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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 to structure ielts essays for cause and solution

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:

advanced structure for cause and solution essay

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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IELTS Writing Task 2: Causes/Solutions Sample Essay

Woman pointing pencil at head to indicate causes and solutions 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.

Get a higher IELTS score? Start your online IELTS prep today with Magoosh.

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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2 responses to “IELTS Writing Task 2: Causes/Solutions Sample Essay”

Before reading this, i was not able to understand that how do i write advantage and disadvantage essay. After reading this, i came to know, this is a piece of cake.

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Thanks for letting us know, and good luck to you!

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

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.

IELTS Writing
Problem Solution Essays
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How to Write ‘Causes (Reasons) and Solutions’ Question in IELTS Writing Task 2?

In this essay, IELTS examiners want you to discuss the causes or reasons of the problem in one paragraph and the possible solutions to eradicate that problem in the second paragraph separately and at the end, you can provide suggestion or advice on the problem. Therefore, it is important that you find out relevant points of causes (reasons) and solutions respectively after reading the question for IELTS Writing .

Let’s look at an example:

Nowadays, people have developed poor eating habits and do not eat balanced diet., what are the reasons behind this, suggest possible solutions to control this..

With this type of essay for IELTS Writing, you have two points to be discussed:

1. Reasons of developing poor eating habits.

2. Solutions to control poor eating habits.

You must discuss both of them by giving reasons and support them with examples.

If you do not discuss any of the above two points in the essay, you will lose marks.

So, in this type of essay, you must explain both the points.

How to structure for IELTS Writing ?

The essay of IELTS Writing can be structured mainly in 4 paragraphs as follows:

1: Introduction

2: Causes & Reasons

3: solutions, 4: conclusion.

Further structuring of the paragraphs can be done as follows:

a. – Introduction

1- Paraphrase the Question

2-Outline the sentence

b. 2- 1 (Causes (reasons))

1- State the cause (reason)

2- Now, Explain how it is the cause (reason)

3-Write an example

c. 3- Body Paragraph 2 (Solutions)

1- State the solution

2-Explain how this solution can resolve the problem

3- Write an example

d. 4 – Conclusion

1- Write summary of the main points

2 – Provide suggestion or recommendation Four paragraphs are sufficient to explain your point of view. You may use any other structure you are comfortable with but this structure is approved by the IELTS examiners to help the students write in an effective and cohesive manner.

Vocabulary:

Useful vocabulary for causes (reasons).

· One of the causes/The reason is that

· Because/Since

· Due to this/Because of/Owing to

· As a result/Lead to the problem/Can attribute to

for Solutions

· One possible solution

· To overcome/deal with/handle the situation/Resolve the issue

· Mitigate the problem/Notable way to solve

· Can be implemented/Steps can be taken/Measures can be taken

Sample Question:

spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Sample Answer:

In this modern era, a large number of people are observed to be negligent of their health as they eat unbalanced diet with no control of their bad eating habits, leading to health related issues later on. It is required to establish reasons for this poor habit and to develop various solutions to address this problem.

To commence with, there are a number of factors responsible for poor eating habits among individuals. One possible reason is that life has become busy nowadays. Nobody finds enough time to devote for preparing food at home which is healthy for human body. Because of this, people are left with no option but to consume fast food. Popularity of fast food restaurants is also growing day by day, adding fuel to this fire. For example, people are bombarded with attractive messages of offers and discounts everywhere apart from the lucrative advertisements displayed on television.

On the other hand, adequate solutions are also available to tackle the problem of poor eating habits among people. One such effective solution can be implemented by the government by creating awareness about healthy living . invest money in establishing health centres as well as youth clubs where people can build their physique. Apart from this, individuals can take responsibility of their near and dear ones to encourage eating home prepared food as compared to fast food which can be allowed, for example, once a week.

