Practice › Task 2
IELTS Writing Task 2: Advantages and disadvantages
How to recognise it
- "What are the advantages and disadvantages of…?"
- "Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?"
What the examiner looks for
Both sides covered with developed points. If the question asks 'do the advantages outweigh…', that is an opinion question: you must say which side is stronger.
Plan (40 minutes)
| Paragraph | What to write |
|---|---|
| Introduction (~40 words) | Paraphrase the situation. If asked 'outweigh', state which side is stronger. |
| Body 1 (~90 words) | Advantages: one or two, each explained with an example. |
| Body 2 (~90 words) | Disadvantages: one or two, each explained with an example. |
| Conclusion (~40 words) | Summarise, and (for 'outweigh') repeat which side wins and why. |
How to start
- Background: "In recent years, [trend] has become increasingly common."
- Outweigh answer: "In my view, the benefits of this clearly outweigh the drawbacks."
- Body opening: "The main advantage of [topic] is that…" / "However, the most serious drawback is…"
- Avoid: listing five short advantages. Two well-explained points score higher than five bare ones.
These are frames to adapt to the question, not sentences to memorise. Examiners can recognise memorised language, and it lowers Lexical Resource.
Think before you write
- Underline the topic and the instruction words. How many parts must you answer?
- Decide your answer or position in one sentence before planning anything else.
- Choose two main ideas that support it and a specific example for each (a country, a group of people, a situation, not "many people say").
- Note 3-4 topic words you want to use (e.g. for education: curriculum, tuition fees, graduates).
Useful language
- One clear benefit is that…
- This allows people to…
- A further advantage is…
- A major drawback is that…
- This can lead to…
- The downside of this is…
- On balance, …
- Although there are some risks, …
- These benefits are far more significant than…
- As a result, …
- This means that…
- Consequently, …
Mistakes that cost bands
- Not answering 'do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?': it needs a clear yes/no.
- Mixing advantages and disadvantages in the same paragraph without a clear structure.
- Advantages that are really the same idea said twice.
11 practice questions
Original questions written for upband.ai in the style of the exam. Write your answer in 40 minutes, then score it.
More and more people are choosing to work freelance rather than for one employer. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Practise this question →Many young people now use smartphones from a very early age. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
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Practise this question →In many countries, people are moving from rural areas to cities. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?
Practise this question →International tourism has grown rapidly in recent decades. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Practise this question →More people today choose to live alone than in the past. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Practise this question →Some countries are building large numbers of wind farms to produce electricity. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
Practise this question →Some students take a gap year between school and university to work or travel. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Practise this question →Shopping online is replacing shopping in physical stores. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Practise this question →Large international companies are opening branches in many developing countries. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
Practise this question →Fitness apps and wearable devices now track people's health and exercise. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Practise this question →