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IELTS Essays – Band 7

IELTS Writing – Band 7 IELTS Sample Essays

IELTS Essay Samples of Band 7

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• IELTS Essays - Band 7 , IELTS Writing Samples

Here you can find IELTS Essay samples of Band 7, written by students and graded by an IELTS teacher.

Note: the essays are checked by an IELTS teacher, not an IELTS examiner or examiner trainer. All the bands are approximate.

IELTS essay, topic: Some people say protecting the environment is the government’s responsibility, others believe individuals should be responsible for it (opinion)

• IELTS Essays - Band 7

Some people say that protecting the environment is the government’s responsibility. Others believe that every individual should be responsible for it. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

People hold different views about whether the government should shoulder the responsibility of preserving the environment or each person responsible . From my standpoint, it more beneficial if both the country’s authorities and individuals the responsibility.

On the one hand, the government may play a pivotal role in maintaining the environment safe and healthy. It is that should introduce the legislation in order to mitigate environmental problems, such as air pollution and more. To illustrate, there should be some laws encouraging factories to move to the rather than staying in cities. This could help urban areas to be further protected from the poisonous fumes, which . Another prominent role the government could play would be creating TV programs to educate citizens, and to persuade them to more. Being informed of the consequences of their activities, individuals may endeavor to alter their ways, to avoid harming the environment.

On the other hand, it is undeniable that each person can play an important role in protecting their own neighborhood. Cars are considered to be a major source of air pollution. Their exhaust gases contaminate the air, ranging from carbon dioxide to unburnt carbon. Therefore, by using their own vehicles only in rare cases, people would be able to protect the environment. Another opportunity available to individuals is recycling. By stopping plastic waste from entering and contaminating waterways people are able to conserve drinkable water and its inhabitants.

In conclusion, due to the large amount of work involved, mobilising all the possible forces is a more sensible approach. It is, therefore, likely that joint efforts of both the governments and their citizens would result in the most effective way of preserving the environment.

The author of this essay has done a good job covering the task topic. He/she used one body paragraph to discuss whether the government should be responsible for protecting the environment, and the other body paragraph – to discuss whether individuals should be protecting the environment, and how. The ideas are logically sequenced and connected using linking words, making this essay easy to read. Some inaccuracy of expression is evident and requires more work and attention (see corrections underlined in blue). The range of vocabulary is impressive and grammatical errors are quite rare. Overall this essay seems worthy of IELTS Band 7.

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IELTS Writing Samples Band 7

Many young people today spend a lot of time playing electronic games. is this a positive or negative development, in the current society, many people are struggling with obesity. what are the main causes of this what are the effects, most of the people in the society enjoy watching crime movies and criminal tv programmes. why do you think people have more interest to watch them what is the impact to the society due to this, computers are being used more and more in education. some people feel this is a positive trend while some people feel this is leading to a negative consequences. discuss both the side and give your opinion., some people think it's better to choose friends who always have the same opinions as them. other people believe it's good to have friends who sometimes disagree with them., robots and artificial intelligence are being developed to replace humans in the workplace. why is this happening do you think this will have a positive or negative impact on society, many businesses think that the new employees who have just graduated from schools lack interpersonal skills, such as working with colleagues as a team. what has caused this and what are the solutions to this problem, in a number of countries, some people think it is necessary to spend large sums of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities. others believe the money should be spent on improving existing public transport., children spend a lot of time watching tv and playing computer games, however it does not improve their mental abilities. do you agree or disagree, robots and artificial itelligence are being developed to replace humans in the workplace. why is this happening do you think this will have a possitive ornegative impact on society, robot and artificial intelligence are being developed to replace humans in the workplace. why is this happening do you think this will have a positive or negative impact on society, robots and artificial intelligence are being developed to replace humans in the workplace. why is this happening do you think this will have a positive or a negative impact on society, government investment in the arts, such as music and theatre, is a waste of money. governments must invest this money in public services instead. do you agree or disagree, some people think that private schools have many advantages while others think there have many drawbacks for the community. discuss both sides and give an opinion, in a number of countries, some people think it is necessary to spend large sums of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities others believe the money should be spent on improving existing public transport. discuss both these views and give your own opinion., today, more and more tourists are visiting places where conditions are difficult such as, sahara desert or the antarcatic what are benefits and disadvantages for tourists who visit such places., the best way to reduce poverty in developing countries is by providing at least six years of free education for each child, so that all children can read, write and use numbers.to what extent do you agree or disagree, some people think that government should ban dangerous sports while others think people should ha e freedom to do anysports or activity. discuss both views and give your opinion, art should be a compulsory class for high school students. to what extent do you agree or disagree.

