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How to Structure a Cause and Solution Essay [IELTS Writing Task 2]

Posted by David S. Wills | Mar 30, 2021 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

How to Structure a Cause and Solution Essay [IELTS Writing Task 2]

Today, we are going to look at the process of writing an answer to a cause and solution IELTS essay . This is a common question type that will generally ask you to describe a cause (or reason) for an issue and then suggest some solutions.

What are Cause and Solution Essays?

In IELTS writing task 2, you may be asked to discuss the cause of a problem and then suggest some solutions to solve it. There are a wide array of possibilities and sometimes the words “cause” and “solution” are not actually used, so it can be a little difficult to spot these.

Here is an example:

Some people get into debt buying things they don’t need and can’t afford. What are the reasons for this behaviour? What action can be taken to prevent people having this problem?

In the first part, it does not say “what is the cause?” Instead, it says “What are the reasons…?” This is why it is important to read carefully and to think in terms of synonyms. In the second question, it does not say “solutions,” but instead says “What actions can… prevent…?” Again, if you read carefully you will realise this means “What are the solutions to the problem?”

Structure for Cause and Solution Essays

Thankfully, it is very easy to structure a cause and solution essay for IELTS. You simply need to write four paragraphs, with one body paragraph about the causes and one body paragraph about the solutions:

  • Introduction – introduce the topic
  • Body paragraph #1 – explain the causes of the problem
  • Body paragraph #2 – explain the solutions to the problem
  • Conclusion – summarise briefly

This is very, very easy to do. However, today I would like to show you a little more. In fact, I am going to discuss some complicated issues to help you produce a more advanced essay structure.

how to structure ielts essays for cause and solution

How Many Causes and How Many Solutions?

When I talk about IELTS essay structures, I often tell people to write just one main idea per paragraph. This is because for IELTS it is really important to give development and if you write too much then it can end up more like a list than an essay.

However, with cause and solution essays, you can get into multiple causes and multiple solutions if you are careful. Whilst it is fine to write one single cause and one single solution, you might find it easier to list many. However, I would suggest that you must structure this more carefully because you need to link the causes and solutions clearly.

For each cause, you could find one direct solution and link them in the following way:

advanced structure for cause and solution essay

I would recommend using a maximum of three problems and solutions for the aforementioned reason of development. If you wrote a list of five or six, you would not realistically be able to explain them properly.

To understand this better, let’s look at an example cause and solution question:

More and more wild animals are on the verge of extinction and others are on the endangered list. What are the reasons for this? What can be done to solve this problem?

When I read this question, I first thought, “Wow! It’s really hard to answer it because it’s such a vast issue!” Thus, I would want to mention many factors. Rather than listing them, I’ll boil them down to three causes and three direct solutions:

The benefit of this method is that I can include three big ideas about the problems and then counter each of them with a specific solution. The drawback of course is that I cannot go into much detail. This will be more of a problem for the solution section because obviously issues like “ending deforestation” are incredibly complex and require a lot of discussion. However, you cannot say everything for IELTS.

In order to put across the complexity of the situation and show my understanding of it, I will mention several times that it will be difficult to solve and that the problem is very serious. I will conclude my “solutions” paragraph with a note about the unlikeliness of any real change happening because it is true and also in order to counter any complaints about my ideas being unrealistic.

Sample Band 9 Answer

It is apparent nowadays that humans have had a devastating effect on the environment, and in particular we have caused the extinction of countless species of animals. This essay will explore the reasons for this and mention some possible solutions.

To begin with, there are various causes for the reduction in animal populations around the world. Perhaps the main cause is the destruction of their environment. Humans have cut down rainforests and polluted the seas, which has meant that animal no longer have their natural habitat and thus cannot survive. Beyond that, they are poached in order to satisfy the demand for fake medicines in Asia. Every day, elephants and rhinos are killed in Africa and then sent to China. Beyond that, the growing demand for fish has meant that vast fleets of fishing boats trawl the seas, causing the eradication of wildlife there. Many whales and dolphins, for example, are caught up in these nets as a tragic by-product of the industry.

Fixing this problem will be difficult and for many species it is already too late. The most important factor will be the cessation of deforestation in places like Brazil and Malaysia. Humans have to recognise the value of nature rather than focusing on obtaining more land for farming or housing. Education needs to be drastically improved in Asia and also punishments strictly enforced to end the sadistic trafficking of animals for these so-called medicines. Finally, ethical fishing needs to be practised, with limits on trawl nets and ranges for fishing boats. Sadly, none of this is particularly likely due to a lack of concern amongst most of the citizens of the world, and so of course education must be improved before it is too late.

In conclusion, there are various factors that have caused the tragic loss of biodiversity in this world, but there are some steps that could be taken to mitigate the damage.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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IELTS causes and solutions essay - band 9 guide

In this lesson you will learn how to write a high-scoring causes & solutions essay in IELTS Writing . As an example, the model essay will be about loss of bio-diversity . Basically, causes & solutions essay is one of the most common question types in IELTS writing task 2. This question asks you to describe causes and propose solutions for a given problem .

In this lesson you will see:

  • question sample + model answer
  • band 9 answer structure for causes & solutions essay
  • effective strategies to produce ideas for your answer

IELTS problems & solutions question sample

For example, this is the question you’ve got for IELTS writing task 2:

Influence of human beings on the world's ecosystem is leading to the extinction of species and loss of bio-diversity.

What are the primary causes of loss of bio-diversity?

What solutions can you suggest?

Of course, the topics for causes & solutions essay may vary, but the answering strategy is pretty much the same for all essays of causes/solutions type.

how to write a cause and solution essay

Producing ideas

As you know, it’s recommended to spend about 40 minutes on IELTS Writing task 2. But before starting to write your essay, it’s a good idea to dedicate 2-4 minutes to producing some ideas for your essay. This way you’ll know what to write about and your essay will be more structured.

To produce ideas for causes and solutions essay, you have to determine 3 things :

  • Causes of this problem
  • Solutions to this problem

The problem is already given: loss of bio-diversity (in other words, some animals and plants are dying out).

Now let’s think about its causes and solutions. Don’t be afraid of simple ideas! Remember: getting a high score means writing simple things well. Here are some ideas that may come to your mind:

how to write a cause and solution essay

When humans artificially transform the environment (build roads, houses etc.), they destroy animals’ natural habitat.

Pollution negatively changes the flow of energy, the chemical constitution of the environment and the climate in general, so a lot of species cannot live under such conditions and die out.

When the activities connected with capturing and harvesting a natural resource are too intense in a particular area, the resource becomes exhausted. Example: too intense farming exhausts the soil; too frequent fishing, which doesn’t leave enough time for fish to reproduce, makes fish disappear.

After you’ve though of the possible causes, you can use them in your writing. You can invent more reasons of this problem, but usually, it’s enough to give 1-2 causes in your writing .

Possible solutions :

how to write a cause and solution essay

  • protect areas

Protecting areas where human activity is limited and avoiding overexploitation of resources are the best ways to save the environment and prevent species from dying out.

Informing the general population about the disadvantages of loss of biodiversity will encourage people to be more conscious of the environment.

1-2 solutions are enough for a good essay. Now, after we’ve collected some ideas, it’s time to structure our thoughts into an essay.

Band 9 answer structure for causes & solutions essay

There may be many possible answering strategies, but we’ll use this good and time-tested essay structure:

Introduction

  • Body paragraph 1 – causes
  • Body paragraph 2 – solutions

Write the introduction in 2 sentences:

Despite knowing about biodiversity’s importance for a long time, human activity has been causing massive extinctions of different species.

This essay will examine the main causes of loss of biodiversity and possible solutions of this problem.

Body paragraph 1 - causes

The two main causes of species extinction are change of their habitats and overexploitation of natural resources.

When humans artificially transform the environment, they destroy vegetation and animals’ natural habitat. For instance, to build new roads people are cutting down the trees and cementing the soil, altering the environment. Because of that, a lot of species are dying out.

Also, when the activities connected with capturing and harvesting a natural resource are too intense in a particular area, the resource becomes exhausted. For example, too frequent fishing doesn’t leave enough time for fish to reproduce and makes them disappear.

In other words, human activities often deplete local flora and fauna and cause loss of bio-diversity.

Body paragraph 2 - solutions

Some possible solutions to this problem are protecting natural areas and promoting awareness among people.

By protecting areas where human activity is limited and avoiding overexploitation of its resources, we can save the untouched environment and prevent species from dying out. Moreover, the next step in fighting bio-diversity loss is informing the general population about the dangers of this problem. This way, people will be more conscious of the environment and won’t overuse or destroy its resources.

To conclude, people’s activities that change the environment have negative impact on the world's ecosystem.

However, we can significantly lessen the extinction of species by protecting natural areas and enlightening people as to this problem.

Model essay for IELTS Writing causes/solutions question

The model band-9 essay for this question will look as follows :

Despite knowing about biodiversity’s importance for a long time, human activity has been causing massive extinctions of different species. This essay will examine the main causes of loss of biodiversity and possible solutions of this problem.

The two main causes of species extinction are change of their habitats and overexploitation of natural resources. When humans artificially transform the environment, they destroy vegetation and animals’ natural habitat. For instance, to build new roads people are cutting down the trees and cementing the soil, altering the environment. Because of that, a lot of species are dying out. Also, when the activities connected with capturing and harvesting a natural resource are too intense in a particular area, the resource becomes exhausted. For example, too frequent fishing doesn’t leave enough time for fish to reproduce and makes them disappear. In other words, human activities often deplete local flora and fauna and cause loss of bio-diversity.

Some possible solutions to this problem are protecting natural areas and promoting awareness among people. By protecting areas where human activity is limited and avoiding overexploitation of its resources, we can save the untouched environment and prevent species from dying out. Moreover, the next step in fighting bio-diversity loss is informing the general population about the dangers of this problem. This way, people will be more conscious of the environment and won’t overuse or destroy its resources.

To conclude, people’s activities that change the environment have negative impact on the world's ecosystem. However, we can significantly lessen the extinction of species by protecting natural areas and enlightening people as to this problem.

(263 words)

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Causes/Solutions Sample Essay

Woman pointing pencil at head to indicate causes and solutions essay

The “cause and solution” style of IELTS Writing Task 2 question presents a common social problem; your job is to identify the causes of the problem and propose ways the problem could be solved. For more information on this type of Writing Task 2 question, including tips and tricks, you can go to Magoosh’s guide to the different kinds of IELTS Writing Task 2 questions . And here in this post, we’ll go through a full causes and solutions model question and sample response.

The response itself is written at the band 9 level. After you read the essay, there is more explanation as to why this essay gets top marks. And to write a similarly high scored essay, check out our IELTS Writing Task 2 template .

Causes/Solutions Model Essay

This essay is a response to the sample prompt immediately below.

Get a higher IELTS score? Start your online IELTS prep today with Magoosh.

Sample Task

Many large cities around the world lack affordable housing. What problems does a lack of affordable housing cause? How can these problems be overcome? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Sample Essay (Band 9)

In almost every part of the world, expensive housing is closely associated with urban life. This is the underlying cause of many different problems, and civic planners are struggling to find solutions. I believe that the biggest, most important problem caused by high housing prices is homelessness. In my opinion, this problem can be addressed through rent control and welfare payments to low-income people.

Expensive urban housing leads to homelessness both directly and indirectly. The housing costs themselves cause some people to lose their homes, but such costs also drive up general prices, which can indirectly cause homelessness. For example, if a grocery store itself pays high rent, it must charge everyone more for food. This in turn forces landlords to charge more for rent in order to feed themselves. Once that happens, their tenants may have trouble paying the higher rent while also paying for more expensive food.

To reduce homelessness and make it easier for people to afford housing, I propose a twofold solution: limits on rent prices and increased welfare payments to the poor. Legally limiting rent fees will make housing much more affordable, while welfare payments can help people deal with the high costs of other goods. To give an example, if the government provides low-income people extra money for food, those people, in turn, have more room in their budget to pay rent. By employing both approaches, rent costs are directly reduced, and costs that compete with rent also go down.

In short, while expensive housing and homelessness are serious problems in cities, regulations and public assistance can help. The right kind of regulations will not only reduce the price of housing but also reduce general cost of living. This kind of government action is a win-win for everyone, whether they are homeless or not.

Word count: 300

Explanation of the Score

This essay meets all of the requirements for Band 9 in Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy; these are the categories seen in the official IELTS Writing Task 2 band descriptors . To understand this essay’s strengths, carefully read the level 9 descriptors in that document. And to further understand why an essay might receive a band 9, see the detailed score report at the bottom of Magoosh’s sample band 9 discussion essay for IELTS Writing Task 2 .

Additional Model Essays for Task 2

Would you like to see sample essays for all of the most common Writing Task 2 question types on the IELTS? At the links below, Magoosh has you covered!

  • Advantage/Disadvantage Essay
  • Two-Part Question Essay
  • Discussion Essay
  • Agree/Disagree Essay

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2 responses to “IELTS Writing Task 2: Causes/Solutions Sample Essay”

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Before reading this, i was not able to understand that how do i write advantage and disadvantage essay. After reading this, i came to know, this is a piece of cake.

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How to Plan & Write IELTS Problem Solution Essays

IELTS problem solution essays are the most challenging essay type for many people. The way they are worded can vary hugely which can make it difficult to understand how you should answer the question.

Generally, you’ll be asked to write about both the problem, or cause, and the solution to a specific issue. Sometimes, however, you will only be required to write about possible solutions.

The 3 essay types:

  • Problem and solution
  • Cause and solution
  • Just the solution

Hence, it’s essential that you analyse the question carefully, which I’ll show you how to do in this lesson. I’m also going to demonstrate step-by-step how to plan and write IELTS problem solution essays.

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

  • Identifying IELTS problem solution essays 
  • 6 Common mistakes
  • Essay structure
  • How to plan
  • How to write an introduction
  • How to write main body paragraphs
  • How to write a conclusion

Want  to watch and listen to this lesson?

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

Here are two typical IELTS problem solution essay questions. They consist of a statement followed by the question or instruction.

1. One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?

2. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the number of endangered species has increased significantly and we have witnessed more mass extinctions in this period than in any other period of time.

State some reasons for this and provide possible solutions.

These are some examples of different ways in which questions can be phrased. The first half of the questions relate to the problem or cause, the second half to the solution.

What issues does this cause and how can they be addressed?

What are some resulting social problems and how can we deal with them?

What problems arise from this and how can they be tackled?

Why is this? How might it be remedied?

What are the reasons for this, and how can the situation be improved?

Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?

And here are a few questions where you only have to write about the solution.

How can this situation be improved?

What solutions can you suggest to deal with this problem?

How can this problem be solved?

What measures could be taken to prevent this?

It’s important that you are able to recognise the common synonyms, words and phrases used in problem solution questions. Here are the key words and their synonyms used in the questions above.

  • Problem  – issues, resulting, situation
  • Cause  – reasons, why
  • Solution  – deal with, addressed, tackled, remedied, improved, measures taken, solved, prevent

Before we move on to some common mistakes, I want to quickly explain the difference between a problem and a cause. Read the following examples.

Problem – I've missed the last bus home after visiting my friend for the evening.

Cause – I misread the timetable and thought the bus left at 22.45 when it actually left at 22.35.

The ‘cause’ is the reason for the ‘problem’.  We’ll be looking at question analysis in more detail in a minute.

6 Common Mistakes

These six errors are common in IELTS problem solution essays.

  • Confusing problem and causes questions.
  • Having too many ideas.
  • Not developing your ideas.
  • Not developing both sides of the argument equally.
  • Not linking the problems and solutions.
  • Not being specific enough.

It is common for an essay to consist of a list of problems and solutions without any of them being expanded on or linked to each other. Sometimes, a student will focus on just the problem or only the solution which leads to an unbalanced essay. Both these issues will result in a low score for task achievement.

You must choose just one or two problems and pick solutions directly linked to them. Explain them and give examples.

Another serious error is to write generally about the topic. You need to be very specific with your ideas. Analysing the question properly is essential to avoiding this mistake. I’ll show you how to do this.

Essay Structure

Now let’s look at a simple structure you can use to write IELTS problem solution essays. It’s not the only possible structure but it’s the one I recommend because it’s easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.

1)  Introduction

  • Paraphrase the question
  • State 1 key problem/cause and related solution

2)  Main body paragraph 1 – Problem or Cause

  • Topic sentence – state the problem or cause
  • Explanation – give detail explaining the problem or cause
  • Example – give an example

3)  Main body paragraph 2 – Solution

  • Topic sentence – state the solution
  • Explanation – give detail explaining the solution

4)  Conclusion

  • Summarise the key points 

This structure will give us a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.

One Problem/Cause & Solution or Two?

