know one’s neighbours requires time and energy, but [ ] results will be hugely worthwhile.

There are [ ] number of reasons why we have less contact with our neighbours. Firstly, our lifestyles are more mobile. This means that people move house quite frequently and relationships tend to become more superficial. Secondly, people often commute long distances to work. This leads to them forming closer relationships with work colleagues than with their neighbours. Finally, modern lifestyles make us spend more time inside our houses on screens than in [ ] local pub. As [ ] result, we get fewer opportunities to build relationships within [ ] community.

There are many ways in which neighbourhood ties could be strengthened. First of all, local authorities could provide more communal areas such as playgrounds and community halls so that there are places where neighbours can meet and make friends. In addition, I think that when new people come to [ ] street, [ ] local residents should make more of [ ] effort to introduce themselves and welcome them. Lastly, people could set up neighbourhood associations that meet regularly to discuss [ ] things which affect them.

Admittedly, these suggestions require [ ] great deal of time and effort, both of which seem to be in very short supply in this day and age. Nevertheless, I strongly believe that [ ] community spirit is still alive and just needs [ ] push in [ ] right direction.

(275 words)

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5. Online shopping

More and more people are shopping online.

What might be the effect on the environment and on the types of jobs that are needed?

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The popularity of online shopping continues to increase at [ ] alarming rate. Indeed, it is hard for most of us to resist [ ] allure, convenience and affordability of [ ] next-day-delivery being brought right to our doorstep at [ ] click of [ ] button. But despite [ ] many benefits of internet shopping, in my opinion [ ] long-term impact on [ ] environment and on jobs needs to be taken more seriously.

First of all, let us consider [ ] environmental impact. Although people argue that home delivery means fewer cars on [ ] road and therefore less pollution, research has shown that there has been no reduction in car use and that people still drive to [ ] shops. This doubles [ ] amount of traffic on [ ] road and worsens [ ] air quality as diesel-fuelled trucks compete for space with everyday shoppers. In addition, [ ] overuse of plastic and non-recyclable packaging while transporting these goods is [ ] cause of growing concern.

As for [ ] impact on jobs, it seems to me that as more local businesses and small shops close down because they are unable to compete on price with [ ] large online companies such as Amazon, different types of workers (shop floor staff, managers, cleaners) are having to find jobs elsewhere. Unfortunately, [ ] delivery driver jobs which have been created from online shopping are not suitable for everyone. Besides, these jobs are often badly-paid and have little job security and other benefits such as sick pay.

To conclude, consumers need to be better informed about how their shopping habits impact their environment and people’s livelihoods. It may be worth paying [ ] little extra to support [ ] local business and walking to [ ] shops rather than making shopping decisions based on price and convenience.

(288 words)

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6. Fossil fuel alternatives

The development of alternatives to fossil fuels should be the most important global priority today.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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Our reliance on fossil fuels as [ ] main source of energy has taken [ ] terrible toll on [ ] environment, and [ ] effects of releasing so much carbon dioxide into [ ] atmosphere can be felt all over [ ] world. Therefore it seems to me that alternatives need to be found as [ ] matter of urgency, otherwise [ ] scale of their use will only continue to grow as more countries develop their industries and economies.

Burning gas, petrol and coal causes increases in temperature. [ ] results of this could be devastating and irreversible, posing [ ] threat to our entire planet. Despite pledges by world leaders to cut CO2 emissions, governments appear to be dragging their heels in implementing real change, as if there is no real urgency about [ ] situation. This is [ ] terrible mistake in my opinion, and it is imperative that they now devote far more time and money into finding other ways of producing energy.

While some countries have started to use renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and water power, insufficient investment has been made to develop and exploit [ ] technology available to make these alternatives accessible for all. So it should indeed be [ ] global priority to invest in research and development, especially because time is running out and solutions will take some time to achieve.

To conclude, although there are of course several other global issues that we need to address, such as poverty and disease, in my opinion prioritising environmental problems caused by our continued use of fossil fuels would improve [ ] situation of people whose lives have been affected by extreme weather, drought and flooding linked to global warming.

(276 words)

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7. Urban development

In recent years, some countries have experienced very rapid economic development. This has resulted in higher standards of living in urban areas but not in the countryside.

What problems could this cause? How could these be reduced?

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It is inevitable that economic growth is mostly generated in [ ] business and industrial centres of major cities. As [ ] consequence, urban citizens have access to jobs and facilities that improve their living standards considerably. However [ ] wealth is not evenly distributed, and this creates [ ] number of problems in rural areas, which I will outline below.

First of all, young people from [ ] countryside leave their villages in search of better employment opportunities. [ ] villages are left under-populated, schools and doctors’ surgeries close and [ ] increase in [ ] urban population puts great pressure on housing, infrastructure and services. This leads to [ ] creation of slum areas where conditions may be worse than in [ ] villages. Finally, as [ ] country's economy develops, there may be [ ] increasing sense of inequality as [ ] towns get richer and [ ] villages get poorer, and this may even result in civil unrest.

