How To Write An Advantages Or Disadvantages Essay

essay structure advantage disadvantage

In writing task 2 you will be asked to write a discursive essay ( 250 words minimum ). You will be given a question asking you to give your opinion, and discuss a problem or issue. You could also be asked to provide solutions, evaluate a problem, compare and contrast different ideas or challenge an idea. In this post, we will be focusing on how to  write a advantages/disadvantages essay .

WRITING TASK 2 Advantages/Disadvantages STRUCTURE

The structure that I advise my students to use, will be sure to get you a band score of 7+. You need to practice using this structure, with as many questions as you can, before sitting your IELTS test. This writing task 2 structure has been proven to be successful for my students and when perfected, can easily help you to achieve a high band score. 

4-PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE >>

This is the introduction to the essay and where you should start off by paraphrasing the question. 

There are two sentences you need in the introduction >>

Paraphrase the question

Paragraph 2 – Main Body Paragraph 1

Start the paragraph by introducing the disadvantage. This is where you need to have a topic sentence. The next sentence(s) should explain, going into detail. The third sentence should give an example.

The example you give could be something from your own experience or made up – it is ok to make up something as the examiners will not fact check your information. They want to see your ability to use English at a certain level. You could make up an example from a report, journal, newspaper or University study. 

TIP >> If the question asks you if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of something then your essay structure will change slightly. You should make sure you write about how one side is better than the other. You will also have to include this in your introduction. The side that you think outweighs the other should be written about first in main body paragraph 1. Followed by main body paragraph 2 – the more fragile argument. 

SAMPLE Advantages/Disadvantages ESSAY >>

On the other hand, the primary disadvantage of having fixed punishments is that people who have committed low-level crimes may also be given harsh sentences, in the same way as those who have been sentenced for high-level crimes. This may make the system unjust, as the punishment should befit the crime. For instance, a person who may have acted in self defence, should have their case heard in full, before being given a punishment befitting of someone who has been part of a violent act.

WRITING TASK 2 BAND SCORE 9 CRITERIA >>

1 thought on “how to write an advantages or disadvantages essay”, leave a comment cancel reply.

Guide to Advantage Disadvantage IELTS Essay Type

ielts essay advantage disadvantage type

IELTS advantage/disadvantage essays ask you to write about the benefits and drawbacks of a topic as well as (sometimes) asking for your opinion.  This guide covers everything you need to know to complete an Academic IELTS advantage/ disadvantage essay. Let’s start preparing with Benchmark IELTS!

Table of Contents

1.1 understanding the question, 1.2 example advantage/disadvantage questions, 2.1 essay structure 1, 2.2 essay structure 2.

3.2 Organise your ideas

3.3 identify vocabulary, 4.1 introduction, 4.2 main body paragraphs, 4.3 conclusion, 5.1 complete the sample advantage/disadvantage essay, 5.2 advantage/disadvantage sample essay, 1. advantage/ disadvantage essay overview.

This section of the guide will show you how to identify an IELTS advantage/disadvantage question.

Remember, there are five main types of writing task 2 questions:

It is very important to understand what type of question you are given in the exam so you can respond in an appropriate way: different question types will require different responses.

Advantage/disadvantage essay questions can be presented in several different ways.

Here are some examples of the way an advantage/disadvantage question may be worded:

You may also see questions using synonyms for advantage and disadvantage, for example:

Be careful, the question itself might not always use words or phrases relating to advantage/disadvantage and they could be hidden in the statement,  as seen here:

Here is another example of a question where you are asked to give your opinion:

After you have identified the essay type , you need to understand what you are being asked to do. To do well in the Task achievement marking component, you need to ‘ address all parts of the task’ .

This type of essay question will always be split into two parts:

You must always write about both the advantages and disadvantages of the given topic. As we can see in example questions 1-6, sometimes you are asked to give your opinion on the question, and sometimes you are not. Let’s compare the following questions:

You are not being asked to give your opinion

Here are some example advantage/disadvantage essay questions:

In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have more of an opportunity to study abroad.

Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Today children spend a lot of their free time watching TV.

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this practice?

Also, read the following IELTS Essay Writing Guides

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy.

The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have the opportunity to study abroad.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?

More and more people prefer to read news online rather than on paper.

Do you think the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

IELTS writing correction

2. Essay Structures for Advantage/Disadvantage Essays

There is more than one way to structure your advantage/disadvantage essay. You could take a thesis-led (opinion in the introduction) or an evidence-led (opinion in your conclusion).

You could also choose to focus on one or more than one advantage/disadvantage in each of your main body paragraphs.

The next two sections will give you two possible ways that you could structure your essay using four clearly organized paragraphs.

Thesis-led approach

Evidence-led approach

3. Planning your Advantage/Disadvantage Essay

Before you start writing your essay, you should give yourself 5 minutes to analyze the question and organize your ideas . Follow the tips below to create a well-planned essay!

3.1 Identify keywords and phrases

It sounds simple, but it is very important that you read the question carefully and understand what you are being asked to write about. To analyze the question, first, identify any keywords and phrases .

You should first identify the topic of the essay. If you do not write about the correct topic, you will score poorly in Task achievement . The general topic can always be found in the IELTS statement.

Let’s take a look at one of the previous examples:

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace . Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy .

The topic words are underlined and show the general topic of this essay question in nuclear weapons/power/technology .