Most questions will state problems, causes and solutions in the plural, that is, more than one. However, it is acceptable to write about just one.

This will give you an essay of just over the minimum 250 words. To write about two problems/causes and solutions will require you to write between 350 and 400 words which are a lot to plan and write in the 40 minutes allowed.

It is better to fully develop one problem/cause and solution than ending up with one idea missing an explanation or an example because you run out of time.

The step-by-step essay structure I’m going to show you includes one problem and solution but you can write about two if you feel able to or more comfortable doing so.

How To Plan IELTS Problem Solution Essays

Here’s the question we’re going to be answering in our model essay followed by the 3 steps of the planning process.

One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you sugge st?

  • Analyse the question
  • Generate ideas
  • Identify vocabulary

# 1  Analyse the question

This is an essential step in the planning process and will ensure that you answer the question fully. It’s quick and easy to do. You just need to identify 3 different types of words:

1. Topic words

2.  Other keywords

3.  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.

One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion .

So, this question is about ‘ traffic congestion’ .

Many people will 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 traffic congestion we're being asked to write about.

The  other keywords  in the question tell you the specific topic you must write about. 

By highlighting these words, it’s easy to see that you are being asked to write about the problem of traffic congestion in large cities. Your essay must only include ideas relevant to these ideas.

The instruction words are the question itself. These tell you the type of IELTS problem solution essay you must write. This is a ‘causes and solutions’ 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.

We’re going to use the ‘friends technique’. This is the method I 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.

You might want to try this yourself before reading on for my ideas.

Here are my ideas:

  • Too many cars on the roads – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains
  • Inadequate public transport – crowded, old & dirty
  • Poor road layout
  • Rush hour traffic – most people travel to & from work at the same times each day
  • Car sharing, park-and-ride scheme, congestion charge
  • Improve public transport – more frequent and better quality
  • Improve infrastructure – bus lanes, cycle lanes will make it safer for people to cycle
  • Flexible working hours

For each cause you think of, immediately write down a possible solution. This you will ensure that the problems and solutions you think of are linked.

You don’t need to spend long on this as you only need one or two ideas.

I’ve got more far more ideas here than I need as I spent more time thinking about it that I would in the real exam. I’m going to pick just one cause to develop in the essay and one or two solutions.

My advice on making your selection is to choose ideas you can quickly think of an example to illustrate.

Here are my choices:

Cause  – Too many cars on the roads.  Why? – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains

Solution  – Park-and-ride schemes

We’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS problem solution 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 which cause and solution you are 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. For example:

  • traffic jam
  • heavy traffic
  • private transport
  • infrastructure

With that done, we can focus on the first paragraph of the essay – the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

Good  introductions to IELTS problem solution essays have a simple 2 part structure:

  • State 1 key problem/cause and related solution/s (outline sentence)
  • Have 2-3 sentences
  • Be 40-60 words long
  • Take 5 minutes to write

1)  Paraphrase the question

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question.

Question: One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

                  What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?

Paraphrased question:  

O ne of the most serious issues facing the majority of large urban areas is traffic jams.  

Note my use of synonyms to replace key words in the question statement. You don’t have to replace every key word but do so where possible whilst ensuring that your language sounds natural.

2)  Outline statement

Now we need to add an  outline statement  where we outline the two main points that we’ll cover in the rest of the essay, that is, the cause and the solution I chose earlier. Here they are again.

Cause  – Too many cars on the roads.  Why? – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains

And, this is one way to develop them into an outline sentence.

Outline statement:

The main reason for this is that there are too many private cars on the roads these days and a viable solution is to introduce more park-and-ride schemes.

So, let’s bring the two elements of our introduction together.

     Introduction

how to write a cause and solution essay

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  –  Too many cars on the roads  

Main body paragraph 2  –  Park-and-ride schemes

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main body paragraphs in IELTS problem solution essays should contain 3 things:

  • Topic sentence – outline the main idea
  • Explanation – explain it and g ive more detail

Main Body Paragraph 1

The  topic sentence  summarises the main idea of the paragraph. That’s all it needs to do so it doesn’t have to be complicated.

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.

We’ll now take the idea for our first main body paragraph and create our topic sentence.

Obviously, we’re going to write about the cause of the problem first.

Main body paragraph 1  –  Too many cars on the roads 

Topic sentence:  

The number of people owning cars increases year on year, with most families now having more than one car. 

Next, we must write an  explanation sentence  that develops the idea.

Explanation sentence: 

Most people like the convenience of travelling at the time they want to rather than being restricted to public transport timetables, so they prefer to drive themselves around rather than taking the bus or train. This is despite the fact that they frequently have to sit in long traffic queues as they near the city centre.

Finally, we add an  example  to support our main point. If you can’t think of a real example, it’s fine to make one up, as long as it’s believable. The examiner isn’t going to check your facts. Alternative, you could add another piece of information to support your idea.

Example sentence:

Whenever I have to attend a meeting in the city, I always drive because it means that I can leave home when I want to rather than getting stressed about getting to the station in time to catch the train.

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

how to write a cause and solution essay

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

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea 2  –   Park-and-ride schemes

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

Topic sentence:

A solution that is proving successful in many areas is park-and-ride schemes.

Now for the  explanation sentence  where we expand on this idea.

Explanation sentence:

This is where you park your car for free in a large car park on the outskirts of the city and take a bus for the final part of your journey. The fee you have to pay for the bus trip is usually very small and this public transport system is generally very regular, running every ten minutes or so.

Finally, an  example  to support this point.

A survey carried out in the city of Exeter showed that the rush hour congestion decreased by 10% when the council set up a park-and-ride scheme to the north of the city. There was an additional drop of another 10% in traffic volume when a second scheme began operating to the south.

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

how to write a cause and solution essay

Now we need a conclusion and our IELTS problem solution 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 over 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 problem solution 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 problem solution 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 good conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction. 

Introduction:

Here is the same information formed into a conclusion.  I’ve also added a personal statement at the end to link back to one of my example sentences. You don’t have to do this but in this case, I think that it rounds the essay off better.

how to write a cause and solution essay

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

Finished IELTS problem solution essay.

how to write a cause and solution 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 problem solution essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

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More help with ielts problem solution 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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Problem-solution essays Situation-problem-solution-evaluation

Problem-solution essays are a common essay type, especially for short essays such as subject exams or IELTS . The page gives information on what they are , how to structure this type of essay, and gives an example problem-solution essay on the topic of obesity and fitness levels.

What are problem-solution essays?

Problem-solution

Problem-solution essays consider the problems of a particular situation, and give solutions to those problems. They are in some ways similar to cause and effect essays , especially in terms of structure (see below). Problem-solution essays are actually a sub-type of another type of essay, which has the following four components:

The 'situation' may be included in the essay prompt, in which case it will not be needed in the main body. If it is needed, it can often be included in the introduction, especially for short essays, as with the example essay below . The 'evaluation' may be included as part of the conclusion (also as in the example below), or omitted altogether, especially for short essays. For these reasons, problem-solution essays are more common than situation-problem-solution-evaluation essays (or SPSE essays).

There are two main ways to structure a problem-solution essay. These are similar to the ways to structure cause and effect essays , namely using a block or a chain structure. For the block structure, all of the problems are listed first, and all of the solutions are listed afterwards. For the chain structure, each problem is followed immediately by the solution to that problem. Both types of structure have their merits. The former is generally clearer, especially for shorter essays, while the latter ensures that any solutions you present relate directly to the problems you have given.

The two types of structure, block and chain , are shown in the diagram below. This is for a short essay, which includes the 'situation' in the introduction and 'evaluation' in the conclusion. A longer essay, for example one of around 1,000 words, with citations , would probably have these two sections as separate paragraphs in the main body.

Example essay

Below is a problem-solution essay on the topic of obesity and poor fitness . It uses the block structure . Click on the different areas (in the shaded boxes) to highlight the different structural aspects in this essay, i.e. Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation. This will highlight not simply the paragraphs, but also (for problems and solutions) the thesis statement and summary , as these repeat the problems and solutions contained in the main body.

Consumption of processed and convenience foods and our dependence on the car have led to an increase in obesity and reduction in the fitness level of the adult population. In some countries, especially industrialized ones, the number of obese people can amount to one third of the population. This is significant as obesity and poor fitness lead to a decrease in life expectancy , and it is therefore important for individuals and governments to work together to tackle this issue and improve their citizens' diet and fitness. Obesity and poor fitness decrease life expectancy. Overweight people are more likely to have serious illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease, which can result in premature death. It is well known that regular exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, which means that those with poor fitness levels are at an increased risk of suffering from those problems. Changes by individuals to their diet and their physical activity can increase life expectancy. There is a reliance today on the consumption of processed foods, which have a high fat and sugar content. By preparing their own foods, and consuming more fruit and vegetables, people could ensure that their diets are healthier and more balanced, which could lead to a reduction in obesity levels. In order to improve fitness levels, people could choose to walk or cycle to work or to the shops rather than taking the car. They could also choose to walk up stairs instead of taking the lift. These simple changes could lead to a significant improvement in fitness levels. Governments could also implement initiatives to improve their citizens' eating and exercise habits. This could be done through education, for example by adding classes to the curriculum about healthy diet and lifestyles. Governments could also do more to encourage their citizens to walk or cycle instead of taking the car, for instance by building more cycle lanes or increasing vehicle taxes. While some might argue that increased taxes are a negative way to solve the problem, it is no different from the high taxes imposed on cigarettes to reduce cigarette consumption. In short, obesity and poor fitness are a significant problem in modern life, leading to lower life expectancy . Individuals and governments can work together to tackle this problem and so improve diet and fitness . Of the solutions suggested, those made by individuals themselves are likely to have more impact, though it is clear that a concerted effort with the government is essential for success. With obesity levels in industrialized and industrializing countries continuing to rise, it is essential that we take action now to deal with this problem.

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Below is a checklist for the main body of an essay. Use it to check your own writing, or get a peer (another student) to help you.

Next section

Find out about writing definitions and definition essays in the next section.

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  • Cause/effect

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Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.

Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).

Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.

Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).

Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.

Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.

How to Write ‘Causes (Reasons) and Solutions’ Question in IELTS Writing Task 2?

How to Write ‘Causes (Reasons) and Solutions’ Question in IELTS Writing Task 2?

In this essay, IELTS examiners want you to discuss the causes or reasons of the problem in one paragraph and the possible solutions to eradicate that problem in the second paragraph separately and at the end, you can provide suggestion or advice on the problem. Therefore, it is important that you find out relevant points of causes (reasons) and solutions respectively after reading the question for IELTS Writing .

Let’s look at an example:

Nowadays, people have developed poor eating habits and do not eat balanced diet., what are the reasons behind this, suggest possible solutions to control this..

With this type of essay for IELTS Writing, you have two points to be discussed:

1. Reasons of developing poor eating habits.

2. Solutions to control poor eating habits.

You must discuss both of them by giving reasons and support them with examples.

If you do not discuss any of the above two points in the essay, you will lose marks.

So, in this type of essay, you must explain both the points.

How to structure for IELTS Writing ?

The essay of IELTS Writing can be structured mainly in 4 paragraphs as follows:

1: Introduction

2: Causes & Reasons

3: solutions, 4: conclusion.

Further structuring of the paragraphs can be done as follows:

a. – Introduction

1- Paraphrase the Question

2-Outline the sentence

b. 2- 1 (Causes (reasons))

1- State the cause (reason)

2- Now, Explain how it is the cause (reason)

3-Write an example

c. 3- Body Paragraph 2 (Solutions)

1- State the solution

2-Explain how this solution can resolve the problem

3- Write an example

d. 4 – Conclusion

1- Write summary of the main points

2 – Provide suggestion or recommendation Four paragraphs are sufficient to explain your point of view. You may use any other structure you are comfortable with but this structure is approved by the IELTS examiners to help the students write in an effective and cohesive manner.

Vocabulary:

Useful vocabulary for causes (reasons).

· One of the causes/The reason is that

· Because/Since

· Due to this/Because of/Owing to

· As a result/Lead to the problem/Can attribute to

for Solutions

· One possible solution

· To overcome/deal with/handle the situation/Resolve the issue

· Mitigate the problem/Notable way to solve

· Can be implemented/Steps can be taken/Measures can be taken

Sample Question:

spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Sample Answer:

In this modern era, a large number of people are observed to be negligent of their health as they eat unbalanced diet with no control of their bad eating habits, leading to health related issues later on. It is required to establish reasons for this poor habit and to develop various solutions to address this problem.

To commence with, there are a number of factors responsible for poor eating habits among individuals. One possible reason is that life has become busy nowadays. Nobody finds enough time to devote for preparing food at home which is healthy for human body. Because of this, people are left with no option but to consume fast food. Popularity of fast food restaurants is also growing day by day, adding fuel to this fire. For example, people are bombarded with attractive messages of offers and discounts everywhere apart from the lucrative advertisements displayed on television.

On the other hand, adequate solutions are also available to tackle the problem of poor eating habits among people. One such effective solution can be implemented by the government by creating awareness about healthy living . invest money in establishing health centres as well as youth clubs where people can build their physique. Apart from this, individuals can take responsibility of their near and dear ones to encourage eating home prepared food as compared to fast food which can be allowed, for example, once a week.

To sum up, eating badly is a serious concern as it directly relates to an individual’s health. Along with the steps taken by government and the positive attitude towards this issue adopted by the people themselves can help in controlling the poor eating habits.

(282 words)

Write an essay of minimum 250 words. Use the vocabulary mentioned above. 1. Global warming has become one of the major issues the world is facing today. What are its causes? solutions.

2. In recent times, stress has emerged out to be the major challenge faced by people nowadays. What are the causes of this problem? Suggest some effective solutions for the same.

3. Furthermore, Many youngsters find it difficult to pay attention and concentrate in their classes. What are the reasons behind this? How this problem can be dealt with?

4. Also,Crime rate against women is increasing day by day. What are the reasons for this? Discuss some possible solutions for dealing with this problem.

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how to write a cause and solution essay

how to write a cause and solution essay

How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay: Full Guide

how to write a cause and solution essay

Ever wondered how things are connected in our world? Think of the butterfly effect—where a butterfly's wings in Brazil can set off a tornado in Texas. It's a quirky idea, but it shows how events are intertwined. Writing a cause and effect essay is like unraveling these connections, connecting the dots to reveal how things influence each other and shape our experiences.

In this guide, experts from our paper writing service will explore the concept of causality and share practical tips for creating great cause and effect essays. These essays won't just provide information—they'll leave a lasting impression on your readers.

What Is a Cause and Effect Essay

A cause and effect essay is a form of writing that aims to explore and explain the relationships between different events, actions, or circumstances. The central idea is to investigate why certain things happen (causes) and what results from those occurrences (effects). It's like peeling back the layers to reveal the interconnectedness of events, understanding the domino effect in the narrative of life.

What is a Cause and Effect Essay

Here's a breakdown of the key components:

  • Causes: These are the factors or events that initiate a particular situation. They are the reasons behind why something occurs. For instance, if you're exploring the cause of obesity, factors like unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activity could be identified as causes.
  • Effects: The effects are the outcomes or consequences that result from the identified causes. Following the obesity example, effects could include health issues, reduced quality of life, or increased healthcare costs.
  • Connection: The heart of a cause and effect essay lies in demonstrating the link between causes and effects. It's not just about listing events but explaining how one event leads to another in a logical and coherent manner.

When crafting such an essay, you're essentially acting as a storyteller and investigator rolled into one. Your goal is to guide the reader through the web of interconnected events, providing insights into the 'why' and 'what happens next.'

How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay with Easy Steps

Understanding how to write a cause and effect essay is like putting together a puzzle. Here are ten simple steps to help you write an engaging essay that looks into how things are connected.

How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay with Easy Steps

1. Select a Specific Topic

  • Choose a cause and effect relationship that sparks your interest.
  • Ensure your topic is focused and manageable for a thorough exploration.

2. Explore Causal Links

  • Conduct thorough research to uncover hidden connections and supporting evidence.
  • Look beyond the obvious to identify intricate relationships between causes and effects.

3. Craft a Clear Thesis Statement

  • Develop a precise thesis that clearly articulates the main cause and the resulting effects.
  • Your thesis serves as the roadmap for your essay, guiding readers through your analysis.

4. Organize Chronologically or by Significance

  • Structure your essay in a logical order, either chronologically or by the significance of events.
  • This organization enhances clarity and helps readers follow the cause-and-effect progression.

5. Utilize Transitional Phrases

  • Employ transition words and phrases to ensure seamless flow between causes and effects.
  • Clear transitions enhance readability and strengthen the coherence of your essay.