The solution to these problems seems to lie in improving [ ] standards of living and [ ] facilities available in [ ] countryside. Perhaps incentives can be offered to factories and companies to relocate; road and rail networks can be built to make such relocation possible; investment could be made into developing tourism in [ ] countryside so that more jobs are created and [ ] income of [ ] local economy grows.

In conclusion, however, improving rural living standards requires investment and political will that is sometimes not easy to generate. More pressure needs to be put on [ ] government to take [ ] plight of rural areas more seriously and to investigate ways in which money invested in rural economies could benefit [ ] country as [ ] whole.

(271 words)

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8. Health Budgets

‘Prevention is better than cure'.

Out of a country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventative measures.

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

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A huge amount of money is spent curing preventable illnesses and obviously it would make far more sense for more of this money to be spent educating [ ] public about [ ] long-term benefits of [ ] healthy diet and lifestyle. However, in countries such as [ ] UK where [ ] national health system is already under severe pressure, there is barely enough money to cope with [ ] current surge in demand for its services. Therefore it seems hard to imagine [ ] consequences of diverting [ ] large chunk of its funding to preventative strategies.

Recent research has shown that many of today’s illnesses are related to lifestyle. Many people work long hours, don’t have time to cook healthy meals and drink too much in order to cope with [ ] stress of modern life. If [ ] government spent more money on alleviating such problems, for example, by subsidising gyms, taxing unhealthy food, reducing [ ] number of hours in [ ] working week and introducing more annual leave, there could be [ ] massive knock-on effect on people's general well-being and this would be [ ] very cost-effective solution in [ ] long term.

Unfortunately, such [ ] positive outcome cannot be guaranteed, and [ ] government would have to take [ ] huge risk of cutting health budgets at [ ] time when [ ] money is so desperately needed. It would be extremely difficult to convince tax-payers of [ ] benefits of investing in public health facilities and awareness campaigns when all they see is long queues at A&E, lengthy waiting lists for routine operations and extreme difficulty getting [ ] appointment to see their local GP.

So although I completely support [ ] idea of diverting money to preventing rather than curing illness, [ ] reality is more complicated and requires careful research, thought and planning.

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(291 words) 9. School transport

Some people think that it is the government’s responsibility to transport children to school. Others say that parents should be responsible.

What is your opinion?

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The issues surrounding how children get to school have become [ ] subject of much discussion recently because of [ ] huge increase in [ ] amount of cars on [ ] road during rush hour. Having [ ] government-run system would certainly alleviate this growing problem and in my opinion bring [ ] host of other benefits.

Let us look first of all at [ ] role of [ ] parents. It goes without saying that parents have [ ] ultimate responsibility for ensuring that their child gets to school safely and punctually. However, [ ] trend for going to school by car is having [ ] harmful effect on [ ] children, who are missing out on opportunities to socialise, exercise and get fresh air.

Turning now to [ ] role of [ ] government, it is without doubt their duty to guarantee that every child has access to education no matter what their personal circumstances are. Therefore, it is up to [ ] government to provide [ ] reliable means of getting to school. I believe that this could have several other positive consequences. Firstly, there would be [ ] noticeable improvement in air quality due to fewer private vehicles being on [ ] road. Secondly, it would be beneficial for [ ] economy, creating jobs for drivers and providing more job opportunities for parents, especially women, who might currently be tied to school-run duties and limited in [ ] type of jobs they can find. [ ] corresponding increase in household income could in [ ] long term improve [ ] child’s life opportunities.

All things considered, although it may be hard to justify [ ] additional costs involved in providing [ ] school bus service, I think that overall there would be [ ] significant improvement to [ ] quality of life of many different people and not just [ ] children concerned.

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10. Learning [ ] foreign language

Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

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Traditionally, children have begun studying foreign languages at secondary school, but introducing them earlier is recommended by some educationalists. This policy has been adopted by some educational authorities or individual schools, with both positive and negative outcomes.

The obvious argument in its favour is that young children pick up languages much more easily than teenagers. Their brains are still programmed to acquire their mother tongue, which facilitates learning another language, and unlike adolescents, they are not inhibited by self-consciousness. In addition, [ ] greater flexibility of [ ] primary timetable allows for more frequent shorter sessions and for [ ] play-centred approach, thus maintaining learners' enthusiasm and progress. Their command of [ ] language in later life will benefit from this early exposure, while learning other languages subsequently will be easier for them. They may also gain [ ] better understanding of other cultures.

There are, however, some disadvantages. Primary school teachers are generalists, and may not have [ ] necessary language skills themselves. If specialists have to be brought in to deliver these sessions, [ ] flexibility referred to above is diminished. If primary language teaching is not standardised, secondary schools could be faced with [ ] great variety of levels in different languages within their intake, resulting in [ ] classroom experience which undoes [ ] earlier gains. There is no advantage if enthusiastic primary pupils become demotivated as soon as they change schools. However, these issues can be addressed strategically within [ ] policy adopted.

In my opinion, anything which encourages language learning benefits society culturally and economically, and early exposure to language learning contributes to this. Young children's innate abilities should be harnessed to make these benefits more achievable.

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11. Dress codes

In the past, there were strict guidelines about how people should dress for work, but in recent times dress codes seem to have been relaxed.

Is this a positive or negative development?

