pros and cons essay structure pdf

How to Write a Pros & Cons Essay: Step-By-Step Guide

Trying to convince someone to take your word on a particular subject isn’t straightforward. You must present convincing arguments backed by proof to encourage your opponent to change their mind. Moreover, the pros and cons essay must also cover the opposing standpoints.

You may wonder why this is relevant. Undoubtedly, most issues in our modern society are multidimensional and double or often triple-sided. There’s no concept clearly black and white, for the simple reason that no two people on Earth have an identical point of view.

Therefore, writing pro and con essays is vital for students of all ages. In the process, you will learn to think analytically and reason things from different angles. Whatever your thoughts on the topic, you must prove your point by offering convincing evidence and facts.

For those who never had the chance to write a pros & cons essay, the time has come to take the plunge. The start may be intimidating, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. To help you, we list a few helpful tips and examples to consider for your pro and con paper.

What Is a Pros and Cons Essay?

Before you set your aims high, let’s explain what for and against essays are. You must also understand the importance of this kind of academic assignment to write efficiently. A pros & cons essay is a written task that elaborates on the advantages and disadvantages of a specific problem. The paper covers different sides of a single topic where your argument prevails.

The most challenging aspect for students is that they can’t just list the benefits and drawbacks of a pressing matter. Instead, they must summarize ideas, like when writing a synthesis essay , and pick a side by stating their point. Moreover, the paper must have a logical flow that ends with your attitude.

The introduction should signpost the direction in which you’re steering. State your opinion only after you’ve meticulously analyzed all for and against arguments.

A Compelling Topic

The topic you choose must have inherent positive and negative sides. Avoid themes with evident benefits and no disadvantages. Similarly, skip obviously disadvantageous topics because those are tiresome and time-consuming. For example, write about an issue with pronounced bad and good sides, such as advertising, online education, or modern technologies. However, the ultimate decision will depend on the course specifics and your professor’s guidelines.

Relevant Ideas

Your work must offer a unique perspective on a central idea. And you must support the main claim with at least three arguments. Including every possible pro and con will overwhelm the reader and won’t make your work impactful.

Instead, write about the core aspects of the issue. You can find numerous relevant examples on Paperell if you lack inspiration. Also, ensure you discuss the strongest point at the onset. Similarly, refute the most relevant con in the end to demonstrate your ability to handle opposing views.

Write in the traditional format. It should consist of an introduction, middle paragraphs (one paragraph for each idea), and a conclusion. Use short and concise sentences to avoid losing yourself in your thoughts. Run-on sentences will confuse the reader and impede seamless reading.

Originality

Refrain from copying other works without including quotations. Your paper must be 100% authentic. If you decide to seek assistance from a platform that offers online essays for sale , ensure it is reliable. Most custom paper services abide by strict academic standards and deliver plagiarism-free work.

Make sure your ideas are relevant, supported by facts, and not arbitrary. Also, typos are unacceptable for these kinds of assignments. To avoid losing points on technical aspects, review your grammatical structures and use plenty of synonyms for the keywords in the essay.

How to Write a Pros and Cons Essay?

For a rookie, the essay composition process might prove an uphill task. However, with practice, you’ll become more efficient and productive. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to write your essay.

Do Thorough Research

Examine the assigned topic and focus on important information on the subject. Try to find credible sources that are objective and fact-based. Though you probably have an opinion on the problem, don’t let it blur your objectivity.

Brainstorm the Advantages and Disadvantages

Once you find enough positive and negative sides of the matter, write them in a list. Ensure you provide examples for each point, as you’d do in exemplification essay writing for your college assignments. Write two columns and rate items by relevance. The top three benefits should go in the paper.

Draft the Essay Skeleton

Decide what outline you’ll use. One approach is to write each pro and con in different paragraphs. Alternatively, you might want to dedicate every paragraph to one aspect of the dilemma, discussing both pros and cons simultaneously.

Be Creative

Start your journey with an attention-grabbing idea that urges your audience to keep reading. To this end, choose a hook for an essay that is topic-related and amusing. Also, when writing a pros and cons paper, the thesis statement should tell the reader what follows.

In the body section, discuss the points you decided to include but with examples and facts. Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence, and all explanations should relate to the main claim. The conclusion must summarize the essay, restate your position, and compel the reader to contemplate the problem.

Editing and proofreading your work is critical for an impeccable essay. Ensure your punctuation, spelling, and grammar are error-free.

Plagiarism Free Pros & Cons Essay

Writing a 100% original manuscript isn’t straightforward. As much as you try to paraphrase, sophisticated tools recognize your attempts. The same will happen with the trained eye of your professor. Consider the following tips to avoid plagiarized essays.

Cite Properly

Citations are vital, so you must give credit to all sources you’re using in your paper. This way, you show you can borrow information with integrity. Failure to include quotations and references is plagiarism. The best way to cite a study or research is to follow the APA style.

Use a Plagiarism Checker

Your teachers use specialized tools to check the plagiarism level in your essay. Doing this will spare you a lot of trouble and effort. Try your free plagiarism checker with percentage to get a detailed report on your work. If you spot copied content, rewrite it to express your ideas differently.

Be Original

Pros and cons essays reveal your side on a specific subject. Hence, there’s nothing wrong with sticking to your opinions. With original ideas, you won’t have to worry about plagiarism. Still, always base your thoughts on relevant research and use the conclusion to call for action. Need help with the pros and cons essay? You can pay for papers online to get professional help. Also, ask your instructors or teachers to help you understand the topic.

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26 Planning a Discursive Essay

Discursive essay – description.

A discursive essay is a form of critical essay that attempts to provide the reader with a balanced argument on a topic, supported by evidence. It requires critical thinking, as well as sound and valid arguments (see Chapter 25) that acknowledge and analyse arguments both for and against any given topic, plus discursive essay writing appeals to reason, not emotions or opinions. While it may draw some tentative conclusions, based on evidence, the main aim of a discursive essay is to inform the reader of the key arguments and allow them to arrive at their own conclusion.

The writer needs to research the topic thoroughly to present more than one perspective and should check their own biases and assumptions through critical reflection (see Chapter 30).

Unlike persuasive writing, the writer does not need to have knowledge of the audience, though should write using academic tone and language (see Chapter 20).

Choose Your Topic Carefully

A basic guide to choosing an assignment topic is available in Chapter 23, however choosing a topic for a discursive essay means considering more than one perspective. Not only do you need to find information about the topic via academic sources, you need to be able to construct a worthwhile discussion, moving from idea to idea. Therefore, more forward planning is required. The following are decisions that need to be considered when choosing a discursive essay topic:

• These will become the controlling ideas for your three body paragraphs (some essays may require more). Each controlling idea will need arguments both for and against.
• For example, if my topic is “renewable energy” and my three main (controlling) ideas are “cost”, “storage”, “environmental impact”, then I will need to consider arguments both for and against each of these three concepts. I will also need to have good academic sources with examples or evidence to support my claim and counter claim for each controlling idea (More about this in Chapter 27).
• Am I able to write a thesis statement about this topic based on the available research? In other words, do my own ideas align with the available research, or am I going to be struggling to support my own ideas due to a lack of academic sources or research? You need to be smart about your topic choice. Do not make it harder than it has to be. Writing a discursive essay is challenging enough without struggling to find appropriate sources.
• For example, perhaps I find a great academic journal article about the uptake of solar panel installation in suburban Australia and how this household decision is cost-effective long-term, locally stored, and has minimal, even beneficial environmental impact due to the lowering of carbon emissions. Seems too good to be true, yet it is perfect for my assignment. I would have to then find arguments AGAINST everything in the article that supports transitioning suburbs to solar power. I would have to challenge the cost-effectiveness, the storage, and the environmental impact study. Now, all of a sudden my task just became much more challenging.
• There may be vast numbers of journal articles written about your topic, but consider how relevant they may be to your tentative thesis statement. It takes a great deal of time to search for appropriate academic sources. Do you have a good internet connection at home or will you need to spend some quality time at the library? Setting time aside to complete your essay research is crucial for success.