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100 Band 7, 8 + 9 IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Samples

Are you preparing for the IELTS Writing Task 2 exam and looking for some inspiration and guidance? Look no further! In this blog post, we have compiled a list of 100 Band 7, 8, and 9 IELTS Writing Task 2 essay samples to help you improve your writing skills and boost your chances of achieving a high score on the exam. These sample essays cover a wide range of topics, from education and technology to health and environment, and are a valuable resource for students at all levels of proficiency. Whether you’re just starting to prepare for the IELTS or are looking to fine-tune your writing skills, this blog post is an essential guide to acing your next Writing Task 2 test. So, please check out our IELTS sample essays and start preparing for the test today! Please note that these are real student samples. They contain mistakes because mistakes are totally normal for Band 7, 8, and even 9 students. All of the essays below have been checked by more than one former examiner, and all of the students achieved a Band 7, 8, or 9 in their real IELTS test.

Task 2 Samples

Some people think that parents should teach their children how to be good members of society. Others, however, believe that school is the best place to learn this. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Some people believe that children should be taught by their parents about how to function as useful members of society, while others believe that sending children to educational institutions is the best way for them to study this. Although the latter opinion can be beneficial in some cases, I believe that family upbringing plays a more important role in educating children to be good parts of the community.

Schools can be considered suitable places for children to learn to be good citizens. With standardized educational methods, schools can foster children’s cognitive development so that they are able to contribute to society in the future. For example, Trung Vuong school and Vinschool are well known for having nurtured successful alumni such as Professor Ngo Bao, Professor Nguyen Hung who have devoted their talents to the development of the country. However, these people only represent a small fraction of the total number of students attending schools, and thus sending children to schools cannot be the best method of educating them to be good members of society. 

I believe that parents play a more important role in teaching them how to be good citizens. In Vietnam, the average class size is 20 students, which makes it difficult for educators to provide proper schooling for each student. One to one lessons at home, on the other hand, allow children to progress faster. Furthermore, parents form stronger bonds with their offspring and thus, it is easier for them to shape children’s personalities at an early age. For example, by telling stories such as Robin Hood, Cinderella before bedtime, parents can instil a sense of compassion and integrity into them. These children are likely to become good members of society when they grow up.

In conclusion, although sending children to schools can be seen as a way of teaching them how to be good citizens, I believe that domestic upbringing has a bigger impact on determining who they are in the future.

There is an increasing trend around the world of married couples deciding not to have children. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for couples who decide to do this.

An increasing number of married couples around the world choosing to remain childless. The main benefits of not having a child for couples are that they can focus on their careers and have more time for themselves. The main drawbacks are that they could not fit into their peers’ group and have no one to look after them when they get old. 

One primary advantage of remaining childless for married couples is that they can focus on their work. This is because they have less responsibility and distractions in their lives compared to the couples that have a child. Another advantage of this is that they have more spare time. Looking after a child is a full-time job for parents and taking most of their time, while child-free couples have lots of free time after work. For example, many couples stop going out late with their friends after having a child as they have to stay at home for looking after their children. 

One disadvantage of couples deciding not to have children is that they can struggle to hang with their peers after most of them have children. Most parents prefer to spend more time with other couples that have children as well. Moreover, do not have anyone to look after them in their elderliness is another disadvantage. Children are the ones who take care of their parents when they get old because their parents did the same for them when they were young. For instance, the vast majority of the people who live in care homes have no child. 

In conclusion, the main benefits of staying child-free for couples are that they can be more career-oriented and have more free time for themselves, and the main drawbacks are that they could have problems about fitting into their friends’ group and having no one to take care of them when they become older.

Some would say that parents should teach their offspring how to be good members of society, while others are of the opinion that school is the best in this regard. This essay agrees with the latter point and will show that, despite the practical experiences that parents give their children, school lessons can give deep insights into what it takes to be good citizens.

