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IELTS Writing Task 2: Causes/Solutions Sample 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.

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

David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles , his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru. Come join David and the Magoosh team on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram , or connect with him via LinkedIn !

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• Academic practice
• General practice
• Task 1 Academic
• Task 1 General
• Task 2 (essay)

How to write cause/effect essays in IELTS?

Cause and effect essay questions in IELTS Writing task 2 give you a problem and ask you to state the main causes of this problem and discuss its possible effects .

In this lesson you will see:

• how to generate ideas for causes and effects
• band 9 answer structure for causes/effects essay
• cause/effect model essay

This is an example of cause/effect IELTS writing task 2 question:

Today more people are overweight than ever before.

What in your opinion are the primary causes of this?

What are the main effects of this epidemic?

Generating ideas

After you’ve read the question, you can clearly determine the problem: growing number of overweight people .

But before you start to write your essay, it’s a good idea to think of 2-3 causes and 2-3 possible effects of the problem.

Causes of obesity :

• inactive lifestyle (relying on cars instead of walking, fewer physical demands at work, inactive leisure activities)
• unhealthy eating habits (eating fast-food, drinking high-calorie beverages, consuming large portions of food, eating irregularly)

Effects of obesity :

• physical health problems
• loss of productivity
• depressions and mental disorders

Now, after we’ve generated the main ideas for causes and effects, it’s time to use these ideas in our essay.

Band 9 answer structure

As you know, there are many ways to structure your essay, but we’ll use a structure that has been approved by many IELTS examiners to be high-scoring and coherent .

Band-9 essay structure :

Introduction

Body paragraph 1 - causes

Body paragraph 2 - effects

Let’s take a look at each of these sections in detail.

Write your introduction in two sentences:

Nowadays the number of overweight people is constantly growing.

This essay will discuss the main reasons of this epidemic and then describe the possible effects of the problem.

In my opinion, the foremost causes of obesity are inactive lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits.

Today more and more people rely on cars instead of walking, have less physical demands at work and prefer inactive leisure activities. This results in burning less calories and gaining weight.

Moreover, the problem is accentuated by the growing number of people, who eat irregularly and consume large portions of high-calorie food. For example, about 50% of the adult population in Europe with so-called disordered eating suffer from obesity.

The possible effects of this problem include physical health problems and loss of productivity.

First of all, obesity results in incorrect functioning of the human body and contributes to the risk of developing some chronic illnesses. For example, as body fat percentage increases, the person’s metabolism worsens, which in turn may result in diabetes or heart diseases.

Secondly, overweight people are very unhealthy and often suffer from stress and tiredness. This lessens their work capacity and results in lower productivity. For example, it has been proven that an obese person needs to put more effort to complete some task than a person with normal weight.

For the conclusion you need simply to restate the problem and sum up the causes and effects that you described in your body paragraphs:

To sum up, obesity is a big problem that affects a lot of people nowadays. It’s mainly caused by inactive lifestyle and eating disorders and results in severe health problems and loss of productivity.

Model essay

Nowadays the number of overweight people is constantly increasing. This essay will discuss the main reasons of this epidemic and then describe the possible effects of the problem.

In my opinion, the foremost causes of obesity are inactive lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits. Today more and more people rely on cars instead of walking, have less physical demands at work and prefer inactive leisure activities. This results in burning less calories and gaining weight. Moreover, the problem is accentuated by the growing number of people, who eat irregularly and consume large portions of high-calorie food. For example, about 50% of the adult population in Europe with so-called disordered eating suffer from obesity.

The possible effects of this problem include physical health problems and loss of productivity. First of all, obesity results in incorrect functioning of the human body and contributes to the risk of developing some chronic illnesses. For example, as body fat percentage increases, the person’s metabolism worsens, which in turn may result in diabetes or heart diseases. Secondly, overweight people are very unhealthy and often suffer from stress and tiredness. This lessens their work capacity and results in lower productivity. For example, it has been proven that an obese person needs to put more effort to complete some task than a person with normal weight.