It is only through complete forward planning about the shape and content of your essay that you may be able to choose the topic that best suits your interests, academic ability and time management. Consider how you will approach the overall project, not only the next step.

Research Your Topic

When completing a library search for online peer reviewed journal articles, do not forget to use Boolean Operators to refine or narrow your search field. Standard Boolean Operators are (capitalized) AND, OR and NOT. While using OR will expand your search, AND and NOT will reduce the scope of your search. For example, if I want information on ageism and care giving, but I only want it to relate to the elderly, I might use the following to search a database: ageism AND care NOT children. Remember to keep track of your search strings (like the one just used) and then you’ll know what worked and what didn’t as you come and go from your academic research.

The UQ Library provides an excellent step-by-step guide to searching databases:

Searching in databases – Library – University of Queensland (uq.edu.au)

Did you know that you can also link the UQ Library to Google Scholar? This link tells you how:

Google Scholar – Library – University of Queensland (uq.edu.au)

Write the Thesis Statement

The concept of a thesis statement was introduced in Chapter 21. The information below relates specifically to a discursive essay thesis statement.

As noted in the introduction to this chapter, the discursive essay should not take a stance and therefore the thesis statement must also impartially indicate more than one perspective. The goal is to present both sides of an argument equally and allow the reader to make an informed and well-reasoned choice after providing supporting evidence for each side of the argument.

Sample thesis statements: Solar energy is a cost -effective solution to burning fossil fuels for electricity , however lower income families cannot afford the installation costs .

Some studies indicate that teacher comments written in red may have no effect on students’ emotions , however other studies suggest that seeing red ink on papers could cause some students unnecessary stress. [1]

According to social justice principles, education should be available to all , yet historically, the intellectually and physically impaired may have been exempt from participation due to their supposed inability to learn. [2]

This is where your pros and cons list comes into play. For each pro, or positive statement you make, about your topic, create an equivalent con, or negative statement and this will enable you to arrive at two opposing assertions – the claim and counter claim.

While there may be multiple arguments or perspectives related to your essay topic, it is important that you match each claim with a counter-claim. This applies to the thesis statement and each supporting argument within the body paragraphs of the essay.

It is not just a matter of agreeing or disagreeing. A neutral tone is crucial. Do not include positive or negative leading statements, such as “It is undeniable that…” or “One should not accept the view that…”. You are NOT attempting to persuade the reader to choose one viewpoint over another.

Leading statements / language will be discussed further, in class, within term three of the Academic English course.

Thesis Structure:

• Note the two sides (indicated in green and orange)
• Note the use of tentative language: “Some studies”, “may have”, “could cause”, “some students”
• As the thesis is yet to be discussed in-depth, and you are not an expert in the field, do not use definitive language
• The statement is also one sentence, with a “pivot point” in the middle, with a comma and signposting to indicate a contradictory perspective (in black). Other examples include, nevertheless, though, although, regardless, yet, albeit. DO NOT use the word “but” as it lacks academic tone. Some signposts (e.g., although, though, while) may be placed at the start of the two clauses rather than in the middle – just remember the comma, for example, “While some studies suggest solar energy is cost-effective, other critical research questions its affordability.”
• Also note that it is based on preliminary research and not opinion: “some studies”, “other studies”, “according to social justice principles”, “critical research”.

Claims and Counter Claims

NOTE: Please do not confuse the words ‘claim’ and ‘counter-claim’ with moral or value judgements about right/wrong, good/bad, successful/unsuccessful, or the like. The term ‘claim’ simply refers to the first position or argument you put forward (whether for or against), and ‘counter-claim’ is the alternate position or argument.

In a discursive essay the goal is to present both sides equally and then draw some tentative conclusions based on the evidence presented.

• To formulate your claims and counter claims, write a list of pros and cons.
• For each pro there should be a corresponding con.
• Three sets of pros and cons will be required for your discursive essay. One set for each body paragraph. These become your claims and counter claims.
• For a longer essay, you would need further claims and counter claims.
• Some instructors prefer students to keep the pros and cons in the same order across the body paragraphs. Each paragraph would then have a pro followed by a con or else a con followed by a pro. The order should align with your thesis; if the thesis gives a pro view of the topic followed by a negative view (con) then the paragraphs should also start with the pro and follow with the con, or else vice versa. If not aligned and consistent, the reader may easily become confused as the argument proceeds. Ask your teacher if this is a requirement for your assessment.

Use previous chapters to explore your chosen topic through concept mapping (Chapter 18) and essay outlining (Chapter 19), with one variance; you must include your proposed claims and counter claims in your proposed paragraph structures. What follows is a generic model for a discursive essay. The following Chapter 27 will examine this in further details.

Sample Discursive Essay Outline 

The paragraphs are continuous; the dot-points are only meant to indicate content.

Introduction

• Thesis statement
• Essay outline (including 3 controlling ideas)

Body Paragraphs X 3 (Elaboration and evidence will be more than one sentence, though the topic, claim and counter claim should be succinct)

• T opic sentence, including 1/3 controlling ideas (the topic remains the same throughout the entire essay; it is the controlling idea that changes)
• A claim/assertion about the controlling idea
• E laboration – more information about the claim
• E vidence -academic research (Don’t forget to tell the reader how / why the evidence supports the claim. Be explicit in your E valuation rather than assuming the connection is obvious to the reader)
• A counter claim (remember it must be COUNTER to the claim you made, not about something different)
• E laboration – more information about the counter claim
• E vidence – academic research (Don’t forget to tell the reader how / why the evidence supports the claim. Be explicit in your E valuation rather than assuming the connection is obvious to the reader)
• Concluding sentence – L inks back to the topic and/or the next controlling idea in the following paragraph

Mirror the introduction. The essay outline should have stated the plan for the essay – “This essay will discuss…”, therefore the conclusion should identify that this has been fulfilled, “This essay has discussed…”, plus summarise the controlling ideas and key arguments. ONLY draw tentative conclusions BOTH for and against, allowing the reader to make up their own mind about the topic. Also remember to re-state the thesis in the conclusion. If it is part of the marking criteria, you should also include a recommendation or prediction about the future use or cost/benefit of the chosen topic/concept.

A word of warning, many students fall into the generic realm of stating that there should be further research on their topic or in the field of study. This is a gross statement of the obvious as all academia is ongoing. Try to be more practical with your recommendations and also think about who would instigate them and where the funding might come from.