After you have identified the general topic, you need to locate other keywords that give you more detail about the topic. In this question, the words world peace and cheap and clean energy in bold give you more information about the general topic. Therefore, your essay should only relate to these aspects of nuclear weapons/power/technology .

Now take a look at the question for our model answer at the end of this guide. Can you identify the general topic?

This is an important step that is often skipped by test-takers. By quickly writing down your key ideas, you will avoid repeating or missing any points and improve your score in both Task achievement and Coherence and cohesion .

You could use bullet points , columns , or another preferred method of writing down ideas . Here is an example for our sample essay:

Take a look at our Master Guide for a more in-depth look at idea generation and organizing your ideas.

Taking a moment to write down more uncommon vocabulary related to the essay topic will not only make you feel more relaxed in the exam but will also help you to improve your score in Lexical resources .

This doesn’t have to be a long list, just a few ideas that come into your mind. Here are some examples of the topic of studying abroad:

4. Writing your Advantages/Disadvantages Essay

Your introduction should be the shortest paragraph in your essay (about 40-60 words is perfect).

You need to rephrase the IELTS statement in your own words. This is known as paraphrasing (a key skill to develop for the IELTS exam).

Take a look at our example:

You can also briefly state what your essay will be about in one clear sentence. For instance:

This essay will discuss both points of view and then I will give my opinion.

If you are taking a thesis-led approach, you can use one of the following sentence starters to briefly give your opinion:

A note on the use of the first person ‘I’: Unlike writing task 1, it is appropriate to use the first person in your writing task 2 essay. In fact, it is unavoidable when giving your opinion. But , you should not overuse ‘I’ in your essay and we recommend you limit your use to your introduction and conclusion.

Topic sentences Usually, the first sentence of your main body paragraph will be a topic sentence . The purpose of your topic sentence is to introduce the main idea of your paragraph .

You should include one topic sentence for each advantage/disadvantage . This means that, if your main body paragraphs focus on two advantages/disadvantages , then you should have two topic sentences per paragraph.

Here’s an example: One advantage of studying abroad is that students can improve their language skills.

Here are some other sentence starters you can use for your essays (you can replace the underlined words with vocabulary linked to your topic):

Supporting sentences You should then expand on your topic sentence with a supporting sentence/sentences . Your sentence(s) could either describe a result of the advantage/disadvantage, go into more detail , or explain the reason(s) why these benefits/drawbacks occur.

Our example supporting sentence describes a result of the advantage given in the topic sentence.

Topic sentence – One advantage of studying abroad is that students can improve their language skills.

Supporting sentence – This means that when the students return to their home countries, they will have more employment opportunities.

Here are some sentences starters you can use to begin your supporting sentences:

Giving examples For all writing task 2 essay types , you must support your response with examples. Do not personalize your examples and link them to your life instead, Keep your examples more general . Also, do not refer to made-up statistics .

Here are some instances of suitable and non-suitable examples:

Suitable For example, many young people who study in an English-speaking country for a few years develop strong communication skills and have the confidence to work in an international company when they return home.

Not suitable My cousin spent three years in an English-speaking country and they got an excellent job with an international country when they came back to Spain. ( this example is too personal as it refers to the writer’s family ) ❌

According to statistics, international students are 30% more likely to get a job in an international company when they study overseas. ( this example contains a made-up statistic )

You must include a conclusion to achieve a good score in Task achievement . Your conclusion does not have to be very long, but it needs to be clear and do two main things:

Make your conclusion easy to identify for the examiner by starting with linking phrases such as:

When you are paraphrasing the main points of your essay, you need to state that you have examined both sides of the argument (as that is what the question has asked you to do). To do this, consider using a phrase like:

In conclusion, having looked at this topic in detail, it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad .

You would need to replace the underlined section with your essay topic.

To give your opinion, you need to use a range of cohesive devices to introduce each example such as:

You then need to clearly state which side of the argument you agree with (advantage or disadvantage). Remember, your actual opinion does not matter, it is how you present your opinion using English that is important.

Here are some example sentences to do this effectively:

5. Example Advantage/Disadvantage Essay and Exercise

Now you’ve taken a look at how to write an advantage/disadvantage essay, let’s look at a model answer.

We have removed some of the words so you can put your knowledge to the test.

Select the correct missing words and complete the model answer.

In recent years, it has become much more common for students to complete their degree overseas instead of their house country. Many persons believe that there are significant benefits of doing this, while others argue that there are also drawbacks connected to studying abroad. This essay will discuss both points of mind and then I will give my opinion.

One advantage of study abroad is that students can improve their employee skills. This means that when the students return to their home countries, they will have more employment opportunities. An example, many young people who study in an English-speaking country for a few years develop strong communication skills and have the confidence to work in an international company when they return home. On the other hand benefit of studying abroad is that you can develop a better understanding of other cultures, Example , learning about a country’s customs, traditions and cuisines. The consequence of this is that people become more open-minded.

In the other hand, there are some disadvantages of studying abroad. One backdraw is that students may miss their friends and family and feel homesad. They may also find it difficult to connect with other students and make friends due to a language barrier . Another disadvantage is that students can experience a real culture shock when moving to another country. This is because the culture and language may be different which could lead to frustration for the student and dissatisfaction with their study experience.

To overall , it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad. In my thought, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Although it is true that the experience may be challenging at first, on balance , if you study abroad you will have an enriching experience that will broaden your horizons and increase your future prospects.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

OET Writing Correction

Exam Updates & Tips!