To sum up, eating badly is a serious concern as it directly relates to an individual’s health. Along with the steps taken by government and the positive attitude towards this issue adopted by the people themselves can help in controlling the poor eating habits.

(282 words)

Write an essay of minimum 250 words. Use the vocabulary mentioned above. 1. Global warming has become one of the major issues the world is facing today. What are its causes? solutions.

2. In recent times, stress has emerged out to be the major challenge faced by people nowadays. What are the causes of this problem? Suggest some effective solutions for the same.

3. Furthermore, Many youngsters find it difficult to pay attention and concentrate in their classes. What are the reasons behind this? How this problem can be dealt with?

4. Also,Crime rate against women is increasing day by day. What are the reasons for this? Discuss some possible solutions for dealing with this problem.

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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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IELTS Academic Writing Task 2: Causes and Solutions Essay – Structure and template

IELTS Academic Writing Task 2: Causes and Solutions Essay – Structure and template

This type of question is very similar to Problems / Solutions IELTS Essay: Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem? it can also look like this: What are the reasons for this, and how could the problem be solved? What are the causes of ...? What solutions can you suggest? What do you think are the causes of these problems and what measures could be taken to solve them?

This type of essay is called Reasons or Causes / Solutions Essay, because you are asked about the REASONS and decisions.

Example of this type of essay:

Many offenders commit more crimes after serving the first punishment. Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?

Here you are given a problem, and the question is why this problem arises? And how to solve the problem?

HERE IS AN EFFECTIVE STRUCTURE FOR THIS TYPE IELTS ESSAY:

1§ Introduction: Paraphrase the Task + Add general words like: there are numerous reasons and there are certain measures to be taken to resolve the problem. 2 SENTENCES 2§ One of the main causes of the problem is that ... + support this idea+ example. The solution is for the (… who?) to (... do what?) ... , which would (...do what/result in what? e.x: attract more people/decrease..) 3§ Another reason is that ... + explain this -That is to say, To tackle this issue, ... (who?) should/ought to ..., in order to ... 4§ A third cause of the problem is that ... This means that ... (explain this reason) + Example. As a result, …. The way forward could be to ..., which would … ( do what?) 5§ Conclusion: In conclusion, ... (the problem) due to such reasons as ..., ... and ... (the reasons you've mentioned in the §s above). My view is that the main responsibility for solving the problem lies with ... (who? the government/the authorities/parents).

ATTENTION: DO NOT misrecognize this essay with Problems / Solutions Essay! They are very similar, but in Problems / Solutions they ask about problems and solutions, and in causes / solutions the problem is given in the task and they ask about reasons and solutions you should write the reason and solution in one paragraph. So it will be easier to connect your ideas without repeating yourself. You can write two or three reasons in one paragraph, and two or three decisions in another. The main thing is that everything should be logical, connected and WITHOUT repeats. Pay attention to super phrases for writing decisions. They are all different in the template. For example, The way forward could be to ... To tackle this issue, the government should ... Write a variety of patterns Problems / solutions and causes / solutions are simple in structure and easy to write. Choose those ideas that you can explain and know a variety of words to support your statements.

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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 Task 2 Sample Answer- Health and Fitness

In some countries the average weight of people is increasing and their levels of health and fitness are decreasing.

What do you think are the causes of these problems and what measures could be taken to solve them?

A template is something that can be used over and over again to produce something. Template IELTS answers are normally very bad and I tell people never to use them because they don’t answer the question properly, but there is one exception.

In problem and solution Task 2 answers or causes and solutions Task 2 answers, you will normally use the following 4 paragraph structure :

Problem Solution :

1. Introduction

2. Problems

3. Solutions

4. Conclusion

Causes Solution:

For the third paragraph for both essays we can use a template answer. Let’s look at a sample essay first.

In some nations, people are getting heavier and standards of health and well-being are falling. This essay will suggest that the principal cause of these issues is the type of nourishment they are eating and submit a government education program as a viable solution, followed by a reasoned conclusion.