This chapter gives an overview of what a discursive essay is and a few things to consider when choosing your topic. It also provides a generic outline for a discursive essay structure. The following chapter examines the structure in further detail.

• Inez, S. M. (2018, September 10). What is a discursive essay, and how do you write a good one? Kibin. ↵
• Hale, A., & Basides, H. (2013). The keys to academic English. Palgrave ↵

researched, reliable, written by academics and published by reputable publishers; often, but not always peer reviewed

assertion, maintain as fact

The term ‘claim’ simply refers to the first position or argument you put forward (whether for or against), and ‘counter-claim’ is the alternate position or argument.

Academic Writing Skills Copyright © 2021 by Patricia Williamson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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• Essay Task 2

Guide to Advantage Disadvantage IELTS Essay Type

• Essay Types
• Double Question
• Advantage Disadvantage
• Problem Solution
• Essay Length

IELTS advantage/disadvantage essays ask you to write about the benefits and drawbacks of a topic as well as (sometimes) asking for your opinion.  This guide covers everything you need to know to complete an Academic IELTS advantage/ disadvantage essay. Let’s start preparing with Benchmark IELTS!

Table of Contents

1.1 understanding the question, 1.2 example advantage/disadvantage questions, 2.1 essay structure 1, 2.2 essay structure 2.

• 3.1 Identify key words and phrases

3.2 Organise your ideas

3.3 identify vocabulary, 4.1 introduction, 4.2 main body paragraphs, 4.3 conclusion, 5.1 complete the sample advantage/disadvantage essay, 5.2 advantage/disadvantage sample essay, 1. advantage/ disadvantage essay overview.

This section of the guide will show you how to identify an IELTS advantage/disadvantage question.

Remember, there are five main types of writing task 2 questions:

• Advantage/disadvantage
• Double question
• Problem/solution

It is very important to understand what type of question you are given in the exam so you can respond in an appropriate way: different question types will require different responses.

Advantage/disadvantage essay questions can be presented in several different ways.

Here are some examples of the way an advantage/disadvantage question may be worded:

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your opinion.
• Describe the advantages and disadvantages of _____ and give your opinion.
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of _____?

You may also see questions using synonyms for advantage and disadvantage, for example:

• What are the benefits and drawbacks of…?

Be careful, the question itself might not always use words or phrases relating to advantage/disadvantage and they could be hidden in the statement,  as seen here:

• Some people believe that using a bicycle as your main form of transport has a lot of advantages , whereas others believe that it has many disadvantages . Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Here is another example of a question where you are asked to give your opinion:

• Do the advantages of … outweigh the disadvantages

After you have identified the essay type , you need to understand what you are being asked to do. To do well in the Task achievement marking component, you need to ‘ address all parts of the task’ .

This type of essay question will always be split into two parts:

• The IELTS statement
• The question

You must always write about both the advantages and disadvantages of the given topic. As we can see in example questions 1-6, sometimes you are asked to give your opinion on the question, and sometimes you are not. Let’s compare the following questions:

You are not being asked to give your opinion

Here are some example advantage/disadvantage essay questions:

In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have more of an opportunity to study abroad.

Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Today children spend a lot of their free time watching TV.

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this practice?

Also, read the following IELTS Essay Writing Guides

• IELTS Discussion Type Questions
• Double Question IELTS Essay Topics
• Opinion-based Task 2 IELTS Guide
• Problem Solution IELTS Writing Task Statement

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy.

The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have the opportunity to study abroad.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?

More and more people prefer to read news online rather than on paper.

Do you think the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

2. Essay Structures for Advantage/Disadvantage Essays

There is more than one way to structure your advantage/disadvantage essay. You could take a thesis-led (opinion in the introduction) or an evidence-led (opinion in your conclusion).

You could also choose to focus on one or more than one advantage/disadvantage in each of your main body paragraphs.

The next two sections will give you two possible ways that you could structure your essay using four clearly organized paragraphs.

Thesis-led approach

Evidence-led approach

3. Planning your Advantage/Disadvantage Essay

Before you start writing your essay, you should give yourself 5 minutes to analyze the question and organize your ideas . Follow the tips below to create a well-planned essay!

3.1 Identify keywords and phrases

It sounds simple, but it is very important that you read the question carefully and understand what you are being asked to write about. To analyze the question, first, identify any keywords and phrases .

You should first identify the topic of the essay. If you do not write about the correct topic, you will score poorly in Task achievement . The general topic can always be found in the IELTS statement.

Let’s take a look at one of the previous examples:

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace . Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy .

The topic words are underlined and show the general topic of this essay question in nuclear weapons/power/technology .

After you have identified the general topic, you need to locate other keywords that give you more detail about the topic. In this question, the words world peace and cheap and clean energy in bold give you more information about the general topic. Therefore, your essay should only relate to these aspects of nuclear weapons/power/technology .

Now take a look at the question for our model answer at the end of this guide. Can you identify the general topic?

This is an important step that is often skipped by test-takers. By quickly writing down your key ideas, you will avoid repeating or missing any points and improve your score in both Task achievement and Coherence and cohesion .

You could use bullet points , columns , or another preferred method of writing down ideas . Here is an example for our sample essay:

Take a look at our Master Guide for a more in-depth look at idea generation and organizing your ideas.

Taking a moment to write down more uncommon vocabulary related to the essay topic will not only make you feel more relaxed in the exam but will also help you to improve your score in Lexical resources .

This doesn’t have to be a long list, just a few ideas that come into your mind. Here are some examples of the topic of studying abroad:

• Culture shock
• Language barrier
• Broaden one’s horizons

4. Writing your Advantages/Disadvantages Essay

Your introduction should be the shortest paragraph in your essay (about 40-60 words is perfect).

You need to rephrase the IELTS statement in your own words. This is known as paraphrasing (a key skill to develop for the IELTS exam).

Take a look at our example:

You can also briefly state what your essay will be about in one clear sentence. For instance:

This essay will discuss both points of view and then I will give my opinion.

If you are taking a thesis-led approach, you can use one of the following sentence starters to briefly give your opinion:

• I believe that…
• It is my belief that…
• In my opinion,…

A note on the use of the first person ‘I’: Unlike writing task 1, it is appropriate to use the first person in your writing task 2 essay. In fact, it is unavoidable when giving your opinion. But , you should not overuse ‘I’ in your essay and we recommend you limit your use to your introduction and conclusion.

Topic sentences Usually, the first sentence of your main body paragraph will be a topic sentence . The purpose of your topic sentence is to introduce the main idea of your paragraph .

You should include one topic sentence for each advantage/disadvantage . This means that, if your main body paragraphs focus on two advantages/disadvantages , then you should have two topic sentences per paragraph.

Here’s an example: One advantage of studying abroad is that students can improve their language skills.

Here are some other sentence starters you can use for your essays (you can replace the underlined words with vocabulary linked to your topic):

• One advantage of studying abroad is that ….
• Another benefit of studying abroad is that…
• One downside of studying abroad is that…
• Another downside of studying abroad is that…

Supporting sentences You should then expand on your topic sentence with a supporting sentence/sentences . Your sentence(s) could either describe a result of the advantage/disadvantage, go into more detail , or explain the reason(s) why these benefits/drawbacks occur.