To sum up, obesity is a big problem that affects a lot of people nowadays. It’s mainly caused by inactive lifestyle and eating disorders and results in severe health problems and loss of productivity.

(251 words)

IELTS Cause and Effect Essay

These essays often create confusion for IELTS test takers. Why? Because very often test takers confuse these with problem and solution essays, and this costs them band scores in Task Achievement.

In these essays, you need to write about the causes of these problems and the effects they have, NOT the problems and their solutions .

Sample Cause and Effect Essay topic

Today more people are overweight than ever before.

What are the primary causes of this?

What are the main effects of this epidemic?

The planning stage

Before you begin your IELTS writing task 2 , make sure you understand the essay topic. Clearly, it is about obesity, but if you write an essay with suggestions on what measures could be taken to help people achieve a healthy weight, this will give you a lower band score.

Look at the first question:

Here, you must come up with ideas for why people are more overweight nowadays. What do you think are the causes of these problems? Why is it so difficult to maintain a healthy weight nowadays? What changes in our society have made people heavier than they were 30, 40 or 50 years ago? Two ideas are enough.

• less time to exercise and prepare healthy food
• abundance of fast food and unhealthy food

Look at the second question:

What problems does obesity cause? Who is affected and how? Again, come up with 2 ideas.

• higher mortality rates and illness
• strain on the economy

Remember that for each idea, you need support. Support can be evidence, like statistics that prove your idea, or further explanation about why or how your idea is true.

• less time to exercise and prepare food/ sedentary lifestyle-> Harvard University study shows that people are working on average 10 hours more per week than they were 40 years ago
• abundance of fast food and unhealthy food -> provides a low-cost, easy solution to meal preparation but poor quality and high in fat
• higher mortality rates and illness-> Being an unhealthy weight is associated with higher levels of strokes, heart disease and diabetes, which can lead to death
• strain on the economy -> illness leads to lost productivity in the workplace and higher health care costs

The writing stage

With brainstorming completed, you can begin writing the introduction to your IELTS cause and effect essay. 2-4 sentences are enough.

• Introduce the topic
• Mention that there are several causes of obesity
• Say that the problem creates serious effects on individuals and society

Do you have to say what the causes and effects are in the introduction? Not necessarily. If you can briefly mention them by name, then you can, but if doing so requires a lengthy explanation, bypass this and go straight to writing your body paragraphs.

Do not spend too much time on your introduction. The introduction of an IELTS essay needs to be concise and contain the required information but a better band score will be achieved by spending time developing your body, not the introduction.

Band 9 sample introduction

In countries around the world, the rates of obesity are skyrocketing nowadays. This is a situation that has multiple causes, creating effects that can be felt not only by the individual but by society as a whole. This essay will address the causes and effects of increased obesity, using statistics from Harvard University to provide evidence and support.

Body paragraph one - causes

Tips for structure.

In addition to solid ideas and support, a well-written paragraph also needs a clear topic sentence to introduce the central idea. You may also end with a statement of conclusion, which essentially is a rephrasing of your topic sentence.

Band 9 sample body paragraph one

A variety of factors have contributed to the rise in rates of obesity, all of which can be attributed to changes in our way of life. One such change is our increasingly sedentary lifestyle, brought on in part by more work. For example, a recent study by Harvard University shows that around the world, people are working on average 10 hours more per week than they were 40 years ago. As a result, people are sitting more and have even less time to focus on their health and fitness than they did in the past. Our increased work hours have created another problem related to our diet. With fewer hours at home, more and more people are turning to fast food and other unhealthy alternatives for their meals, which have become widely available and inexpensive, instead of cooking healthy food. The result of these issues is a society with epidemic levels of obesity.

Body paragraph 2 - effects

Many students struggle with how to create a solid link between the two body paragraphs. In an IELTS cause and effect essay, the topic sentence simply needs to introduce that the problem has a variety of effects. There can be a reference to the cause, if appropriate.