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In my opinion, [ ] relaxation of [ ] dress code at work is [ ] worrying development. Although it goes without saying that employers should prioritise [ ] quality of their staff's performance, I think that dressing smartly at work is essential and I will outline my reasons below.

The main reason why employers need to pay more attention to [ ] way their staff dress is because casual clothes give [ ] very bad first impression of [ ] company, whereas formal clothes convey [ ] image of respectability and trustworthiness, two qualities which are important in so many professions that involve face-to-face interaction with members of [ ] public. One illustration of this is in [ ] banking sector. It is [ ] responsibility of [ ] manager to ensure that customers feel confident that their money is in safe hands. [ ] smart suit suggests that if [ ] staff care about their appearance then they will take care of your investment too.

On [ ] other hand, just because someone dresses well, it does not necessarily guarantee that they are good at their job, and vice versa. In my workplace for example, [ ] best teachers are often [ ] ones that care more about how to teach well than how to dress well, and their students never seem to notice what they are wearing. There are also many creative professions where trendy clothes convey [ ] sense of style and individuality, which is very desirable in many companies.

To conclude, [ ] employee's ability to perform well in their job has to be [ ] highest priority in any profession. However, [ ] need to dress smartly and appropriately should also be [ ] important consideration in many workplaces. Personally, if I was paying large amounts of money to [ ] teacher in flip-flops who looked as if they had just got up, I would have serious concerns about that person's attitude towards their work and their ability to teach me effectively.

(315 words)

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12. Homework

Nowadays some parents feel that schoolchildren are given too much homework.

In your opinion, should homework time be reduced or banned altogether?

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Homework is [ ] common feature of school life and there is no doubt that giving students some homework is [ ] useful exercise. Too much homework, however, can cause [ ] great deal of unnecessary stress for pupils. In [ ] following essay I will discuss [ ] reasons for this view.

Homework is [ ] beneficial tool for several reasons. Most importantly, it teaches pupils to work independently and to practise [ ] skills or knowledge acquired during lesson time. They are able to work on projects or extended pieces of work, which they have to research either in [ ] library or using [ ] internet.

In addition, homework teaches children [ ] discipline needed to complete work to [ ] deadline - [ ] very important life skill. One other benefit is that it helps parents to become involved in their child's learning. By helping with homework, parents can understand what is being learnt at school and encourage their child to become interested in [ ] topic. It may even help keep youngsters away from their phone screens for [ ] short period of time.

On [ ] other hand, it is important to note that too much homework could have [ ] negative impact on [ ] child's ability to learn. Excessive amounts of homework could be very stressful and ruin [ ] child's enjoyment of being at school. In my opinion, homework should be limited to one hour every evening so that children have [ ] time to become involved in other extra-curricular activities such as sport or music lessons.

To conclude therefore, homework does indeed have [ ] value at school and should not be banned altogether. However, it is vitally important that homework does not dominate [ ] child's time at home. There must also be adequate time for family, friends and sport.

(289 words)

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13. Privatisation

'The role of the government is to protect the country and provide urban infrastructure (roads, water supplies etc). All other services (education, health etc) should be provided by private companies.'

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

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No-one would dispute [ ] responsibility of governments to provide defence capability and ensure that [ ] country has [ ] basic infrastructure in place to develop and prosper. However [ ] question of privatisation, which involves selling off state assets to private companies over which [ ] government has no control, is [ ] highly controversial issue. In this essay I will argue that in my personal experience, privatisation has had [ ] detrimental effect on [ ] affordability and quality of services, and those who cannot afford to pay are as always [ ] ones who suffer [ ] most.

Many people believe that if services such as transport and energy are privately owned, there is increased competition between providers, which leads to lower prices, better quality of service and [ ] development of new services. However, if we take British Rail as [ ] example, privatisation has resulted in cuts to local services, frequent delays and cancellations and astronomical price hikes. [ ] similar effect could be seen when gas and electricity provision was sold off to [ ] highest bidder. Yes, it produced [ ] multitude of companies vying for your custom, but rates are soaring out of control, leaving [ ] vulnerable and elderly having to switch off their heating in [ ] depths of winter.

When it comes to industries such as health care and education it is often argued that private companies are more efficient, cutting any surplus costs where necessary and incentivising workers with bonuses and rewards for results. Yet in these industries, [ ] profit motive should not be [ ] primary objective. For example, in [ ] case of health care, privatising health provision would mean [ ] greater priority is given to profit rather than patient care. Also, when doctors treat patients, they are unlikely to try harder if they get [ ] bonus.

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To sum up, I believe that services such as [ ] ones described above should be returned to public ownership where there will be more control and less focus on profits over people. (325 words) 14. Recycling

'Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say that the only way to increase recycling is for governments to make it a legal requirement.'

To what extent do you think laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste?

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There is no doubt that [ ] introduction of council-run schemes to encourage people to recycle their household waste has had [ ] considerable impact on [ ] amount of rubbish that goes to landfill every year. However, [ ] lack of any kind of law enforcement related to this means that more could still be done. In my opinion, [ ] only way to improve [ ] situation is to introduce laws that will penalise excessive waste and ensure that [ ] majority rather than [ ] minority recycle as much as possible.