6. Support Arguments with Credible Evidence

  • Back up your claims with relevant data, examples, and statistics.
  • Strong evidence adds credibility to your analysis and reinforces the cause-and-effect relationships you present.

7. Illustrate Chain Reactions

  • Show how a single cause can trigger a chain of effects, and vice versa.
  • Illustrate the ripple effects to emphasize the complexity of the relationships.

8. Analyze Root Causes

  • Move beyond surface-level explanations and explore the underlying factors contributing to the cause-and-effect scenario.
  • Deep analysis adds depth and nuance to your essay.

9. Consider Alternative Causes

  • Address potential counterarguments to showcase a comprehensive understanding.
  • Acknowledging alternative causes strengthens your essay's overall credibility.

10. Conclude with Impact

  • Summarize key points and emphasize the broader significance of your analysis.
  • Leave your readers with a thought-provoking conclusion that ties together the cause-and-effect relationships explored in your essay.

Cause and Effect Essay Structure Types

When setting up your essay, you can choose from different structures to make it organized. Let's look at two common types of cause and effect essay structures:

Cause and Effect Essay Structure Types

  • Block Structure:

The block structure is a clear and organized way to present causes and effects in your essay. Here, you dedicate one section to discussing all the causes, covering multiple causes within each category. After that, you have another section to explore all the effects. This separation makes your ideas easy to understand.

Using the block structure allows you to dive deep into each category, thoroughly looking at causes and effects separately. It's handy when you want to give a detailed analysis and show the importance of each part of the causal relationship. This way, readers can fully grasp each element before moving on.

  • Chain Structure:

On the other hand, the chain structure focuses on how events are connected and create ripple effects. It highlights how one cause leads to a specific effect, and that effect becomes the cause of more effects in an ongoing chain. This method is potent for illustrating the complexity of causal relationships.

The chain structure works well when you want to emphasize the sequence of events or deal with intricate cause-and-effect scenarios. It allows you to show how actions trigger a series of reactions, displaying the domino effect that leads to a specific outcome.

Regardless of the structural style you choose, if you require assistance with your academic paper, reach out to us with your ' write my paper for me ' request. Our experienced team is ready to tailor your paper to your specific requirements and ensure its excellence.

Cause and Effect Essay Outline

Creating an effective cause and effect essay begins with a well-structured outline. This roadmap helps you organize your thoughts, maintain a logical flow, and ensure that your essay effectively conveys the causal relationships between events. Below, we'll outline the key components of the essay along with examples:

I. Introduction

  • Hook: Start with an engaging statement or fact. Example: 'Did you know that stress can significantly impact your overall health?'
  • Background Information: Provide context for your topic. Example: 'In today's fast-paced world, stress has become an increasingly prevalent issue.'
  • Thesis Statement: Clearly state the main cause and its corresponding effects. Example: 'This essay will explore the causes of stress and their profound negative effects on physical and mental health.'

II. Body Paragraphs

  • Topic Sentence: Introduce the first cause you'll discuss. Example: 'One major cause of stress is heavy workload.'
  • Supporting Details: Provide evidence and examples to support the cause. Example: 'For instance, individuals juggling multiple job responsibilities and tight deadlines often experience heightened stress levels.'
  • Transition: Link to the next cause or move on to the effects.
  • Topic Sentence: Introduce the first effect. Example: 'The effects of chronic stress on physical health can be devastating.'
  • Supporting Details: Present data or examples illustrating the impact. Example: 'Studies have shown that prolonged stress can lead to cardiovascular problems, including hypertension and heart disease.'
  • Transition: Connect to the next effect or cause.

C. Causes (Continued)

  • Topic Sentence: Introduce the next cause in a new cause and effect paragraph. Example: 'Another significant cause of stress is financial strain.'
  • Supporting Details: Explain how this cause manifests and its implications. Example: 'Financial instability often results in anxiety, as individuals worry about bills, debts, and their financial future.'
  • Transition: Prepare to discuss the corresponding effects.

D. Effects (Continued)

  • Topic Sentence: Discuss the effects related to financial strain. Example: 'The psychological effects of financial stress can be profound.'
  • Supporting Details: Offer real-life examples or psychological insights. Example: 'Depression and anxiety are common consequences of constant financial worries, affecting both mental well-being and daily life.'

III. Conclusion

  • Restate Thesis: Summarize the main cause and effects. Example: 'In summary, the heavy workload and financial strain can lead to stress, impacting both physical and mental health.'
  • Closing Thoughts: Reflect on the broader significance of your analysis. Example: 'Understanding these causal relationships emphasizes the importance of stress management and financial planning in maintaining a balanced and healthy life.'

Cause and Effect Essay Examples

To help you grasp cause and effect essay writing with clarity, we have prepared two distinct essay examples that will guide you through the intricacies of both block and chain structures. Additionally, should you ever find yourself requiring assistance with academic writing or descriptive essays examples , simply send us your ' write my research paper ' request. Our expert writers are here to provide the support you need!

Why Wait? Get Your Stellar Cause and Effect Essay Now!

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Cause and Effect Essay Topics

Choosing a good topic starts with recognizing cause and effect key words. Here are 10 interesting topics that let you dig into fascinating connections and their important consequences:

  • The Relationship Between Lack of Exercise and Mental Health in Older Adults
  • Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Workplace Productivity
  • The Impact of Cyberbullying on Adolescents' Emotional Well-being
  • Influence of Social Media Advertising on Consumer Purchasing Decisions
  • Consequences of Oil Spills on Coastal Ecosystems
  • How Noise Pollution Affects Concentration and Academic Performance in Schools
  • The Connection Between Fast-Food Marketing and Childhood Obesity
  • Effects of Urbanization on Water Quality in Local Rivers
  • The Relationship Between Indoor Plants and Air Quality in Homes
  • Impact of Plastic Pollution on Wildlife in Urban Environments
  • The Effect of Meditation on Stress Reduction in College Students
  • How Increased Screen Time Affects Teenagers' Attention Span
  • The Impact of Single-Use Plastics on Marine Microorganisms
  • The Relationship Between Smartphone Use and Sleep Quality in Adults
  • Effects of High-Fructose Corn Syrup on Metabolic Health
  • The Consequences of Deforestation on Local Biodiversity
  • Influence of Social Media Comparison on Body Dissatisfaction in Adolescents
  • The Connection Between Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Urban Areas
  • Effects of Excessive Gaming on Academic Performance in High School Students
  • The Impact of Fast Food Consumption on Childhood Obesity Rates

Final Words

Knowing what a cause and effect essay is and how to write it helps you uncover connections in different topics. With this guide, you can share your ideas in a clear and impactful way.

Meanwhile, if you're in need of a reaction paper example , rest assured we have you covered as well. So, seize this opportunity, put your thoughts on paper logically, and witness your essays leaving a lasting and influential mark.

Let's Turn Those 'What Ifs' into 'A+ Ifs'!

Don't procrastinate when you can cause an effect on your grades right now!

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ielts-material

An Ultimate Guide to Writing IELTS Problem Solution Essays

Janice Thompson

Updated On Nov 08, 2023

how to write a cause and solution essay

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An Ultimate Guide to Writing IELTS Problem Solution Essays

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Introduction

The IELTS problem solution essays are a type of IELTS writing task 2 essay that asks you to discuss a problem and propose possible solutions. These problem solution essays are designed to assess your ability to identify, analyze, and evaluate problems, as well as your ability to develop and articulate effective solutions.

The IELTS problem solution essay topics can be drawn from a variety of sources and are based on real-world situations and issues. Therefore, to do well in writing task 2, it is important to be familiar with the range of IELTS problem solution essay topics.

Identifying IELTS Problem Solution Essays

Each essay type has a unique structure, so it’s important to identify the type of essay you’re writing before you start. Problem solution essays in IELTS are often worded as follows:

It is important to be able to identify the common synonyms, words, and phrases used in problem solution questions. Here are the key words and their synonyms used in the examples above:

  • Problem : issues, resulting, situation
  • Cause : reasons, why
  • Solution : deal with, addressed, tackled, remedied, improved, measures taken, solved, prevent

However, you will mostly be asked to write about both the problem and its solution. The first part of the question will state the problem or cause, and the second part will ask you to identify solutions.

How to Write a Problem Solution Essay IELTS?

To plan and write a problem solution essay IELTS, you can follow these steps:

  • Understand the question

The first step is to carefully read the question and understand what is being asked. You should identify the problem, the cause(s) of the problem, and the required solution(s).

  • Brainstorm your ideas

Once you understand the question, take some time to brainstorm your ideas. What are the different aspects of the problem? What are the possible causes? What are the different solutions that could be implemented?

  • Organize your ideas

Once you have a good understanding of the problem and its possible solutions, it is time to organize your ideas into a logical structure.

  • Write your essay

When writing your essay, be sure to use clear and concise language. Avoid using complex sentences and jargon. You should also support your claims with evidence from credible sources.

  • Proofread your essay

Once you have finished writing your essay, be sure to proofread it carefully for any errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation.

Now that we have understood how to write a problem solution essay, let’s have a look at the structure of a problem solution essay.

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Structure of Problem Solution Essay

Let’s do an example problem solution essay to understand the above mentioned structure.

Problem Solution Essay Example with Structure

Introduction:.

  • Before you begin writing your problem solution essay,  read  the question and  identify  the problem/ solution.
  • Note down the ideas that come to your mind naturally. For example, look at the table below.
  • Choose one of the  problems  and discuss it in detail. Here’s an example:
  • Problem : Dumping of industrial wastes into the nearby water bodies.
  • Solution : They must be treated, purified and recycled.
  • Wastewater treatment
  • Biodegradable products
  • Water bodies such as lakes, rivers etc

You should paraphrase the question and outline the problem and solution in your introduction as mentioned below:

Body Paragraph 1:

The body paragraph 1 must be organised as follows:

  • Main body paragraph 1:  Letting out of industrial wastes in nearby water bodies
  • Central idea:  Industries are increasing in number.
  • Explanation : There are no strict rules in place regarding the environment. So industries let out their wastes into the nearby water bodies such as lakes, rivers, etc which affects the respective eco-system and thereby leading to more serious issues.
  • Example : As installing a wastewater treatment plant is an additional burden and is costly, it is easier to let the waste water into the nearby water bodies as nobody questions this.

The completed main body paragraph 1 will look like this :

Body Paragraph 2:

The body paragraph 2 must be organised as follows:

  • Main body paragraph 2:  Industrial wastewater treatment
  • Central idea:  Installing Industrial waste water treatment plants could be beneficial to the environment.
  • Explanation : Industrial wastewater treatment illustrates the processes used for treating wastewater that is produced by industries into a by-product. The treated industrial wastewater may be reused or released to a sanitary sewer.
  • Examples:  There are proven records for reducing water pollution after wastewater treatment.

The completed main body paragraph 2 will look like this :

Conclusion:

  • Make sure to sum up all that has been in the previous paragraphs.
  • Use words like in summary, to summarise, to conclude, or as a conclusion, etc.

The final conclusion will look like this:

Therefore, the finished essay will have the following structure:

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Common Mistakes to Avoid in IELTS Problem Solution Essays

Following are some of the Common mistakes that should be avoided in IELTS problem solution essays

  • Not understanding the difference between a problem and its causes.
  • Trying to include too many ideas in the essay, without developing them fully.
  • Not considering both sides of the argument equally.
  • Not linking the problems to the solutions.
  • Not being specific enough in the discussion of the problems and solutions.

Read:  All Useful IELTS Writing Lessons & Websites

Tips for IELTS Problem Solution Essays

Here are some of the tips to follow while practicing or writing an IELTS Problem Solution Essays:

  • Read and understand the instructions given in the question (sometimes the question might ask to write about the cause of the issue as well).
  • Follow the word count (no less than 250 words)
  • Plan the problems and solutions you wish to write about, before starting to write.
  • Start the essay with an introduction paragraph and conclude it with a conclusion paragraph, with the body paragraph between the two.
  • If you’re asked to write about both, cause and the solution, then you can write the cause in one body paragraph and the solution in the next body paragraph.

Pro tip:  To avoid a low score in IELTS problem solution essays, focus on one or two problems and identify specific solutions. Explain the problems and solutions in detail, with examples.

Check out some of the  Recent Writing Task 2 Essay Topics for IELTS 2023

Problem Solution Essay IELTS Topics:

Here are some sample IELTS problem solution essay topics:

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I write cause and solution in the same paragraph?

How to write a solution paragraph?

What is the difference between a Problem solution essay and a cause solution essay?

How do you analyze a problem solution essay?

How to identify a problem solution essay?

Practice IELTS Writing Task 2 based on Essay types

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Janice Thompson

Janice Thompson

Soon after graduating with a Master’s in Literature from Southern Arkansas University, she joined an institute as an English language trainer. She has had innumerous student interactions and has produced a couple of research papers on English language teaching. She soon found that non-native speakers struggled to meet the English language requirements set by foreign universities. It was when she decided to jump ship into IELTS training. From then on, she has been mentoring IELTS aspirants. She joined IELTSMaterial about a year ago, and her contributions have been exceptional. Her essay ideas and vocabulary have taken many students to a band 9.

Explore other Problem Solution Essays

IELTS Writing 2 Topic: The tradition that the family gets together to eat meals is disappearing

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How to Write a “Problem and Solution” Essay for IELTS Task 2

In this tutorial, we look at an example of a problem and solution essay for IELTS writing.

What is a “problem and solution” essay?

A “problem and solution” essay, as its name suggests, proposes a problem to you and asks you to suggest a solution or solutions to it. It may also ask about the causes of the problem or the effects which the problem has.

As with an opinion essay in task 2 , there is no right or wrong answer. What is being tested is your competence in writing English, not your skills as a policy-maker!

Basic Elements of a Problem-Solution Essay

A problem-solution essay has some key elements.

  • First, it must identify a problem.
  • Second, it must propose one or more solutions to that problem.
  • Third, it must explain why the proposed solution is the best option.

Before you start writing a problem-solution essay, it's important to first understand the problem. What are the causes of the problem? What are its effects? Once you have a clear understanding of the problem, you can begin to brainstorm solutions.

The Introduction

The introduction to a problem and solution essay should briefly state:

  • The problem
  • Explain why it needs to be solved.
  • A brief summary of the proposed solution.
  • A strong statement that sets out the purpose of the essay.

Body paragraphs

Body paragraphs are where you develop the solution to your problem. In a problem and solution essay, your body paragraphs will need to discuss

  • The feasibility of your solution
  • Its potential benefits and drawbacks.
  • How your solution will impact different groups of people.

When writing your body paragraphs, it is important to keep your argument clear and concise. Be sure to support your claims with evidence, and always keep your reader in mind. Remember, the goal of a problem and solution essay is to offer a practical solution to a real-world problem.

The conclusion

The conclusion of a problem and solution essay should be concise and to the point. It should restate the main points of the essay and leave the reader with a sense of closure.

Examples of “problem and solution” essay questions

  • “Loneliness is an increasing problem in many societies, especially among the elderly. Why is this? How might it be remedied?”
  • “The world’s oceans are filling up with waste plastic. What are the reasons for this, and how can the situation be improved?"
  • “Many of the world’s rarest plants and animals are on the verge of becoming extinct. Why is this? What, if anything, can be done to slow this process or arrest it altogether?”

How are “problem and solution” essay questions structured?

Each of the questions above has something in common.

Each of them begins by stating a problem, asks about the causes (or sometimes about the effects) of the problem, and then asks you to propose the solution. As the name of this essay type suggests, they fall essentially into two parts:

  • the problem
  • the solution

How to structure your answer

There are many different ways to structure a problem-solution essay. But no matter how you choose to organize your essay, it will need to have three essential elements:

  • An introduction that clearly states the problem and your proposed solution.
  • A body that discusses the various causes of the problem and the merits of your proposed solution.
  • A conclusion that summarizes the main points of your argument and reiterates your solution.

As usual, the structure of the question should give you your cue for how to structure your answer.

Problem-and-solution essays fall naturally into two parts, the first describing and exploring the problem, the second setting out the solution or solutions.

For these purposes, treat questions about the causes or effects of problems as part of the description of the problem itself.

Let’s take a concrete example from the series of examples which I gave earlier. “Loneliness is an increasing problem in many societies, especially among the elderly. Why is this? How might it be remedied?”

Here there are in fact two questions, a question about the cause of the problem (“Why is this?”) and a question about possible solutions to it.

This indicates how the essay should be structured.

  • First describe the problem, including its causes. (Remember, questions about the causes or effects of the problem should be included as part of its description.)
  • Then, in a second paragraph, offer your account of its solution.

