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Wednesday, March 22, 2023

IELTS Writing Task 2: Problem/Solution Essay

IELTS tip

  • A problem and solution essay is a common type of IELTS writing task 2 essay question, where you have to explain one or more of the following: 
  • A common problem/ problems in the world
  • A cause/causes of a problem
  • A possible solution/solutions

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task to write at least 250 words. 

There are a few different ways that a problem/solution question may be worded and it is important to understand exactly what you are being asked to do.

Here are the three main types of problem/solution question aims:

1. Write about a problem and possible solutions to that problem

2. Write about a cause of a problem and possible solutions

3. Only write about the solutions

 

And here are some ways the question may be worded for each aim:

  1. What problems arise from this and how can they be tackled?
  2. What do you think the causes are? What are the solutions?
  3. What solution can you suggest to deal with this problem?

Identifying common synonyms in the instruction words will also help you to identify the aim:

Problem: Situation; resulting in..; issue

Cause: Reason; why

The only solution: address; present; solve; improve; tackle; remedy; deal with

Take the time to read the question carefully! 

It is a common mistake to answer the wrong question.

Example problem/solution questions 


Here are some example problem/solution questions. Try to work out what the aim is for each question:

Topic 1
The internet has transformed the way information is shared and consumed, but it has also created problems that did not exist before.
What are the most serious problems associated with the internet and what solutions can you suggest?

Topic 2
Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems.
Identify two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems.

Topic 3
One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion
What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?

Topic 4
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 the problem?

Topic 5
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?

Structure + Useful Language 

  


Note that essay structure 2 suggests that it is an option to write about more than one problem and solution. In fact, the essay question will usually ask for problems and solutions in the plural.

However, it is acceptable to write about one problem and solution so that you fully develop your ideas rather than rushing through your essay and missing any important examples or explanations.


Question 1 Model Answer


9 comments:

  1. Topic 1.
    The renovation of information sharing and consumption lead to the global immersion in the technology environment. Regarding to the limitlessness of the data milieu that is now available to everyone, lots of issues arise connected to this fact. So the question is what they are and how we can deal with them. In the following paragraphs I will represent some problematic situations with the subsequent solutions in order to convey my ways of addressing.
    I suppose that the biggest and quite obvious issue would be overconsumption. The sequences of everyday absorbing of appropriate and inappropriate info are mental diseases, such as depression or stress, that can lead to utter failure in getting a life joy. As far as I know, the internet is also a kind of fast dopamine. Hence in order to get your life together you need to learn how to prevent yourself from getting too much electromagnetic rays.
    Turning to the second problem, it would be incapacity to work with obtained data. It is not enough just to get info but you also need to be able to sort it out. I decided to explore the topic named ‘fact checking’ in order to find the solution. Consequently my advice would be to learn how to recognise fakes, use the information from social media very cautiously and note that the true fact trumps sensation.
    To summarise, the issues that I provided above have a generic point that is illustrated as a matter of fact that you need to be competent in relation to the internet. Learning how to use it properly will help you not only with saving time but also keeping in touch with reality.
    Xenia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good job! The essay is well-structured with relevant problems and appropriate solutions. It has accurate cohesive linking words and phrases, it is grammatically correct and meets the criteria.

      The renovation of information sharing and consumption lead to the global immersion in the technology environment. Regarding the limitlessness of the data milieu that is now available to everyone, lots of issues arise connected to this fact. Consequently, the question is what they are and how we can deal with them. In the following paragraphs I will represent a number of problematic situations with the subsequent solutions in order to convey my ways of addressing.

      I suppose that the biggest and quite obvious issue would be overconsumption. The sequences of everyday absorbing of appropriate and inappropriate info can cause mental diseases, such as depression or stress, that can lead to utter failure in getting a life joy. As far as I know, the internet is also a kind of fast dophamine. Hence, in order to get your life together you need to learn how to prevent yourself from getting too much electromagnetic rays which can be done by limiting the usage of your smartphone and other devices and turning them off during the night.

      Turning to the second problem, it would be incapacity to work with obtained data. It is not enough just to get info on the contrary you need to be able to sort it out as well. I decided to explore the topic named ‘fact checking’ in order to find the solution. Therefore, my advice would be to learn how to recognise fakes, use the information from social media supremely cautiously and note that the true evidence trumps sensation.