Some believe that parents can educate their children about being good members of society based on their life experiences. This is because the life experiences that parents can give their children are straightforward, down-to-earth, and so they can easily apply what their parents teach them in reality. For example, many children in Thailand become more polite, honest, and caring to everyone as a direct result of the practical lessons that their parents give them at home. However, I believe that parents now are so busy and do not spend much time with their children teaching them.

Lessons at school can provide children with valuable insights into being good members of society. In class, students can receive lessons about different traits of a truly good person that society needs, and then they put what they learn into practice by creating real-life problems and solving them together. For instance, after receiving lessons in civic education at school, many Vietnamese students are more willing to help their neighbors and even strangers, and they feel extremely happy after doing something good for others. For this reason, I believe that school lessons are more influential to young children. 

In conclusion, despite the practical experiences that parents can give their children at home, this essay believes that school lessons can help students deepen their understanding of being good members of society.

In many professional sports, there is an increase in the number of athletes using banned substances to improve their performance.

What are the causes of the phenomenon and what are some of the possible solutions?

In many professional sports, it is becoming commonplace for athletes to abuse prohibited substances to boost their overall performance. This essay will discuss how stiff competition and lax testing systems are the main cause of this problem, and the most suitable solutions are imposing heavier punishments on violators and revamping testing facilities.

The main cause of this problem is the fierce competition that exists in any sports. In other words, most many professional athletes feel that they have to take substances like steroids to give themselves an advantage over other strong opponents. Another reason is the lack of strictness in testing procedures. Many athletes who take advantage of banned substances can still get off scot-free due to the holes in testing systems. For example, a high-profile mix martial artist named Jon John who is notorious for using PED described how easy it was to get away with cheating in an interview in 2015.

A viable solution is to heavily punish lawbreakers. If sports clubs and establishments raise the fine for using banned substances, many athletes will think twice before making attempt to cheat. Another the way to deal with this issue is to upgrade testing amenities. This will eradicate any holes existing in the system and ensure that the test result is highly accurate. For instance, after the UFC had made major investments to provide their staff with the latest testing equipment, many fighters in their organization got caught.

In conclusion, strong competition and ineffective testing systems are the main cause of this problem, and the most suitable solutions are enforcing harsher punishments on violators and reforming testing facilities.

Details of politicians’ private lives should not be published in newspapers. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is thought that the information regarding politicians’ personal lives should not be shared in print media. This essay strongly agrees with this suggestion because publishing these details could be harmful to their families, and obtaining this type of information might require breaking the law.

First and foremost, what makes that the details related to private aspects of politicians’ lives should not be shared in newspapers is that it could be harmful not only to these individuals but also to their families. This is because revealing some details from their personal lives could expose them to unwanted comments or allegations, which might lead to a great deal of distress. In Poland, for instance, in 2015, the vice-prime minister committed suicide due to not handling the pressure caused by the paparazzi invading his and his family’s private life.

Furthermore, obtaining this type of information, in most cases, means breaking the law. This is because the right to privacy is one of the most fundamental policies in society, and anyone who wants to access the lives of politicians must obtain their consent. However, not only are paparazzi hired to invade properties belonging to politicians to take photos without their permission, but also politicians’ colleagues and relatives are bribed to share confidential facts from their lives. For instance, an accident in which Princess Diana was killed was partly caused by the paparazzi who followed her car, trying to take photos of her and her boyfriend against their will.

In conclusion, I strongly support the suggestion that politicians’ lives should not be subject to the interest of newspapers because revealing personal facts from politicians lives could destroy their family life and the process of obtaining these details often required wrongdoing.

Some say that music, art and drama are as important as other school subjects, especially at the primary level. Do you agree or disagree? Some people believe that arts-related subjects are as important as other school subjects, especially for primary school children. I totally agree with this statement because this can help children to discover their talents from an early age and can increase their confidence. 

One of the reasons I agree that creative subjects have the same importance as other school courses in primary school is that it allows students to find out their potential talents early on. That is to say, school-age is the most convenient time for students to learn more about their interests by trying different activities as they are young enough to pursue their hobbies. They will probably not have any other chance later in their lives to discover that because they will be busy with difficult exams when they get older. For example, most famous singers were discovered by their music teachers at school from a young age, and they claimed that they could not be that successful if their teachers did not find out their talents when they were young.