How to describe the problem in your essay (with examples)

The first thing to do is simply to state the problem, with examples or illustrative descriptions, if possible. One can begin simply by restating the problem. A good opening sentence, for example, might run as follows:

“Loneliness is an increasingly acute problem in most societies. The problem affects all age groups and social classes, but especially the poor and the elderly.”

With this opening sentence, you have not only restated the problem.

  • You have also added to it, giving a qualitatively richer description.
  • You have made it clear that the problem is not confined to the elderly, but also affects other age groups too.
  • You have also introduced the question of social class.

Try to develop your description of the problem a little bit more. For example, what is the problem (in this case, loneliness) like for those who experience it? What are its consequences?

“Not only is loneliness in and of itself an unhappy state, but it also weakens the ties between family and friends which hold society together.” “Loneliness is not only a social problem, but, potentially, a medical one: it can lead to poor physical and mental health.”

You now have a fuller, qualitatively richer description of the problem. Good! This could be expanded further, but the approach to take is clear. Now it is time to move on to the question of causes, which you should treat as part of the description of the problem. Single-cause or “monocausal” explanations are sometimes less persuasive than explanations which take into account a variety of factors.

Here is an example of an attempt to address the question of the causes of loneliness in modern societies.

“The causes of increased loneliness in modern societies are not completely certain. Amongst them might be included: the disappearance of many traditional occupations; the decline of public transport links; and the rise of modern cultural technologies.”

The answer starts by admitting uncertainty. It is an indicator of strength to be able to concede limitations to one’s knowledge.

How to suggest solutions in your essay

There is more that could be said here, but it is time to move on to proposing solutions. Remember that you are not limited to any single solution. It is quite in order for you to suggest a number of solutions. This is possible even if the suggested solutions seem to conflict with each other. You are simply being asked to canvass one or more possible solutions.

Let’s consider how this might work in this particular case, with the problem of loneliness. You might begin with a general statement like this:

“Because there are a number of causes at work in the problem of loneliness, it is unlikely that any single solution will by itself be sufficient.”

This sentence does two things:

  • it connects the first part of your essay to the second part, and
  • it prepares the reader for the fact that you will offer a number of solutions to the problem.
“One immediate practical solution is to improve public transport links. This would enable family members and friends in different cities to visit each other more easily.” “But if, as we have seen, the causes of the problem are more deeply-rooted, we may need to consider structural solutions.” “For example, can we change the way in which work is organized in our society so that people more often work together and face-to-face?”

Here you have done something quite important: you have made a qualitative, rather than a merely episodic, distinction between your different points. In other words, the structure of your argument now appears logically motivated rather than merely accidental. You have begun with an immediately achievable practical solution, and have gone on to discuss a more ambitious and more general one.

VIDEO: Model Answers to recent "Problem/Solution" essay questions

In this tutorial, we have begun to learn how to

  • write a “problem-and-solution” essay.
  • structure the essay clearly into two complementary parts, as well as how to link those parts.
  • structure the argument internally so that it appears logical rather than merely episodic.

Take a look at some task 2 sample essay questions to help you prepare all kinds of topics for the IELTS exam .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many paragraphs are in a problem-solution essay.

A problem-solution essay is are usually written in five paragraphs, with each paragraph addressing a different aspect of the problem or solution.

How do you start a problem-solution essay?

To start a problem-solution essay, you need to first understand the problem. What are some of the main causes of the problem? Once you have a good understanding of the problem, you can start brainstorming solutions. After you have brainstormed some solutions, you can start writing your essay.

How do you end a problem solution essay?

Your conclusion should briefly summarize the main points of the essay and emphasize the importance of solving the problem.

Audio tutorial

You can download or listen to the audio version here:

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10.8 Cause and Effect

Learning objectives.

  • Determine the purpose and structure of cause and effect in writing.
  • Understand how to write a cause-and-effect essay.

The Purpose of Cause and Effect in Writing

It is often considered human nature to ask, “why?” and “how?” We want to know how our child got sick so we can better prevent it from happening in the future, or why our colleague a pay raise because we want one as well. We want to know how much money we will save over the long term if we buy a hybrid car. These examples identify only a few of the relationships we think about in our lives, but each shows the importance of understanding cause and effect.

A cause is something that produces an event or condition; an effect is what results from an event or condition. The purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena relate in terms of origins and results. Sometimes the connection between cause and effect is clear, but often determining the exact relationship between the two is very difficult. For example, the following effects of a cold may be easily identifiable: a sore throat, runny nose, and a cough. But determining the cause of the sickness can be far more difficult. A number of causes are possible, and to complicate matters, these possible causes could have combined to cause the sickness. That is, more than one cause may be responsible for any given effect. Therefore, cause-and-effect discussions are often complicated and frequently lead to debates and arguments.

Use the complex nature of cause and effect to your advantage. Often it is not necessary, or even possible, to find the exact cause of an event or to name the exact effect. So, when formulating a thesis, you can claim one of a number of causes or effects to be the primary, or main, cause or effect. As soon as you claim that one cause or one effect is more crucial than the others, you have developed a thesis.

Consider the causes and effects in the following thesis statements. List a cause and effect for each one on your own sheet of paper.

  • The growing childhood obesity epidemic is a result of technology.
  • Much of the wildlife is dying because of the oil spill.
  • The town continued programs that it could no longer afford, so it went bankrupt.
  • More young people became politically active as use of the Internet spread throughout society.
  • While many experts believed the rise in violence was due to the poor economy, it was really due to the summer-long heat wave.

Write three cause-and-effect thesis statements of your own for each of the following five broad topics.

  • Health and nutrition

The Structure of a Cause-and-Effect Essay

The cause-and-effect essay opens with a general introduction to the topic, which then leads to a thesis that states the main cause, main effect, or various causes and effects of a condition or event.

The cause-and-effect essay can be organized in one of the following two primary ways:

  • Start with the cause and then talk about the effects.
  • Start with the effect and then talk about the causes.

For example, if your essay were on childhood obesity, you could start by talking about the effect of childhood obesity and then discuss the cause or you could start the same essay by talking about the cause of childhood obesity and then move to the effect.

Regardless of which structure you choose, be sure to explain each element of the essay fully and completely. Explaining complex relationships requires the full use of evidence, such as scientific studies, expert testimony, statistics, and anecdotes.

Because cause-and-effect essays determine how phenomena are linked, they make frequent use of certain words and phrases that denote such linkage. See Table 10.4 “Phrases of Causation” for examples of such terms.

Table 10.4 Phrases of Causation

The conclusion should wrap up the discussion and reinforce the thesis, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of the relationship that was analyzed.

Be careful of resorting to empty speculation. In writing, speculation amounts to unsubstantiated guessing. Writers are particularly prone to such trappings in cause-and-effect arguments due to the complex nature of finding links between phenomena. Be sure to have clear evidence to support the claims that you make.

Look at some of the cause-and-effect relationships from Note 10.83 “Exercise 2” . Outline the links you listed. Outline one using a cause-then-effect structure. Outline the other using the effect-then-cause structure.

Writing a Cause-and-Effect Essay

Choose an event or condition that you think has an interesting cause-and-effect relationship. Introduce your topic in an engaging way. End your introduction with a thesis that states the main cause, the main effect, or both.

Organize your essay by starting with either the cause-then-effect structure or the effect-then-cause structure. Within each section, you should clearly explain and support the causes and effects using a full range of evidence. If you are writing about multiple causes or multiple effects, you may choose to sequence either in terms of order of importance. In other words, order the causes from least to most important (or vice versa), or order the effects from least important to most important (or vice versa).

Use the phrases of causation when trying to forge connections between various events or conditions. This will help organize your ideas and orient the reader. End your essay with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and reinforces your thesis. See Chapter 15 “Readings: Examples of Essays” to read a sample cause-and-effect essay.

Choose one of the ideas you outlined in Note 10.85 “Exercise 3” and write a full cause-and-effect essay. Be sure to include an engaging introduction, a clear thesis, strong evidence and examples, and a thoughtful conclusion.

Key Takeaways

  • The purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena are related.
  • The thesis states what the writer sees as the main cause, main effect, or various causes and effects of a condition or event.

The cause-and-effect essay can be organized in one of these two primary ways:

  • Start with the cause and then talk about the effect.
  • Start with the effect and then talk about the cause.
  • Strong evidence is particularly important in the cause-and-effect essay due to the complexity of determining connections between phenomena.
  • Phrases of causation are helpful in signaling links between various elements in the essay.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Problem and Solution Essay Lesson

how to write a cause and solution essay

Problem Solution Essay

This lesson on how to write a problem solution essay will:

  • discuss common mistakes;
  • show you how to analyse the question;
  • show you how to think of ideas;
  • give you a structure that can be used again and again on all problem solution IELTS essays;
  • describe how to write an introduction , main body paragraphs and conclusion; and
  • give you a full band 9 sample answer.

Problem/solution questions are one of the most common IELTS Writing Task 2 questions on the academic paper. Despite being very common, many students fail to do well in these questions. This post will look at some of the most common mistakes and then take you through how to answer these questions step-by-step.

how to write a cause and solution essay

Common Mistakes

  • The most common mistake for problem solution essays is not expanding on your ideas and instead simply listing lots of problems and solutions. The examiner does not want a list of all the problems and solutions you can think of, and please don’t do this in the exam. Instead, if you look at how the exam is marked , the examiner wants you to pick one or two problems and solutions and then expand on them with explanations and examples. More on how to do this below.
  • Another common mistake is writing about problems and solutions that are not directly linked to the question. You should be like a sniper when answering the question and only give very specific ideas rather than ideas that generally talk about the overall issue. This has a lot to do with how you identify keywords and micro-keywords in the questions which we will look at below.
  • Lots of people think of good ideas for problems and then fail to link their solutions to these problems. Each problem should have a solution directly linked to it, or in other words, it should solve the actual problem.
  • Finally, some candidates think of really good problems and solutions that answer the question properly and then expand their answers with explanations and examples, but they talk too generally. Instead, you should be thinking of specific examples and explanations. We will look at how to avoid this below.

Analysing the Question 

This is one of the most crucial parts of answering any IELTS writing question. If you don’t take the time to think properly about what the examiner is asking you to do, then it is very difficult to answer the question correctly.

We analyse the question by thinking about three things:

  • micro-keywords
  • action words

Keywords are the words that tell us what the general topic is.

Micro-keywords identify which part of the general topic the examiner wants you to discuss. They often give an opinion, qualify the statement or talk about a sub-category of the bigger general topic.

Action words tell us what the examiner wants us to do.

Problem Solution Sample Essay

Global warming is one of the biggest threats humans face in the 21st Century, and sea levels continue to rise at alarming rates. 

What problems are associated with this, and what are some possible solutions? 

If we look at this question, we can see that the keywords are ‘ global warming ‘. This is our general topic. We will write about this, but we cannot write about any problems associated with global warming. If we do this, we have not answered the question properly. We, therefore, need to look at the micro-keywords.

The micro-keywords are ‘ humans ‘ and ‘ sea level rise ‘. So instead of writing just about the huge topic of global warming and any problems associated with that (such as increased storms, extinction of certain animals, erosion of soil), we have to talk about how particularly sea level rises will affect humans . If we talked about the problems affecting the ‘planet’ or ‘animals’ or the ‘atmosphere’, we would not be answering the question.

The action words are problems and solutions .  Our task is, therefore, to write about that and only that. It does not ask our opinion about the disadvantages, advantages, or causes, just the problems and solutions. If we discussed the causes of sea level rise, we would not be answering the question.

For more information, go to effectively analyse an IELTS question .

How to Think of Ideas 

how to write a cause and solution essay

Now that we know exactly what the question is asking us to do, we need to think of specific and relevant ideas. There are many strategies for thinking of ideas for IELTS task 2 questions  TO THINK OF IDEAS FOR IELTS WRITING TASK 2  but for problem-solving questions; I like to use something called the ‘coffee shop method’.

Instead of brainstorming or mind-mapping- which take too much time and lead to irrelevant ideas in my opinion- you should pretend you are in a coffee shop with a friend and they have just asked you a simple question. In this case, it would be “What are the problems and solutions associated with sea level rise on humans?”

If you were talking to a friend about this, I’m sure you would have no problem thinking of at least 2 or 3 problems and solutions. This method takes you out of an exam situation and puts your mind into a more relaxed environment. Try it and see. If you don’t like it, try one of my other methods.

There are several problems and solutions, including:

Problem : flooding of people’s homes and businesses

Solution : build flood barriers or move to higher areas

Problem : loss of agricultural land and starvation

Solution : switch to more suitable crops

Problem : displacement of millions of people

Solution : move people in a planned and orderly way before the floods

Problem : groundwater undrinkable

Solution : build desalination plants

As you can see, I didn’t think of lots of problems and then lots of solutions. For each problem, you should think of a solution that directly solves this problem.

You now have lots of ideas, but now you must decide which ones to use. I always tell my students to pick the ones they know most about, i.e. that they can explain and give relevant examples.

how to write a cause and solution essay

I advise my students to use a basic four-paragraph structure with all problem solution IELTS essays. Your four paragraphs should look something like this:

Paragraph 1- Introduction

Paragraph 2- Problems

Paragraph 3- Solutions

Paragraph 4- Conclusion

At a sentence level, your structure should look like this:

Introduction 

1- Paraphrase question

2- Outline sentence

3- State problems

4- Explain first problem

5- Explain second problem

6- Example of second problem

7- State solutions

8- Explain solution to first problem

9- Explain solution to second problem

10- Example of solution to second problem

Conclusion 

Sentence 11- Summary of main points in paragraphs 2 and 3

For more structures, check out our IELTS task 2 structures guide .

Now let’s look at each paragraph in more detail.

how to write a cause and solution essay

The introduction will have two sentences: a paraphrase of the question and an outline statement.

Paraphrasing is simply saying the sentence again with different words but with the same meaning. We can do this by using synonyms and/or changing the order of the words.

Question-  Global warming is one of the biggest threats humans face in the 21st Century, and sea levels continue to rise at alarming rates. 

Paraphrased- Climate change is among the principal dangers facing people this century, and ocean levels are increasing dramatically.

As you can see above, I have used synonyms to change the words of the questions, but it still has the same meaning. The examiner will look for your ability to do this in the exam, so practising this skill is a good idea.

Our outline sentence is next, which tells the examiner what they will read in the rest of the essay. This makes it very clear to the examiner and makes the rest of the essay much easier to understand. You will, therefore, gain marks for coherence and cohesion.

Our outline sentence should look something like this:

This essay will first suggest that the biggest problems caused by this phenomenon are the loss of land and the flooding of homes and then argue that pollution reduction and building flood protection are the most viable solutions.

Our introduction will, therefore, look like this:

Climate change is among the principal dangers facing people this century, and ocean levels are increasing dramatically. This essay will first suggest that the biggest problems caused by this phenomenon are the loss of land and the flooding of homes and then argue that pollution reduction and building flood protection are the most viable solutions.

It should be noted that this introduction does not contain a thesis statement. This is because this particular question does not ask us for our opinion. However, IELTS problem solution questions sometimes do ask you for your opinion, and you should then include a thesis statement.

Problems Paragraph 

Our problems paragraph will have this structure:

Sentence 1- State problems

Sentence 2- Explain first problem

Sentence 3- Explain second problem

Sentence 4- Example of second problem

State problems : The foremost problems caused by climbing sea levels are that land is being lost and peoples’ residences are often flooded.

Now that we have stated the problems, we must explain these. You should always consider your audience to be someone with no specialist knowledge in this area, and you, therefore, need to explain what everything means. Don’t assume that the IELTS examiner is educated and knows what you are talking about. These assumptions will stop you from writing what you need.

Explain first problem : As water levels rise, low-lying land is submerged, and many countries become smaller.

Explain second problem : Furthermore, millions of people worldwide live in coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they are inundated with water and lose their property.

Now we must give an example of what we are talking about. When we give an example, it should be as specific as possible.

An example of a very general example would be:

Lots of people in the world have experienced floods recently. 

This is far too general to be considered a good example.

Example : The devastation brought about by this was clear for all to see during the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people were displaced.

This example is much more specific. Stating a place and/or date can help you make your examples more specific.

Our second paragraph will look like this:

The foremost problems caused by climbing sea levels are that land is being lost and people’s residences are often flooded. As water levels rise, low-lying land is submerged, and many countries become smaller. Furthermore, millions of people worldwide live in coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they are inundated with water and lose their property. This devastation was clear for all to see during the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people were displaced.

Now we must move on to our solutions.

Solutions Paragraph

Our solutions paragraph will have this structure:

Sentence 1- State solutions

Sentence 2- Explain solution to first problem

Sentence 3- Explain solution to second problem

Sentence 4- Example of solution to second problem

State solutions : Possible solutions to these problems would be to reduce the amount of pollution created and build flood barriers.