Our example supporting sentence describes a result of the advantage given in the topic sentence.

Topic sentence – One advantage of studying abroad is that students can improve their language skills.

Supporting sentence – This means that when the students return to their home countries, they will have more employment opportunities.

Here are some sentences starters you can use to begin your supporting sentences:

• This is because…
• The result/consequence/reason is that…
• This means that…
• As a result/consequence,…
• In other words,…  

Giving examples For all writing task 2 essay types , you must support your response with examples. Do not personalize your examples and link them to your life instead, Keep your examples more general . Also, do not refer to made-up statistics .

Here are some instances of suitable and non-suitable examples:

Suitable For example, many young people who study in an English-speaking country for a few years develop strong communication skills and have the confidence to work in an international company when they return home.

Not suitable My cousin spent three years in an English-speaking country and they got an excellent job with an international country when they came back to Spain. ( this example is too personal as it refers to the writer’s family ) ❌

According to statistics, international students are 30% more likely to get a job in an international company when they study overseas. ( this example contains a made-up statistic )

You must include a conclusion to achieve a good score in Task achievement . Your conclusion does not have to be very long, but it needs to be clear and do two main things:

• Paraphrase yourself : summarise the key points in your body paragraphs
• Give your opinion : It depends if you have taken an evidence-led or thesis-led approach, you will either be re-stating the opinion given in your introduction or giving your opinion for the first time.

Make your conclusion easy to identify for the examiner by starting with linking phrases such as:

• To sum up,…
• To summarise,…
• In conclusion,…

When you are paraphrasing the main points of your essay, you need to state that you have examined both sides of the argument (as that is what the question has asked you to do). To do this, consider using a phrase like:

In conclusion, having looked at this topic in detail, it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad .

You would need to replace the underlined section with your essay topic.

To give your opinion, you need to use a range of cohesive devices to introduce each example such as:

• From my perspective,…
• In my view,…

You then need to clearly state which side of the argument you agree with (advantage or disadvantage). Remember, your actual opinion does not matter, it is how you present your opinion using English that is important.

Here are some example sentences to do this effectively:

• In my opinion, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
• From my perspective, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits .

5. Example Advantage/Disadvantage Essay and Exercise

Now you’ve taken a look at how to write an advantage/disadvantage essay, let’s look at a model answer.

We have removed some of the words so you can put your knowledge to the test.

Select the correct missing words and complete the model answer.

In recent years, it has become much more common for students to complete their degree overseas instead of their house country. Many persons believe that there are significant benefits of doing this, while others argue that there are also drawbacks connected to studying abroad. This essay will discuss both points of mind and then I will give my opinion.

One advantage of study abroad is that students can improve their employee skills. This means that when the students return to their home countries, they will have more employment opportunities. An example, many young people who study in an English-speaking country for a few years develop strong communication skills and have the confidence to work in an international company when they return home. On the other hand benefit of studying abroad is that you can develop a better understanding of other cultures, Example , learning about a country’s customs, traditions and cuisines. The consequence of this is that people become more open-minded.

In the other hand, there are some disadvantages of studying abroad. One backdraw is that students may miss their friends and family and feel homesad. They may also find it difficult to connect with other students and make friends due to a language barrier . Another disadvantage is that students can experience a real culture shock when moving to another country. This is because the culture and language may be different which could lead to frustration for the student and dissatisfaction with their study experience.

To overall , it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad. In my thought, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Although it is true that the experience may be challenging at first, on balance , if you study abroad you will have an enriching experience that will broaden your horizons and increase your future prospects.

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IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Vocabulary

When you turn to IELTS Writing Task 2 (the formal essay) on test day, you may encounter an “advantage and disadvantage” essay. This type of essay asks you to evaluate both sides of an issue. Having the right vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2 essays is one key to increasing your band score. This is essay is no different. In this article, we’ll look at IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay vocabulary.

What is an Advantage/Disadvantage Essay on the IELTS?

An advantage/disadvantage essay is any essay that requires you to share both good and bad sides of an issue. They’re pretty easy to spot, because they almost always use the phrase “advantages and disadvantages” in the prompt.

With those ideas in mind, here are a few things you should keep in mind while writing an advantages/disadvantages essay.

When you’re writing an advantage/disadvantage essay, you want to present both sides of the issue. Sometimes, but not always, the prompt will ask you to pick which side is stronger. Don’t make a recommendation about which side is better unless the prompt says to! In other words, don’t overthink this: if the prompt doesn’t ask you to pick a side, don’t. Just focus on describing the pros and cons of the issue.

The structure of an IELTS advantages/disadvantages essay should be simple, with four paragraphs:

• Introduction
• Advantages (OR disadvantages, whichever you have better ideas for)
• Disadvantages (OR advantages, if you wrote about disadvantages first

The main thing to keep in mind is that you should separate advantages into their own paragraph and disadvantages into their own paragraph. It doesn’t matter which one comes first, but they should be distinct.

It can be easy to get caught up in using the IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay vocabulary you’ve learned and forgetting to focus on the ideas. However, you should brainstorm ideas carefully at the beginning of your time to make sure that you have something to write about! Aim to share two advantages and two disadvantages in your essay.

With that in mind, I’ll take a look at some words and phrase you can use for this essay type.

Before we get into specifics, though, let’s look at some basic terms for this section: synonyms for “advantages” and “disadvantages”:

• Benefits/drawbacks
• Positives/negatives

With those in mind, take a look at vocabulary words and phrases you can use to present each side!

IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Vocabulary: Advantages

• One advantage of X is…
• A primary advantage of X is…
• The positive aspects of X include…
• A/Another benefit of X is…
• An/Another advantage of X is…

IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Vocabulary: Disadvantages

• A disadvantage of X is…
• One drawback of X is…
• A negative aspect of X is…
• A negative consequence of X is…
• A/another drawback of X is…

Vocabulary and Phrases for Opinions ( ONLY if Required by the Prompt )!

• The benefits of X far outweigh/exceed the drawbacks.
• The disadvantages of X far outweighs/exceeds the advantages.

Example of an IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

So what does this look like in practice? Take a look at a sample IELTS advantages/disadvantages prompt and a high-scoring essay written in response. If you want, you can use an IELTS essay response sheet and try your own response before checking the answer below!

The Response

One major advantage of streaming films in the home is that it removes barriers between customers and the films. Couples with children do not need to find babysitters to enjoy new cinema. Another benefit of streaming services is that, in many cases, the price of new films is already included in the monthly subscription cost. This means that more people are likely to watch the film at home, even if they were not interested enough to pay money directly to see it in the theatre.

Conversely, a negative consequence of streaming services’ popularity is that, if they reach a certain tipping point of popularity, cinemas may go out of business. Consumers have no incentive to go to the theatre to see the same films they can see in the comfort of their homes. This means that those employed by cinemas, from ushers to those working at concessions stands, may lose their jobs, which could have a knock-on effect on the economy. Another disadvantage of streaming services’ ubiquity is that some films may not be as easy to appreciate artistically on a small screen. By watching these films at home, consumers may be missing out on the director’s artistic vision.