No-one wants to live in [ ] ‘big brother’ state where their every move is monitored and controlled. However, when it comes to rubbish, something needs to change urgently. Local councils have made [ ] huge effort to facilitate our attempts to recycle – in my area we are given free transparent bags and plastic boxes in order to separate [ ] various recyclable materials, including food waste. But unless people are forced to do this, tonnes of household waste will still end up in black bin bags.

Having said that, I am not suggesting that these laws and punishments should be too severe, which could have [ ] adverse effect and result in people ‘fly-tipping’ and dumping their rubbish illegally for fear of being fined. What I am suggesting is [ ] more careful monitoring, perhaps by first giving warning notifications followed up by [ ] home visit from [ ] inspector who could advise on ways of making [ ] weekly recycling chores less of [ ] ordeal.

With [ ] ever-increasing population and growing urban areas with [ ] high density of people, something must be done to tackle [ ] problem of waste, and this must start with individuals taking responsibility for what they throw away. New laws

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would encourage people to make more effort to minimise their waste and recycle it wherever possible.

(302 words) 15. Educational qualifications

'Some people say that educational qualifications are the key to a successful life. Others say that they are not necessary'.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

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Educational qualifications are often seen as [ ] passport to success, and for this reason [ ] increasing number of young people are pressurized into cramming for exams in order to secure their future. However, [ ] definition of success does not necessarily mean [ ] well-paid, high-flying job and there are many other ways of achieving success without having to pass [ ] exam.

Those that argue that academic qualifications are [ ] good thing point to [ ] wide range of employment options that exist for those who are well qualified. Opportunities for career development in certain professions such as medicine and [ ] law are often only available to those with [ ] highest qualifications. In addition, employers need to be able to distinguish between job candidates, and school results appear to give evidence of intelligence, hard work and ability. Finally, there is far less likelihood of becoming stuck in [ ] dead-end job, as qualifications give you more freedom to choose [ ] career, employer or workplace that is best suited to your skills.

In contrast, some believe that educational qualifications do not necessarily guarantee success in life. There are many examples of university ‘dropouts’ such as Steve Jobs and Bill Gates who went on to astonishing success in their fields. Creativity, drive, passion, self-belief and [ ] determination to succeed are far more important prerequisites for success than [ ] ability to learn facts and regurgitate them in [ ] exam. You do not need [ ] qualification to have success in [ ] number of different areas of life, from starting [ ] family to running your own business or raising money for charity.

In my view, there is too much emphasis placed on academic qualifications. Employers need to look beyond exam results and find alternative ways of evaluating people’s

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strengths and natural talents. Creative, innovative thinkers should be encouraged to pursue their goals without being hampered by [ ] pressures of exams and out-dated recruitment procedures.

(315 words) 16. TV advertising

What are the effects of TV advertising aimed at children?

Should TV adverts aimed at children be controlled?

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The advertising industry spends millions of dollars on TV adverts that target children, and there is no doubt that such adverts have [ ] powerful influence on young, impressionable minds. In my opinion, [ ] effects are almost always harmful and I would advocate [ ] total ban. I will outline my reasons below.

A number of studies have found that persuasive marketing can have long-term effects on [ ] child’s physical and psychological well-being. Take for example, [ ] food industry, which falsely promotes certain products as being healthy, while in reality they contain high levels of sugar and saturated fats. Children are unable to see beneath [ ] clever marketing and are lured into fast-food outlets with [ ] promise of [ ] plastic toy. This is having [ ] detrimental impact on our children’s health and yet [ ] government is doing nothing to regulate these misleading campaigns.

Another worrying trend caused by adverts designed to influence children is [ ] pressure put on children to buy [ ] latest products and to conform to [ ] image of happy, smiling people seen in [ ] adverts. Children are brought up believing that material possessions bring happiness, which in turn creates [ ] demand that will never be satisfied. Research has shown that this leads to low self-esteem and depression in later life.

The problems that I have outlined above are just [ ] few of [ ] negative effects that [ ] all-pervasive marketing culture has on [ ] young generation, and I find it incredible that these companies are allowed to exploit children in such [ ] manipulative way. [ ] government must do more to protect children and should strictly censor [ ] type of adverts that children are exposed to.

(276 words)

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17. Community service

Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes (for example working for a charity, improving the neighbourhood or teaching sports to younger children).

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

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The role of school education is [ ] much-discussed topic these days. Some people believe that schools should focus on traditional subjects such as Maths and English, while others argue that schools should provide [ ] more holistic education. In this essay I will argue that children need to learn how society works and [ ] responsibilities of its citizens, and that by participating in community service schemes, important lessons can be learned.

In many ways, life skills are more important than paper qualifications because they better equip students for [ ] real world. By doing voluntary work, students learn not only how to communicate with others and work in [ ] team but also how to manage their time and improve their organisational skills. After-school enrichment activities are unfortunately quite limited these days, so teenagers tend to go home and play video games instead of doing anything constructive or creative with their time. In addition, [ ] healthy life balance and exercise are strongly promoted by [ ] NHS and therefore any kind of spare-time charity work might prevent youngsters from sitting and doing nothing.