We now need to explain how our solution will help solve the problem. Again, do not assume that the examiner has any specialist knowledge of this topic, so you need to explain what you mean.

Explain first solution: If each person reduces their carbon footprint, the negative effects on the environment will be reduced, which will mean that the water level will stop rising.

Explain second solution : Furthermore, flood defences, such as dikes, dams, and floodgates, could be built along coasts and waterways, thereby stopping the water from reaching populated areas.

Example : The Netherlands is one of the most populated areas in the world and one of the most vulnerable to flooding. They have successfully employed various flood defence systems.

Our whole solutions paragraph will look like this:

Possible solutions to these problems would be to reduce the amount of pollution being created and to build flood barriers. If each person reduces their carbon footprint, the negative effects on the environment will be reduced, which will mean that the water level will stop rising. Furthermore, flood defences, such as dikes, dams, and floodgates, could be built along coasts and waterways, thereby stopping the water from reaching populated areas. The Netherlands is one of the most populated areas in the world and also one of the most vulnerable to flooding, and they have successfully employed various flood defence systems.

We have now answered the question and need to sum up what we have said in the conclusion.

how to write a cause and solution essay

The conclusion should have no new ideas but instead should list the main points from the previous two paragraphs. You can also use synonyms in this paragraph to avoid repetition.

Conclusion : To conclude, stemming the rising tides caused by increasing global temperatures is one of the foremost challenges we face, and it will ultimately lead to some countries losing landmass and many of the world’s cities being left underwater, but possible solutions could be to protect our environment and to utilise the flood prevention techniques already used by countries like Holland.

Our whole conclusion for this problem solution essay will look like this:

To conclude, stemming the rising tides caused by increasing global temperatures is one of the foremost challenges we face, and it will ultimately lead to some countries losing landmass and many of the world’s cities being left underwater, but possible solutions could be to protect our environment and to utilise the flood prevention techniques already used by countries like Holland.

Problem and Solution Sample Essay

Here is the whole essay:

Climate change is among the principal dangers facing people this century, and ocean levels are increasing dramatically. This essay will first suggest that the biggest problems caused by this phenomenon are the loss of land and the flooding of homes and then argue that pollution reduction and building flood protection are the most viable solutions. The foremost problems caused by climbing sea levels are that land is being lost and peoples’ residences are often flooded. As water levels rise, low-lying land is submerged and many countries become smaller. Furthermore, millions of people all over the world live in coastal areas, and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they are inundated with water and lose their property. The devastation brought about by this was clear for all to see during the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people were displaced. Possible solutions to these problems would be to reduce the amount of pollution being created and to build flood barriers. If each person reduces their carbon footprint, the negative effects on the environment will be reduced and this will mean that the water level will stop rising. Furthermore, flood defences, such as dikes, dams, and floodgates, could be built along coasts and waterways, thereby stopping the water reaching populated areas. The Netherlands is one of the most populated areas in the world and also one of the most vulnerable to flooding and they have successfully employed various flood defence systems. To conclude, stemming the rising tides caused by increasing global temperatures is one of the foremost challenges we face and it will ultimately lead to some countries losing landmass and many of the worlds’ cities being left underwater, but possible solutions could be to protect our environment and to utilise the flood prevention techniques already used by countries like Holland.

I hope this post helps you with IELTS problem solution essays, and if you have any questions, please comment below.

how to write a cause and solution essay

Next Steps 

If you found this lesson useful and it has helped you write a problem solution essay, you should also check out our lessons on task 2 opinions essays , discussion essays and advantages and disadvantages essays .

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The Definitive Guide to Writing a Problem Solution Essay

06 February, 2021

13 minutes read

Author:  Josh Carlyle

In this article, we cover the basics of problem solution essay writing. We will explain what a problem and solution essay is in academic and straightforward terms. We shall also cover the four essential components that make this essay coherent. With these four components in mind, we will offer guidance on the outline structure and provide some general writing tips on research and problem solving, as well as some topics and essay samples.

Problem Solution Essay

What is a Problem Solution Essay?

A problem solution essay is a staple of humanities and social science subjects. These essays cover a pressing issue, examine how it causes problems, and offer solutions to these problems. The topic for problem solution essay papers can be incredibly diverse. The problem could be local, regional, or global. It could affect a wide range of people or be part of the discourse on an arcane and obscure aspect of computing.

problem solution essay

If you are wondering how to write a problem solution essay, look no further than its name. The core of a problem solution essay is in the title. In this type of essay, a problem is presented, and a solution is offered. Doing this well requires presenting the issue in an audience-appropriate way and then offering solutions that thoroughly negate any critiques of those solutions. 

4 Components of a Problem Solution Essay

In a problem and solution essay, the following aspects must be included:  

  • The Situation: this opening part is where the foundation of the problem lies. It is not an introduction in the sense that you may be familiar with or an abstract that covers the entirety of your thesis. Rather, it is a short and straightforward briefing that will make a layperson familiar with the situation at hand.
  • The Problem: this part provides specifics of the problem. Detailed dissections of evidence take place here; we’ll summarise those later in the evaluation section. 
  • The Solution: this component covers push-back specific solutions you may encounter. Part of a correct answer is thinking of your opponents’ perspectives and ensuring that they address their assumptions and points.
  • The Evaluation: in this section, it is crucial to write with brevity and wit; this will make your position memorable. Readers will often remember the last part of essays they read, so make sure it represents a microcosm of your essay as a whole. 

These components are the essence of the structure required in a problem solution essay. The actual structure you will work with will require a finer granulation of sections. For instance, in the solution section, the critiques will also need to have a review applied, demonstrating their lack of applicability or irrelevance. 

Problem Solution Essay Outline

The best guide for a problem solution essay outline is the four components mentioned above. Cover the situation, the problem, the solution, and then evaluate both or all sides of the story. 

To drill down further into the outline, you should have an introduction that will set out your paper’s structure. Then you should present the situation. Keep this section free from emotive language. Use it to ensure the reader has all the facts, and imagine that you want everyone reading the paper to be on a level playing field in terms of knowledge and framing of the problem.

In the problem section, you must explain why there is a particular issue. At this point in your essay, ensure that you do not leave the door open to other causes of the problem. Find ways to make the problem something that the reader cares about and wants to solve, but beware of assuming the reader is on your side simply because you’ve said some things and made some points. 

Once the situation has been explained, and the problem elucidated, present your solution. It  should use evidence, and you should be able to explain how it directly relates to the question.  Don’t use ad hominem attacks or go polemic. Unravel the problem with your solution. Take it to step by step and keep your writing composed.

In the evaluation section, you should find your argument’s weaknesses and the views that find fault with your solution.

How To Find Solutions to Your Problems

You can find solutions to your problems by researching them; someone will have asked the question before, or one very similar to it. You can talk to your peers and even conduct polls on social media to gauge the public’s position on various solutions. 

Another way of finding solutions include flipping your perspective. Take the position of the other side and see the world through their gaze. By putting yourself in the opponent’s shoes, you can see weaknesses in your ideas and perhaps adjust them to take on more relevance to more people or factor in an aspect that you had overlooked.

Ultimately, the best way to find solutions is to read and read some more. Try looking in your library if you prefer books to the internet, but don’t leave Google out of it. Using the search engine correctly, you can dig up all kinds of books, papers, and presentations that will be very useful in your studies.

Problem Solution Essay Topics

The list of problem solution essay topics is very long. As mentioned earlier, the problem can be a local issue, affecting a specific demographic or being universal. Regardless of the topic you choose, there are another million waiting for an answer.

To start you off, the climate crisis is an excellent area for debate. 

  • How do we deal with stranded assets in the fossil fuel industry and financial sector? 
  • What should the laws be surrounding new cars run on petrol and diesel? 
  • How should electrification be carried out in developing nations? Is a carbon tax a viable way to reduce emissions? 

Other problem solution essay ideas might include social media’s effect on dopamine levels, gerrymandering in electoral districts, or the working week’s length. 

Problem Solution Essay Examples

Reading previous papers is a fantastic method to improve your grades. Study essays that get top marks and some of the ones which get lower marks. The difference will be apparent in their vocabulary, logic, and evidence. Read a few problem solution essay sample papers but don’t plagiarize them; always cite your sources. Here are a few examples to help you get started: 

https://www.eapfoundation.com/writing/essays/problemsolution/  

https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/problem-solution-essays.html  

Writing Tips for a Problem Solution Essay

An essay is a complex task to complete. That’s why it’s useful to break down the whole into several steps. 

Step one is to conduct some thorough research and planning. If you have free choice over the problem at hand, then start by brainstorming some groups you belong to and decide whether they’re officially mandated ones like a sports team or a club, or broader, like your sex, gender, nationality, or language grouping.

After this, jot down some issues in the groups. Are you struggling to manage the payment plan for your sports hall? Has there been an instance of bullying or shaming in your school? With the topic in mind, move onto research. 

When researching your topic, it’s always useful to remember that there is nothing new under the sun. It is almost definite that similar problems have arisen before, and most solutions already exist.

Then, conduct and compose a literature review on the topic. A literature review is an excellent addition to your essay as a standalone section. It helps to situate your issue within the world and builds relations to other similar problems. 

You may think you have nothing to say about the problem or find it hard to justify your opinion. Well, in the problem solution essay, your voice matters. Always try to back up what you’re saying through evidence and try not to stray into writing a polemic. Yet, passion and emotion are useful tools for framing the problem. Just try not to make these responses the whole essay.

As far as solving problems goes, you can use some general mechanics to come up with solutions. The following paragraphs will present some of these logical mechanics; feel free to use them in your writing:

  • Add something new: this solution works when something is lacking. The problem may be a lack of funding, equipment, or motivation. The assumed problem when using this angle of attack is that there is a lack of resources available. Concrete examples of this could include more teaching assistants in education, longer opening hours at a library, or more significant legislation to protect the environment.
  • Remove something: this is the inverse of the previous point. Inversing is a useful strategy for thinking about problems in general. If something is too crowded or too busy, it might be a solution to limit exposure to something and devise a solution. 
  • Education: learning is a more specific aspect of ‘adding something’; it presupposes that a lack of information and awareness is the cause of the problem. If people had this knowledge, the theory goes that the issue would disappear or reduce because people could make informed decisions and correct their behavior.
  • Enforcement: if something like school rules, or even the law, is being ignored, proper enforcement might be a solution. Enforcement has its own sets of problems. This angle is an excellent way to write an unfolding and varied essay as it requires lots of discussion around proper enforcement. Making people do things they don’t want to do is a tricky situation and is riddled with structural and psychological issues.
  • Compromising: proposing compromise through mediation or bi-partisan effort is another complex solution. To work effectively, it has to involve people who possess robust negotiation techniques. But settlements happen all the time, so they’re a powerful solution to many problems. It may be useful to learn about zero-sum and relative issues to argue this case correctly.
  • A change in leadership: leaders can become stale and cumbersome; they may get weighed down by responsibility and have a low tolerance for change. Although, many problems require systemic changes, such as the climate crisis. With an established leader in charge, progress could be slow as they may be blinkered by their position. In this case, they are proposing an election or vote of confidence as a solution that can break the deadlock and offer people a chance to voice their concerns through voting.

One could surmise that the problem and solution essay is an incredibly relevant style of writing. By dissecting an issue and coming up with solutions, you learn a skill that is useful in many careers and practices. But writing one effectively requires both passion and perseverance; writing about topics that move us, though letting the fire burn too brightly, can put readers off or lead them to ignore their blind spots. 

Follow the structures set out above and make sure to proofread your essays before submission. Finding a good editor is always a positive step; they can help to rephrase your words so that your argument comes across more fluently. 

Writing drafts is good practice, although not always possible due to time constraints. Ideally, you should work through two drafts before submitting a final piece; if the essay makes up a small part of your overall grade, adjust the drafting process accordingly. 

Write a Problem Solution Essay with HandmadeWriting

Problem solution writing has been speaking truth to power for millennia. HandmadeWriting loves seeking solutions as much as it loves a simple academic essay or lab report. It’s hard to become a good essay writer without getting critical at times. That’s why we pride ourselves on producing some of the most compelling content around. So be the next one to enjoy our writing and get an A+ for it.

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IELTS Cause Solution Essay Band 9 Model Answer

The model answer below is for an IELTS cause and solution essay  in writing task 2 on the topic of crime and punishment.

Many offenders commit more crimes after serving their first punishment. Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?

A large number of criminals who serve their first prison sentence, leave prison only to reoffend. This is mainly because of the lack of rehabilitation and difficulty finding regular employment once released. There are a number of solutions which should be implemented to deal with criminals who reoffend.

Firstly, the reason for most first-time offenders committing crimes again, once they have been released from prison, is due to the lack of rehabilitation whilst in prison. In other words, offenders are not given a chance to retrain and learn new skills for their future or develop a deeper understanding of correct moral behaviour and instead mix with other criminals, which only strengthens their criminal intentions. Secondly, repeat offending is also owing to the difficulty in finding employment after being released. As a result, many of them struggle financially which leads them back to crime, regardless of the consequences.

There are two effective solutions to the problem of repeat offenders. One way to tackle this is to ensure that all criminals entering prison are given the chance to retrain with useful skills which will hopefully ensure them a job after they have served their sentence. By doing this, it will help them reintegrate back into society and give them some means of supporting themselves financially. Another method of dealing with criminals who reoffend is to have more supervision and checks in place when they are back in society. This solution would hopefully prevent them from taking any chances and deter them from reoffending because they are being so closely watched.

In conclusion, having training in prison and also close observation when first time offenders are released are effective in dealing with the issue. If governments implemented these solutions, crime figures would soon drop.

Comments This essay address the task completely. Both causes and solutions are given and developed with relevant ideas. Linking is used not only effectively but also flexibly. Paragraphing is also used effectively to help the reader. There is a range of sentence structures and also tenses used. Vocabulary is also flexible with a good range of less common words. Essay Length: 290 words

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hi mam! if i am asked to give only solutions, how many remedies do i have to write down? and how can i place my solutions in both paragraphs ? should i put them into single para? or should each para have only one remedy? could you please clarify this?

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If you are asked for solutions only, each body paragraph will contain one solution. All paragraphing is based on logical organisation.

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Hello Liz, I hope you’re doing well.

Firstly, thank you for your channel; it has been very beneficial for me during my IELTS preparation!

The question I want to ask is, I think I’m confusing solution essays with opinion essays. For example: “Mental health is becoming an increasingly important topic in society. What do you think are the main contributing factors to mental health issues? How can individuals and communities promote mental well-being?”

I initially thought it was a solution essay, but now I believe it should be an opinion essay. I would be thrilled if you could help me with this.

Thanks for everything!

This is one of the problems when you try to give a name to every type of instructions. An opinion essay is when you are given a statement that is an opinion, such as “Some people think fast food should be banned to reduce the number of obese people.” This is an opinion from “some people”. An opinion essay will ask you to present your opinion as a response – do you agree? / to what extent do you agree? / do you agree or disagree? / what is your opinion?. For these types of essays, you must present a clear opinion such as “I believe that banning fast food is a good method but not the most effective because there are other ways to reduce obesity.” (that is a clear opinion). If you don’t present a clear side, a clear position, a clear opinion, you will get a low score. Any why do we use “I” or “my opinion” – it’s because we are separating “some people think” and “I think” – we are separating two opinions in the same paragraph – one that belongs to other people and one that belongs to you. If you didn’t do this, having two opinions in the same paragraph gets confusing.

However, if the instructions only say “What do you think are the main causes” – you are not being asked to evaluate. You are not being asked to present your opinion of someone else’s opinion. You are not being asked for a position. You are not being asked “do you agree with this solution?”. You are only being asked to give causes. So, whether the instructions say “What are the causes” or “what do you think are the causes” – it’s the same. You only need to present two causes (usually two). So, whether you write “I think stress and poor work-life balance are the causes ….” or “stress and poor work-life balance are the causes …” – it’s the same answer. You’ve given the causes.

So, the only real task you have to do is follow the instructions and understand what your aim is with the essay. Try not to get into a panic about the names given to essay types by teachers.

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Hello Liz, I hope you are doing well and that your health has improved. First of all, thank you for everthing, you are an outstanding person. I have a question please, in problem and solution type, should problems be in one paragraph and solutions in another ? or can i write a problem and its solution in a paragraph and the another problem with its solution in the second paragraph ? Thanks in advance

There is right or wrong in this case. You are being marked on logical organisation rather than a fixed organisation. So, both would be possible.

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In this contemporary world, there is an increase in the number of criminals significantly after serving their first prison sentence. They intended to commit more crimes due to a lack of moral behavior rehabilitation at the prison or results from difficulty in getting jobs because of poor skills performance. However, there are many solutions to prevent crime by helping them to get a job. Also, training them to learn new skills.