Band 9 sample body paragraph two

This rise in obesity has far-reaching effects, both on an individual and a societal level. For the individual, being overweight has been linked with higher mortality rates and illness. More specifically, people suffering from an unhealthy weight are known to have higher incidences of strokes, heart disease and diabetes. Additionally, obese people on average have a lower life expectancy than their normal weight counterparts. For society, with more citizens reaching obesity levels, a strain on our economy is created. Increased illness means that employees are taking more sick leave, resulting in a loss of productivity. Furthermore, additional healthcare is needed to treat obesity-related illness, adding costs that affect the patient, the employer and the healthcare system. Therefore, it is clear that obesity is a health crisis that reduces quality of life and poses problems for the economy, and in turn, society.

Writing the conclusion

Again, aim for brevity. It is possible to create a solid conclusion to your IELTS essay in two to three sentences.

A well-written conclusion needs to rephrase the topic again, mentioning that obesity is a problem with a number of factors and effects that are felt throughout society.

The last sentence should leave a thought-provoking statement for the examiner. This could be a prediction for the future or a statement highlighting the seriousness of the problem.

Band 9 sample conclusion

In conclusion, our sedentary lifestyle, extended work hours and consumption of unhealthy food has led countries around the world to high levels of obesity. The result of this trend affects all levels of society. It is imperative that measures are taken to solve this epidemic before it is too late.

Grammar - tenses

Band 9 essays need to show a wide range of grammar. One way to do this is to use a variety of tenses appropriately and accurately. In each of the paragraphs no fewer than 3 tenses were used.

A variety of factors have contributed to the rise in rates of obesity, all of which can be attributed to changes in our way of life.

For example, a recent study by Harvard University shows that around the world, people are working on average 10 hours more per week than they were 40 years ago.

Lexical Resources

Some topic-specific vocabulary will earn you higher marks in the lexical resources criterion.

• sedentary lifestyle
• epidemic levels
• on a societal level
• mortality rates
• higher incidences of strokes
• loss of productivity
• health crisis
• poses problems

Cause and effect essays are some of the easier tasks to write because you do not need to have a position and support it. They require a little knowledge of the topic, but remember, IELTS is a language test, not a knowledge test, so feel free to draw from personal experience.

Practice writing these types of essays but more importantly, get feedback for your writing. The team at IELTSPODCAST.COM is available to correct your essays and give you expert guidance quickly and affordably.

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How to write ‘causes (reasons) and effects’ type of essay in ielts writing task 2.

In “causes and effects” type of essay, IELTS examiners want you to discuss the causes or reasons of the problem in one paragraph.The likely effects of that problem in the second paragraph separately. Therefore, it is important that you find out relevant points of causes (reasons) and effects  for IELTS Writing . Please note that in this question, you should not make any paragraph about solutions.

Let’s look at an example:

Obesity in children is a serious problem in a number of countries..

What are the causes of obesity in children?

Discuss the possible alarming effects of this problem in the future.

With this type of essay, you have two points to be discussed: 1.   Causes of obesity in children in developed countries. 2.   Effects of obesity in the future in developed countries. 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 it?

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

 Introduction

Causes & Reasons Effects Conclusion Further structuring of the paragraphs can be done as follows:

a. Introduction

Paraphrase the Question Outline the sentence

b. -Body Paragraph 1 (Causes (reasons))

State the cause (reason) Explain how it is the cause (reason) Write an example

c.  (Effects)

State the likely effect Explain how this can be the possible effect Write an example

d.  Conclusion

Sentence 1- Write summary of the main points Here, Four paragraphs are sufficient to explain your point of view. So,You may use any other structure you are comfortable with.This structure is approved by the IELTS examiners to help the students write in an effective and cohesive manner.

