IELTS Writing Task 2; Expected types of questions

 Recent trends in 

IELTS Writing Task 2.

and Expected Types of Questions.

Part 1.

When we go through the latest IELTS questions, it is conspicuous that the the way the questions are  presented is bizarre.

Many students find it difficult to identify the types of questions because oftentimes they deviate from the usual and conventional way.

Interestingly, the same general statement could be used to frame all the five types of questions. For instance, 

Some people say that entry to museums should be made free for all visitors, whereas, others believe that the entry should be controlled by tickets.

This general statement could be used to make agree/Disagree question, Advantage disadvantage and Discuss types of questions. However, the structure and approaches vary. Therefore, care must be taken to identify the type of questions and using the apt structure.

So, here is an attempt to identify the topics and then provide the types of questions in the light of the latest trends.

Each question carries a few ideas to help you .

Topic 1. News media.

Question: News media is important. Why it is important? Do you think its importance is generally positive or negative?

[  New media and old media a comparison:

* Old media are owned and controlled by large companies and disseminated through one-way communication method. Examples include newspapers, films and television.

* The people who control news dissemination are authorities.

* extreme views are not spread easily

* New media are media that can be produced and distributed  digitally by anyone with an internet connection. Examples include blogs, social media (like Facebook and Twitter) online forums.

* minority views are not marginalized.

* Governments and oligarchs cannot control the messaging.

* Get instant feedback.

* People do not listen and/or respect old media any more].

Topic 2. International Aid.

Question: Some people think that government should not give international aid, since they would disadvantage people like unemployed and homeless in their own country.

How far do you agree or disagree?

[Advantages of foreign aid.

* Saves lives during calamities and natural disasters

* Rebuild livelihoods 

*  Provide medicines

* Aids agriculture

* Encourage development

Promote Sanitation

Disadvantages.

* Increase dependency

* Risk of corruption

* Economic/Political pressure

* Ignore small scale farmers.]

Topic 3.   Homeschooling

Question: Some people think that teaching children at home is best for child development, while others think it is important for children to go to schools.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

[ Advantages.

* Parental control over what the children learn

* Provides flexibility over teaching time 

*  Provides necessary care and attention

* Keep away from the negativity of the society

* Helps parents to identify the hidden talents of the child

Disadvantages:

* Can not make friends and enjoy the bliss of school life.

* Deprive the child from social interaction

* Working- parents can not spend much time with child

* Some parents may lack patience 

* Parents may not have adequate knowledge of every subject]

Topic 4. 

Tourism to remote natural environment, such as south pole.

Question: It is now possible for for scientists and tourists to travel to remote natural environment, such as South pole.

Do the advantages of it outweigh the disadvantages?

[ Advantages:

* Can acquire more knowledge about the natural habitat

* Discover new places and have new experience

* Can come across different cultutres and lifestyles

Disadvantages:

* Destruction of popular tourist destinations by large number of tourists

* Illegal economic activities

* Local people lose privacy

* Harms local culture.

* Increased pollution.

Topic 5, History.

Question: It is more important for school children to study local history than world history. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 [ Why should we learn History?

Ans: History teaches us about the travesties which have occurred in the past, such as a war or a holocaust. It is essential for people not to forget such events because they they they are educative in purpose. Moreover, History helps us to understand the changes happened.

Question: What is more important, local or world history?

Ans: Both are equally important.

While local history enables children to learn about regional culture and politics, 

world history allows them to understand how global events shape their region.

Local history is the history of one's own ancestors living in the same geographical area.

World history is the story of annals of human race.

Topic 5. Music

Question: Some people think that music plays an important role in society. Others think it is simply a form of entertainment.

Discuss both the views and give your opinion.

[Question: Why music is plays an important role in society?

Ans: Music can transform the emotions and feelings of the peoplee e within no time. It can lessen stress, pain, struggle,distraction and bring positivity and calmness in our daily lives, Moreover, it holds people together in different ways.

Question: Is music a form of entertainment?

Ans: Without any doubt, music is the best form of entertainment . Firstly, it has various genre, which ensures there is something for everyone. 

Furthermore, music can be accessed easily and for free through radio and  TV channels.]

Topic 6.  Crime and Punishment

Question: Prison is the common way in most countries to solve the problems of crime. However, a more effective way is to provide better education.