Signup for preparation and special offers!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

256 Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Topics [2023 Update]

Is globalization a beneficial process? What are the pros and cons of a religious upbringing? Do the drawbacks of immigration outweigh the benefits? These questions can become a foundation for your advantages and disadvantages essay. And we have even more ideas to offer!

Our specialists will write a custom essay on any topic for $13.00 $10.40/page

The picture shows the definition of an advantages and disadvantages essay.

There is nothing complicated about writing this kind of essay. Arguably the hardest part is choosing a topic. This article by our custom-writing team will help you with that. Here, you will find:

🔍 References

🔝 top 10 advantages and disadvantages topics.

👍 List of Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Topics

Here’s a list of topics that touch on subjects such as education, work, traveling, living conditions, family, politics, technology, and more.

The picture shows a quote by W. Clement Stone.

⭐ Top 10 Pros and Cons Essay Topics

🆚 Pros and Cons Topics for Essays

Need more essay ideas? Feel free to use our topic generator !

The picture shows the fact that advantages and disadvantages essays are commonly used in IELTS.

💡 Pros and Cons Essay Prompts

Pros and cons of living in a big city essay.

For your essay, you can consider the following benefits of living in a big city:

The main downsides of living in a big city include the following:

Pros and Cons of Abortion Essay

Here are some examples of the procedure’s benefits:

You can also write about the following disadvantages of abortions:

Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media Essay

Consider these arguments in favor of social media for your essay:

And these are the cons you might want to write about:

Federalism Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

Here are some advantages of federalism for you to write about:

Receive a plagiarism-free paper tailored to your instructions.

Now, have a look at the cons of federalism:

Pros and Cons of Immigration Essay

Immigration has benefits as well as pitfalls. Take a look at the positive aspects first:

And here are the cons that you may consider writing about:

Pros and Cons of Working in a School Cafeteria Essay

Here are some of the arguments in favor of working in a cafeteria:

However, there are also plenty of downsides, including the following:

Just $13.00 $10.40/page , and you can get an custom-written academic paper according to your instructions

Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet

The Internet has plenty of advantages you can cover, including the following:

It also has many drawbacks, such as:

✍️ How to Write a Pros and Cons Essay

Even if you do not have the necessary writing experience, your chances of getting an A+ for this task are relatively high. All you need to do is:

Pros and Cons Essay Outline

The advantages and disadvantages essay should have the following structure:

Studying abroad might be a great experience filled with unforgettable memories, but it also has some financial and psychological pitfalls.

Being an international student, you get to meet people from all over the world and experience a new culture first-hand.

However, you might feel homesick and experience culture shock while studying in another country.

Although being an international student has both positive and negative sides, it can bring you many unforgettable memories.

We hope you found the best topic for your pros and cons essay. Let us know what topic you’ve chosen, and don’t forget to share this article with your friends!

Further reading:

267 Music Essay Topics + Writing Guide [2023 Update]

Usually,this type of essay made me to feel uncomfortable but samples helped me to realize my mistakes

Custom Writing

Thank you for your feedback, Hoyden!

I had a hard time writing my advantages and disadvantages essay. Thanks to your article on advantages and disadvantages essay writing, I have a clue on how to finish it.

Interesting topics for essays on advantages and disadvantages! Timely help for the students searching for ideas for advantages and disadvantages essay. Thanks!

Recommended for You

Nationalism Essay: Topics, Examples, & Tips

Nationalism Essay: Topics, Examples, & Tips

A nationalism essay is focused on the idea of devotion and loyalty to one’s country and its sovereignty. In your paper, you can elaborate on its various aspects. For example, you might want to describe the phenomenon’s meaning or compare the types of nationalism. You might also be interested in...

Coral Reef Essay: Descriptive Writing How-to Guide

Coral Reef Essay: Descriptive Writing How-to Guide

Coral reefs can be called one of the most amazing things created by nature. These structures can be found in tropical and temperate waters. Like many other unique natural phenomena, coral reefs are influenced by human activity these days. This negative impact is one of the significant issues to consider when...

413 Science and Technology Essay Topics to Write About [2023]

413 Science and Technology Essay Topics to Write About [2023]

Would you always go for Bill Nye the Science Guy instead of Power Rangers as a child? Were you ready to spend sleepless nights perfecting your science fair project? Or maybe you dream of a career in science? Then this guide by Custom-Writing.org is perfect for you. Here, you’ll find...

Canadian Identity Essay: 20 Essay Topics and Writing Guide

Canadian Identity Essay: 20 Essay Topics and Writing Guide

Canadian identity is something that has become really important for many Canadians in the past fifty years. Canada is a big, multinational country with its own traditions, culture, and history. However, because of quite a large number of foreigners and even Americans, its culture and people are associated with the...

256 Satirical Essay Topics & Satire Essay Examples [2023]

256 Satirical Essay Topics & Satire Essay Examples [2023]

A satire essay is a creative writing assignment where you use irony and humor to criticize people’s vices or follies. It’s especially prevalent in the context of current political and social events. A satirical essay contains facts on a particular topic but presents it in a comical way. This task...

267 Music Essay Topics + Writing Guide [2023 Update]

Your mood leaves a lot to be desired. Everything around you is getting on your nerves. But still, there’s one thing that may save you: music. Just think of all the times you turned on your favorite song, and it lifted your spirits! So, why not write about it in a music essay? In this article, you’ll find all the information necessary for this type of assignment: 267 brilliant music...