On balance, there are both benefits and drawbacks to the recent rise in streaming services. The effects this trend has are primarily economic (on both individual and societal levels) and artistic.

Word count: 272

Eliot Friesen-Meyers is the Senior Curriculum Manager for Magoosh IELTS and TOEFL. He attended Goshen College (B.A.), New York University (M.A.), and Harvard University (M.T.S.), gaining experience and skills in curriculum development, ESOL instruction, online teaching and learning, and IELTS and TOEFL test prep education. Eliot’s teaching career started with Literacy Americorps in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and later, taught ESL programs at Northeastern University, University of California-Irvine, and Harold Washington College. Eliot was also a speaker at the 2019 TESOL International Conference . With over 10 years of experience, he understands the challenges students face and loves helping them overcome those challenges. Come join Eliot on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram . Recent blog posts Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 1 Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 2

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One response to “IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Vocabulary”

the question is about the trend that people are till going to cinema ,eventhoug ott platforms are available.so aforesaid essay written about pros & cons of streaming platform .it is clear that the deviation from the question.

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How to Plan & Write IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays

Questions for IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays  can be worded in several different ways. Here is some typical wording that might be used:

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of….?
• Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your opinion.

It is also common for synonyms of ‘advantages’ and ‘disadvantages’ to be used, such as ‘benefits’ and ‘drawbacks’, as can be seen in this sample question.

A lot of places in the world rely on tourism as a main source of income. Unfortunately, tourism can also be a source of problems if it is not well-managed.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world? Do you think that the benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks?

I’ll be using this question to guide you through the process of planning and writing an IELTS advantage and disadvantages essay later on in this lesson.

Here’s what the lesson covers:

• Understanding IELTS advantages & disadvantages essay questions 
• Essay structures
• How to plan
• How to write an introduction
• How to write main body paragraphs
• How to write a conclusion

Want  to watch and listen? 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

IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay questions fall into two main categories:

• Questions that ask for your opinion.
• Questions that do not require you to state your opinion.

The first part of the question will always be a statement. You will then be asked to write about  both  the advantages  and disadvantages of the idea stated. You may also be required to state your opinion.

Here are two more sample questions for illustration. For the first one, you must give your opinion but in the second, you should not.

1. Small businesses are disappearing and being replaced by large multinational companies.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

2. Most career choices demand vocational skills or specialist knowledge. However, despite this, most schools still teach academic subjects such as history or social studies.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this?

Essay Structures

Now let’s look at two simple structures you can use to write IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays. They're not the only possible structures but are ones I recommend because they are easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.

I’ll explain later why I’m giving you two slightly different structures.

These structures will give you a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.

One Advantage and Disadvantage or Two?

The question will state 'advantages' and 'disadvantages' in the plural, that is, more than one. However, it is acceptable to write about just one.

This should give you an essay of just over the minimum 250 words. To write about two advantages and disadvantages will require you to write nearer 400 words which are a lot to plan and write in the 40 minutes allowed.

It is better to fully develop one advantage and one disadvantage than ending up with your second idea missing an explanation or an example because you run out of time, but you can write about two if you feel able to or more comfortable doing so.

Having said that, using essay structure 2, where you start with the examples, will enable you to easily add more than one advantage and disadvantage without having to write many more words.

It will be more suitable for some questions than others so bear this in mind when you're writing practice essays and try out both structures.

I’m going to use essay structure 2 to show you step-by-step how to write an IELTS advantage and disadvantages essay. I’ll also give you a model answer using essay structure 1 so that you can compare the two.

How To Plan IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays

The planning process only takes around 5 minutes but it is essential as it will save you time overall and will result in a far better essay and thus, higher marks. Th ere are the 3 things you need to do:

• Analyse the question
• Generate ideas
• Identify vocabulary

# 1  Analyse the question

Analysing the question will ensure that you answer it fully. It’s quick and easy to do. You just need to identify 3 different types of words:

• Topic words
• Other keywords
• 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.

Here is the question we’re going to be working on. I’ve highlighted the topic words in blue.

So, this question is about ‘ tourism’ .

Many people 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 tourism we're being asked to write about.

The  other keywords  in the question tell you the specific topic your essay must be about. 

A lot of places in the world rely on tourism as a main source of income . Unfortunately, tourism can also be a source of problems if it is not well-managed.

By highlighting these words, it’s easy to see that you are being asked to write about the conflicting issues of tourism being ‘a main source of income’ in many places, yet also being ‘a source of problems’.

Your essay must only include ideas relevant to this aspect of tourism.

The  instruction words  are the question itself. They tell you exactly what to include in your essay.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world? Do you think that the  benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks ?

Here, we are required to write about:

• The advantages of tourism in relation to income generation.
• The disadvantage of tourism in relation to problems it can cause.
• Our opinion as to whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Note the use of the synonyms ‘ benefits ’ and ‘ drawback ’ in the second sentence of the 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.

I’m going to demonstrate two of them for you here – the ‘friends technique’, which is suitable for most IELTS essays, and the ‘example method’, which perfectly fits essay structure 2.

The ‘ friends technique ’ is the method I generally 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.

Here are my ideas using the friends technique:

There are far too many ideas here to include in an essay of just over 250 words. Think up a few then pick one advantage and one disadvantage that you think you can develop well.

With the ' example method ', on the other hand, you start by thinking of specific examples related to the question. They can come from your own experience or be something you’ve read or heard about. These examples will generate ideas that will become the main points of your essay.

It works particularly well for the model question I’ve selected for this lesson which is why I’ve included the second essay structure.

Here are my ideas using the examples technique:

Now that we have some ideas, we’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS advantages and disadvantages 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 what you're 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.

Writing an IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

We’re ready to begin writing our essay. For the first model answer, I’m going to take you step-by-step through essay structure 2. I’ll then give you a model answer for essay structure 1.

Here’s a reminder of the question and the essay structure. 

We’ll now start work on the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

The introduction to an IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay should have a simple 2 or 3 part structure:

• Paraphrase the question
• Outline the main ideas
• State your opinion (if required)

Our tourism question asks for our opinion so our introduction will have 3 parts.

1)  Paraphrase the question

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question statement.

     Question:   A lot of places in the world rely on tourism as a main source of income.             

      Unfortunately, tourism can also be a source of problems if it is not well-managed.

Paraphrased question:  

Although holidaymakers contribute hugely to the economies of many popular destinations, the influx of tourists can also cause serious issues.

Note my use of synonyms for some of the key words. It’s fine to repeat one or two words if you can't think of suitable synonyms. Above all, your language must sound natural.

2)  Outline statement

Now we need to add a statement where we outline the main points that we’ll be covering in the rest of the essay, that is, an advantage of tourism and a disadvantage of tourism.

Here are the two main ideas I’ve chosen to write about:

• Advantage – Poor areas are now prosperous tourist resorts
• Disadvantage – Displacement of local people

Outline statement:  

This essay will demonstrate how tourism can transform the economy of poor areas but will also show that this can lead to such problems as the displacement of local people.

3)  Opinion statement

The question also asks for our opinion and it’s essential that we include it in the introduction.