Firstly, several factors lead to crime inside the prison, its environment and contact with other prisoners have a major impact on the criminal’s mental and physical behavior. For example, they learn from the lousy prisoner how to deal with the drug abuser and sell it. Therefore, there is an increase in offensive crimes. Secondly, the criminals do not have financial support, and face difficulty getting a job, even when they are employed, their jobs are usually of low wages, and they cannot afford their living expenses. All these factors play a role in criminals intending to re-offend. There are Nemours solutions to tackle these issues. Initially, the prisoner should be educated and rehabilitated with moral behavior and treated for psychological problems such as depression or anxiety. Lastly, the prisoner must train to gain skills. To illustrate that, improving them in computer skills or construction building. That leads to getting better jobs and becoming dependent on their self. In addition, the government should be supporting them financially to prevent crime. In conclusion, after careful analysis of this problem and recommended different solutions. All these measurements will help to decrease the number of the crime.

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Great essay. Well done 👍🏾

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Even though prisons are set up to reduce further crimes in the first place, it is common for first time offenders to carry out more crimes once they have been released. This essay will examine the main reasons of recidivism and possible solutions for this problem.

Prisons as criminal school and their focus on retribution rather than rehabilitation are the two main drivers of relapse in criminality once released. Firstly, incarceration gives opportunities for inmates to meet with other like-minded people, bulking up their criminal skills which can later be used for future crimes. For example, a bank robber in lock-up can swap stories with other bank robbers, making them better bank robbers in the future. Furthermore, most of the prisons worldwide simply lock people up while little or no attention is given in reforming convicts into good people who have a deep understanding of correct moral behavior. In other words, most ex-prisoners lack means and tools necessary to survive in the society after their release. For instance, lack of skills for finding jobs ultimately leads to them struggling financially which leads them back to crime, regardless of the consequences.

Two of more possible addresses to this issue include establishments of reentry programs and the government providing subsidies for newly released prisoners. If reentry programs which emphasize on occupational trainings, social trainings and drug and alcohol rehabilitations are available to those serving terms, the likelihood of carrying out further criminal activities will definitely be less. The chance of ex-prisoners standing on their feet after the life behind bar depends on the ability of the government to provide aids and reliefs to them. Hence, the national and structured supports will be beneficial in preventing recidivism.

To conclude, prison environments can be criminogenic while focusing on nurturing prisoners to survive after the sentences will reduce the number of people committing more crimes after their time spent in captivity.

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Many criminals, who serve their first-time punishment, offend after they are being released from prison due to the lack of rehabilitation and difficulty in finding a job once they are released. There are several solutions which should be implemented to deal with criminals who reoffend.

Firstly, most of first-time offenders tend to commit more crimes once they are released due to the lack of rehabilitation during their staying at prison. Those criminals are not given the chance to retrain and improve their skills or even to develop their moral behavior. Instead, they are mixed with other criminals who can strengthen their criminal intentions. This makes those criminals offensive and just thinking of committing crimes rather than doing good deeds. Secondly, when these criminals are released, they will face financial issues since they don’t have experience and skills to let them work in a job. Thus, they start looking for a source of money, but the only way to collect money is by committing more crimes such as stealing, fraud, or even murdering. This leads to the reoffending cycle again.

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A lot of criminals getting out of prison tend to commit more crimes than before they were first arrested. This phenomenon can be caused by the unhealthy environment in which they were held during the time serving their crime. A solution to this problem would be to ensure a better mental health for prisoners expecting to be released and to continue follow them once they are out.

The poor conditions in which prisoners are being held does not help them understand their mistake. On the contrary, an environment of violence persists between the criminals, as many fights and aggressions happen within the establishment. For example, a person that was arrested for a minor crime, such a dealing drug, will be influenced in a bad way by other more dangerous criminals. Therefore, when getting out of jail, instead of having grown from the punishment, the former drug dealer will be transformed into a rapist or a murderer.

To counter this issue, it is essential to introduce a system of therapy for the prisoners. As they understand the consequences and the gravity of their actions, and as they learn to combat their negative inner thoughts, these criminals will become better people. After that, it is also crucial to follow them for a few months once they reintegrate society to make sure they do not repeat their actions. This can be done by tracking them with a foot bracelet.

To conclude, the presence of violence in prisons is what pushes prisoners to become more dangerous. Helping them evolve and growing mentally is the best way to make their return to society safe for everyone.

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There is no doubt that first time criminals commit same or different crime again after coming out of jail. In this essay, I will discuss the reason for this and what could be done to solve this problem. When lawbreaker goes to prison, first time, they are not rehabilitated properly, and lesson is not learned for them. They are not trained for any skill which can help them outside to apply for a job. On top of this, when they are mixed with other criminals, they encourage them for more crimes. Its like they found what they wanted, the same mentality people. Also, these people are not scared of law because of many loopholes in the law, which they use to come out of this, and some time punishment is not that severe, and this results in fearless criminals. There could be multiple steps can be taken by government and the society. Firstly, Government should consider making the law stricter which can bring fear among criminals and deter them from committing crime again. Secondly, when first time prisoner serves jail term, he should properly rehabilitate so that he can understand the difference between good and wrong. He should also understand the moral values of society. Rehabilitation should also include training for some important skills, which can enable them to get job outside. If he is not trained for any skill, he will remain the same person and will be very easily attracted to commit crime again for his needs like money or food. Finally, criminals should be categorized depending on their crimes and criminals with less intensity crime like pick pocketing shouldn’t be mixed with criminals with high intensity crimes like murder. In conclusion, prison should be place for bringing moral improvement in prisoners and making them better person and not only completing the punishment terms. If these solutions are implemented by government, the crime rate would drop significantly.

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A huge number of prisoners often commit more crimes after being released from prison and this is due to lack of proper rehabilitation and inability to secure a sustainable employment and a means of livelihood. However, there are solutions to this problem of repeated crimes of offenders after serving their first punishment.

Firstly, there is a need for adequate retraining of prisoners with relevant skills before needed to sustain them after being released; this will go a long way in checkmating their excesses upon integration with other people in the society. Furthermore, assisting them with finances to help build on the skills learnt will be of great help in cubing this problem.

Secondly, offenders released should be gainfully employed so that they don’t become a threat to other persons. In addition, they can also be assisted to start up a business and proper supervision for a period of time, this is to ensure that they don’t do otherwise from the trainings and support they have received. Finally, If a thorough and proper mental rehabilitation is extensively carried out on offenders while in prison and armed with the relevant skills needed, repeated crimes will be reduced to the barest minimum In conclusion, If a good number of persons have a means of earning a living, crime will be thing of the past, so all efforts is to ensure that people are highly engaged in meaningful ventures so avoid crimes even

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Firstly, most of first-time offenders tend to commit more crimes once they are released due to the lack of rehabilitation during their staying at prison. Those criminals are not given the chance to retrain and improve their skills or even to develop their moral behavior. Instead, they are mixed with other criminals who can strengthen their criminal intentions. This makes those criminals offensive and just thinking of committing crimes rather than doing good deeds. Secondly, when these criminals are released, they will face financial issues since they don’t have experience and skills to let them work in a job. Thus, they start looking for a source of money, but the only way to collect money is by committing more crimes such as stealing, fraud, or even murdering. This leads to the reoffending cycle again.

There are two effective ways for dealing with first-time offenders. One way is to ensure that each offender entering prison must be retrained. The government should prepare a working environment for those criminals to improve their skills and give them experience in a field that will help them in assisting themselves in the future. In addition, a series of lectures must be given to develop their moral behavior. Another way for reducing the number of criminals from reoffending is by keeping an eye on them after they are being released from prison. This will frighten those criminals from committing crimes because the police or the government are watching them closely. In conclusion, retraining criminals by engaging them in jobs and giving them awareness lectures in addition to keeping an eye on them after they are released would hopefully solve the problem of reoffending criminals. If government applies these solutions, crime figures would soon drop.

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The reoccurrence of crime after convicts serves their first punishment made the legal process that they ought to go through before returning to society seems ineffective, making it logical to question jail time and a necessity to keep track of offenders reintegration in order minimize the possibility of them breaking the law again.

Firstly, the significant number of people reoffending after getting caught is mainly due to the difficulty of finding a job as past offenders, and with having no source of income prior to spending time with other criminals, it gets harder for ex-felons to follow the law as they been wired mentally to see pass the rules in order to survive in prison. For example, a case that made controversy in Algerian newspapers told the story of a guy that been jailed for a minor drug use felony, and had to turn to drug dealing in order to put food on his table as reintegration made impossible to him and to a lot of cases that were faced with the similar faith.

The inefficiency of juridical punishment as a way to prevent crime from reappearing made it clear that the missing piece of the puzzle was reintegration programs, that aim at providing newly released prisoners with jobs and following their progress in the period that follows their release, such programs are already present in the USA and they proved to be the best approach to deal with such issue.

in conclusion, the high rate of crime among ex-offenders and skepticism with regards to traditional ways of dealing with this phenomenon put the light on the importance of re-integration programs as a key solution to make these people good citizens again.

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My take on the essay :

After several months or years of serving punishment for their criminal activities, many offenders face difficulty in leading a normal life.In the face of public eye, once an offender always an offender whom they believe has a higher tendency to repeat their crimes. Upon exiting the correction center, offenders need to earn money to pay for their accommodation, bills, buy groceries, food and other necessities.

However, finding a job with past criminal records is a big challenge and struggle for the offenders. Many people wouldn’t immediately employ anyone with such criminal records, because they will have trust issues with the offenders. For instance, any offenders having past criminal activities such as frauding, stealing, or even attempted murder, the employers would be afraid to hire them as the offenders may repeat their crimes. Additionally, the offenders wouldn’t have enough past experience or the right skill needed for the job.Hence, from an employer’s perspective they wouldn’t want to hire people from such a criminal background and least experience instead of regular people.

Similar trend is observed in landlords who deny leasing an apartment or rental units to offenders due to the same reasons. Therefore, upon facing many hurdles and embarrassment in continuing a regular life, offenders resort to crimes to feel empowered over the judgements thrown by the public.

In order for this cycle of crimes to stop from happening, the government needs to take several measures to correct this issue. Firstly, job training and general handy skills can be taught to offenders in the correction center which will be useful for job application in the future. Secondly, offenders should be given a chance to continue their education by distance learning so they are equipped with necessary skills and knowledge. Thirdly, to tackle the accommodation problem, the government can allocate a housing allowance or prepare a housing center for anyone having trouble finding a stay upon their release.

In summary, if the government is able to provide a protection plan for the offenders after their release, this group of people will not repeat their crimes, hence able to break the cycle of second crimes. Also, society needs to create awareness to treat these offenders equally as regular people instead of judging them for their past actions.

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Use criminals, transgressors, law breakers etc

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It is true that a considerable amount of criminals commit more crimes after they finish their first sentence. There’re various reasons behind this phenomenon, and I believe the prison administrative and society should both take measures to tackle the problem. It is often the case that poverty leads to crimes. Some people may commit crimes such as stealing or fraud because they are poor and need money to survive. Moreover, poor people may not have enough money to go to school and thus are deprived of the chance of learning useful skills and getting a good job. If these conditions are not improved when they go out of prison, they might find themselves in a dilemma to solve the problems by crime again. Some may even get worse influences in prison, owing to the lack of discipline and guidance there. Prison is always filled with dangerous and violent people, who might be a bad influence on other minor-crime offenders. There’re several means to help mitigate the problem. Firstly, Government should provide some prisoners with essential education and help them learn useful skills. Therefore when they finish their sentence, they can try to find a decent job with the skills they learned, without having to go back to crimes to serve themselves. This will also help them blend into society and build healthy relationships, which also decreases the chance of committing crimes. Secondly, Prisons should conduct stronger disciplines to constrain violent behaviors. In this way, prisoners can serve time in a peaceful environment and have more time to reflect on their wrongs. In conclusion, offenders commit crimes after serving time is not only because of the bad environment in prison but also because the lack of education and social support for them to earn a living by proper skills. Government should take various measures to tackle the problem.

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In some countries the average weight of people is increasing and their levels of health and fitness are decreasing.

What do you think are the causes of these problems and what measures could be taken to solve them?

In recent days the cases of obesity are tremendously rising up at the same, their fitness and health is dramatically declining. In this essay im going to give a brief explanation about causes and solutions.

On the one hand, intake of junk food and avoiding appropriate nutritional foods are major reason to cause obesity. firstly, presence of high level of fats components in oily food leads to gain bad cholesterols in body. To illustrate, those who consume high level of oil foods are encountering with obesity. Moreover, gaining overweight as a result of refusing good deits like protein intake, carbohydrates intake,fibres and so on. For instance, low intake of protein cause to rise the weight. Consequently, people will triggered by obesity is they follow against appropriate deit.

On the other hand, people must aware about their suppliments concern and follow the regular exercise. Consuming food with all the nutritional value shows a better results. Furthermore, participating daily in physical activities like sports,gym, running will burns bad cholesterol. For example, people who follows physical activities are more healthier and fit than non-participants.Hence eating healthier food and burning calories shows better improvement.

To conclude, eating more fat content foods leads to develop overweight.while, people should develop their passions toward health and physical activities.

[ please Evaluate my essay and give band ] thanku!

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dear Liz, can you give me a favour? what score can you give me for this essay? Despite environmental concerns raised by scientists, people are not changing their lifestyle. Why is this so? What should be done to encourage people to do more to save the environment? These days, it is becoming increasingly common for scientists to take care of the environment, while citizens tend to ignore this problem. The excessive trust in scientists and the development of this world can be the main reasons behind this issue. However, the situation can be reversed by following the appropriate solutions. To begin with, perhaps the major reason why people are not changing their lifestyle can be the extreme belief of scientists. Since the 20th century, a numerous innovation, which had successfully deal with some problems faced us, has been produced by researchers. Therefore, people may tend to disregard the issues of our habitat and think that scientists will solve these problems. Moreover, the advancement of technic technology, which affects the environment harmfully, such as cars, may not provide us to take caring of habitat. For instance, to delivering crucial items to each other, there is no way to use vehicles. Development may result in persons ignoring their nature. Turning to the possible solutions, the authorities and scientists could raise awareness for people as to why we should focus on the environment. The governments may be funding an advertisement about the importance of habitat and broadcast them on television and the internet. Furthermore, the researcher can organize campaigns about what should we do to tackle environmental problems among the population. If these provisions initiate among society, people will pay attention to not only their habitat but also their actions. To conclude, people’s trust in scientists and the accelerating world are the main reasons behind why people are disregarding the circumstances. Therefore, to tackle this problem, the government and scientists should organize activities about awareness of the surroundings among the people.

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Hey Elizabeth, I really appreciate the efforts you put into collective learning Any reader is welcomed to evaluate my Essay, Hope you have a wonderful day 🙂

In a world filled with cherished experience, where god has cast a spell balancing good and evil. Thus, with the copious of malevolent people who stay resilient to jurisdiction, there has been an effective curiosity about how they involved in convicting crimes even after their previous punishments and what measures can we take into account for thwarting the issue. It is glaringly obvious that the limited awareness of one’s actions or sometimes lack of affection in childhood can precipitate such insolent behaviour, thus deep and thorough introspection and a positive environment for children must be encouraged to avoid such conditions. A punishment is incomplete without realizing the consequences of their actions, and thus it is important to believe in the effects of every interaction. On the edge of the materialistic world, the people tend to intentionally ignore or pay a little attention to the corollary of their own actions, and therefore any punishment not involving looking back on themselves is futile. Another major cause of imprudence is caused by childhood trauma or a negative family environment. A study shows that the majority of criminals tend to involve in criminal activities even after atonement if they have been flourished in the dearth of affection. Thus, it makes it clear that the major cause of resilience is the result of limited introspection and uninhabitable childhood experience. Moreover, people should take efforts to fight the malevolent brain to sustain a positive society. Every jurisdiction must include the importance of teaching the problems that victims might have undergone and make them find the mistakes they committed. Moreover, the life of a child begins with a family, thus proper care should be taken by parents to ensure that their child is given sufficient attention and love. Which can guarantee an effective decrease in the crime rate before or after their punishments. To sum up, it is evident that limited awareness and poor family relationships when mixed with the evil mind can bear a resilient criminal, and thus proper steps must be taken into account like teaching the thorough knowledge of introspection and encouraging parents to build and maintain a positive environment at home.

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Thanks for sharing. Got a chance to learn more words from your essay.

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Hello liz. Your website is not less than a jackpot for persons , who are preparing for ielts exam. I was reading one of your sample essays and now I have 3 interrelated questions.