The main cause of the health crisis currently affecting so many individuals is over-consumption of poor quality sustenance. Convenience food and junk food, such as microwave dinners, chocolate bars, McDonald’s and pizza, have become a ubiquitous part of modern life. Eating too much of these high-fat meals causes many to gain weight and this has knock-on effects on someone’s general wellness. For example, the movie ‘Super Size Me’ demonstrated that a person who eats this kind of food all the time will not only get fat but also suffer from such things as raised blood pressure and even fatty liver disease.

The most practical solution to this problem is a government-sponsored awareness campaign. An effective advertising campaign could warn of the dangers of a poor diet and hopefully, raise awareness amongst the public. This raised awareness of the problem would lead many people starting a healthier regime. For example, the U.K. recently lobbied their citizens to eat 5 pieces of fruit and vegetables a day and this resulted in a dramatic decrease in obesity-related illnesses such as stroke and heart disease.

In summary, the current health crisis has been caused by an over-reliance on unhealthy food and states should curtail this by educating men and women on how to make healthier choices.

(250 words)

You will notice in the third paragraph I suggest that a government advertising campaign is the best solution. Luckily, for most problems- and I say most because there are always exceptions- a government campaign that educates people about the issue is always a good solution.

We can, therefore, use the following template:

The most practical solution to this problem is a government-sponsored awareness campaign. An effective advertising campaign could warn of the dangers of [X] and hopefully, raise awareness amongst the public. For example, the U.K. recently lobbied their citizens to [Y] and this resulted in [Z].

All you have to do is think about your particular question and then replace X, Y and Z.

Let’s try this with another question.

Question- In many countries schools have severe problems with student behaviour.

What do you think are the causes of this?

What solutions can you suggest?

The most practical solution to this problem is a government-sponsored awareness campaign. An effective advertising campaign could warn of the dangers of student misbehaviour and hopefully, raise awareness amongst the public. For example, the U.K. recently lobbied their citizens to teach their children about the importance of respecting teachers and this resulted in a dramatic improvement.

As you can see, I have used the same template paragraph but changed X, Y and Z to meet the requirements of my particular question.

I hope you found this post useful. I also have a complete lesson on IELTS problem solution essays that you might find useful.

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

How to write cause/effect essays in IELTS?

Cause and effect essay questions in IELTS Writing task 2 give you a problem and ask you to state the main causes of this problem and discuss its possible effects .

In this lesson you will see:

how to generate ideas for causes and effects
band 9 answer structure for causes/effects essay
cause/effect model essay

This is an example of cause/effect IELTS writing task 2 question:

Today more people are overweight than ever before.

What in your opinion are the primary causes of this?

What are the main effects of this epidemic?

Generating ideas

After you’ve read the question, you can clearly determine the problem: growing number of overweight people .

But before you start to write your essay, it’s a good idea to think of 2-3 causes and 2-3 possible effects of the problem.

Causes of obesity :

inactive lifestyle (relying on cars instead of walking, fewer physical demands at work, inactive leisure activities)
unhealthy eating habits (eating fast-food, drinking high-calorie beverages, consuming large portions of food, eating irregularly)

Effects of obesity :

physical health problems
loss of productivity
depressions and mental disorders

Now, after we’ve generated the main ideas for causes and effects, it’s time to use these ideas in our essay.

Band 9 answer structure

As you know, there are many ways to structure your essay, but we’ll use a structure that has been approved by many IELTS examiners to be high-scoring and coherent .

Band-9 essay structure :

Introduction

Body paragraph 1 - causes

Body paragraph 2 - effects

Let’s take a look at each of these sections in detail.

Write your introduction in two sentences:

Nowadays the number of overweight people is constantly growing.

This essay will discuss the main reasons of this epidemic and then describe the possible effects of the problem.

In my opinion, the foremost causes of obesity are inactive lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits.