Another advantage of making charitable work [ ] compulsory part of [ ] school curriculum, is that [ ] skills gained will be [ ] asset on their CV, thereby increasing their employability. Being made to do community service could also reduce rate of petty crime in [ ] high school age group. If students have activities to occupy themselves with, this will reduce boredom and anti-social behaviour which can be dangerous for both them and [ ] community in which they live.

To conclude, it is hard to deny [ ] number of benefits associated with mandatory community service. However, such [ ] programme would have to be implemented

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with great care so that youngsters are not exploited in any way and do not miss out on valuable study time, especially when important exams are approaching.

(308 words) 18) Cultural adaptation

If people go to live in another country they should follow the customs and traditions of the new country.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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In my opinion, going to live in another country has [ ] great deal in common with being [ ] guest in someone else’s house. Whatever you may think of your host’s rules, and however frustrating such restrictions may be, you have to remain conscious of [ ] fact that you are [ ] guest and therefore show great respect in order to maintain harmony and to ensure [ ] more enjoyable experience for everyone concerned.

The whole purpose of visiting another country is to sample [ ] different culture, and anyone who is in [ ] fortunate and privileged position of being able to do this must make [ ] most of every opportunity to adapt, for example by learning [ ] language. This will make [ ] whole experience [ ] more positive one for both [ ] individual and [ ] community in which they live.

Having said that, I am not suggesting that visitors have to go to [ ] extremes of, say, adopting [ ] different religion. Indeed, foreign places become even more interesting to visit when they themselves embrace diversity, for instance by encouraging [ ] wide range of ethnic shops and restaurants to open. [ ] UK would certainly be [ ] very dull place if all its visitors abandoned their own cuisine and adopted British eating habits.

To conclude, [ ] thought of British holidaymakers ruining [ ] beautiful, unspoilt holiday resort with Fish & Chip shops and drunken stag nights is depressing. Loud, anti-social behaviour, wearing revealing clothing or taking selfies in sacred places can cause great offence and should not be tolerated. If people are not prepared to moderate their behaviour to suit [ ] host country, then I would suggest that they stay at home.

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19. Homesickness

People who travel to another country to live, work or study for a period of time often suffer badly from homesickness.

Why is this? What are the best ways to reduce this problem?

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I think most people who travel away from home for any length of time will feel homesick at [ ] beginning because missing one’s home and country is [ ] natural reaction. However, I think it becomes less of [ ] problem if people make [ ] effort to adapt to [ ] new environment and to enjoy new relationships and experiences.

There are several reasons why people suffer from homesickness. First of all, many young people leave home to study abroad and for them it is probably their first time away from family, friends and everything that is familiar. [ ] country they have moved to may have [ ] completely different culture and language, so they need to adjust to this and learn how to communicate in new ways. This can be very tiring but until they can do so they will feel out of place and unable to form new relationships.

Secondly, professionals who have moved abroad for work may have left older parents behind, or even young children. For them, [ ] separation can be worse because they feel so far from [ ] people they feel responsible for. In addition, they may be older and more set in their ways and therefore feel less inclined to socialise and adopt new habits.

As for [ ] solutions, I personally think that people should try and prepare themselves for study or work abroad. They need to learn [ ] new language before they go and to try to be as adaptable and independent as they can. At [ ] same time, however, they need to set up ways of communicating quickly and easily with people back home, so that they know what is happening there and do not need to worry.

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To conclude, if people are aware of [ ] problems and are willing to make changes, they can do [ ] lot to reduce their homesickness and ensure that their stay abroad is [ ] positive, exciting experience.

(317 words)

20. The Arts

In today's world of advanced science and technology, we still greatly value artists such as musicians, painters and writers.What can the arts tell us about life that science cannot?

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Developments in science and technology have had [ ] enormous impact on [ ] way we live our lives. However, [ ] continuing importance of [ ] arts is [ ] reflection of [ ] fact that they can teach us [ ] great deal about [ ] world, in [ ] way that science and technology cannot.

The first thing that [ ] arts provide is [ ] way to experience aspects of life which we might otherwise never actually know for ourselves. [ ] novel may transport us to faraway places or put us in [ ] mind of [ ] person suffering great hardship; [ ] painting may depict [ ] event from history that we can learn from. In these ways, we can develop [ ] understanding of human experience and thus develop greater empathy for others.

Secondly, art gives us beauty. Whether in [ ] form of [ ] painting or piece of music, beauty enhances our lives and reminds us of [ ] positive side of life when we might otherwise feel despondent. Going to see [ ] play or film can be [ ] uplifting experience, offering [ ] means of escape from [ ] realities of life.

Thirdly, unlike science, art is not right or wrong: we appreciate art very subjectively and what we like is [ ] matter of personal taste and interpretation. Thus, it shows us that life is not always about objective truths that can be measured or require proof.

In conclusion, although art may appear less useful than science, in reality it gives people [ ] great deal of knowledge and understanding, as well as providing comfort and inspiration. As [ ] complement to [ ] practical benefits of science, it gives us [ ] wide variety of enriching experiences that enable us to live better lives.

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(280 words)

21. Migration to cities

Nowadays the way modern society is developing is being shaped by people’s migration to large cities.