Sample Question:

Also, You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic:

Here, Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words. Sample Answer: Here, Over the past few years, developed countries have encountered various cases of children suffering from the problem of obesity. This essay will discuss the possible causes for this increasing problem among children and also suggests the possible consequences that may result in case of negligence. Furthermore, To embark upon, one of the main causes of obesity among children is poor diet as they are often seen eating junk food. At almost every corner of the street, one can found restaurants offering mouth tempting fast foods. Kids at home also are found to eat processed food because their parents do not find sufficient time for preparing the food. For example, packaged foods are purchased and kept in fridge for days. This food is not fresh and healthy. Hence affects their health, leading to build up of fat and compromising their fitness. As a result, there are many possible consequences faced by the children. One such ill-effect is the risk of developing health related severe diseases like diabetes. So,This kind of debilitating illness implies that the child would need to be injected with insulin for the whole life. Moreover, overweight children are often found to be bullied . For example, many overweight kids are found disturbed facing the negative stigma of being obese Here,On the whole, it is evident that there are various causes responsible for obesity among children and can lead to serious consequences in the future.  Also, It is the duty of their parents and relatives to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to prevent this problem from getting worst in the future. (279 words)

Vocabulary and Phrases:

Useful vocabulary for causes (reasons).

• One of the causes/The reason is that
• Because/Since
• Due to this/Because of/Owing to/Lead to
• As a result/Lead to the problem/Can attribute to

Useful vocabulary for Effects

• Consequence of/As a result of/Because of/Due to
• Make/Create/Change/Effect/Affect/Result
• Risk of/Leading to

Write an essay of about 250 words on the following topics. Use the vocabulary mentioned above. 1. Also,There are a number of skin-whitening products available in the market. State the reasons why people are using these products? Discuss the possible negative outcomes of using these products. 2. Here,With the advancement of technology, social interaction among people has affected to a greater extent. What are the reasons of reduced social interaction? Suggest whether this would lead to a positive or negative effect in the future. 3. So,Almost everybody nowadays is found using personal vehicle for travelling purpose. What are the reasons of this increasing trend? Explain what negative outcomes may be faced in the society due to this.

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Causes/ Effects/ Solutions

This type of test requires candidates to state the causes/ effects/ solutions of a particular social problem. The topic can combine a variety of requirements. Let’s learn more about About IELTS below.

Table of Contents

I. How To Identify Cause & Effect Forms?

In this presentation, candidates will be asked about the causes and solutions to a problem. Here are the frequently asked questions of this type of article:

– In many countries, there is a problem with declining quality of air and water from both industry and construction. What measures can be taken to prevent this?

– Consumers are faced with increasing numbers of advertisements from competing companies. To what extent do you think consumers are influenced by advertisements? What measures can be taken to protect them?

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

IELTS Writing Task 2: Format Advantages And Disadvantages

• IELTS Writing Task 2: Discussing Both View And Giving Your Opinion
• IELTS Writing Task 2: Agreement Or Disagreement

II. How to Write Causes/ Effects/ Solutions

• Cause: Cause is partly related to human activities. People’s daily habits or customs are the sources of the reasons, and it is easy to think about the causes. Brainstorm at least two causes if the Cause part is asked.
• Effect: Positive or negative influence on PEOPLE (Person), SOCIETY (Society), GOVERNMENT (Government), or INDIVIDUAL (Self) would be accessible sources of power on ideas. Brainstorm at least two effects if the Effect part is asked.
• Solution: Every cause and effect has a solution to deal with. Relate cause or effect and affected ideas to suggest solutions—brainstorm solutions for the number of reasons or mentioned impacts.

1. Cause & Effect

Introduction

• Paraphrase the title again
• Thesis statement: answer the question of the topic (generally introduce what causes/effects are there, depending on the question of the topic)

Templet: It can be seen that… This paper will focus on the causes / the consequences.

• The topic sentence introduces the cause(s)
•  Giving supporting sentences explain or list additional causes.
• Body Paragraph 2 – Effects

The topic sentence provides an overview of the advantages: Several related problems can be anticipated when..

• Talking about advantage 1: The main issue is that….. In other words,…
• Talking about advantage 2: Another further pressure will include…..
• Talking about advantage 3: Last but not least,…..
• Paraphrase thesis statement and briefly summarize cause-effect.

Templet: All things considered, when it comes to the trend that…, it mainly comes from… / it results in … / it could be tackled by…

2. Cause & Solutions

• Thesis statement: answer the question of the essay (generally introduce any causes/solutions, depending on the question of the problem)

Templet: It can be seen that… This paper will focus on the causes/ the solutions.

