This lesson is all about IELTS advantage disadvantage essay questions if you are told to assess whether or not the advantages of something outweigh the drawbacks. The main topics the essay that is used for example is approximately the trend to abroad live and work.
Take a good look at the essay question we are going to analyse:
People will have the freedom to work and live anywhere on the planet as a result of the growth of communication technology and transportation.
Do the advantages with this development outweigh the disadvantages?
Knowing the Task
It is important to distinguish between this and one that asks you to discuss advantages and disadvantages but does not ask your opinion when you have this type of advantage disadvantage essay.
If you are asked “ which are the advantages and disadvantages of….. ” you aren’t being asked your opinion. You just have to talk about the positives and negatives.
You might repeat this in two body paragraphs – one discussing the positive points, the next discussing the negative points.
However, then you are being asked for your opinion and you must say which there are the most of – positive or negative impacts if you have the word “ outweigh ” or “ Will this trend have more positive or negative effects.
If you do not try this then you can get your score reduced on ‘ Task Response ’ for not fully addressing the question.
Take a good look at these examples:
People are in possession of the freedom to anywhere work and live on the planet as a result of development of communication technology and transportation.
Do you know the benefits and drawbacks for this trend?
This advantage disadvantage essay just isn’t asking for the opinion . You could simply write one paragraph from the advantages and another on the disadvantages. However, this 1 does:
People now have the freedom to anywhere work and live on earth as a result of the development of communication technology and transportation.
Do the advantages with this development outweigh the disadvantages?
Will this do have more positive or negative impacts?
Writing your Thesis
Another point out be cautious of is utilizing the expressed word‘outweigh’. It’s quite common for IELTS students to get mixed up when they write the thesis statement, and actually say the exact opposite to what they write within the essay!
For example, they are going to say the drawbacks outweigh the advantages, but give more benefits then in the essay. This is why no sense.
So if you should be not sure you should use the term correctly, I would recommend not using it in this particular IELTS advantage disadvantage essay. You can just say what your opinion is, as in the thesis in the model answer:
I think that this has more benefits than drawbacks.
This may avoid any mistakes.
Planning and Organisation
Afterward you need to think about 3 supporting ideas . One for starters side as well as 2 when it comes to opposite side.
So you will then have three body paragraphs , one using the drawback / benefit and two utilizing the advantages / disadvantages.
Extremely common practice that is academic begin with the opposing opinion to yours, in order to begin with the idea that you get one idea for.
As explained above, it is very important, especially if you are seeking a band 7 or higher, that the opinion reflects what exactly is in your essay. So if sa >two is had by you benefits and another drawback .
Personal Advice
My advice for those relevant questions would be to write a paragraph about each side , and then make it clear into the introduction and conclusion which side outweighs the other (i.e. your opinion about whether there are more advantages or disadvantages).
This is a recent exam question:
in a few countries, governments are encouraging industries and businesses to move to regional areas away from cities that are big. Perform some advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?
Here are a few ideas:
- Introduce the subject by paraphrasing the statement , then give a opinion that is clear whether there are many more advantages or disadvantages.
- Advantages – e.g. costs are lower in regional areas; there is certainly more space; prov >Disadvantages – e.g. greater option of skilled workers in big cities; better transport and infrastructure; companies located in regional areas are further from their clients, prov >Conclude by summarizing your opinion in a different way.