In what ways is migration to large cities affecting society?

Is this a positive or negative development?

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Cities have always been [ ] engine of development worldwide, attracting people and resources, but nowadays [ ] pace of change is increasing rapidly. As [ ] result, modern society is now more urbanized than at any time in its history and societies are experiencing both negative and positive changes.

One possible negative development is [ ] danger that through migration, society may generally become more selfish, using up resources in terms of energy, food and facilities at [ ] faster rate than in [ ] countryside. Moreover, once people lose contact with [ ] values, traditions and possibly languages of [ ] communities they left behind, society will undergo further change.

The negative impact of urbanization on society generally cannot be ignored. However, migration also benefits society. This is because large cities are dynamic and in [ ] state of flux, offering people opportunities such as jobs and [ ] chance to try out new ideas. [ ] contribution of such ideas to [ ] wealth of any country can transform society enormously, funding more facilities in fields such as health and education.

As well as transformation through new ideas, innovative ways of living - for example eco-houses and flexible working practices like partially working from home - can in turn affect [ ] whole of society. [ ] quality of life for city inhabitants can then be significantly improved, which in turn stimulates growth and improvements in rural areas.

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On balance, in my opinion [ ] contribution made by migration to society is positive and [ ] transformation is not restricted to cities alone. It can stimulate developments beyond city boundaries, creating wealth, ideas, jobs and improvements in society at large.

Adapted from Direct to IELTS by Sam MacCarter, Macmillan 2013

22. House-building

Some people think that building such as flats and houses should be designed to last a long time. Others believe that it is more important to provide accommodation quickly and cheaply.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

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Most governments have to build housing for their citizens. As populations grow, more homes are needed and sometimes [ ] demand for accommodation increases rapidly. If people cannot find places to live, it is [ ] huge worry for them. However, in my opinion, building should always be built to last, and I will outline my reasons below.

In [ ] past, many buildings were carefully and thoughtfully designed, and [ ] lot of time and effort went into constructing them in [ ] hope that they would last for many years to come. [ ] results are obvious to see - towns that have preserved and maintained old buildings are far more attractive than city centres that have replaced them with ugly apartment blocks and shopping centre that have ruined many town centres and made them depressing places in which to live.

Having said that, [ ] housing shortage problem is not going to go away, and it is understandable why local councils would need to find quick and cheap solutions. For this reason, vast housing developments are being built wherever there is land available, and [ ] developers appear to be making [ ] substantial profit from using poor quality materials but charging very high prices. It is clear that these houses will not last long, and will have to be pulled down like so many of [ ] inner-city flats that were built in [ ] 60s and have since been pulled down at [ ] great financial and environmental cost.

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To conclude, I strongly believe that buildings should be built to last for many years. Surely in this day and age we have [ ] technology and [ ] resources to ensure that low-cost does not mean low-quality.

277 words

23. Robots

Some people believe that robots will play an important role in future societies, while others argue that robots might have negative effects on society.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Robots are already being used in [ ] number of different situations. However, as with all technology, their use needs to be carefully regulated. Some people welcome them, while others see them as [ ] beginning of [ ] frightening future in which machines take over our lives. This essay will argue that as long as robots are employed wisely, they can be [ ] enormous asset to mankind.

Being capable of great precision of movement, robots can undertake many procedures that humans are much less capable of. Take, for example, medical procedures. [ ] most complicated operations are already being carried out with unprecedented success because of [ ] accuracy with which [ ] robot can work over extended periods of time. For similar reasons, robots will be used increasingly in [ ] manufacturing industry where they will take over [ ] most tedious, repetitive jobs and work quickly with little human supervision. In addition, robots will continue to have [ ] invaluable function in certain hazardous situations, such as defusing bombs.

The danger, some people believe, is that we will increasingly design types of robots for purposes that don’t actually require them. [ ] voice-activated ‘home hubs’, which can turn [ ] heating on and boil [ ] kettle for us, are [ ] example of this. Technology, as we have seen through our experience of computers, can quickly lead to [ ] sedentary lifestyle, which results in obesity among other health problems. Innovators often get carried away with their ingenuity, and this encourages [ ] mentality of ‘letting [ ] machine do [ ] work for you’, which can be detrimental to our lives and our ability to think for ourselves.

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In conclusion, it may be said that with careful and selective use, robots will go on solving problems and carrying out jobs with extraordinary effectiveness, but that we should be always aware of their threat to our mental and physical health.

[341 words]

24 Children’s toys

Some parents buy their children a large number of toys to play with.

What are the advantages and disadvantages for a child of having a large number of toys?

There is [ ] incredible array of toys available to [ ] modern parent, and [ ] fact that most of them are made from plastic means that they are reasonably cheap. Because of this, parents are often tempted to treat their children to new toys on [ ] regular basis rather than on special occasions such as birthdays. This essay will argue that far too many of these plastic toys end up in landfill, and that parents should restrict [ ] number of playthings that they buy.