• The following supporting sentences explain or list additional causes.
• Body Paragraph 2 – Solutions

The topic sentence outlines the shortcomings: There are several actions that could be taken to solve the problems.

• Talking about cons 1: First,……. It means that ……
• Talking about cons 2: A second measure would be….. In particular, ……
• Talking about cons 3: Finally,……. For example,…
• Paraphrase thesis statement and summarize causes – solutions

Check Your IELTS Writing

Iii. sample.

Some businesses find that their new employees lack basic interpersonal skills such as cooperative skills. What are the causes? Suggest some solutions.

Cooperative communication has been undermined in the present day’s world of work, with many employers claiming that their staff do not have the interpersonal skills required to handle a job well. Reasons for this include the abuse of technology and the sheltered upbringing a worker might have, and several measures could be taken to solve this problem.

Excessive use of technological devices is one reason attributable to the deterioration in interpersonal skills among workers. Technology has made verbal communication redundant; many aspects of our life, from ordering a pizza, socializing with friends, learning a new language or even physical training can be done without conversations.

As a result, workers nowadays, especially young ones, find themselves unaccustomed to talking to their colleagues in person, or prefer conversing digitally.

Furthermore, young people in recent years appear to be overprotected compared to their predecessors 10-20 years ago. Research indicates that today’s millennials, especially in collectivistic countries, are more inclined towards living under the protection of their parents.

In other cases, some parents adopt a very easy-going approach that allows their children to do whatever they want to. Such safeguarding and permissiveness may result in either an inhibited worker who is unable to strike up a proper conversation, or a self-centered one who does not want to cooperate with others in assignments that require teamwork.

One solution to this problem would be to promote digital wellbeing, that is, to know how to harness technology in a moderate manner. Having a 30-day no-social-media challenge among workers in a company, for example, would be a fun way of reducing the amount of time wasted for social networking sites.

Public places such as parking spaces or cafeterias can also help by setting up boards and signs with inspirational words promoting the power of interpersonal communication and teamwork.

From an educational perspective, parents and teachers should take a less protective, more group-engaging approach towards teaching youngsters.

Children should be taught to work in groups so that they can socialize more with their friends and cherish collaboration. Early exposure to different personality traits can help a person be much better prepared for their future career.

In conclusion, misuse of technology and families’ overprotection are the two main reasons for the lack of interpersonal skills among workers. Promoting moderate use of technology and early education can be viewed as efficient ways of alleviating this problem.

• undermine (v): to weaken
• sheltered upbringing (n) sheltered upbringing
• verbal communication (n): verbal communication
• unaccustomed to (ving) (adj): unfamiliar with
• converse (v): talk, communicate
• predecessor (n): the forerunner, the previous generation
• collectivistic (adj): is collective, community (as opposed to individualistic)
• safeguarding (n): protection
• inhibited (adj): shy, afraid to communicate
• self-centered (adj): selfish, self-important
• digital wellbeing (n): healthy use of technology
• harness (v) technology: make use of technology
• cherish (v): treasure

Vocabulary often used in the form of Cause & Effect

• A cause of/ A reason for X
• Affects/ influences
• Leads to/ gives rise to/ brings about
• To be affected/ influenced by X
• To be caused by/ produced by/ result from X
• To be a consequence of/ to be a result of/ to be due to the effect of X
• As a result of/ As a consequence of X: According to the consequences that X brings
• consequently,/ Thus,/ Therefore,/ Hence,/ For this reason
• Owing to/ On account of/ Because of/ Due to the fact that
• One of the causes/ The reason is that
• Because/ Since/ As
• Due to this/ Because of/ Owing to X
• Leading to X

Essay topic: Different cultures are mixing today and the world is becoming a global village. What are the consequences? What could be done to solve the problems involved?