1) is it important to give examples in each body paragraphs ? ( I am curious to know because you didnot write any examples in that essay)

2) if we donot add examples then can we loose marks?

3) can we make our own examples to add. ( for eg: an article published in “the times” stated that ………. ) or ( A recent study conducted in the USA revealed that ……..)

( I hope my questions are making sense)

You should use examples as you wish and when you wish. you can choose to illustrate your ideas in other ways rather than just with examples. As I said, you can choose to illustrate in other ways. You won’t get a higher score because you give the source of information. This isn’t an university essay. IELTS do not care where the information comes from. So, don’t waste your words on something that won’t increase your score. For the above essay, it would have been possible to add an example of types of crime – ie minor crime and major crime. However, this essay is already very well detailed and explained so it requires nothing more. We often use examples to illustrate a point in more specific detail to facilitate understanding.

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Hi Liz I observed that you paraphrased first punishment as prison sentence. The punishment for a crime is not always prison sentence.

It’s important to look at all the words in the sentence and also pay attention to collocations. The verb “serve” relates to prison sentences.

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In a few latest comments from almost a year ago, I can see your health hasn’t been so good. I really hope you’re doing well 🙂

Also, if you could please, I have a query- In a Cause/Solution essay, can I organise my points in the below mentioned way or it doesn’t bode well for task response criterion?

Introduction para BP 1 Causes- point 1 + supporting points BP 2 Causes- point 2 + supporting points BP 3 Solution- 2 points and supporting points Conclusion para

I’d like to mention here that I’ve developed both ideas well but in order to avoid making Causes para too long, I broke it down to two body paragraphs.

This organisation is not logical. The causes are 50% of the essay and the solutions are 50% of the essay. However, with your paragraphing, you have given about 66% to causes and 33% to solutions. This is something to avoid. The task given to you will help you plan paragraphs.

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Hi dear liz I’m confused, you said Roma’s 3 paragraph structure is wrong while your essay on happiness; the sample essay for direct question type is comprised of 3 paragraphs, first one answers the first question and the second and third ones answer the second question!!!!

In that essay, the first question is simple. However, the second question asks for “factors” (plural) – it needs more space to extend and explain multiple factors.

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Dear Mam, Please clarify my confusion about the use of deter in last sentence of 3rd paragraphs. Why it is not “deters”, instead of “deter” ? Another doubt about ” are released are effective” that you used in second line of conclusion. I am unfamiliar about such kind of sentence structure. Please clarify.

You are doing great job mam, Salute!!! Wish you good health.

This is because the sentence in full is: “This solution would hopefully prevent them from taking any chances and would deter them from ….” When we write like this, we do not have to repeat certain words in the second clause. The grammar tense is also ready presumed from the first clause.

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Liz. I just found your site, really this is very much informative. So I am really interested reading with this site thank you

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Hi Liz, I hope I find you better. I have got a query on the way you paraphrased the background statement. The statement says ‘first punishment’ but you paraphrased it as ‘first prison’. Is it not possible for the first punishment be in other forms such as community service, fine, etc

You are referring to the paraphrase “first prison sentence” which means first punishment in prison. This whole issue is about re-offenders and this is all about prison, not community service. There are no world issues about community service or paying a fine teaching people bad habits which cause them to re-offend. While it isn’t stated, it is presumed. Also the word “serving” is used with prison, not with fines or community service. We do community service and we pay a fine, but we serve a prison sentence.

In the speaking test, this is something you could talk about in part 3. You could dispute the question. The examiner would probably interrupt you and paraphrase it to bring you on topic. In writing task 2, you must understand immediately. Yes, it is true that you need to look at holes in the essay question – ie is this referring to only young children or all children or all people. But with this essay question, it is about prison, not paying a fine.

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can we use active voice and passive voice in the same sentence.

please reply me as soon as possible.

It is thought that people will …. That is a passive voice with an active future tense.

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Hy Liz. Thank you for your great info on IELTS I am a bit confused about cause , solution and give reasons for your answer. Are the reasons not part of the causes

You have two tasks – causes and solutions. The word “cause” can also be paraphrased as “reason”. The above essay provides causes and solutions – this means the task is completed.

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Saddened to hear from you that. How are you now? I pray God to bestow you with all the good health

Thank you for your kind words. I’m still sick, but not as sick as I was a few years ago. I hope this upward trend will continue next year 🙂

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My friend and I took our exam about 16 days ago, and finally we got the reault what we wanted(9-8.5-7.5-7). Your videos were extremely beneficial for my writing. Thank u so much. ❤

And the sad part was when I was watching ur videos and your sickness popping to my head… I dont know what u r coping with right now, but Im sure u will conquer it soon. 😍

Best regarda,

Ahmad and Rana

It’s lovely to see both of your results. Very well done to you both 🙂 Thanks for your message about my health. I really hope to be well in a year or so – I have learned the importance of patience and determination which I’m sure many IELTS test takers will be familiar with 🙂

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God will touch you with healing hands ! Get well soon!

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Dear Ahmad, kindly please send those video to me in order to prepare for my exam after the lock down,i would have been requested for the videos,but the situation here in Nigerian is not palatable.

The videos are available for free on this site. Go to the HOME page and select the part of the test you wish to study for free. You will find free videos, practice exercises, tips, topics, model answers etc etc. OR use the RED MENU BAR at the top of the website to access those sections.

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Hi Liz If I write an essay in the comment box, could you please check my writing.

Sorry I don’t offer that service. I like to help but I don’t have time to comment on writing.

Hello dear Liz. I’ ver purchased all your advance videos, yet I wonder why I cant find the vidoes related to cause/solution and direct question essay. Dont you have any videos discussing those two types?

BTW, you are so popular in my country 🙂 ❤

Unfortunately, I became very sick after making those video lessons and my health has not recovered enough since then to make more. I’m hoping later next year I might be able to make videos again, but it isn’t certain. Glad you like my lessons 🙂

Ohhhhhh! 😔😔😔☹☹☹ So sad to hear dear Liz. I really, really hope you get better so soon, and whatever ur problem is gets solved. Next year, which will be after my exam, I’ll be waiting for ur new vidoes, so that I see u r alright 😊

BTW, I’m really excited that u replied🙈😅

Thanks and good luck with your test 🙂

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Praying for your health!! you are such a blessing and an excellent teacher.

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Liz, you are going to get through this. Let me tell you why. Through your perseverance and your positive mindset, you have become extremely adept at finding solutions to problems that have brought most people down. You’ve aced limitations like these in style and have helped others do so. Moreover, you’ve been a constant guide to a lot of us, giving us the direction, motivation and drive to perform well. We pray and root for your good health knowing full well that our teacher’s going to get a 9 on this test.

All I ask of you is to not lose hope and try to find happiness in every day and carry on being the golden-hearted-ever-smiling-hero that you are!

I don’t know what to say. I’m really touched by your comment. It brought tears to my eyes. Even though I am a very strong, positive person, things have been really tough for me at times and I often wondered if I would survive this struggle. Your comment has given me renewed strength and reinforced my determination to keep fighting for my health. Thank you many times over 🙂 We all of us need positive vibes to keep strong 🙂 Wishing you all the best for 2020!!

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hi liz, i hope you get better soon,you always spread happiness and cheerful dear.you has an amazing way in teaching and conveying the information.

Thank you, Kout 🙂

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Hi Liz, BIG FAN of your Teachings 🙂 I simple love all your essays, feels like they are written so effortlessly… So very clear, easy to understand, follow and logical! I am in love with the way you write and present the ideas. I have my exam day after tommrow, I hope to write an essay in exam not completely upto your level but at least a bit nearby to get a band 7. Thank you for your valuable lessons and your paid video lessons are super helpful and MUST HAVE…, Thanks again!! Godbless!

I wish you lots of luck in your test!! Make sure you review the linking words: https://ieltsliz.com/linking-words-for-writing/ . A lot of people forget to review their linking words – using them well will help your score. Also review all my last minute tips for each section of the test: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-help-faq/

Hi Liz, Thanks, surely will read and review that. Also, Thank you so much for your wishes… It means a lot to me 🙂

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Dear liz, I see you havent given a single example in this essay, how will it fulfill the task response criteria?

An example using “for example” or “for instance” is not a requirement. There are many ways to illustrate your point without giving direct examples.

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Can we use phrases like “ earn our living “ in ielts essays??

What you need to ask yourself is: Is this an informal expression for informal use or is it an expression that is used in a variety of contexts, both serious and informal? Answer that question and you will know if you can use it in writing task 2. If you are ever in doubt during the test, don’t take risks.

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Hi Liz, thanks a lot for sharing lots of useful tips and learning resourses! After reading this essay, I wonder if it’s possible to get band 9 in writing without giving any examples? As far as I know, we should always support ideas with examples in Ielts essays. Please help me to clarify this! Thank you!!

Examples are given if or when relevant. They are not a requirement. Also there are many ways to illustrate a point without using a direct example.

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Hey miss liz, i was wondering about your writing task 2 videos, you’ve been saying all the time that we should write (mostly everything) in the academic way. Please answer me, does these rules works for the general training exam as well or what shall i do in this situation ?

The GT Essay is the same as the Academic Essay. They are both formal essays with the same marking criteria and scoring. GT essay questions are sometimes easier. But the style is the same – it is formal.

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Thank you for the amazing tips. My exam is on 19th July and I am struggling with writing task 2. I am consuming a lot of time in thinking about the ideas and examples, leaving me with no time at the end to review my essay. Could you please review and provide your comments that whether the content is relevant or not, please as I have very less time left to practice. My aim is to score 7.5. Do you think the below essay is good enough for 7.5.

Q: In many countries, very few young people read newspapers or follow the news on TV. What do you think are the causes of this? What solutions can you suggest? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Over the past few years, it has been noticed in most of the countries that the limited number of youths are interested in reading newspaper or watching current affairs on TV. There could be different reasons for the raised concern, which I will now discuss in this essay and then I will also provide the corrective measures for combating this issue.

The genesis of this problem lies in social networking sites, which has taken all the eyes of the public and it is not wrong to say that technology has fastened our lives. For instance, the life of the youth has become a challenge nowadays, which i snot just limited to success in career but also to cope up with the changing society in terms of fashion and the increasing desires. They have a lot on their list other than knowing what is happening in their countries. Also in general, most of the content broadcasted on the TV is irrelevant and newspaper have lost its meaning since the advent of the digital market.

To resolve this issue and to make our young blood aware of the importance of the news, it is incumbent to add current affairs as a mandatory subject in schools, colleges as well as in the professional settings. In addition to this, time spent on surfing the internet should be monitored, as it will help them to manage their time efficiently. Above all, the key is to inculcate the feeling of patriotism in the youth so that they could understand the importance of knowing the situation of the country and outside world.

In conclusion, knowing the fact that the majority of the young people fail to understand the necessity of news, it is the utmost responsibility of the elders to make them aware of its consequences. I understand, all news is not relevant but knowledge of current affairs would help in making up the minds for the future.

Thanks a lot for your support.

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Hi Ankara, Please watch Liz’s videos on IELTS task2 they are very helpful and many people who have taken their exam rave about them. Good luck and hope this helps.

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Hi Liz But the questions say give examples from your own experience. Do we still avoid them?

Examples from your experience does not necessarily mean examples from your private life. It is your experience of the world around you. The examples you give are your choice, but I am recommending that you keep a formal style and tone for your essay.

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Hello Liz, Thanks for the tremendous help from your site, it has helped me a lot in my writing. Pls help me check if I paraphrased this topic properly because I think, I kind of over paraphrased it. Topic: Every country has poor people and every country has different ways of dealing with the poor. What are some of the reasons for world poverty? How can the poor be helped?

Introduction: There is an existence of impoverished people all over the nations of the world and each of these nations have adopted various methods in tackling the issues relating to destitute. However, lack of education and bad governance are the key reasons for global hardship, hence, adequate education and good leadership is required to aid the poor.

Yes, you over paraphrased. Keep the meaning clear at all times. Your aim is to produce perfect sentences: Different countries have different methods of tackling poverty. Poverty is caused by……

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Hi Liz, In problems and solutions essays, is it fine to write a problem and its solution in first paragraph and then another problem and its solution in second paragraph?

In the case of problem/solution, the problems and solutions are directly linked and it is possible to do that.

Thanks Liz for the clarification.

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liz, can i illustrate the causes in two paragraph and write the solution and conclusion on final final paragraph which is basically a conclusion paragraph

The causes are 50% of your essay task and the solutions are 50% of your essay task. If you wish to ignore the instructions and decide the causes are more important, that is your choice. But you will be failing on proper task fulfilment. This is basic common sense. IELTS is all about logical approach.

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  • Sep 17, 2023

IELTS Writing Task 2: How To Answer Problem/ Cause & Solution Questions To Reach Band 9

Updated: Nov 14, 2023

Problem/ Cause & Solution Writing Task 2

When answering an IELTS Writing Task 2 problem/ cause and solution question you need to think of one or more problems (often two is good), and then give one or two solutions. You can group the problems in one paragraph and the solutions in one paragraph, or you can combine them, with a problem and solution together in each paragraph. It works really well if you have a main general idea for each paragraph which you can divide into two sub-ideas. In my plans below I’ll describe the problems in one paragraph and the solutions in another.

To begin with, think about your main ideas for the essay. The main idea is the general idea, and the sub-ideas go into more detail. In this kind of essay, your main idea 1 is about the problem, while main idea 2 is about the solution.

Basic Problem/Cause & Solution Task Plan:

Main idea 1: problem/ cause:.

Sub-idea A: Problem/ Cause 1

Sub-idea B : Problem/ Cause 2

Main Idea 2: Solution:

Sub-idea A: Solution 1

Sub-idea B : Solution 2

Next, I’ll show you a detailed plan on how to structure the problem/ solution essay with links to articles which have more information.

Detailed Task Plan:

Introduction:.

Paraphrase question

Summarise main ideas 1 & 2

For more information on writing introductions click here

Body Paragraph 1 (Problem):

Topic Sentence: Summarise main idea 1. You may want to use “owing to ”/ “as a result of”/ “due to ” to give the reason for the problem. (see Giving Reasons/ Causes vocabulary below).

Introduce Sub-idea A: Describe the problem in one or two sentences.

Expand Sub-idea A: Write one or two sentences that explain/ support sub-idea A - say why or how it happens and/ or give an example. (see Giving Examples vocabulary below)

Result Statement: Explain the results of the problem. (see Results vocabulary below)

Introduce Sub-idea B: Use “Furthermore”, “In addition”, or “Moreover” and then describe the problem.

Expand Sub-idea B (as above)

Result Statement (as above)

For more information on writing essay body paragraphs click here

Body Paragraph 2 (Solution):

Topic Sentence: Summarise main idea 2 clearly. Use phrases such as “One solution is”/ “In order to address this problem”, etc. (see Proposing Solutions vocabulary below)

Introduce Sub-idea A: Describe the solution in one or two sentences.

Expand Sub-idea A: Write one or two sentences that explain/ support sub-idea A - say why or how it solves the problem and/ or give an example.

Result Statement: Explain the expected results of the solution. You can use the 2nd conditional here e.g. “This would lead to” . For more information on 2nd conditionals click here

Introduce Sub-idea B: Use “Furthermore”, “In addition”, or “Moreover”, and then describe the solution.

Conclusion:

Summarise main ideas 1 & 2: Begin with “In conclusion”/ “To conclude”/ “To summarise”/ “In summary”. Avoid repeating vocabulary. Use synonyms and parallel expressions.

Useful Vocabulary:

Below you’ll find the useful vocabulary that will help you when you write your problem/ cause and solution IELTS essay.

Giving Reasons/ Causes:

As a result of

…is a major cause of

....is a source of

...can contribute greatly to

…is the underlying cause of

The main cause of ………… is

….is due to

...are (important/ major) factors in

Giving Examples:

To give an example,

Suppose, for instance, that

As an example,

Good examples include

For instance,

For example,

This would lead to/ This leads to

This would mean that/ This means that

As a result

Consequently

As a consequence

By doing this

This will provide

In this way

A consequence of this is

This will create a situation where

This makes it

Proposing Solutions:

One solution to this problem is

In order to address this problem

In order to do this

It would be a good idea if

…should be encouraged to

Steps should be taken to

...should take measures to

The problem can be fixed by

So what does this essay look like in full? Keep reading below:

Problem/ Cause and Solution Task Example:

It is generally agreed that family relationships are not as close as they were in the past.

Explain why you think this has happened and suggest how family relationships could be made closer.