      To summarise, the issues that I provided above have a generic point that is illustrated as a matter of fact that you need to be competent in relation to the internet. Learning how to use it properly will help you not only with saving time but keeping in touch with reality either.

      Delete
  2. topic 2
    Throughout the last few decades the world’s population has increased tremendously so that overpopulation has become the world’s biggest threat. Issues connected with that should be the prior ones for residents of major cities to cope with. In this essay I am going to represent some problematic cases with the following solutions in order to convey my ways of addressing.
    To start with I'd like to emphasise that the largest root of the overpopulation is migration. People move to the technically equipped places in search of better opportunities and life at all. The main issues caused by that are financial and environmental ones.
    Referring to the economic sector, it is the progressing of the social divide by the monetary aspect. The demand for houses grows as well as the population, which leads to the rise of costs for living. The residents barely have a place they can call their own and, as a result, slum areas in the cities have appeared. From my perspective, the government should encourage the citizens to stop migrating by creating job opportunities in their local and rural areas. Moreover, paying attention to the balance between diverse areas in the big cities in order to escape slum problems is also relevant.
    Turning to the environment, there is the ever-growing pollution trouble, that is continuously rising. For instance, air and water pollution are provoked by the smoke and waste released from the factories, large volumes of transport gas, deforestation and many other things. To solve it, I suppose, government officials and individuals should work together. To reduce pollution, strict laws and regulations must be implemented by the authorities. In this case citizenry will become more responsible to the ecology. A brilliant example is Singapore, where people are especially careful about cleanliness and creating an optimal living environment.
    In conclusion, the fact of increasing population in megacities has led to various outcomes. And all of them can be solved by coworking of government and residents by proper planning and implementation of laws and policies.

    Xenia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good job! The essay is well-structured with clearly explained problems and their solutions. The use of linking words is appropriate.
      Throughout the last few decades the world’s population has increased tremendously so that overpopulation has become the world’s biggest threat. Issues connected with that should be the prior ones for residents of major cities to cope with. In this essay I am going to represent a number of problematic cases with the following solutions in order to convey my ways of addressing.
      To start with, I'd like toemphasize that the largest root of the overpopulation is migration. People move to the technically equipped places in search of better opportunities and life at all. The main issues caused by that are financial and environmental ones.
      Referring to the economic sector, it is the progressing of the social division by the monetary aspect. The demand for houses grows as well as the population, which leads to the rise of cost for living. The residents barely have a place they can call their own and, as a result, slum areas in the cities have appeared. From my perspective, the government should encourage the citizens to stop migrating by creating job opportunities in their local and rural areas. Moreover, paying attention to the balance between diverse areas in the megapolises in order to escape slum problems is also relevant.
      Turning to the environment, there is the ever-growing pollution trouble, that is continuously rising. For instance, air and water pollution are provoked by the smoke and waste released from the factories, large volumes of transport gas, deforestation and a plethora of other things. To solve it, I suppose, government officials and individuals should work together. To reduce pollution, strict laws and regulations must be implemented by the authorities. In this case citizens will become more aware of ecological problems and thus behave more responsibly for the environment. A brilliant example is Singapore, where people are especially careful about cleanliness and creating an optimal living environment.
      In conclusion, the fact of increasing population in mega cities has led to various outcomes. And all of them can be solved by coworking of government and residents by proper planning and implementation of laws and policies.

      Delete
  3. Topic 3.
    Throughout the last few decades the world’s population has increased tremendously so that overpopulation problem appeared. Issues connected with that should be the prior ones for residents of major cities to cope with. In this essay I am going to represent a problematic case connected to traffic congestion with the following solutions in order to convey my ways of addressing.
    To start with, I would like to emphasise that the list of causes is enormous. Nevertheless, I am going to mention the key factors, such as road works, accidents, traffic overload on the same route and large numbers of pedestrians holding up the vehicles. Although all these factors can be managed relatively easily, surprisingly not a lot of solutions have been provided thus far.
    In order to fix these unpleasant situations the behaviour of individuals must be analyzed for traffic planning to optimise its flow. Briefly, this issue in almost every large city is in need of smart infrastructure.
    From my perspective, collecting data through constant monitoring using tech, such as GPS, cameras, and sensors can help to maintain a good system. Gaining a complete overview enables practical measures, for instance adaptation of speed limits, implementation of smart traffic lights, identification and reconstruction of hazardous locations and, finally, dynamic adaptation of schedules and routes to the traffic.
    To sum up, constructing a productive metropolitan life guarantees a safer and more comfortable travelling experience. I believe that road planning and traffic management must be people-centric and give as much focus on alternate forms of travel as cars.
    Xenia