Opinion statement:  

Whilst acknowledging that there are drawbacks, the essay will argue that the advantages of the tourist industry outweigh the disadvantages.

So, let’s bring the three 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  – Poor areas are now prosperous tourist resorts

Main body paragraph 2  – Displacement of local people

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main body paragraphs in IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays written using structure 2, should contain 3 things:

• Topic sentence – give an example
• Explanation – explain the benefits/advantages
• Consequence – state the result

Main Body Paragraph 1

The  topic sentence  summarises the main idea of the paragraph. 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.

In this instance, the topic sentence will introduce our first example, for which I’ve chosen Thailand.

• Main idea –  Poor areas are now prosperous tourist resorts
• Example – Thailand

Topic sentence:  

One country that has experienced a significant economic boost from tourism is Thailand.

Next, we must write an  explanation sentence  that states the main point of our example.

Explanation sentence: 

Over the past 50 years, many of its small fishing villages, where people often struggled to make a living, have been developed into thriving holiday destinations.

Finally, we explain the  consequence or result  of the situation. This is where we give an example of one specific advantage. It is better to pick one and develop it than to just add a long list.

Consequence:

With all the hotels, restaurants, shops and other tourist facilities that have been developed, there are now enough jobs for everyone and the general standard of living has greatly increased.  Many local people have spotted new business opportunities and become entrepreneurs which has further diversified the economy.

That’s the 3 parts of our first main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

We’ll now follow the same process for our second main body paragraph.

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea –  Displacement of local people

Example – Venice

First, we write the  topic sentence  to summarise the main idea.

Topic sentence:

In Venice, on the other hand, the huge popularity of the beautiful canals and stunning architecture with visitors from around the world has had a negative impact on local residents.

Now for the  explanation sentence   that states the main point of our example.

Explanation sentence:

The growing need for tourist accommodation, places to eat and shops has forced many people from their homes to make way for this new development.

Finally, a specific example to explain the consequence .

Not only have these people suffered by having to move away from their family and friends but the situation has also resulted in a lost sense of community in the worst affected areas.

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 advantages and disadvantages 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 near 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 advantages and disadvantages 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 a dvantages and disadvantages essay  with the words:

• In conclusion

        or

• 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 great conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction. 

Introduction:

Here's the same information formed into a conclusion:

That’s it. We’ve completed our advantages and disadvantages essay. Here it is with the 4 paragraphs put together.

Finished IELTS advantages and disadvantages 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 advantages and disadvantages essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

Example IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay for Structure 1

Now, here’s a model answer for essay structure 1. First, a reminder of the structure and the ideas I generated using the friends technique.

Ideas generation - Friends technique

I’ve underline the ideas I’ve chosen to write about in this second essay:

Advantages of tourism – source of income:

• Provides jobs for local people
• Opportunities for local entrepreneurs
• Tourist spending boosts both national & local economy
• Brings improvement in local infrastructure & facilities which benefit whole community
• Helps maintain traditions & culture

Disadvantages of tourism – the problems:

• Money goes to wealthy business owners not local people
• Increased crime
• Illegal activities, e.g. drugs
• More pubs & clubs – changes the local culture
• Increase in property values
• Destruction of the natural environment to build hotels, airports & other facilities
• Displacement of indigenous people 

See if you can identify the different parts of the essay and how I have developed them.

That's it. Now it's time for you to get practicing.

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More help with ielts advantages and disadvantages 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.

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• How to write a C1 Advanced Essay

• Posted on 26/02/2020
• Categories: Blog
• Tags: C1 Advanced , Cambridge Exams , Writing

The Cambridge C1 Advanced is an excellent qualification to aim for if you’re thinking of studying or working abroad. It’s recognised by universities and governments all over the world and also helps you prove your language skills to future employers.

One of the most demanding parts of the exam is Part 1 of the Writing paper, which includes writing an essay. For many of you, this won’t come naturally… especially in another language.

So, to give you the best chance at success, we’ve created this in-depth guide full of Cambridge C1 Advanced Writing tips and useful language to get you producing excellent essays in no time.

So, pick up your pen, and let’s get started!

If you’d like to get more help with the C1 Advanced, consider our exam preparation class!

C1 Advanced Writing Requirements

The C1 Advanced Writing exam has two writing parts, which you must complete in 90 minutes. Both parts have a word limit of between 220-260 words. We recommend getting lots of writing practice under these conditions!

Part 1 is always a discursive essay . It requires you to think about arguments for and against a topic.

Part 2 is a situationally based writing task. This could be a letter , an email , a report , a proposal or a review and you have three options to choose from.

Today, we’ll be looking at how to do your best in part 1.

Before you begin

When you turn over the paper and begin Writing Part 1, take some time to read the task instructions. Identify all parts of the question, underlining which parts are obligatory and noting which parts are optional.

Let’s take a look at an example question!

Remember, you don’t have to use the opinions expressed in the box, but they may help you to get the ball rolling . Also, you only have to talk about two of the options given, not all three.

Make a plan

Take ten minutes to lay out your ideas. Make a pros and cons list for each of the three options and then decide which two you feel most confident with. Here’s some things you might come up with, can you think of any more?

Structure your essay

The essence of a good essay is a clear structure.

Introduction

Here you want to introduce the topic in your own words. Your first line should also grab the reader’s attention, then you should paraphrase the question. Finally, try using a statistic or a rhetorical question. This will make them want to read on, right?

Paragraph 1

Discuss the first option you’ve chosen. Include a good topic sentence and remember to give reasons for your answer. Describe some of the advantages, and even some of the disadvantages too. This will give a well-balanced argument.

Paragraph 2

Here’s where you introduce the second option. Again, try to present both sides of the argument and give reasons for your ideas. Gradually work towards the conclusion.

State your final opinion. This should be a summary of the rest of the essay and point clearly to which option you think is the most important. Do not introduce any new arguments at this stage. The conclusion is where you tie-up any loose ends .

This is an advanced piece of writing, so make sure your choice of language reflects it. You will get marked for accuracy, however, occasional errors can still be present as long as they do not impede understanding. So don’t play it too safe . This is your opportunity to show what you can do, so take some risks and have fun with it!

In the writing paper you should use a range of vocabulary, including less common lexis. Brainstorm some vocabulary related to the topic. Take your time to think of nouns and compound nouns that you know at C1 level. Really let your vocabulary sparkle .

No one likes a broken record . Find synonyms for simple words. You want to use a variety of language, and try not to repeat yourself too much. Check out these different ways of saying the same thing:

advantage = benefit, positive, upside

disadvantage = downside, drawback

effect = influence, impact, result, outcome

problem = issue, challenge, difficulty, obstacle, setback, complication

important = valuable, essential, beneficial

expensive = costly, dear, high-priced, extortionate

cheap = inexpensive, affordable, economical

big = great, large, sizeable, considerable, wide, vast

small = slight, tiny, little

Quick tip: Visit Thesaurus.com to study more synonyms!