Moreover, music, art and drama subjects help students to boost their confidence. That is because creative lessons teach students how to perform in front of lots of people and give them a chance to socialise with other students. As a result, students can realise their real potential and act more confidently. For instance, many psychologists suggest to students who are struggling with social anxiety to take drama lessons as it helps to enhance confidence. 

In conclusion, this essay completely agrees that music, art and drama have the same value as other subjects in primary school because it allows children to discover their hidden talents early on and increases their self-confidence.

Some individuals believe that the right place to teach children how to become good citizens is the school, while others argue that parents should be the ones responsible for that. Although parents might influence their children more than anyone else, I believe that educational institutions are more trained and equipped to teach children how to become successful members of the community. 

Parents influence their children more than anyone else. This is due to the fact that mothers and fathers are the ones who raise and spend most of the time with their children which dramatically influences the way children act and think. If parents act in a good manner, their children will indirectly imitate them. This fortifies the fact that no one might exert such a strong influence on their children. For example, a study in Britain showed that children are two times more influenced by their parents than their teachers. However, I believe that this is not enough and that school should be the place teaching children to become good people in society.

Schools are trained to build good citizens. Teachers spent their undergraduate years studying how to deal with children and train them to become better individuals in their communities. For this reason, educational institutions should be the place where children can safely acquire the needed behaviors to become better individuals in the future. For example, a recent study in the USA showed that 90% of schools train teachers how to help students to become better citizens. For this reason, I believe that the best place to do this is the school.

In conclusion, although parents have a strong influence on their children, I believe that the best place to create better citizens is the school because tutors are trained to do that.

It is argued that newspapers ought not to publish the details of private lives of politicians. This essay strongly disagrees with this view because politicians build a public image through such news and they could be held accountable for any wrongdoings.

On the one hand, politicians can gain public trust by building a positive image through newspapers. Being the focus of media, sometimes details of their personal interests end up on the front pages of newspapers, which allows them to gain popularity among masses, especially when their interests match with the general public. Recently, the pictures of a famous politician of Milan, while playing football with local school children were published in many newspapers, and he instantly became famous among school and college students. Hence, it helps them gain popularity by depicting themselves in a positive way. 

On the other hand, publishing details of private affairs disclose the corruption of politicians and make them accountable. Many politicians usually hold a public office and are entrusted with managing public funds. If they do not spend the money on the wellbeing of people and are involved in corruption, newspapers expose their private life and put them under accountability. For example, when details of the lavish spending of the Mayor of London, while on a vacation, were revealed in the SUN, it prompted questions from many sections of the society, eventually exposing his corruption with the public money. Therefore, it is important that newspapers publish these details.

In conclusion, private matters of politicians should be published in newspaper because it allows them to gain popularity and expose their corrupt affairs.

Some say that music, art and drama are as important as other school subjects, especially at the primary level. Do you agree or disagree?

Some people believe that arts education is as significant as the study of other subjects, especially for primary students. I completely agree with this viewpoint because some educational content could be better illustrated in the forms of arts, and the study of arts is one key consideration which fosters all-rounded growth of young students.

The arts could deliver information to students, especially to those attending primary schools, in a way that words in textbooks sometimes cannot. Children may become bored and tired if they have to read or listen to too much educational content in textbooks. A colorful painting or a catchy song, on the other hand, can be much more appealing and thus more effective in conveying information to these children. For example, the Ghen Covy song has been taught at most schools in Vietnam and has become one of children’s favorite songs. This song has effectively highlighted the importance of hand washing as a means of disease prevention, and has made it easier for many children to remember every step of hand sanitization for its catchy melody and appealing dancing moves.

Furthermore, the study of arts is one factor that contributes to a comprehensive development of young students. While academic subjects focus on children’s cognitive development, arts education help children to develop their social-emotional skills. By singing a song or drawing a picture, these children are likely to express their feelings and nurture their sense of community. For example, thousands of Vietnamese children, who were encouraged by their teaching staff, drew pictures of sunflowers to deliver messages of love and support for pediatric cancer patients.

In conclusion, the arts can sometimes be better at transmitting knowledge than textbooks, and the provision of both academic and arts education is necessary for an all-rounded growth of young students. I firmly believe that the study of arts should never be underestimated in any child educational institution.

Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like. Others believe that they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as those related to science and technology. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some would argue that all students in universities have to study the subject they like, while others think that they have to only study something useful for their future, for example, those related to science and technology sectors. Although learning about the latter subjects is crucial to secure a good job and salary, I believe that enrollment in whatever subject they favor leads to students being successful in their fields.

Studying science and technology during third-level education makes students able to easily find a job that pays high wages. That is to say, working in the majority of modern workplaces requires up-to-date technological information aiming to improve the quality of work and to compete with others, and, in turn, those employees will earn good remuneration. For instance, many IT graduates from the University of Toronto were able to have high positions and good wages in many renowned business companies. However, I think that the passion for what students study is more important than how much their earnings are in the future.

It is very important for university students to study the subjects they like because this is the reason behind a successful career. That is because the love for this particular subject allows them to go beyond their limits, be creative, and be eager to improve, and, thus, they might be promoted. For instance, many well-known musicians decided to study music because they were passionate about it and this positive spirit helps them climb their professional ladder. Therefore, I support this school of thought because studying a favorite subject is more important.

To conclude, despite the fact that a course in science and technology can provide postgraduates with a good future career and enough income, in my view, studying whatever they prefer is better because this leads to success in their field.

In some countries, younger people are neglecting their right to vote.

What problems does this cause and what are some of the possible solutions?

It is argued that in certain nations youth are not using their right to vote. This would hinder the political change, and it would also result in policies made that are not beneficial for these young people. The most viable solutions would be to create awareness among the younger generation and promote them to participate in politics. 

Not participating in elections would mean that it would be difficult to change the government which is necessary for some countries across the globe. This is because, in any functional democracy, the only way to change the ruling party is by casting votes in the electoral process. Furthermore, if young individuals forge their right to vote, it would result in policies made that do not benefit them. As a result, they would feel that the state is not addressing their concerns and end up leaving the country. For instance, every year thousands of young adults from developing countries immigrate to Europe and North America because they are unhappy with their government’s performance.

One way to tackle these issues is to inform these people about the power of vote. Campaigns should be held in universities, and colleges to educate youth about their political rights. Another solution is to promote these young people to come into politics. Doing this it would ensure their representation and their voices being heard. For example, Nelson Mandela was a young political activist who successfully fought against racism and became the first black President of South Africa.

In conclusion, neglecting to vote by the young generation would delay the necessary government change, and laws made that are not in their favor. However, encouraging youth participation in politics and awareness campaigns can be possible solutions to tackle these problems.

In certain parts of the world, the younger generation is not using their right to vote.

This phenomenon may result in younger people being apathetic toward politics and election results that do not reflect public opinion, and the most viable solutions are to educate younger people about the importance of voting and incentivize them to vote.

One major problem of this is that younger people may adopt an uncaring attitude toward politics. If younger people do not take part in the election, which is the most significant political event, they are unlikely to pay heed to anything related to politics later on. Another issue is that the result of the election might be undermined. Since only older people give their votes, the winner may not be the one that the majority want to put in charge. For example, it is commonly seen in my country that politicians with older supporters tend to win again candidates that appeal to the young since most of them do not give their votes.

One suitable solution for this is to run a public awareness campaign to emphasize to younger people the significance of voting. Once they realize that if they abandon their right to vote, the consequences will be immense, they will change their minds and begin to vote. Another way to overcome this is to provide them with certain incentives to start voting. Many younger people find voting a waste of time and, therefore, if they are given incentives, they are more likely to take the time to vote. For instance, younger people in my country are often given a small amount of money as a way of motivating them to vote.

In conclusion, the problems that may stem from this are younger people’s indifferent attitude toward political matters and an ineffective election, and some ways to deal with them are educating and incentivizing younger people to vote.

Some people say that the best way to improve public health is by increasing the number of sports facilities. Others, however, say that this would have little effect on public health and that other measures are required. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

It is argued that the sports facilities should be increased in number to improve citizens’ health, while others claim that other initiatives are more essential to be conducted. While I support the idea that installing more sports facilities would help ordinary people to enhance their general health, I am more convinced that other effective measures should be taken. 

On the one hand, people’s general health status could have been improved greatly via exercising. It is proven that working out fastens the amount of oxygen to the brain, helping people be more concentrative and optimistic. Therefore, lack of physical exercise or insufficient physical movements one’s working performance may be impacted and less productive. For example, Hanoi citizens are reported to be healthier than they were because of the availability of exercise equipment right at the local parts. However, I believe that this measure just improves partially not whole the public’s health. 