The Classroom | Empowering Students in Their College Journey

How to Write an Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

Erin Martise

Why Write An Advantages and Disadvantages Essay?

Tips for writing an advantage and disadvantage essay:, how to write an advantages and disadvantages essay:, why this essay is important:, the ielts exam:, other ways to say "advantages and disadvantages", what you will be evaluated on.

There are many different types of essays that students will be expected to write throughout their academic career. The same goes for students that are learning English as a second language or foreign language.

Out of all the different essays that are possible for a teacher to assign, one that serves both native English speakers and English learners well is an ​ advantages and disadvantages essay ​.

Advantages of Essay Writing:

While essay writing can have its difficulties, it also shows certain advantages to the writer. Here are some possible advantages of essay writing:

Disadvantages of Essay Writing:

Essay writing can also be a daunting task. Here are some possible disadvantages of essay writing:

1. Understand an Advantage and Disadvantage

Before you can write an advantages and disadvantages essay, you must first understand what these two words mean.

For example:

Younger students may understand an example like,​ "An advantage of doing my homework when I get home from school is that I have the entire evening to play. A disadvantage is that I cannot watch my favorite show as soon as I get home from school." ​

After this, the teacher can give less explicit examples and see if students can come up with some ideas on their own.

College students should already have experience with this kind of essay and they will, therefore, get a much more complicated question that requires research, planning and thought.

For instance:

International students might respond well to something like "What's an advantage and disadvantage of studying abroad during college?"

It's also a good idea to look up synonyms of "advantages and disadvantages" to have the best understanding of the term possible.

"Pros and cons" is quite similar and might be easier for some students to digest since it's a term they've most likely heard before.

2. Think About Advantages and Disadvantages in Your Own Life

A great exercise to help you prepare yourself for writing an advantages and disadvantages essay is to think about your own experiences with the topic.

3. Choose a Topic

If you weren't able to think of any intriguing topics to write about in your walk down memory lane, you'll have to look elsewhere to find something else to base your essay on.

That being said, there will also be instances in which you won't be able to choose your topic.

3.1 List of Example Topics

Unless you're given the topic directly on your test, you will otherwise have to think of your own topic, especially if it's just for a regular assignment. Luckily, there are many topic examples out there you can use to help you get started, or that will at least help you find inspiration for a similar topic:

4. Brainstorm Advantages vs. Disadvantages

Once you've decided on a topic that intrigues you, or you know what topic you're being assigned on your exam, it's time to get down the meat of the essay, which is the actual advantages and disadvantages you'll need to write about.

5. Choose a Side

Although an advantages and disadvantages essay should be rather unbiased, it's okay to be leaning toward one side more so than the other.

The next thing you will need to do is outline your essay and eventually write it.

For your outline, you can create headlines and write what you plan on saying beneath each one.

Knowing how to write an advantages and disadvantages essay is part of perfecting your skills in English proficiency.

For students studying English as an international language, at some point, it's very likely that you'll have to take the IELTS exam.

For Instance:

A student who's from a country where English is not the native language will have to pass this test in order to get accepted into a U.K. university or universities in other English-speaking countries that require the same test.

Although you'll be writing an advantages and disadvantages essay, you'll want to try and find other vocabulary words to describe this.

There are plenty of other ways to say "advantages and disadvantages," and it's a good idea if you can use these other terms as much as possible in your essay in order to add some variety:

Hopefully, you had no problem with writing your advantages and disadvantages essay, and you won't be too worried as you wait for your grade.

If you aren't an English language learner, then there are many different reasons you'd be required to write an advantages and disadvantages essay.

Related Articles

How to Start a Critique Paper

How to Start a Critique Paper

10 Good Transitions for a Conclusion Paragraph

10 Good Transitions for a Conclusion Paragraph

How to Choose Titles for Literature Reviews

How to Choose Titles for Literature Reviews

How to Write a Fifth-Grade Essay

How to Write a Fifth-Grade Essay

Simple Topics for Research Papers

Simple Topics for Research Papers

How to Make a Portfolio for School

How to Make a Portfolio for School

How to Write a Chapter Summary Template

How to Write a Chapter Summary Template

How to Write an Anecdotal Essay

How to Write an Anecdotal Essay

<!--StartFragment-->I am a current senior studying at the University of Missouri - Columbia with a major in Journalism and a minor in Sociology. I have interests in photojournalism, documentary journalism and design fields. <!--EndFragment--><!--EndFragment--><!--EndFragment-->

Here are suggested study plans for you to make the most of the course

Tips for writing advantages and disadvantages essays

Yuliia Chorna - photo

Yuliia Chorna

Tips for writing advantages and disadvantages essays

Most questions in the IELTS Academic Writing section fit into a few categories such as opinion essays, discussion essays, problem solution essays, double question essays, advantages & disadvantages essays. What do you have to do if you get the last one? How should you approach advantages & disadvantages essays in the IELTS Writing test?  What is the essay structure and the main tips to write it?

What are advantages and disadvantages essays about?

You will notice that questions for IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays can be worded in several different ways. However, all of them test your ability to analyse the benefits and drawbacks of a particular matter or problem. For example, you can come across such wordings:

essay structure advantage disadvantage

Generally, we can divide advantages & disadvantages essays in two types:

Type 1 asks you to simply discuss the advantages and disadvantages.