Essay Plan:

Main Idea 1: Changes in society make it harder to maintain close relationships

Sub-idea A: People are more likely to move to another area or city

Sub-idea B: People have very busy lives so have less time for family

Main Idea 2: People should make more effort to foster family relationships

Sub-idea A: People should meet up with family members more often

Sub-idea B: We can take advantage of modern communication technology

Now we have the main and sub-ideas for the essay, we are ready to write it.

Paraphrase question:

It is commonly thought that families are not as close-knit as they were previously.

Summarise main ideas 1 & 2: In my opinion this could be the result of changes in society that have made it harder for people to spend quality time with family members. In order to address this problem, it’s important that people make more effort to stay in touch with family, and they can leverage modern communication devices and applications to do this.

Topic Sentence:

As a result of various changes in society it is much harder for people to maintain close ties with their families than previously.

Introduce Sub-idea A:

For one, in the past, people tended to live very near relatives during their whole lives, whereas in today’s world this is not the case.

Expand Sub-idea A:

These days, people are more mobile and regularly move to different cities or even countries in order to find a better job, take advantage of better education or for some other opportunity.

Result Statement:

This makes it more difficult to socialise with relatives and therefore more difficult to maintain close relationships.

Introduce Sub-idea B:

Furthermore, people’s lives are busier today than they were in the past.

Expand Sub-idea B:

We have a plethora of work and personal responsibilities, not to mention all of the recreational and personal development opportunities now available.

This means that it is even harder to find time for family. People are often only able to focus on providing for their nuclear family, at the expense of bonds with siblings, cousins and other family members.

One solution to the problems causing weakening family relationships is for people to prioritise their family members and make more effort to foster family relationships.

People should get together with relatives more frequently and spend more quality time together.

For example, they could organise a weekly meal together, or a regular family day out.

As a consequence of these activities, family members would become closer.

Moreover, even if a person lives far away from their relatives, in the modern world we have a myriad of technologies which enable us to stay in touch with them.

Be it on Skype, Messenger, or any similar application, people can message and speak to their siblings, parents or others quickly and cheaply.

By doing this, people who live far apart from their family members would still be able to remain close with them.

In conclusion, changes in society have made it harder for people to maintain strong family bonds. However, if we make a little more effort, and take advantage of the communication technologies now available, there’s no reason why we can’t maintain close relationships with our families.

Finally, if we put it all together, we get a model essay for a problem/ cause and solution IELTS writing task 2.

Model Answer:

It is commonly thought that families are not as close-knit as they were previously. In my opinion this could be the result of changes in society that have made it harder for people to spend quality time with family members. In order to address this problem, it’s important that people make more effort to stay in touch with family, and they can leverage modern communication devices and applications to do this.

As a result of various changes in society it is much harder for people to maintain close ties with their families than previously. For one, in the past, people tended to live very near relatives during their whole lives, whereas in today’s world this is not the case. These days, people are more mobile and regularly move to different cities or even countries in order to find a better job, take advantage of better education or for some other opportunity. This makes it more difficult to socialise with relatives and therefore more difficult to maintain close relationships. Furthermore, people’s lives are busier today than they were in the past. We have a plethora of work and personal responsibilities, not to mention all of the recreational and personal development opportunities now available. This means that it is even harder to find time for family. People are often only able to focus on providing for their nuclear family, at the expense of bonds with siblings, cousins and other family members.

One solution to the problems causing weakening family relationships is for people to prioritise their family members and make more effort to foster family relationships. People should get together with relatives more frequently and spend more quality time together. For example, they could organise a weekly meal together, or a regular family day out. As a consequence of these activities, family members would become closer. Moreover, even if a person lives far away from their relatives, in the modern world we have a myriad of technologies which enable us to stay in touch with them. Be it on Skype, Messenger, or any similar application, people can message and speak to their siblings, parents or others quickly and cheaply. By doing this, people who live far apart from their family members would still be able to remain close with them.

Thanks for reading and I hope you found that helpful!

  • IELTS Writing

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Preparation for the IELTS Exam

Two easily confused essays (problem / causes solution essay)

What is the difference between a causes solution and a problem solution essay.

Problem solutions and causes solutions essay are very similar but there is a subtle difference. One type asks about the problems and the other type asks about the causes .

It is very important to spend a couple of minutes analysing the task question so that you know what to write about in the essay. I have seen many good essays lose marks in Task Response because the writer did not find the issues in the task question or did not fully understand what to write about.

In both types of essay, you have to mention the problem but in a causes solution essay you are mainly focused on the cause of the problem and that is what you will write about as well as the possible solutions.

What are the differences between these two essay questions below?

how to write a cause and solution essay

Analysing the question

The first essay is asking in the instructions words: What problems does this cause? The word ‘this’ refers to the issue of ‘professionals leaving their own poorer countries to work in developed countries’ 

 So you have to write about: the problems that happen as a result of these professional people (doctors, teachers, etc) leaving their own developing countries. You then have to write about: possible solutions to this issue of these professional people wanting to leave their own countries.

In the second essay, the instruction words ask: What are the causes of this problem? . The word ‘this’ again refers to the issue of ’professionals leaving their own poorer countries to work in developed countries’ so it’s the same issue as in essay 1. 

However, you have to write about why this problem is happening in the first place . In the essay, you do not need to focus on what happens when these professionals leave their countries , instead, you will write about what is causing this issue to happen. The solutions paragraph will be the same as the first essay, addressing ways to solve the cause of the problem.

Of course, you can mention the result of people leaving their own countries and the problems it will cause but remember that this essay is asking you what are the causes of the problem.

This is the reason why I advise taking a couple of minutes to really be sure you understand what the task question is asking you to write about. The second essay task would be considered a ’causes solutions’ essay.

Other instruction words to indicate a causes solutions essay:

  • What are the reasons for this happening?
  • Why is this happening?
  • What is the cause of this issue?

IELTS likes to paraphrase the instruction words in essay tasks, so you may see the above instruction words in this kind of essay, they are all asking about the causes.

Task Response

If you do not analyse the question well you could end up writing a different essay and get a much lower score in Task Response.

What does it say in the IELTS marking criteria for task response?

For Band 5 it says: addresses the task only partially… For Band 6 it says: addresses all parts of the task although some parts may be more fully covered than others.

 For Band 7 it says: addresses all parts of the task.

If you want a band 7 make sure you analyse the questions well, plan your main ideas and supporting points and make sure you explain your points with a specific example. Do not give too many examples like a list.

In fact, you can write about one problem and one solution (or one cause and one solution) as long as you develop your answer well.

Getting ideas and planning

I always advise taking at least 10 minutes to plan before writing. In the planning stage, you need to first analyse the question. Pick out the keywords and the issues you have to write about, think of topic sentences and supporting points, decide on a structure (2 main body paragraphs or 3?) then think about how you will write the introduction and a thesis statement.

It sounds like a lot to do but with practice, you can do this in 10 minutes. I have had high-level English students write an IELTS essay with only a minimal 2 minutes of planning and they ended up with a Band 6.

Actually, the most obvious ideas are the best. The IELTS writing exam is not testing your general knowledge or cool ideas.

Let’s take a look at the first essay type for a structure we could use. At this stage you should just be making notes on a topic sentence and supporting points.

Introduction: paraphrase the task question and give a thesis statement

Main body one main idea: If professional people leave their own country it will negatively impact schools, universities and hospitals, so they will lack expertise and experienced staff.



Main body two main idea:   The governments of poorer countries should support professionals with higher salaries, better housing and bonuses to entice them to stay.



Conclusion: Refer to the problem and paraphrase the solution.

Let’s take a look at the second essay type. The essay is the same structure as essay 1 but I have made changes to main body one mainly. The second main body paragraph, which deals with the solutions, is going to be similar to essay 1, but I will also make a point about career advancement chances.

Main body one main idea:   The problem is caused by low salaries and lack of chances for professionals to advance their careers,  also there are better opportunities overseas.

Main body two main idea:   The governments of poorer countries should support professionals with higher salaries and more chances of career advancement to entice them to stay.



Conclusion: Refer to the cause and paraphrase the solution.

Can you match these introductions to the appropriate task questions above?

  • A growing number of qualified personnel, such as doctors and teachers from developing countries, are migrating to work in more developed countries. Due to this, highly qualified people are in short supply, which negatively affects education and health services. To tackle the issue their governments should offer greater financial rewards to entice people to stay.
  • A growing number of qualified personnel, such as doctors and teachers from developing countries, are migrating to work in more developed countries. This is caused by low salaries and a lack of career advancement opportunities. To tackle the issue their governments should offer greater financial rewards and more chances of promotions.

1. A growing number of qualified personnel, such as doctors and teachers from developing countries, are migrating to work in more developed countries. Due to this, highly qualified people are in short supply, which negatively affects education and health services. To tackle the issue their governments should offer greater financial rewards to entice people to stay.

  • It is clear in the thesis statement that I am referring to the problems that happen as a result of these professional people (doctors, teachers, etc) leaving their own developing countries, and a possible way to tackle this.

2. A growing number of qualified personnel, such as doctors and teachers from developing countries, are migrating to work in more developed countries. This is caused by low salaries and a lack of career advancement opportunities. To tackle the issue their governments should offer greater financial rewards and more chances of promotions.

  • In this thesis statement, I am referring to what is causing this issue to happen and a possible way to tackle this.

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Cause and effect essay. Strategies and practice

IMAGES

  1. How to Write a Problem Solution Essay

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  2. How To Write A Cause And Effect Essay

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  3. How To Write A Cause and Effect Essay

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  4. Cause and Effect Essay Examples

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  5. How to Write Cause and Effect Essay Guide by EssayHub Writers

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  6. How to Structure a Cause and Solution Essay [IELTS Writing Task 2

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VIDEO

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Structure a Cause and Solution Essay [IELTS Writing Task 2]

    You simply need to write four paragraphs, with one body paragraph about the causes and one body paragraph about the solutions: Introduction - introduce the topic Body paragraph #1 - explain the causes of the problem Body paragraph #2 - explain the solutions to the problem Conclusion - summarise briefly This is very, very easy to do.

  2. IELTS causes and solutions essay

    To produce ideas for causes and solutions essay, you have to determine 3 things: Problem Causes of this problem Solutions to this problem The problem is already given: loss of bio-diversity (in other words, some animals and plants are dying out). Now let's think about its causes and solutions. Don't be afraid of simple ideas!

  3. A Guide to Writing a Cause and Effect Essay

    Give your writing extra polish Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Write with Grammarly What is a cause and effect essay? A cause and effect essay is a type of expository essay that explores its topic by discussing the issue's causes and consequences.

  4. IELTS Writing Task 2: Causes/Solutions Sample Essay

    April 21, 2021 in IELTS Writing Task 2: Academic & General Training The "cause and solution" style of IELTS Writing Task 2 question presents a common social problem; your job is to identify the causes of the problem and propose ways the problem could be solved.

  5. IELTS Problem Solution Essays

    How to Plan & Write IELTS Problem Solution Essays IELTS problem solution essays are the most challenging essay type for many people. The way they are worded can vary hugely which can make it difficult to understand how you should answer the question.

  6. Problem-solution essays

    There are two main ways to structure a problem-solution essay. These are similar to the ways to structure cause and effect essays, namely using a block or a chain structure. For the block structure, all of the problems are listed first, and all of the solutions are listed afterwards.

  7. PDF Problems and Solutions essays

    Procedure: introduce the focus of the lesson: Academic Writing Task 2 - Problems and Solutions essays. elicit environmental problems in general or show the class some pictures related to overfishing and elicit the topic. give students a copy of Worksheet 1 and draw attention to the essay question. elicit keywords from the question to identify ...

  8. How to write an IELTS causes solution essay

    1. A good structure for a causes/problem solution essay. 2. How to analyse the question. 3. Tips on thinking of ideas for the essay. 4. Getting ideas effectively. 5. How to paraphrase the question and write a good introduction. 6. How to build main body paragraphs. 7. How to write an effective conclusion. 8. Model Answer. Structure

  9. How to Write a Problem-Solution Essay: Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1: Think about groups that you belong to and the problems that those groups have. Make a list of groups you belong to, such as: School Hometown community Clubs Sports teams Hobby groups People groups (teenagers, high school students, college students, family, males, females, race, culture, or language group)

  10. How to Write 'Causes (Reasons) and Solutions' Question in IELTS Writing

    1- State the cause (reason) 2- Now, Explain how it is the cause (reason) 3-Write an example. 1- State the solution. 2-Explain how this solution can resolve the problem. 3- Write an example. 1- Write summary of the main points. 2 - Provide suggestion or recommendation Four paragraphs are sufficient to explain your point of view.

  11. How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Here are ten simple steps to help you write an engaging essay that looks into how things are connected. 1. Select a Specific Topic. Choose a cause and effect relationship that sparks your interest. Ensure your topic is focused and manageable for a thorough exploration. 2.

  12. An Ultimate Guide to Writing IELTS Problem Solution Essays

    Start the essay with an introduction paragraph and conclude it with a conclusion paragraph, with the body paragraph between the two. If you're asked to write about both, cause and the solution, then you can write the cause in one body paragraph and the solution in the next body paragraph. Pro tip: To avoid a low score in IELTS problem ...

  13. Cause and Effect Essay Outline: Types, Examples & Writing Tips

    9 minutes read Author: Tomas White Cause and Effect Essay Outline: Types, Examples and Writing Tips This is a complete guide on writing cause and effect essays. Find a link to our essay sample at the end. Let's get started! Table of contents What is a Cause and Effect Essay? Types of the Cause and Effect Essay Cause and Effect Essay Outline Example

  14. How to Write a "Problem and Solution" Essay for IELTS Task 2

    Basic Elements of a Problem-Solution Essay. A problem-solution essay has some key elements. First, it must identify a problem. Second, it must propose one or more solutions to that problem. Third, it must explain why the proposed solution is the best option. Before you start writing a problem-solution essay, it's important to first understand ...

  15. 10.8 Cause and Effect

    Learning Objectives Determine the purpose and structure of cause and effect in writing. Understand how to write a cause-and-effect essay. The Purpose of Cause and Effect in Writing It is often considered human nature to ask, "why?" and "how?"

  16. Problem Solution Essay- IELTS Writing Task 2 Lesson

    Problem: flooding of people's homes and businesses. Solution: build flood barriers or move to higher areas. Problem: loss of agricultural land and starvation. Solution: switch to more suitable crops. Problem: displacement of millions of people. Solution: move people in a planned and orderly way before the floods.

  17. How to Write an Effective Causes and Solutions Essay

    Summarize the causes and solutions discussed in your essay, emphasizing their significance. Restate your thesis statement and reiterate the importance of tackling the problem and implementing the proposed solutions. To make your conclusion impactful, consider ending with a thought-provoking closing sentence that leaves the reader with something ...

  18. All You Need to Know About Writing a Problem Solution Essay

    In a problem and solution essay, the following aspects must be included: The Situation: this opening part is where the foundation of the problem lies. It is not an introduction in the sense that you may be familiar with or an abstract that covers the entirety of your thesis.

  19. IELTS Writing Task 2: How to Structure a 'Problem and Solution' Essay

    1. Separately - you discuss the main cause first then discuss the main solution. You need one or two main causes and one or two main solutions. 2. Together - you discuss the causes one at a time together with its solution. Again, you need at two main causes and two main solutions. Do not write an opinion essay

  20. IELTS Cause Solution Essay Band 9 Model Answer

    IELTS Cause Solution Essay Band 9 Model Answer. The model answer below is for an IELTS cause and solution essay in writing task 2 on the topic of crime and punishment. Many offenders commit more crimes after serving their first punishment. Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?

  21. IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Causes and Solutions

    I have listed here IELTS task 2 causes and solutions question types - enjoy reading and practicing with my sample answers and essays! Enjoy and consider signing up for my Patreon Ebooks here. Dave. IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Causes and Solutions. Environmental damage is a problem in most countries. What is the cause of this damage?

  22. IELTS Writing Task 2: How To Answer Problem/ Cause & Solution Questions

    Essay Plan: Main Idea 1: Changes in society make it harder to maintain close relationships. Sub-idea A: People are more likely to move to another area or city. Sub-idea B: People have very busy lives so have less time for family. Main Idea 2: People should make more effort to foster family relationships.

  23. IELTS causes solutions, problem solutions essays.

    Problem solutions and causes solutions essay are very similar but there is a subtle difference. One type asks about the problems and the other type asks about the causes. It is very important to spend a couple of minutes analysing the task question so that you know what to write about in the essay. I have seen many good essays lose marks in ...

  24. Cause and effect essay. Strategies and practice (pdf)

    English document from Princeton University, 7 pages, Cause-Effect Essays Key Points Essay focus defining a cause-effect essay developing and organizing ideas transitional words and expressions essay analysis and writing practice timed essay Language focus improving style: avoiding vague language improving s