Get familiar with the different types of IELTS essays.
Updated: August 25th 2023
Among IELTS teachers there are often considered to be five patterns or five types of IELTS essays. In this post, we will look at how to spot them.
Before you begin writing your essay the first thing you must do is analyse the task by looking at the instruction words. I have underlined the instruction words in the tasks below, these indicate what type of question it is.
Analysing the task question is a crucial step because if you do not take the time to do this, or if you are unclear about anything, you could write a completely different essay. See more here.
The 5 types of IELTS essays
1. Advantages and disadvantages essay
2. Opinion essays (sometimes called an argument essay)
3. Discussion essay
4. Two-part question essay (sometimes called a direct question essay)
5. Problem solution essay / causes solution essay
Useful links
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How to think of ideas for essays.
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Strategies and tips for paraphrasing the question.
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How to write a good thesis statement.
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3 types of advantage disadvantage essays.
Take a look at these question types for IELTS essays, can you guess what type of essays they are?
I have underlined the ‘instruction words’, these tell you what kind of essay it is and what to write about.
1. Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. Successful sports professionals can earn a great deal more money than people in other important professions. Some people think this is fully justified while others think it is unfair. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
3. As most people spend a major part of their adult life at work, job satisfaction is an important element of individual well-being. What factors contribute to job satisfaction? How realistic is the expectation of job satisfaction for all workers?
4. Some people think that universities should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace. Others think that the true function of a university should be to give access to knowledge for its own sake. In your opinion what should be the main function of a university?
5. In some countries, the average weight of people is increasing and their levels of health and fitness are decreasing. What are the causes of these problems and what measures could be taken to solve them?
6. Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
7. Some people think a crime should always have a fixed punishment like life for murder, while others believe you should take the circumstances of the crime into account. Discuss both views.
8. In recent times, more people prefer to communicate via messaging apps and email instead of face-to-face. Why do you think this is? When is face to face to face communication necessary?
Useful links
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See this lesson about 3 types of Advantage Disadvantage essays
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For model answers on these types of essays click this link here