Type 2 asks you to discuss the advantages and disadvantages AND give your opinion on whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages or vice versa.

essay structure advantage disadvantage

Task 1 does not ask for our opinion, so you should not include this information in your answer. In Task 2,  you have to say if the advantages are stronger than the disadvantages. For example, there are a huge number of advantages to learning the news online, but there is one huge disadvantage (reliability and accuracy of information) that stops most people from reading them that way and therefore the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. Each of the types of essays requires a different approach.

READ ABOUT: How to link ideas in IELTS essays

Ways to write an essay

There are at least two different ways to write an advantages and disadvantages essay. However, we suggest the best and the easiest ones to complete the task if you get in your IELTS exam.

Step 1. Analyse the task.

Do not start writing immediately. First, read the statement and underline key information. This will help you to better understand what you have to write about and what you don’t have to do, i.e. focus on the specific issue.

Next, paraphrase the statement for yourself to understand it better — at this point you can use simple language.

Take IELTS with confidence

Start your IELTS Grade online course

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Step 2. Plan your essay.

In both cases you will have to brainstorm the ideas for your essay. Think about the benefits and drawbacks of the issue that you have to write about. Write them down using bullet points. Spend a few minutes on this.

Now, you can choose between thinking about details/examples to illustrate your ideas or starting to write your essay. If you do not have to write about your opinion, you can continue to the next step – writing. However, if you are to give your opinion, think about details/examples to illustrate the advantages and disadvantages, and decide on your opinion as to whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages or vice versa, or they are equally important. It is important to decide what you think before you start writing.

Step 3. Write your essay.

While writing the first type of advantages and disadvantages essay, where you only have to discuss them, you can keep looking back at the task and your plan to give relevant ideas. Choose the best ones only, i.e. those that you can support with details and provide good examples.

First, write the introduction where you have to paraphrase the statement and write what the essay will discuss. For the second type of essay, give your opinion in the introduction as well.

Next, write the main body:

Finally, write the conclusion where you have to summarise advantages and disadvantages. For the second type of essay, restate your opinion as well.

essay structure advantage disadvantage

Step 4. Check your essay.

You should look for spelling mistakes, mistakes that you typically make, repetition of vocabulary and linkers etc. Recently, we have written about how to check your IELTS writing and shared a checklist for efficiently editing your writing. It is the fastest way to improve your band score within a few minutes.

READ ABOUT: 6 typical mistakes in IELTS essays

Essay structure

What will your essay look like if you follow our advice? Here are the two possible essay structures for your advantages and disadvantages essay:

In our course , we outline the possible structures of different types of essays, provide real examples and model answers. You will also learn and practise writing different parts of the essays step by step. Finally, you will write your own essays and get immediate feedback from our IELTS experts.

Now that you are more confident about IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays, you can practise with our platform and reach the desired band score.

Subscribe to our IELTS digest

READ ABOUT:

– Useful tips to tackle true or false questions in IELTS Reading

– Tips for note completion questions in IELTS Listening

– Which part of IELTS Speaking is most important?

Download your Academic Writing Guide on how to use linking words

Your writing guide is in your inbox! Get studying now :)

By using the site, I confirm that I have read and agree to the terms of the user license agreement Privacy Policy , Public Offer , Terms of Use .

Free IELTS lessons signup

home

IELTS Writing: advantages & disadvantages essay

In this lesson you will learn how to produce a band 9 answer for advantages & disadvantages essay in IELTS Writing. As an example, we will use a topic of tourism in modern world . Basically, in all advantages and disadvantages essays your task is to describe positive and negative sides of a given topic + give your opinion.

In this lesson you will:

for advantages and disadvantages essay in IELTS.

IELTS advantages & disadvantages question sample

For example, you can get this question for IELTS writing task 2:

A lot of places in the world rely on tourism as a main source of income. Unfortunately, tourism can also be a source of problems if it is not managed correctly.

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world. Do you think that benefits of tourism outweight its drawbacks?

This essay topic is related to tourism. Of course, topics for questions will vary, but ideal answer structure is the same for all advantages & disadvantages essays in IELTS.

Producing ideas for your answer

essay structure advantage disadvantage

Before you start writing your essay, you should always spend 1-2 minutes on producing ideas for your answer . This way, you’ll know what to write about and your answer will be more coherent and well-structured. In case of advantages & disadvantages essay , you need to think of 2-3 advantages and 2-3 disadvantages of the given issue.

Let’s think about advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world.

Advantages of tourism :

Disadvantages of tourism :

Now, after we’ve collected some ideas, it’s time to use them in our essay.

Band 9 answer structure for causes & solutions essay

Though there are many ways to structure your IELTS essay, we’ll use this time-tested band 9 essay structure:

Tip : before starting to write your essay, decide what you think: does tourism have more advantages or disadvantages? You’ll need to make accent on your opinion in one of the body paragraphs.

We’ll use the opinion that tourism has more advantages .

Introduction Write the introduction in 2 sentences:

Nowadays tourism generates a significant portion of national income for many countries, but it has certain drawbacks too.

This essay will examine the advantages and disadvantages of tourism and provide a logical conclusion.

Body paragraph 1 - advantages

The two main advantages of developed tourism industry are boost in country’s economy and a large number of new job openings for the local people.

Firstly, tourists spend money on a wide range of services, including hotels, amusements, transportation, food and medical services. This way, tourism yields an additional income, greatly supporting the countries’ economies.