On the other hand, there is a wide range of conducts to prevents poor health conditions. Improving diet quality is one of the effective measures that should not be neglected. A good physical health is indeed contributed by many elements, and a full nutrient meal makes consumers stronger and strongly resistant to some diseases. In Vietnam, there used to be a program of introducing milk into daily meals to deter malnutrition for children. After 2 years of conducting this campaign, the number of underweight children was minimised noticeably. Therefore, I completely advocate other solutions to implement to warrant the public’s general health. 

In conclusion, although launching more sports facilities would benefit the overall health of citizens, I think that this matter could be addressed better by other methods.

Some people think that it is better to educate boys and girls in separate schools. Others, however, believe that boys and girls benefit more from attending mixed schools. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

A number of people argue that it is better for boys and girls to get an education from different schools, while others believe that it is more beneficial for children if they attend combined schools. Although studying in separate schools will help boys and girls to focus more on their studies, I believe learning from co-educational institutions will help them to become more social in society. 

On the one hand, when boys and girls attend separate schools, they will spend more time focusing on their studies. This is because there will not be any opposite gender to be attracted to and to get involved in any affairs. The schooling hours will be fully utilised to learn something rather than being diverted from studies and spending time with the ones they might have affair with in the school. For example, in Nepal, students from St. Mary’s Girls School showed a better academic performance than the girls who completed their school years from a co-educational institution. However, I believe that children attending mixed school will learn to be more social in the future.

On the other hand, co-education is more beneficial for children because they will learn some social skills during their school years. This is to say that children of both genders will be allowed to have combined studies and will learn how to deal politely with a person of the opposite sex, an important skill which is highly accepted by society. For example, boys who finished their studies at co-educational schools showed more courtesy towards ladies by offering some help when required. For this reason, it is better for children to attend mixed schools as it helps them to learn essential social skills.

In conclusion, although educating children in separate schools will help them to focus on their studies, I believe that co-education is much better for girls and boys as they will learn essential social skills in school.

Being a celebrity, such as a famous film star or sports personality, brings problems as well as benefits. Do you think that being a celebrity brings more benefits or more problems?

Lives of celebrities, like famous movie stars or sports people, bring benefits as well as problems. Although earning huge amounts of money is an advantage for celebrities, I believe the lack of privacy in their lives is a major problem that outweighs the benefit. 

The main advantage for celebrities is that they receive a huge remuneration. That is to say, such people are paid large amounts of money for their efforts or performance. Celebrities usually decide how much they should be paid, and the people who pay them do not negotiate as they are confident in their star value. For example, Avengers star casts were paid in high amounts even before they read the script of the film series because of their previous performances in the older series. However, I think celebrities are also human beings and money cannot replace the happiness or freedom they need in their lives.

One of the downsides of being a celebrity is that it is not possible for them to lead a private life. This means that because of their fame and popularity, they are continuously followed by the media, and by their fans who eagerly wait to know what is happening in their favorite stars’ lives. As such, celebrities lose their freedom and cannot enjoy their personal time with their families or friends. For instance, when Sachin Tendulkar became famous after his remarkable performance in cricket, he claimed that he could not walk down the streets of Mumbai as he used to do in the past. Thus, I believe celebrities cannot be carefree, and they always have to face the media in one or the other way.

To conclude, I think the problem of being a celebrity is that their privacy is interrupted, and this overshadows the benefit of making large amounts of money as a celebrity.

Being a famous person, such as a movie star or sports athlete, has many disadvantages and advantages. Although famous people will earn more money, I believe that there are more drawbacks because famous people will not be safe in public places. 

The biggest advantage is that well-known individuals will earn loads of money. This is because they will get colossal amounts of money from their sponsors for promoting their products, such as mobile phones, laptops or cars. As a result, notable individuals will become affluent around the nation. Floyd Mayweather, for instance, is a famous boxer as well as a wealthy person in the United States of America. Each year he gets around millions of dollars from Burger Kings and Rolls Royal sponsors for promoting their products during boxing matches. However, I believe that famous celebrities face huge problems whenever they go out because their frenzied fans will annoy them.