There is no doubt that toys have [ ] important educational value, stimulating [ ] imagination and preparing [ ] younger generation to survive and prosper in [ ] adult world. Old-fashioned toys such as dolls and teddy bears provide comfort to younger children and help them to become well-balanced and caring adults. Wooden toys such as skittles and spinning tops can be used to develop motor skills such as hand-eye co-ordination, while computerised toys can build literacy and numeracy skills in [ ] enjoyable and [ ] engaging way.

Having said that, there are [ ] number of drawbacks to having too many toys. First of all, children are easily bored and may not appreciate [ ] value of [ ] toy, throwing it away after [ ] few days in [ ] expectation of getting something better. This has negative consequences for [ ] environment. Secondly, Their concentration span my suffer if they are constantly surrounded by too many tempting objects, and they become unable to focus on any one game without becoming distracted. Finally, older children can become spoilt and may also become targets of envy from classmates if they are perceived as having far more possessions than their peers.

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To conclude, I strongly believe that parents should resist [ ] urge to shower their offspring with [ ] never-ending supply of toys. It is far better to spend quality time together as [ ] family, playing with simple toys as they did in [ ] past.

318 words

25. Cars versus bicycles

Some people say that cars are the best way of travelling around cities while others think that bicycles are better.

Discuss both sides and give your opinion

The type of transport we use is [ ] topic that is often discussed these days. Concerns about levels of pollution as well as significant increases in obesity, have led to many calls for greener modes of transport. This essay will discuss [ ] arguments in favour of [ ] use of cars and bicycles as ways of travelling around cities.

The great advantages of cycling are well-known: not only is it good for [ ] health of [ ] planet, but it is [ ] excellent way to keep fit. Bikes do not use valuable energy resources, nor do they produce polluting emissions. Recent figures have shown that levels of pollution in big cities have reached particularly harmful levels. Cycling, however, remains relatively hazardous on busy roads, such as in London, where every year [ ] alarming number of cyclists are killed or injured. It is necessary that governments invest in cycle lanes and other infrastructure to make cycling [ ] safer and more appealing way to travel.

One major disadvantage of cycling is that it transports just [ ] single person who can carry only [ ] small amount. Clearly, there are many occasions when it is beneficial to go by car, thus carrying passengers and heavy goods. Cars are also preferable in poor weather conditions, when cycling is at best unpleasant, or at worst positively dangerous. Drivers might argue that rather than introducing lanes for cyclists where space is already tight, it would be better to encourage car-sharing or other schemes such as rewarding (with reduced taxes) drivers who use low-emission vehicles.

In conclusion, it seems clear that more cycling and less driving would benefit both [ ] environment and [ ] individual. However, many people would require incentives to encourage them to give up their car.

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(288 words)

26. Childcare training

Bringing up children is a huge responsibility. All parents should therefore receive training on how to look after a child.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Parents have [ ] enormous influence on [ ] welfare of their offspring. However, no support or training is necessarily offered to parents when they start [ ] family. Given [ ] importance of [ ] good upbringing, this seems to be [ ] unsatisfactory situation and I believe that more should be done to help parents raise their children.

There are various aspects to childcare that parents need help with. Firstly, parents need to be able to support their children’s education. This means understanding how their school education can be complemented by home tuition or, if this is unfeasible, what strategies parents could adopt to encourage their children to learn.

Secondly, parents should be informed of how they can contribute to [ ] health of their children, whether through providing [ ] balanced diet or in ensuring [ ] active lifestyle. Such measures will also have [ ] significant benefit of reducing [ ] dependence on [ ] state, which always struggles to finance efficient health and welfare services.

Finally, parents need to understand [ ] child’s developmental stages and to be well-equipped to deal with these challenges. For example, dealing with behavioural issues, from toddler tantrums to teenage rebellion is often [ ] extremely stressful experience, and some guidelines on ways of coping with [ ] depression and anxiety brought on by [ ] modern-day pressures of social media would reassure and help parents who struggle to understand this new phenomenon.

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In conclusion, although these measures can be beneficial, we must guard against being too prescriptive and we should avoid generalising [ ] needs of children, who are, after all, individuals and do not respond in [ ] same way to different situations. Nevertheless, I think that much more should be done to guide and inform parents so that they can support their children and help them reach their full potential.

(296 words)

27. The ageing population - problems and benefits

The number of old people is increasing in many countries. Some people think this causes problems, while others think old people play an important role. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

As life expectancy continues to increase, [ ] impact on [ ] country’s economy is keenly felt, especially in countries where [ ] birth rate is falling dramatically. Because of this, it is often thought that old people are [ ] burden to society. However, in my opinion they have [ ] crucial role to play.

There is [ ] undeniable correlation between ageing and ill-health, and [ ] general assumption is that [ ] country’s health service is put under severe stress when there are large numbers of elderly people. For example, they may need 24-hour care if they suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or other age-related illnesses. Yet studies suggest that because pensioners spend so much of their time volunteering, looking after grandchildren and running charity shops, they contribute far more to [ ] economy than was previously thought.

Another reason why people consider elderly people [ ] drain on resources is that [ ] ‘baby boom’ generation were able to retire at 60 and start drawing [ ] pension, something which is almost unheard of these days. [ ] government has to pay out billions of pounds and [ ] situation is unsustainable. In reality though, pensioners actually contribute more to [ ] economy than they take out, because of taxes they pay on their savings and earnings. Furthermore, their ‘free’ childcare services help maintain and sustain employment for parents, bringing further benefits to [ ] economy.