Secondly, tourism increases the level of employment by bringing new jobs. For instance, the influx of tourists results in a larger demand in restaurant workers, tour guides, hotel staff and employees of retail services, exhorting business owners to hire more people for these positions.

However, tourism also has some major disadvantages like destruction of popular tourist destinations and development of illegal economic activities.

Ancient buildings, temples and monuments struggle to cope with a vast amount of visitor’s traffic and get damaged. Also, the large number of tourists can cause environmental problems. For instance, when places of interest are overcrowded, natural resources often become overexploited.

What’s more, tourism can create more serious situations where criminal issues are involved. The presence of a considerable number of tourists with a lot of money to spend, and often carrying valuables such as cameras and jewelry, increases the attraction for criminals and brings with it activities like robbery and drug dealing.

However, proper hospitality management and correct usage of tourism revenue by the local government can eliminate these disadvantages.

To conclude, although tourism has certain disadvantages like destructive effects and growth of crime rate, it has an extremely positive impact on country’s economy and provides a large number of new jobs for the local people.

I believe that these benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks.

Band 9 answer sample

Nowadays tourism generates a significant portion of national income for many countries, but it has certain drawbacks too. This essay will examine the advantages and disadvantages of tourism and provide a logical conclusion.

The two main advantages of developed tourism industry are boost in country’s economy and a large number of new job openings for the local people. Firstly, tourists spend money on a wide range of services, including hotels, amusements, transportation, food and medical services. This way, tourism yields an additional income, greatly supporting the country’s economy. Secondly, tourism increases the level of employment by bringing new jobs. For instance, the influx of tourists results in a larger demand in restaurant workers, tour guides, hotel staff and employees of retail services, exhorting business owners to hire more people for these positions.

But tourism also has some major disadvantages like destruction of popular tourist destinations and development of illegal economic activities. іAncient buildings, temples and monuments struggle to cope with a vast amount of visitor’s traffic and get damaged. Also, the large number of tourists can cause environmental problems. For instance, when places of interest are overcrowded, natural resources often become overexploited. What’s more, the presence of a considerable number of tourists with a lot of money to spend, and often carrying valuables such as cameras and jewelry, increases the attraction for criminals and brings with it activities like robbery and drug dealing. However, proper hospitality management and correct usage of tourism revenue by the local government can eliminate these disadvantages.

To conclude, although tourism can have certain negative effects like destructive impact and growth of crime rate, it has an extremely positive influence on country’s economy and provides a large number of new jobs for the local people. I believe that these benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks.

(299 words)

essay structure advantage disadvantage

IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays 2022 – Samples, Model Essays and Topics

Janet

Updated On Jul 14, 2022

IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays 2022 – Samples, Model Essays and Topics

In IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays, you will be asked to write the benefits and drawbacks of the topic given. You have to be careful that you write the advantages and disadvantages of the topic given and not your opinion about the topic. While explaining these kinds of essays, you can divide the content into 2 paragraphs. Paragraph 1 for Positive points and Paragraph 2 for negative points.

To help you to understand this type of essay better, given below are some tips and a sample essay with a detailed outline. Along with it, there are numerous advantages and disadvantages essays to help you practise during your preparation.

Tips for Advantages and Disadvantages IELTS Essay

Given below are some  points which you can refer to:

Structure of Advantage Disadvantage IELTS Essay

The IELTS Writing task 2 is considered as one of the most dreaded tasks across all other tasks by the IELTS aspirants. This task requires writing an essay encompassing various topics from all walks of life, right from social issues to workplace issues. These essays are of various types, including opinion essays, discussion essays, advantage-disadvantage essays, etc.

Now, we will see the structure of advantage-disadvantage essays and what should be the approach of writing one.

First of all, as soon as you get to know the topic, look for the pros and cons of the issue, consider the advantages and disadvantages of it and in your mind, contemplate the whip hand and downsides of it. Once you have a clear idea of what outweighs between the two of them, pick your side (in case you are asked to) and set out to write your essay.

Introduction

Now, the first thing that you have to do is to write an introduction. Your introduction should paraphrase the topic of the essay and try to use different vocabulary/synonyms for the words in the topic, wherever possible.

Then, give a brief idea about what could be expected in the essay, i.e. the advantages and the disadvantages of the concerned topic and state which side you think weighs the most (when asked for an opinion.)

Body paragraphs

Body paragraph 1 should state the advantages of the topic. This should be backed by practical points, and the examples would be even better. Day-to-day incidents and instances can be brought to notice.

Body paragraph 2 should state the disadvantages of the topic. This as well, should be supported by valid points, and the daily incidents and examples can be highlighted to back your points.

Conclusion: Conclude the topic by providing a summary of the points put forth in the entire essay and how advantages or disadvantages of the topic outweighs the other (if applicable).

IELTS Actual Test Questions (February-March 2023)

IELTS Speaking ebook

IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Questions and Sample Answers

Given below are some sample questions for the advantages and disadvantages type of essay and band 9 methodologies of answering them.

Sample Question 1

More and more students are choosing to study at colleges and universities in a foreign country. Do the benefits of studying abroad outweigh the drawbacks?

Given below is a brief outline of what to write in the essay after identifying the essay type.

Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

Body Paragraph 1

Body Paragraph 2

Sample Answer

Foreign education has become one of the most sought after ventures in this day and age. A majority of students plan on pursuing higher education in a foreign nation, especially when it comes to a master’s degree. One of the reasons why studying abroad has become such a popular phenomenon is the relaxation of travel laws and procedures across the world. However, there are pros and cons to studying abroad and the following paragraphs, will explore the topic and elaborate on why the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

One of the primary reasons for studying abroad is the presence of a more refined and sophisticated education system in several first world countries. It is common for students from underdeveloped or developing countries like Brazil, China, India, Argentina and other countries to look for better opportunities than the ones available in their native country in terms of academics. Also, residing in a foreign country helps individuals to gain international exposure and also helps them develop social and interpersonal skills, which are extremely important for being eligible for lucrative job opportunities..

Nevertheless, there are numerous drawbacks to travelling abroad for education. First of all, from the beginning of applying to a foreign university to staying in the host country for the entire duration of your degree, it is an exorbitant affair. Such a costly endeavour is often unaffordable for the household of many people. That being said, becoming accustomed to the norms and conventions of an unfamiliar country can be a tough ordeal for many due to differences in culture and social traditions.

Finally, I would like to conclude by saying that foreign education can be a blessing if it is financially feasible for aspiring students. That being said, the benefits of studying abroad surpass the drawbacks for the same.

Sample Question 2

What are the advantages and disadvantages of globalization? Do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks?

Globalisation has been one of the most significant phenomena in the last few decades, and it has changed several aspects of human society both economically and socially. There has been remarkable progress in terms of economic and financial development for developing countries due to the expansion of global organizations. However, there are several drawbacks to this rapid progress that need to be addressed. Evidently, globalization has more advantages than disadvantages and the following paragraphs, will elaborate on the topic and justify these views.

First of all, the most advantageous aspect of globalization is the advent of numerous international companies and franchises in developing countries. Ever since global brands and corporations have expanded their operations in countries such as India, China, Sri Lanka and many more, there has been a notable increase in employment in these countries. Additionally, due to the remarkable rise in the number of imports and exports, people from third world countries now have access to a vast catalogue of products and services that were previously unattainable.

That being said, there are drawbacks to globalization that create concerning issues for a sizeable portion of the global population. One of the most disturbing consequences faced is the exploitation of labour. Many corporations are known to outsource their operations to developing countries due to cheap labour costs. This enables them to accomplish their manufacturing operations without having to provide proper remuneration. Also, due to the use of inexpensive labour, the quality of products is diminished, and customers receive inferior products.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that the effects of globalization are not entirely positive or negative. Nonetheless, the benefits brought by this occupation outweigh the drawbacks.

Bonus Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Topics

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an advantage/disadvantage essay? How do you identify that the essay falls under this category?

What is the structure of an advantage/disadvantage essay?

Is it mandatory to put advantages and disadvantages separately in two paragraphs or can I club them?

In case of questions where advantages outweigh disadvantages, I might have to write disadvantages first? Will it affect my score?

In the conclusion part of the advantage/disadvantage essay, is it ok to support one side?

Explore IELTS Writing

Janet

Janet had been an IELTS Trainer before she dived into the field of Content Writing. During her days of being a Trainer, Janet had written essays and sample answers which got her students an 8+ band in the IELTS Test. Her contributions to our articles have been engaging and simple to help the students understand and grasp the information with ease. Janet, born and brought up in California, had no idea about the IELTS until she moved to study in Canada. Her peers leaned to her for help as her first language was English.

Explore other Advantage Disadvantage Essays

Many people think that home cooked food is healthy – IELTS Essay and Vocabulary

Janice Thompson

Technology is Increasingly Being Used to Monitor What People Are Saying And Doing Sample Essays

Post your Comments

essay structure advantage disadvantage

Posted on May 29, 2022

Nowadays, studying abroad is a new trend among students. Undoubtedly, there are positive and negative aspects of studying in a foreign country. However, the benefits of attending colleges and universities in a foreign country outweigh the drawbacks. The next couple of paragraphs will explain the topic and justify these viewpoints.

To begin with, studying abroad has several advantages for students. For instance, a student who is studying in a foreign country will probably improve language skills better than others. Learning a foreign language is extremely significant in a global environment. Moreover, living outside of a home country will enhance students’ worldview thanks to the culture of the host country. Therefore, it can be said that studying abroad paws the way for great career options.

However, there are undesired sides to education in a foreign state. One of them is education expenditure. Studying abroad might be expensive. Thus, it might lead to a huge economic burden for both student and his family. When a student moves to another country for education, he must face several challenges caused by living alone. For instance, some students might have some psychological problems during the first couple of weeks following their move. It can be claimed that being homesick is a common problem among young students.

In conclusion, having a graduate degree from a foreign country has both negative and positive sides. Although there are significant advantages, the benefits of studying abroad surpass the drawbacks for the same.

kasturika

Posted on May 30, 2022

Band Score – 6

Concentrate on the correct usage of quantifiers and subject-verb agreement.

In some places words are used incorrectly, pay attention to them.

Use C2 level of words.

essay structure advantage disadvantage

Purnima Koli

Posted on Oct 25, 2021

Parents tend to give the children better resources as compared to their own childhood. This way they also feel compensated in the process while bringing up their own child. While having a huge collection of toys to play with is not all that bad, at the same time can lead to some issues.

Firstly, having a diversity in the range of toys have multiple benefits. The child can learn how to manage or organize better. Varied exposure to different themes of toys makes one more aware.