Experiment with different grammatical forms. At this level you’re expected to have a good grasp on the grammar. You should use a range of simple and complex grammatical forms with control and flexibility. So challenge yourself with some of these…

• Participle clauses
• Conditionals
• Modal verbs
• Passive with reporting verbs
• Cleft sentences
• Comparatives
• Relative clauses

Useful expressions

To make your essay flow it’s best to use some key phrases. These will link all your ideas together, and help it sound semi-formal. Take a look at the expressions below. Why not use some in your next essay?

Introduction:

It is often said that…

Many people feel that…

We live in an age when..

More and more…

Introducing & Addition:

Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

On the one hand…

In addition…

What is more…

For example…

For instance…

As a case in point…

Contrasting:

In contrast…

On the other hand…

Alternatively…

However…

Conclusion:

All things considered…

As far as I’m concerned…

In light of the above…

What the examiners are looking for

When writing your essay, bear in mind what you’ll be marked on:

Have you answered all parts of the question? Is everything relevant to the question?

Communicative Achievement

Is the style and tone appropriate? Remember it should be semi-formal and neutral.

Organisation

Does it follow a logical order? Have you used paragraphs and linking devices?

Are you using a variety of grammar and vocabulary? Is it accurate?

Now your masterpiece has come together. Remember to take time to check your work. Here’s the official Writing Checklist from Cambridge Assessment English . And our list of the most common mistakes:

• subject + verb agreement
• singulars / plurals
• question formation
• variety of tenses
• dependent prepositions

Some final tips

Avoid contractions (I’m, they’re, we’re) as this is a formal writing.

Don’t use first person pronouns (I, my, our, us).

Practise under timed conditions.

Use model answers to practise fixed expressions.

——

Looking for more help with your Cambridge C1 Advanced exam? Here are our other guides from our blog:

C1 Advanced Reading and Use of English – Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3

And if you are not sure if you’re ready for the C1 Advanced, check out our article Am I ready for the C1 Advanced exam? to find out!

Glossary for Language Learners

Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn’t know.

Get the ball rolling (exp) : to start something.

Lay out (v): to explain something in detail.

Paraphrase (v): to say the same thing in a different way.

Tie-up any loose ends (exp): to resolve issues.

Play it safe (exp): to act cautiously.

A broken record (exp): when someone repeats themself.

Sparkle (v) : to shine.

Good grasp (exp): a good knowledge.

Bear in mind (exp) : to consider.

Masterpiece (n): an incredible work of art.

exp = expression

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Small Talk For Business English

• By: oxfordadmin
• Posted on 19/02/2020

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• Posted on 04/03/2020

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Essay Writing

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This resource begins with a general description of essay writing and moves to a discussion of common essay genres students may encounter across the curriculum. The four genres of essays (description, narration, exposition, and argumentation) are common paper assignments you may encounter in your writing classes. Although these genres, also known as the modes of discourse, have been criticized by some composition scholars, the Purdue OWL recognizes the wide spread use of these genres and students’ need to understand and produce these types of essays. We hope these resources will help.

The essay is a commonly assigned form of writing that every student will encounter while in academia. Therefore, it is wise for the student to become capable and comfortable with this type of writing early on in her training.

Essays can be a rewarding and challenging type of writing and are often assigned either to be done in class, which requires previous planning and practice (and a bit of creativity) on the part of the student, or as homework, which likewise demands a certain amount of preparation. Many poorly crafted essays have been produced on account of a lack of preparation and confidence. However, students can avoid the discomfort often associated with essay writing by understanding some common genres.

Before delving into its various genres, let’s begin with a basic definition of the essay.

What is an essay?

Though the word essay has come to be understood as a type of writing in Modern English, its origins provide us with some useful insights. The word comes into the English language through the French influence on Middle English; tracing it back further, we find that the French form of the word comes from the Latin verb exigere , which means "to examine, test, or (literally) to drive out." Through the excavation of this ancient word, we are able to unearth the essence of the academic essay: to encourage students to test or examine their ideas concerning a particular topic.

Essays are shorter pieces of writing that often require the student to hone a number of skills such as close reading, analysis, comparison and contrast, persuasion, conciseness, clarity, and exposition. As is evidenced by this list of attributes, there is much to be gained by the student who strives to succeed at essay writing.

The purpose of an essay is to encourage students to develop ideas and concepts in their writing with the direction of little more than their own thoughts (it may be helpful to view the essay as the converse of a research paper). Therefore, essays are (by nature) concise and require clarity in purpose and direction. This means that there is no room for the student’s thoughts to wander or stray from his or her purpose; the writing must be deliberate and interesting.

This handout should help students become familiar and comfortable with the process of essay composition through the introduction of some common essay genres.

This handout includes a brief introduction to the following genres of essay writing:

• Expository essays
• Descriptive essays
• Narrative essays
• Argumentative (Persuasive) essays

Search form

A for and against essay about the internet.

Look at the essay and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise first. Then read the text and do the other exercises.

Preparation

Check your writing: grouping - ideas

Check your writing: gap fill - useful phrases, worksheets and downloads.

What's your opinion? Do you think the internet is bad for young people?

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Essay – examples & model answers | C2 Proficient (CPE)

CPE Model Essay: Advertising

Example exam task:.

Write an essay summarising and evaluating the four key points from both texts . Use your own words throughout as far as possible, and include your own ideas in your answers.

Model Answer (Grade: 4-5)

Example answer:.

The two texts contrast the pros and cons of outdoor advertising, in particular in its latest digital form. Text 1 claims that outdoor advertising, like any advertising, is designed to appeal to potential customers, even creating in them a need for which it promises immediate satisfaction. In this respect, outdoor advertising is the most effective type and digitalisation considerably broadens the ways in which advertising professionals can reach and hence manipulate customers.

While outdoor advertising undoubtedly has an alluring power for customers, I seriously doubt its importance and overall impact. At least from the point of view of a European citizen, everyday exposure to outdoor advertising, digital or not, appears to be minimal. And the cheapness of digital media has to be offset against the continuous need for power to run these media, a fact that renders the term ‘cheap’ short-sighted and unconvincing.

Text 2 argues that traditional, paper–based outdoor advertising was unobtrusive and overall, unimportant. Digital advertising, however, is seen as intrusive, its attractiveness simply boiling down to it being a novelty. People sharing these opinions regard advertising practices, particularly those focusing on the young and those in need of help, as deplorable, especially when it damages the environment at the same time.

I agree with the statements in text 2 as far as the environmental damage and advertising practices, in general, are concerned. However, those practices are not solely dependent on the medium they use. Paper–based outdoor advertising can be just as unwanted and creepingly commercialising as its digital counterpart. The fundamental question is: ‘Do we want to be seduced and manipulated in such a way at all? If people answer ‘yes’, I assume that digital outdoor advertising is just another step that will be followed by yet more intrusive ones

FCE, CAE, CPE

Practice, write & improve, cpe model essays: traffic & motoring.

Essay on Motoring and Traffic Congestion

The need of motor vehicles in the modern world is undeniable. But although the benefits of owning a four-wheeled transportation device are numerous, cars can also generate a lot of problems.

On the one hand automobiles are absolutely necessary for some people. For instance, in theUSA, everybody needs a car to go to school or to go to work. With public transport being slow or simply non-existent, having a car gives people a transport solution. Furthermore,travelling by car also helps people avoid stressful situations. Owning a car means no more standing in crowded buses or fighting with people in the subway.