There is currently a trend for the world to become smaller as a result of the mixing of many different cultures. This phenomenon is associated with a number of negative effects and solutions will be suggested to cope with them. One of the most noticeable problems of this tendency is that people all around the world will have to adapt to a global culture. That means ethnic cultures will find it hard to survive, and cultural diversity will gradually be lost. For instance, people in all regions, ranging from Africa through Europe to Asia, will end up speaking English, watching Hollywood films, and eating McDonald’s fast food. As for measures to tackle cultural problems of globalization, one possible solution is there should be courses on the beauty of each and every ethnic culture. For example , in Vietnam, many different courses should be opened in big cities to give people a chance to have access to the Vietnamese culture, the Thai culture, or the Brazilian culture in terms of cuisine. Such courses could help the general public to realize the necessity to retain cultural diversity in this rapidly-changing modern world. In addition, individuals should raise their own awareness of the importance of their own culture as well as other cultures. This could be carried out in many ways, especially with the help of social media channels such as Facebook or Instagram. People from all countries around the globe could share pictures or videos of their unique cultures, and, through such sharing, they can appreciate and respect other cultures, not only their own.

In conclusion, there are many adverse effects of sharing one common culture, but the most serious problem is the disappearance of ethnic cultures. This could be solved by organizing cultural courses by the government and sharing information about many different cultures by individuals.

Essay topic: More and more young people commit serious crimes. Question: Why is this the case?

Have you ever wondered why a growing number of youngsters commit serious offences? To the best of my knowledge , there are a number of reasons for this phenomenon.

In the first place, a great number of teenagers seriously break the law because of the lack of parental care. The problem is most parents today are so busy working day and night that they cannot take sufficient care of their kids. Let us take an example: many parents are doctors who work night shifts frequently, leading to the consequence that their teenage sons or daughters are trapped in criminal activities, such as burglary or drug trafficking.

Secondly, poor education at school is a significant factor. Sadly, more and more teachers in high school or middle school today do not have a good sense of responsibility for stopping or preventing their students from unlawful acts. They just focus on teaching academic subjects without paying enough attention to kids’ behavioral problems.

Last but not least, making friends with bad people makes the young fall into criminal troubles. For instance, their friends in their neighborhood could commit petty theft and somehow influence them. From good kids, they gradually become used to, and addicted to, stealing items from others.

In conclusion , it is crystal-clear that the upward trend in young people’s severe crime rates results from three core factors. They are improper education at home and at school as well as adverse effects from bad friends.

IELTS Writing Task 2: Discuss Both Views And Give Your Opinion

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How to Write ‘Causes (Reasons) and Effects’ Type of Essay in IELTS Writing Task 2

In “causes and effects” type of essay, IELTS examiners want you to discuss the causes or reasons of the problem in one paragraph.The likely effects of that problem in the second paragraph separately. Therefore, it is important that you find out relevant points of causes (reasons) and effects for IELTS Writing . Please note that in this question, you should not make any paragraph about solutions.

Let’s look at an example:

Obesity in children is a serious problem in a number of countries..

What are the causes of obesity in children?

Discuss the possible alarming effects of this problem in the future.

With this type of essay, you have two points to be discussed: 1. Causes of obesity in children in developed countries.

2. Effects of obesity in the future in developed countries.

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 it?

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

Introduction

Causes & Reasons

Further structuring of the paragraphs can be done as follows:

a. Introduction

Paraphrase the Question

Outline the sentence

b. -Body Paragraph 1 (Causes (reasons))

State the cause (reason)

Explain how it is the cause (reason)

Write an example

c. (Effects)

State the likely effect

Explain how this can be the possible effect

d. Conclusion

Sentence 1- Write summary of the main points Here, Four paragraphs are sufficient to explain your point of view. So,You may use any other structure you are comfortable with.This structure is approved by the IELTS examiners to help the students write in an effective and cohesive manner.

Sample Question:

Also, You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

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

Write at least 250 words.

Sample Answer:

Here, Over the past few years, developed countries have encountered various cases of children suffering from the problem of obesity. This essay will discuss the possible causes for this increasing problem among children and also suggests the possible consequences that may result in case of negligence.

Furthermore, To embark upon, one of the main causes of obesity among children is poor diet as they are often seen eating junk food. At almost every corner of the street, one can found restaurants offering mouth tempting fast foods. Kids at home also are found to eat processed food because their parents do not find sufficient time for preparing the food. For example, packaged foods are purchased and kept in fridge for days. This food is not fresh and healthy. Hence affects their health, leading to build up of fat and compromising their fitness.