Secondly, sharing can also develop social skills among the child’s friend circle. To get hands-on-experience with toys such as Rubix’s cube, puzzles hone mental capacity of the kid. Similarly, educational and infotainment toys help shape likes and dislikes, opinions, communication skills. Thus, caters to holistic development which is often a cause of worry for parents.

On the other hand, if the child is given more and more, this may result in losing the value of individual toy. Not only is this expenditure wasteful but also teaching consumerist tendencies to the child. Perhaps unconsciously the child stops valuing his toys and takes them for granted in desire for more.

To have enough needs to be inculcated rather than frivolous costs being incurred. The parents need to be also mindful of teaching holistic habits like outdoor games, reading, painting apart from playing with toys for all round development.

Having many toys is also burdensome when it comes to maintenance. If that could be sorted then it’s much easier to assemble and play as per the child’s convenience. Gifting once in a while is a good option to keep the spirits of the child happy.

Hp

Posted on Nov 13, 2021

If you would have presented this same as a 4 paragraph structure and added the conclusion you would have score 7 easily.

Janice Thompson

Overall band: 5

Coherence: It is better to follow a 4 paragraph structure so that it is easy for the examiner to mark you for coherence. Conclusion is missing in your essay. Conclusion is where you sum up and restate points.

Recent Articles

essay structure advantage disadvantage

IELTSMaterial Master Program

1:1 Live Training with Band 9 Teachers

4.9 ( 3452 Reviews )

Our Locations

Pride Hulkul 6th floor no 116 Lalbagh Road, Bangalore, Karnataka 560027

H-4-6, 1st Floor , Model Town II. Block Z2, near Mc Donalds, Delhi - 110009

2nd floor, Unit No 202, Gera Serenity, Wanowrie, Pune 411001

The Executive Zone 766 Annai Salai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600002

38, GN/5, GN Block, Sector V, Bidhannagar, Kolkata, West Bengal 700091

Reliance Humsafar,Door No.8-2-618/2/201,Road No.11,Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500034

BPTP Centra one, Golf Course Extension Road Baharampur Naya, Sector 61, Ghata, 122102

Kaledonia, RedBrick Offices Ltd, 1st Floor, A Wing Main Door, Cabin No.11, Sahar Road, Opp. DMART, Andheri East, Mumbai - 400069

IMAGES

  1. How To Write An Advantages Or Disadvantages Essay

    essay structure advantage disadvantage

  2. IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays

    essay structure advantage disadvantage

  3. 3 types of IELTS advantage disadvantage essays. IELTS writing task 2

    essay structure advantage disadvantage

  4. Intermediate B1: ADVANTANGES AND DISADVANTAGES

    essay structure advantage disadvantage

  5. How to write and advantages and disadvantages essay

    essay structure advantage disadvantage

  6. Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

    essay structure advantage disadvantage

VIDEO

  1. Simple English essay Newspaper Advantage and Disadvantage of Newspaper

  2. Band 9 Essay Structure #ielts #ieltswriting

  3. Television on Essay.. Boon or Bane/advantage and Disadvantage.. paragraph in English Writing. ✍️📚 💯💯

  4. L8.5

  5. Essay writing I Structure of an Essay I Parts of Essay I How to write a Perfect Essay

  6. Essay on advantage or Disadvantage of Internet #english #englishgrammar #essay

COMMENTS

  1. How To Write An Advantages Or Disadvantages Essay

    Another possible way to structure your advantage/disadvantage essay is this; You may want to add paragraphs to explain further advantages or disadvantages, but there should be only one main idea in each main body paragraph. Don’t list all of your advantages/disadvantages in one paragraph. Introduction. Paragraph 1 – Describe an advantage.

  2. IELTS Essay Structure - Advantages & Disadvantages Type with ...

    There is more than one way to structure your advantage/disadvantage essay. You could take a thesis-led (opinion in the introduction) or an evidence-led (opinion in your conclusion). You could also choose to focus on one or more than one advantage/disadvantage in each of your main body paragraphs.

  3. 256 Advantages and Disadvantages Essay ... - Knowledge Base

    List of Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Topics Here’s a list of topics that touch on subjects such as education, work, traveling, living conditions, family, politics, technology, and more. Advantages and disadvantages of computers. You can probably think of many positive aspects of using computers.

  4. How to Write an Advantages and Disadvantages Essay - The ...

    Here are some possible disadvantages of essay writing: Writers need to have a clear organizational plan Structure and placement are essential to the flow of the essay's points and topics Writers will need to have a clear conclusion and thesis statement outlining the entire essay's topics and thoughts

  5. Tips for writing advantages and disadvantages essays

    There are at least two different ways to write an advantages and disadvantages essay. However, we suggest the best and the easiest ones to complete the task if you get in your IELTS exam. Step 1. Analyse the task. Do not start writing immediately. First, read the statement and underline key information.

  6. Advantages & disadvantages essay in IELTS writing

    This essay will examine the advantages and disadvantages of tourism and provide a logical conclusion. The two main advantages of developed tourism industry are boost in country’s economy and a large number of new job openings for the local people.

  7. IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essays 2022 - Samples ...

    Structure of Advantage Disadvantage IELTS Essay The IELTS Writing task 2 is considered as one of the most dreaded tasks across all other tasks by the IELTS aspirants. This task requires writing an essay encompassing various topics from all walks of life, right from social issues to workplace issues.