On the other hand, all those cars in the streets mean facing traffic jams and of course pollution. They create congestion and are one of the principal sources of contamination in the cities. As a respond to this situation, governments are implementing a series of strategies to motivate people not to use their cars so often.

Some of these government strategies involve car sharing and using bikes, while others fine drivers who use their vehicles on certain days or at certain times; but this strategy does notseem to be so efficient. Probably because doing something to avoid a fine, does not involve really understanding the nature of the problem.

All in all, I am of the opinion that cars are indispensable in the current lifestyles and living standards. We cannot disregard the impact they had on facilitating our existence,nevertheless, it is irrefutable that their numbers have reached levels where we must not hesitate to act in downsizing them.

The over-arching theme of these two texts is the use of cars in our society.

The first one adopts a more practical viewpoint on this subject , discussing different alternatives to reduce a very common problem that many big cities have to deal with nowadays, namely traffic congestions. This text makes the point that it is important to find ways to tackle this increasing problem; whether it is through raising people’s s consciousness,setting speed limits, or even using congestion charges. The main point made is that it is important that citizen not use their cars so frequently.

In my opinion, it is very important to try to reduce traffic congestions. However, the first text fails to take into consideration reducing the price of public transport. This would enable people to travel with ease and may encourage them to stop using their vehicles as much as they do now.

The second text is possibly more descriptive. It discusses how people use their own car with complete disregard for the drawbacks that this may bring. People accept drawbacks, such as ever-increasing petrol prices, expensive insurances, traffic jams, etc. However, these negative aspects do not discourage them from getting behind the wheel. The benefits of this far outweigh the drawbacks.

Expensive though it may be, using their own car gives people the freedom and independence that they would not be able to have otherwise. In addition, for some people their car is not just a means of transport, it is also, somehow, an extension of their personality.I am of the opinion that because of our fast pace of life, we have become very dependent on our cars to take us everywhere. This is simply where evolution is taking us.

CPE Example/Model Essays: Teenagers

Example answer (grade: 3).

The impact of the media on teenagers

Nowadays it has become almost impossible to ignore the media due to the fact that most of us spend some daily time either watching television, listening to the radio or surfing the internet. Specially teenagers who spend a significant part of the day exposed to all types of advertisement. Advertisers consider that teenagers are the perfect target, while some people believe that teenagers have changed marketing worldwide. Who manipulates who? That is the dilemma.

On one hand, the marketing and advertisement industry look upon the young generations as the easiest people to influence. Making them believe that certain items are the key to popularity is the strategy they have developed to sell among that generation.

On the other hand, some people believe that advertising responds to young peoples’ desires and not the other way around. It is the energy of teenagers that has had a huge impact on this industry, making it more innovative and creative. The power of young people have push advertising boundaries to become almost an art form more sophisticated and attractive than ever before.

All in all, there has been a revolution in the adversiment industry globally. While some people may be influenced by it, some others may define trends. Ten years ago people were not so worried about material offered by the media. Globalization has changed everything, advertising has become part of our daily lives and it is unavoidable. The temptation surround us, some of us fall for it.

Examiners comments & grade:

Model answer (grade: 3-4).

I have often asked myself whether it is different being a teenager nowadays than when I was that age. Are the problems still the same?

The years between 10 and 20 are certainly a difficult time in everybody’s life because one’s personality is developing and this makes a teenager generally more vulnerable than an adult. I am convinced that when it comes to media it is demanding to deal with for young people today. Advertisements are very prominent in our modern world and teenagers normally spend a lot of hours watching television or surfing the internet, which makes them potential customers. Furthermore, many teenagers have more money to spend than maybe twenty years ago and you often hear about families taking loans for expenses like technical equipment or mobile phone bills for their children. Certainly in the current economic climate many parents face tough decisions especially when it comes to what they can afford for their offspring. The most important point is that teenagers are often an easy target for companies advertising their latest gadgets. Many teenagers will buy it if they just manage to convince them that their product is an absolute ‘must-have’, because the pressure of belonging to a certain group, feeling accepted and not being an outsider is a big issue for a young person.

On the other hand, teenagers are trend setters. They have to create new ideas to be unique or just different from their own parents and this often sets the trend for a whole generation. Being special and fashionable is so important and therefore one needs to spend money on clothes, computers, games or phones to be part of your teenage generation and to find common grounds to make friends and have a fulfilling social life. Personally, I find it quite shocking when reading about the psychological strategies advertising companies use to gain influence on young people to sell a product. They are also often exploiting the creative energy of teenagers and it is almost impossible to escape the world of advertisement.

To conclude, I believe it is not feasible to prohibit adverts for teenagers. Furthermore, parents cannot avoid their children coming into contact with it, but it needs sensible adults helping and supporting teenagers in developing their own personality and sense of taste without the powerful influence of adverts.

Model Answer (Grade: 5)

These texts both deal with the relationship between teenagers and advertising.

The first one focuses on how advertisers exploit young people, taking advantage both of teenage preoccupation with the media and of their susceptibility to peer pressure combined with a wish to appear ‘cool’. The second text is less critical of the relationship between marketing and young people. It presents the young as having a very positive influence on the quality of modern adverts, helping to make them much wittier and more original than ever before. This text maintains that teenagers’ impact on advertising derives partly from their predilection for what is intriguingly new but also, more particularly, from their own creative energy. This energy has been channeled into advertising, raising it arguably to the level of an art form.

While I appreciate the arguments put forward in both texts, I tend to feel more in sympathy with the approach of the first one. I suspect that advertisers are quite cold-heartedly prepared to exploit the youth market, keen to capture the attention – and the cash – of the new generation and well aware of how young people are perhaps more easily influenced than their more cynical elders.

I would accept that advertising can be very creative and I personally often find an advert in a magazine or a TV commercial attractive to look at or enjoyably humorous. It does not seem unreasonable to suggest that many people with artistic talents are attracted into the advertising profession. However, I do not see that as having any direct connection with teenagers. Those who create the most original adverts are certainly likely to be young but in their twenties or early thirties rather than their teens. Moreover the appeal of the more sophisticated advert is surely just as powerful for the older generation as for teenagers.

Concern is often expressed about the negative effects that television can have on young people. As far as I am concerned, the most serious damage that occurs is a result of the constant commercial pressures that vulnerable youngsters are exposed to.

Advertisements every ten minutes or so as children and teenagers watch their favourite programmes are likely to lead them to believe that possessing the latest gadget or item of clothing will bring them happiness and respect from others. To my mind, the result of this can only be a generation whose values are too materialistic for their own ultimate contentment.

This is not to say that all advertisements are lacking in quality. It is not unreasonable, in fact, to consider them as an art form as many are imaginative and make original use of language, music and camerawork. They are indeed often produced by talented young people who find them an appropriate focus for their own creativity.

In my opinion, the answer lies in education. Advertisements are not harmful per se; it is just that we all need to know how to use them. We should take the information that we need from them but we should be aware of the techniques that their makers use with the hope of influencing us to buy things we do not really have any need of. Young people should be taught not only to appreciate the artistic qualities of adverts but also to recognize the tricks that are being employed. Greater sophistication should lead to less vulnerability.

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