How far do you agree or disagree?

Topic 7.  Animals

Question: In the modern world, it is no longer necessary to use animals for food or use animal products , for instance clothing and medicines. 

How far do you agree or disagree with the statement?

Topic 8. Children and Technology.

Question: Some people believe that stories from a book is better than watching TV or playing computer games for children. 

How far do you agree or disagree?

Topic 9. Role models

Question:  Nowadays, young people are admiring media and sports stars even though they do not set good examples. Do you think it is a positive or a negative  development?

Topic 10.  Government Role.

Question: There are more new towns been built nowadays. It is more important to include public parks and sports facilities than shopping centres for individuals to spend their free times.

How far do you agree or disagree?

[ Public parks and sports facilities help to keep our bodies fit and they also elevate our mood during the day. Besides, they are a great way to for people to socialize with their neighbours. People can connect with others when they are playing playing sports or talking casually with passers by in the park.]

Topic 11. Food.

 

Question: In many countries, traditional foods are being replaced by international fast foods. This has a negative effect on both families and societies. How far do you agree or disagree?

[Traditional food refers to foods and dishes that are passed through generations, whereas fast food is a type of mass-produced food designed for commercial resale and with strong priority placed on speed of service versus  other relevant factors involved in culinary science.

Traditional food is natural food and it is low on saturated fat, trans fat and calories which help you to manage weight...

Junk food can result in long term damage,  going for unhealthy food stuffs like French fries, pizza, pastries and candy can increase your risk of developing depression, obesity, heart diseases, and cancer.]

Topic 12. Urban and Rural.

Question:  As transportation and accommodation problems are increasing in many cities, some governments are encouraging businesses to move to rural areas. Do you think the advantages of this step outweighs the disadvantages?

Topic 13. Information Technology.

Question:  Some people say that government should establish libraries in each towns. Others believe that it is a waste of money since people can access the internet at home to obtain information. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

[ Difference between Library and the internet.

Libraries provide free access to scholarly books, journals, newspapers encyclopedias, and other print reference sources

Advantages of library  Sources.

It has two advantages. 

Access to more documents and information sources due to coordination  and co-operation of many libraries in a system.

* less expensive because the total cost is shared by the number of libraries in the system.

Why libraries are better than Google?

Internet search engines like Google can search billions of public web pages for your keywords in seconds, but they can not access proprietary y data.

The library pats for access to databases containing scholarly resources that can not all be found using internet search engines.  

Disadvantages of libraries.

* Time and access can be obstacle to library research.

 Students must go to the library during the library hours which may not be convenient.]

Topic 14. Youth and society.

Question: It is suggested that all adults should undertake a period of unpaid work helping people in the community. Does it bring more benefits or drawbacks to young people?

[Benefits of unpaid voluntary service.

It provides several benefits to both mental and physical health.

* Volunteering increases self-confidence, self-esteem and life satisfaction........

* Volunteering combats depression.....

* Volunteering helps to stay physically fit....

* Addressing community needs, exposure to new people, learning new skills and experiencing group dynamics are a few benefits of community service.

Disadvantage of voluntary community service.

* Time Commitment. Depending on the type of work you are doing, volunteering can be time-consuming.....

* Lack of pay. While volunteer work can be emotionally rewarding, you are not receiving any monetary compensation for your time....

* Studies may be disrupted...]

*

Topic 15. Work. 

Question: Most employers nowadays put increasing emphasis on social skills. Some people believe that social skill are important in addition to good qualification. How far do you agree or disagree?

[ What do you mean by social skills?

Ans: Social skill are the skills we use every day to interact and communicate with others. They include verbal and non-verbal communication, such as speech, gesture,facial expression and body language.

Although qualification is one of the significant conditions, social skills are indispensable part of job seeking.

A good qualification is a proof that the candidate has solid knowledge and ability to take over the job well.

Social skill are important because it helps one to coordinate people in the company. Rapid response ability, decent communication and good organizing ability are fairly important in work.]

 Part 2 follows.....

Topics covered:

1. Social issues

2. Economy

3. Urbanization

4. Road and Transport

5. Job and Gender

6. Job and Age

7. Environment

8. Education

9. Health

10. Society and People