IELTS Academic Writing Task 2: Problems and Solutions Essay – Structure and template

There is a question in the IELTS essay which looks like this:

What are the main problems and how these problems be tackled?

or like this:

What are the issues and what measures can be taken?
What are the problems and how can it be solved?
What problems does this cause? What can be done to deal with this situation?

There is a question in the IELTS essay which looks like this:

What are the main problems and how these problems be tackled?

or like this:

What are the issues and what measures can be taken?
What are the problems and how can it be solved?
What problems does this cause? What can be done to deal with this situation?

This type of essay is called Problems / Solutions Essay, because you are asked about existing problems and solutions to them.

Example of the task:

An increasing number of professionals, such as doctors and teachers, are leaving their own poorer countries to work in developed countries. What problems does this cause? What can be done to deal with this situation?

HERE IS AN EFFECTIVE STRUCTURE FOR THIS ESSAY TYPE

1§ Introduction: Paraphrase the Task + Add general words like: there are numerous problems and there are certain measures to be taken to resolve them. 2 SENTENCES

2§ One of the biggest problems is … + explain it + give an example. To solve this problem, the government could …, which would ... (do what? Add a result)

3§ Another issue is … + explain it + give an example OR result. This problem could be addressed by Verb+ing … which would … + result

4§ Finally, another problem is the … That is to say, … (explain the problem). The way forward should be to …

5§ Conclusion: sum up the problems and solutions you wrote above. 2 SENTENCES

ATTENTION:

In this essay you can write about two or three problems, and about two or three solutions accordingly.

It is better to write about the problem + solution in one paragraph, in this case your solution is related to the problem.

There is no your personal position here - the task DOES NOT ask you if you agree or not. You write your point of view only ON THE PROBLEM and ITS SOLUTION. In the introduction, you rephrase and add common words that there are certain problems + solutions to them. In conclusion, you summarize the problems and solutions that you wrote about.

The topics in this essay are different: fast food, environment, education, migration, etc. - there is only one structure for all of them.

Be prepared to rephrase the words problems, solutions, solve to demonstrate your knowledge of vocabulary and synonyms.