Advantage-Disadvantage Essay – IELTS Writing Task 2

Advantage-Disadvantage Essay – IELTS Writing Task 2

IELTS Essay – How to write Advantage-Disadvantage Essay? – Writing Task 2

There are 5 types of IELTS essay that any candidate of IELTS test has to practise. Out of the 5 types of IELTS essays, one is advantage-disadvantage essay type and in this lesson, we will learn in detail how to write them.

Firstly, you should be clear and it should be easy for you to identify the essay type by just reading the typical question words. Let’s first see a few examples of advantage-disadvantage essays:

Question 1

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 managed correctly. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world. Do you think that the benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks?

Question 2

Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary schools rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Question 3

Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary schools rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Question 4

More and more students are choosing to study at colleges and universities in foreign countries. Do the benefits of studying abroad outweigh the drawbacks?

So, if you notice well, you have the typical question phrases highlighted above, and in all the questions of IELTS essays, it was clearly visible that we are supposed to write down in detail about the positives and negatives of a given statement/fact/topic/idea. Consequently, you are expected to identify the essay type by just reading the essay question clearly.

So what are the typical question phrases of the advantage-disadvantage essay?

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages? Give your own opinion.

2. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

3. What are the benefits and drawbacks?

4. What are the positives and negatives?

5. Do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks?

So, whenever you see these question words in your IELTS essay, you should be sure that you are attempting an advantage-disadvantage essay and you will balance the tone of your essay in a way that you clearly highlight the positives and downsides.

The typical structure that you can always use when attempting such advantage-disadvantage essay can be:

Introduction – 50 to 60 words

Sentence 1- Paraphrase the essay topic or use a Hook statement to grab the reader’s interest
Sentence 2-Thesis Statement – Highlight, in brief, the central advantage and a disadvantage that you will cover in the body paragraphs

Body Paragraph 1: 75 to 80 words

Sentence 1 -Main Idea 1 / Topic Sentence 1 – State one advantage
Sentence 2 -Supporting evidence 1 – Explain the reason why you believe so
Sentence 3-Supporting evidence 2 – State a real-life example or instance to support your previous explanation
Sentence 4-Supporting evidence 3 – Give a result of your example or conclude the paragraph

Body Paragraph 2 : 75 to 80 words

Sentence 1-Main Idea 2/ Topic Sentence 2 – State one disadvantage
Sentence 2-Supporting evidence 1 – Explain the reason why you believe so
Sentence 3-Supporting evidence 2 – State a real-life example or instance to support your previous explanation
Sentence 4-Supporting evidence 3 – Give a result of your example or conclude the paragraph

Conclusion – 50 to 60 words

Sentence 1-Summarise the main ideas you wrote above in your own words or paraphrase your Thesis Statement
Sentence 2-State a personal opinion or thought – Write here what do you feel about the topic

This is a typical structure to handle or create paragraphs for different kinds of advantage-disadvantage essays. You have to very clearly interpret what the examiner wants and then input your ideas in your writing. Failing to do so, may have you deviate from writing what was required from you. I will explain this more.

Example 1. What are the advantages and disadvantages? Give your own opinion.
In such questions, you have to give equal points of advantages in one body paragraph and equal disadvantages in the second body paragraph. In the conclusion paragraph, you may highlight your opinion along with the paraphrasing of the main points of your essay.

Example 2: Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

This question wants to know your opinion, so it is not important for you to state equal advantages and disadvantages. If you feel advantages are more, then you will write the advantages, but you do have to highlight one disadvantage also. Along with it, you have to give your own opinion in the end and then conclude. You may also include your opinion in the conclusion paragraph. So in this question. the typical essay structure will change.

Practise questions – Advantages-Disadvantages Essay

Here are a list of essay topics which you can use for self-practise.

Practise Essay 1 –
Some countries have implemented mandatory community service programmes for young people. In these programmes, children aged 16 to 18 do charity work, help old people and work animals. What are some advantages and disadvantages of this for young people?

Practise Essay 2-
Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary schools rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Practise Essay 3-
As air travel has become cheaper, more and more people are travelling abroad for their vacations instead of visiting places in their own country. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this?

Practise Essay 4-
The development of tourism contributed to English becoming the most prominent language in the world. Some people think this will lead to English becoming the only language to be spoken globally. What are the advantages and disadvantages to having one language in the world?