Today more and more people rely on cars instead of walking, have less physical demands at work and prefer inactive leisure activities. This results in burning less calories and gaining weight.

Moreover, the problem is accentuated by the growing number of people, who eat irregularly and consume large portions of high-calorie food. For example, about 50% of the adult population in Europe with so-called disordered eating suffer from obesity.

The possible effects of this problem include physical health problems and loss of productivity.

First of all, obesity results in incorrect functioning of the human body and contributes to the risk of developing some chronic illnesses. For example, as body fat percentage increases, the person’s metabolism worsens, which in turn may result in diabetes or heart diseases.

Secondly, overweight people are very unhealthy and often suffer from stress and tiredness. This lessens their work capacity and results in lower productivity. For example, it has been proven that an obese person needs to put more effort to complete some task than a person with normal weight.

For the conclusion you need simply to restate the problem and sum up the causes and effects that you described in your body paragraphs:

To sum up, obesity is a big problem that affects a lot of people nowadays. It’s mainly caused by inactive lifestyle and eating disorders and results in severe health problems and loss of productivity.

Model essay

Nowadays the number of overweight people is constantly increasing. This essay will discuss the main reasons of this epidemic and then describe the possible effects of the problem.

In my opinion, the foremost causes of obesity are inactive lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits. Today more and more people rely on cars instead of walking, have less physical demands at work and prefer inactive leisure activities. This results in burning less calories and gaining weight. Moreover, the problem is accentuated by the growing number of people, who eat irregularly and consume large portions of high-calorie food. For example, about 50% of the adult population in Europe with so-called disordered eating suffer from obesity.

The possible effects of this problem include physical health problems and loss of productivity. First of all, obesity results in incorrect functioning of the human body and contributes to the risk of developing some chronic illnesses. For example, as body fat percentage increases, the person’s metabolism worsens, which in turn may result in diabetes or heart diseases. Secondly, overweight people are very unhealthy and often suffer from stress and tiredness. This lessens their work capacity and results in lower productivity. For example, it has been proven that an obese person needs to put more effort to complete some task than a person with normal weight.

(251 words)

IMAGES

How to Structure a Cause and Solution Essay [IELTS Writing Task 2
How to write an IELTS causes solution essay
Total-IELTS Writing Task 2: Causes and Solutions
causes solutions to a problem
IELTS Writing: How to Structure a Cause and Solution Essay to get 8
How to write an IELTS causes solution essay

VIDEO

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Problem And Solution Essay
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IELTS Cause/Effect Essay Sample- Crime