    ReplyDelete
  4. The essay is well-structured with an introduction and conclusion and fully explained causes of traffic congestion and solutions for this problem. Great! Keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Topic 4.
    It is observed that the increasing human population and some methods employed by people to spread their civilization are threats to wild animals. A large number of species are losing their habitat day by day and are at risk of becoming extinct. In the following paragraphs I am going to represent the major reasons for this issue and provide them with the following solutions in order to convey my ways of addressing.
    To begin with, I’d like to emphasise that extinctions occur naturally, for instance, until the revolution of the human race, lots of animals had lived by struggling with another species desiring to eat them. Anyway, the rate has dramatically increased due to the other causes that include habitat changes. People not only want to be fed by them but also tend to invade their living spaces. In order to stop these approaches against nature, from my perspective, the government and other associations should cooperate and impose harsh punishments, such as fines and restrictions regarding commercial matters.
    Additionally, one of the most striking examples of human impacts on nature is climate change. It also affects animal life, forcing them to leave their homes or to accept new living conditions. Unfortunately, not all of them can cope with such a challenge.
    To sum up, I believe that just focusing on the extinction issue won’t solve this case ultimitually. This problem is one of the pieces of a big, that has arisen because of the incompetence of people with respect to nature. Anyway, if we approach this case in a comprehensive way, little by little covering other points such as overpopulation and different kinds of pollution, then maybe someday we will begin to live in balance with our environment.

    Xenia

    ReplyDelete
  6. Topic 4. Edited
    It is observed that the increasing human population and some methods employed by people to spread their civilization are threats to wild animals. A large number of species are losing their habitat day by day and are at risk of becoming extinct. In the following paragraphs I am going to represent the major reasons for this issue and provide them with the following solutions in order to convey my ways of addressing.
    To begin with, I’d like to emphasise that extinctions occur naturally, for instance, until the revolution of the human race, lots of animals had lived by struggling with another species desiring to eat them. Anyway, the rate has dramatically increased due to the other causes that include habitat changes. People not only want to be fed by them but also tend to invade their living spaces. From my perspective, deforestation and international illegal wildlife theft are the main sources of influence on it. In order to stop these approaches against nature, from my perspective, the government and other associations should cooperate and impose harsh punishments, such as fines and restrictions regarding commercial matters provided with raising awareness among the masses.
    Additionally, one of the most striking examples of human impacts on nature is climate change. It also affects animal life, forcing them to leave their homes or to accept new living conditions. Unfortunately, not all of them can cope with such a challenge. The perfect solution would be creation of sanctuaries with all vital needs and good defence.
    To sum up, I believe that just focusing on the extinction issue won’t solve this case ultimitually. This problem is one of the pieces of a big, that has arisen because of the incompetence of people with respect to nature. Anyway, if we approach this case in a comprehensive way, little by little covering other points such as overpopulation and different kinds of pollution, then maybe someday we will begin to live in balance with our environment.

    Xenia

    ReplyDelete
  7. Topic 5.

    The ever-rising development of industry and construction has fostered the occurrence of air and water pollution in a vast majority of developing countries. In the following paragraphs I am going to represent a number of problematic situations connected to this issue with the subsequent solutions in order to convey my ways of addressing.
    To start with, from my perspective, strengthening government policy in the form of natural permits for companies must be the key point to change the situation. Very often the owners of these businesses don’t pay enough attention to establishing rules connected to environmental issues before starting their projects. Consequently, creating legal data that contains environmental permit requirements and will be audited and checked annually, can help to prevent this problem.
    I suppose, the other viable solution can be presented as a sustainable and eco-friendly technology. To take as an example, wastewater treatment developments can be used to make water drinkable or significantly reduce the presence of pollutants from what is discharged into the sea and rivers. So the additional task for the owners is to find an architect that will take this into account while planning the building construction and equip it with green tech. Moreover, replacing old machines or equipment with new ones is also essential to support sterility.
    To sum everything up, it is logical to conclude that this issue can be tackled by implementing strict regulations and opting for efficient technology. Following these basic tips, companies can make a big step towards decreasing pollution and saving nature.

    Xenia

    ReplyDelete