As a result, there are many possible consequences faced by the children. One such ill-effect is the risk of developing health related severe diseases like diabetes. So,This kind of debilitating illness implies that the child would need to be injected with insulin for the whole life. Moreover, overweight children are often found to be bullied . For example, many overweight kids are found disturbed facing the negative stigma of being obese

Here,On the whole, it is evident that there are various causes responsible for obesity among children and can lead to serious consequences in the future. Also, It is the duty of their parents and relatives to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to prevent this problem from getting worst in the future.

(279 words)

Vocabulary and Phrases:

Useful vocabulary for causes (reasons).

• One of the causes/The reason is that
• Because/Since
• Due to this/Because of/Owing to/Lead to
• As a result/Lead to the problem/Can attribute to

Useful vocabulary for Effects

• Consequence of/As a result of/Because of/Due to
• Make/Create/Change/Effect/Affect/Result
• Risk of/Leading to

Write an essay of about 250 words on the following topics. Use the vocabulary mentioned above. 1. Also,There are a number of skin-whitening products available in the market. State the reasons why people are using these products? Discuss the possible negative outcomes of using these products.

2. Here,With the advancement of technology, social interaction among people has affected to a greater extent. What are the reasons of reduced social interaction? Suggest whether this would lead to a positive or negative effect in the future.

3. So,Almost everybody nowadays is found using personal vehicle for travelling purpose. What are the reasons of this increasing trend? Explain what negative outcomes may be faced in the society due to this.

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TASK TWO QUESTIONS: CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS

This list contains questions that use some form of the prompt:

Use these questions to practise this type of essay. If you want to submit an essay for marking, remember to use the question code (e.g. T20503).

QUESTION LIST (updated)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

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? 

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

Write at least 250 words.

In spite of the advances made in agriculture, many people around the world still go hungry. 

Why is this the case? What can be done about this problem? 

In many countries schools have severe problems with student behaviour.

What do you think are the causes of this? What solutions do you suggest?

People often have no interaction with their neighbours and this is harming communities. 

What are the reasons for this and what can be done to solve this problem?

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• Sep 17, 2023

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

Updated: 5 days ago

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 Task 2

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IELTS Writing Task 2  Causes and Solutions: Sample Answer Watch the video on Writing Task 2: Causes and Solutions

Requirements

This question type requires you to identify causes or reasons of an issue and offer solutions. The topics are usually social and nothing controversial.

The wording of the questions can vary. For example....

“What do you think are the reasons for this?”  “Why is this happening?”

“What can be done to reverse this?”  “What measures can be taken to prevent this?”  

Sample Answer

Obesity, in recent years, has become prevalent in certain nations which has resulted in a decline in the levels of well-being. This essay will discuss reasons for this phenomenon along with proposing some measures that can be implemented to reverse this trend. 

The major reasons for weight gain, in my estimation, are an imbalanced diet along with a sedentary lifestyle. People nowadays have a preference for convenience food because they either do not have sufficient time to prepare a healthy meal or they are probably ignorant of the negative effects these fast foods have on their health. An additional factor is the idle lifestyle many citizens live as a result of the changes in working practices.  Jobs that were once done entirely by humans have become increasingly automated, especially in the industrial sector, while employees in other fields spend an inordinate amount of time in front of computer screens. 

Education can be the key to stemming this unhealthy trend which, in turn, will lighten the state’s health care expenses. Throughout the education system, children need to be taught the importance of a healthy, balanced diet in a curriculum that also values and practices physical education. Moreover, citizens could be encouraged, through government health-awareness programs, to do more physical exercise. Having their awareness raised on the ill-effects of weight gain and the numerous benefits of maintaining fitness, people can be incentivized to make positive lifestyle adjustments.

In conclusion, an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise have resulted in obesity amongst people. Governments, therefore, should take responsibility for educating their citizens to be more responsible for their weight levels and physical fitness.

Sample: Causes and Solutions. PDF