COMMENTS

IELTS Writing Task 2: problem and solution essay
Here's my full sample essay for question below. 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? Cities are often seen as places of opportunity, but there are also some major drawbacks of living in a large metropolis ...
IELTS Writing Task 2: problem/solution essay
Hi Simon and everyone. Here is my essay for the question above. Every comment is a precious advice for me. Traffic congestion is becoming a huge problem for many major cities. Suggest some measures that could be taken to reduce traffic in big cities. It is true that traffic jam is growing issue for many big cities.
IELTS Writing Task 2: problem and solution
Behaviour in schools is getting worse. Explain the causes and effects of this problem, and suggest some possible solutions. Here are some ideas for two main body paragraphs: Causes of bad behaviour in schools: bad behaviour / lack of discipline. large classes / difficult to teach. disruptive students / family background. parents / lenient / spoil.
IELTS causes and solutions essay
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.
How to Structure a Cause and Solution Essay [IELTS Writing Task 2]
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 ...
IELTS Writing Task 2: problem and solution
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IELTS Writing Task 2: full essay
The comments to this entry are closed. Usually I suggest writing 4 paragraphs for task 2. However, sometimes it might be better to write 5 paragraphs. The following essay question has three parts, so I've written three main body paragraphs (5 paragraphs in total). Explain some of the ways in which humans are damaging the environment.
PDF Problems and Solutions essays
Procedure: introduce the focus of the lesson: Academic Writing Task 2 - Problems and Solutions essays. elicit environmental problems in general or show the class some pictures related to overfishing and elicit the topic. give students a copy of Worksheet 1 and draw attention to the essay question. elicit keywords from the question to identify ...
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 ...
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IELTS Cause Solution Essay Band 9 Model Answer
IELTS Cause Solution Essay Band 9 Model Answer. The model answer below is for an IELTS cause and solution essay in writing task 2 on the topic of crime and punishment. Many offenders commit more crimes after serving their first punishment. Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?
IELTS Problem Solution Essays
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.
How to Write 'Causes (Reasons) and Solutions ...
Solution: With this type of essay for IELTS Writing, you have two points to be discussed: 1. Reasons of developing poor eating habits. 2. Solutions to control poor eating habits. You must discuss both of them by giving reasons and support them with examples. If you do not discuss any of the above two points in the essay, you will lose marks.
IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Causes and Solutions
I have listed here IELTS task 2 causes and solutions question types - enjoy reading and practicing with my sample answers and essays! Enjoy and consider signing up for my Patreon Ebooks here. Dave. IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Causes and Solutions. Environmental damage is a problem in most countries. What is the cause of this damage?
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. ... 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 ...
IELTS Academic Writing Task 2: Causes and Solutions Essay
HERE IS AN EFFECTIVE STRUCTURE FOR THIS TYPE IELTS ESSAY: 1§ Introduction: Paraphrase the Task + Add general words like: there are numerous reasons and there are certain measures to be taken to resolve the problem. 2 SENTENCES. 2§ One of the main causes of the problem is that ... + support this idea+ example.
Problem Solution Essay- IELTS Writing Task 2 Lesson
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.
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Total-IELTS Writing Task 2: Causes and Solutions
IELTS Writing Task 2Causes and Solutions: Sample AnswerWatch 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.
Task 2 Causes Solutions Sample Essay
In some nations, people are getting heavier and standards of health and well-being are falling. This essay will suggest that the principal cause of these issues is the type of nourishment they are eating and submit a government education program as a viable solution, followed by a reasoned conclusion. The main cause of the health crisis ...
How to write IELTS cause and effect essay?
Introduction. Write your introduction in two sentences: Sentence 1 - paraphrase the statement (you can use ' nowadays/today/these days ' to start): Nowadays the number of overweight people is constantly growing. Sentence 2 - say what you'll write about in your essay: This essay will discuss the main reasons of this epidemic and then ...
IELTS Grammar: cause and effect
Here are some useful phrases for describing causes and effects (for IELTS Writing Task 2 and maybe Speaking Part 3). I'll use the topic of 'global warming' to show how the phrases work. 1. Cause and Effect Pollution causes global warming. Pollution leads to global warming. Pollution results in global warming. Pollution is the main cause of global warming. Factories pollute the atmosphere. As a ...

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

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How to Plan & Write IELTS Problem Solution Essays

The Question

6 Common Mistakes

Essay Structure

One Problem/Cause & Solution or Two?

How To Plan IELTS Problem Solution Essays

# 1 Analyse the question

# 2 Generate ideas

# 3 Vocabulary

How To Write an Introduction

1) Paraphrase the question

2) Outline statement

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main Body Paragraph 1

Main Body Paragraph 2

How To Write a Conclusion

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How to Write ‘Causes (Reasons) and Solutions’ Question in IELTS Writing Task 2?

Let’s look at an example:

How to structure for IELTS Writing ?

2: Causes & Reasons

a. – Introduction

b. 2- 1 (Causes (reasons))

c. 3- Body Paragraph 2 (Solutions)

d. 4 – Conclusion

Vocabulary:

for Solutions

Sample Question:

Sample Answer:

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IELTS Task 2 Sample Answer- Health and Fitness