To conclude, this essay has exposed some of [ ] myths surrounding [ ] problems of [ ] ageing society. Most importantly in my opinion, old people are [ ] essential part of [

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] community, passing on their skills, advice and knowledge to younger generations. It is high time that we showed more respect and appreciation for our elders, whose real value cannot be measured in financial terms.

287 words

28 Technology and the gap between rich and poor

Some people believe that the range of technology available to individuals today is increasing the gap between rich people and poor people, while others say that technology has the opposite effect.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Technology has had [ ] enormous impact on society, and

There are several reasons why people might argue that technological innovation narrows [ ] disparity between affluent and poor people. Firstly there is evidence to support [ ] idea that it improves [ ] quality of life not only in advance countries but also in developing ones where [ ] use of normal telephones did not exist before, but now mobile phones have become increasingly common. This in turn facilitates [ ] communication among people worldwide at [ ] staggering rate. Furthermore, [ ] Internet is spreading to nearly all parts of [ ] world. One cannot deny [ ] fact that in [ ] past, only [ ] population of developed countries had access to [ ] world-class libraries, where now [ ] Internet gives everyone access to [ ] same information.

In spite of [ ] above arguments, I agree with those who believe that advances in tech pose major problems in our society in terms of widening [ ] gap between different classes of people. By far [ ] most common criticism is that in comparison with poor people [ ] wealthy are more likely to pursue new innovations in tech, as they can afford to purchase new invented devices or gadgets such as smartphones, laptops or wireless broadband. Another negative effects is that while labour-saving technology exacerbate [ ] economic conditions of low-skilled workers, high-class workers get richer. More precisely, [ ] rise of digital technologies tend to replace many blue-collar workers by eliminating many middle-class jobs and automating them.

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For example, almost half [ ] employees in lower-income cities have jobs in retail, construction, manufacturing, administration and waste services.

In conclusion, despite [ ] fact that [ ] technology sector brought [ ] plenty of benefits to our society, I personally believe that it appears to deepen [ ] divide between people who are very rich and less well-off.

People’s opinions differ as to whether or not technology widens [ ] gap between rich and poor. Although technology has definitely had [ ] huge impact on society, I support [ ] view that it tends to increase discrepancies between high-class and low-class people.

There are several reasons why people might argue that technological innovation narrows [ ] disparity between affluent and poor people. Firstly there is evidence to support [ ] idea that it improves [ ] quality of life not only in advance countries but also in developing ones where [ ] use of normal telephones did not exist before, but now mobile phones have become increasingly common. This in turn facilitates [ ] communication among people worldwide at [ ] staggering rate. Furthermore, [ ] Internet is spreading to nearly all parts of [ ] world. One cannot deny [ ] fact that in [ ] past, only [ ] population of developed countries had access to [ ] world-class libraries, where now [ ] Internet gives everyone access to [ ] same information.

In spite of [ ] above arguments, I agree with those who believe that advances in tech pose major problems in our society in terms of widening [ ] gap between different classes of people. By far [ ] most common criticism is that in comparison with poor people [ ] wealthy are more likely to pursue new innovations in tech, as they can afford to purchase new invented devices or gadgets such as smartphones, laptops or wireless broadband. Another negative effects is that while labour-saving technology exacerbate [ ] economic conditions of low-skilled workers, high-class workers get richer. More precisely, [ ] rise of digital technologies tend to replace many blue-collar workers by eliminating many middle-class jobs and automating them. For example, almost half [ ] employees in lower-income cities have jobs in retail, construction, manufacturing, administration and waste services.

In conclusion, despite [ ] fact that [ ] technology sector brought [ ] plenty of benefits to our society, I personally believe that it appears to deepen [ ] divide between people who are very rich and less well-off.

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You recently visited a museum with your old friend and observed some difficulties when walking around the museum. Write a letter to the museum management saying

● When you visited the museum

● What the problems were

● How the problem could be solved

Dear Sir or Madam

I recently visited your museum with [ ] elderly friend who has difficulties getting up stairs. Although she does not need to use [ ] wheelchair, we were assured beforehand that all areas of [ ] museum were fully accessible to people with disabilities and that there would be lifts available to get to [ ] viewing platform on [ ] top floor.

Unfortunately, we soon discovered that there is only one lift and, on [ ] day that we visited, it was out of order, which meant that we had to take [ ] stairs. My friend found this increasingly difficult and as we got to [ ] higher levels she felt very unwell and was unable to continue. We had travelled [ ] long way to see [ ] view from [ ] top, and feel that our time and entry fee were wasted.

To avoid this situation happening again, could I suggest that you install wheelchair-friendly ramps that people could walk up in [ ] event of [ ] lift malfunction. Failing this, it might be [ ] idea to have more full-length windows on [ ] lower floors so that people could at least see out from other levels of [ ] museum.

I hope that you will take my suggestions into consideration,

Yours faithfully

Fiona Wattam

29 Dangerous sports

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Some people think that dangerous sports should be banned. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

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