Exam information | A problem and solution essay
For Task 2 you might need to write a problem and solution essay. For this essay you will need to think about and explain the problems of a situation or issue and consider and evaluate more than one possible solution.
There are two possible structures for a problem and solution essay:
1. Read the essay title and the list of problems and solutions below. Decide which are problems and which are solutions. Write P (problem) or S (solution) next to each idea.
Many cities suffer from traffic-related problems. What problems does traffic cause in cities
and what are the possible solutions?
1. The government should increase road tax.
2. People should use their cars less and public transport more.
3. Traffic jams create stress in people's lives.
4. The cost of travelling by bus or train needs to be cheaper.
5. There is a lot of air pollution in cities.
6. Public transport is too crowded.
7. Many accidents happen because there are so many cars on the roads.
8. If driving tests were more difficult, there would be fewer cars on the roads.
2. Look at these ideas for the essay in Exercise 1 and match problems 1-4 to solutions a-d.
3. Read this essay title and expand the notes in the paragraphs below into full sentences. Then number each paragraph below in the correct order (1-4) to match structure 1 for a problem and solution essay (see the Exam information box).
Public transport is essential but problematic. Describe some of the problems connected to public transport and suggest some solutions.
Paragraph A: problem 2: poor / slow service: e.g. too many stop / slow journey, bad links between buses train, lack of public transport in countryside; solutions: fast lanes/routes for buses; coordinate bus/ train timetables; cheaper fares for travellers in country .... ➔ Order: 3
Model Answer
Paragraph A = Problem 2 + solutions: Another
problem is that sometimes public transport offers
poor, slow service. For example, buses and trains
stop too frequently which makes journeys slow.
Also, there are bad links between buses and
trains. Furthermore, there is often a lack of public
transport in the countryside. One solution is for
buses to have fast lanes on roads and to follow
fast routes, without too many stops. Timetables
should also be coordinated better. Some people
think that country travellers should have cheaper
fares.
Paragraph B: public transport essential - going to/ from work, school, etc; expensive - crowded; needs better planning, etc. Essay will describe problems/ suggest possible solutions .... ➔ Order: 1
Model Answer
Paragraph B = Introduction: Public transport is
essential for going to and from work and school.
However it can be expensive and crowded. In
my opinion it needs better planning. This essay
will describe the problems involved in public
transport and suggest possible solutions.
Paragraph C: problem 1: cost/ high fares, people do not use public transport = more cars; solutions: reduce fares for some people, e.g. old/ student; make driving and cost of cars/ parking more expensive / tax more ➔ public transport = cheaper .... ➔ Order: 2
Model Answer
Paragraph C = Problem 1 + solutions: Firstly,
there is a problem with the cost of public
transport. Fares can be very high and so people
do not use it and drive cars instead. As a result,
the number of cars on the roads increases. In
my opinion, fares should be reduced for some
people, such as old people and students. Many
people also think that driving should be made
more expensive. For example, cars could be
taxed more and parking could be more expensive.
This will make public transport cheaper.
Paragraph D: although challenges, solutions for these challenges; overall public transport is good thing; must be properly planned .... ➔ Order: 4
Model Answer
Paragraph D = Conclusion: Although there are
many challenges in public transport, there are
solutions, and overall I think that public transport
which is properly planned is a good thing.
4. It is important to check your writing for common mistakes before the end of the exam because it could improve your score. Here are some key areas where mistakes often occur:
Singular / plural: There are many type of transport. type ✘ types ✓
Subject / verb agreement: Train fares costs too much money. costs ✘ cost ✓
Incorrect part of speech: Traffic jams make people anger. anger ✘ angry ✓
Underline and correct six errors in the paragraph for this essay title.
Air travel causes a variety of problems in the world and we should find alternative means of transport. Describe some of the problems caused by air travel and suggest some solutions.
First of ail, air travel is a major causes of air pollution. The number of flights have increased dramatically over the last thirty years because people travel more for business, holidays and to visit friends and family. The pollution from air travel contributes significant to climate change. To reduce the effect of air travel on the environment, governments should spend most money on scientific research. Scientists must try to find a different type of fuel which does not harming the environment as much. In addition, governments could offer tax reduce to airline companies that are more environmentally friendly.
Model Answer
First of all, air travel is a major causes cause
of air pollution. The number of flights have has
increased dramatically over the last thirty years
because people travel more for business, holidays
and to visit friends and family. The pollution from
air travel contributes significant significantly
to climate change. To reduce the effect of air
travel on the environment, governments should
spend most more money on scientific research.
Scientists must try to find a different type of fuel
which does not harming harm the environment
as much. In addition, governments could offer tax
reduce reductions to airline companies that are
more environmentally friendly.
5. Read the paragraph below and match the underlined mistakes 1-6 to the categories a-f below. Then correct the mistakes.
Secondly, air travel is too (1) cheaper so many people choose to fly rather than take other (2) form of transport. Governments should introduce new laws to increase the cost of flying. If airline companies decided (3) charging passengers more, people (4) must decide to use other forms of (5) the public transport such as trains or ships. Another solution could be to limit the number of flights in specific parts of the world or limit the number of flights each person (6) take in one year.
Exam tip | Checking mistakes
While you prepare for the IELTS writing exam, write a list of the mistakes that you often make. In the real exam, make sure you leave enough time (e.g. 5 minutes) to check your writing for spelling and grammar mistakes.
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