The major drawback is that famous individuals’ lives will be in danger in common places. This is because their foes will try to harm them whenever they go out either alone or with their family members, such as in parks or malls. As a result, they will have to hire some security guards to protect themselves against vicious-minded individuals. Jennifer Lopez, for instance, always goes out with five bodyguards. The reason is that in the past, some deranged fans attacked her in New York park and broke her left arm. Therefore, I believe that celebrities always face difficulties in common places because someone will assault them. 

In conclusion, although well-known individuals earn big amounts of money from sponsors, notable people’s lives will be in danger because evil-minded people will harm them. For these reasons, I believe that drawbacks are more than benefits.

It is being argued that media houses should not disclose the personal lives of statesmen. I completely agree with this statement because it will not only violate their right to privacy, but also they should focus their resources on more pressing issues that need immediate attention such as poverty.

It is the fundamental right of every human being to have their privacy. Even though they are public figures, their private lives should be away from the eyes of the media. They should only be judged against the service towards their countries and not for what is happening in their day-to-day affairs. The prime example of this can be seen in the Constitution of the USA, which gives its citizens the right to privacy.

In addition to this, it is the responsibility of newspapers to address important matters including poverty. Media can be a very powerful medium, so rather than talking about other people’s life, resources should be diverted towards putting pressure on public officials to engage them in solving real-life problems. Using their influence to the benefit of the general public should be the main focus of newspapers. For example, during the Great Depression, The Guardian was the main voice of people in protesting against the poor living conditions. 

In conclusion, I do not support the argument of newspapers publishing the personal information of government officials. This is because it will result in the violation of their privacy and also the primary focus of news agencies should be to highlight key issues concerning the nation.

Some people say that television is useful for education, while others say it is useful only for entertainment. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Television is considered useful for education by some, while others claim that it only serves entertainment purposes. While certain people believe television is only for entertainment as it steals time, this essay claims that it is valuable as educational programs on television can help a child’s intellect.

Some believe television is only useful for entertainment since it takes away time. This is because they feel that children who spend too much time in front of the television may miss out on life’s opportunities and that it is much more productive to spend time with friends, to work on homework, to go outside, or to relax instead of watching television. For example, kids who watch too much television tend to work less on their homework, which results in poor performance in school. However, I would argue that television is important as education programs can aid in boosting children’s intellect.

Educational programs on television can help children become more intelligent. Kids who watch informative and educational shows learn to solve problems and develop strong mental maths skills. For instance, several studies have shown that kids are more likely to outperform their peers on tests when they watch educational shows. Additionally, studies have shown that children who watch cartoons most of the time score less than those who watch educational shows. Therefore, I strongly believe educational shows on television encourage intellectual development in children.

In conclusion, while television is seen as only useful for entertainment because it eats up time, watching informative educational shows on television can develop a child’s intellectual skills.

Being a famous person, for example a popular actor or a sports star, is problematic as well as beneficial. This essay believes that fame has more negative effects because it comes with the cost of being a burden to the star’s family, and it can threaten the star’s mental health.

The first negative effect fame has on the star’s life is the burden it puts on his family. That is not only because of the paparazzi that keep chasing them everywhere they go and eventually putting them at physical risk, but also because of the pink media which posts news about them that completely breach privacy and are often related to intimate relationships. For example, it is very well known how much detrimental the role of paparazzi and pink media was on Princess Diana’s sons and they report that those publications and breaking news scarred them for a lifetime just because they come from a famous family.

The second reason behind the negativity of being a star is that it creates an unsafe environment that may endanger the star’s mental health. Being constantly under the spotlights and lacking the minimum amount of privacy in the person’s life is documented to be detrimental to this latter’s mental health. For instance, the famous movie star Marilyn Monroe is known to have committed suicide because she could not cope with a life with no privacy at all, and the same applies to the famous Egyptian star Souad Husni and many others.

In conclusion, in my opinion, the negative aspects of fame outweigh the positive ones especially because it puts a burden on the star’s family and puts their mental health in danger.

Multinational companies are becoming increasingly common in developing countries. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

It is becoming more popular in developing nations to see multinational corporations. There are some benefits for this trend such as the progress in the economy they create in these countries and the availability of jobs, however, the shut down of some small local businesses and the lower selling rate of local products can be its drawbacks.

The main advantage of the increasing number of these types of companies is the economic progress. That is to say, if multinational organizations operate in less-developed nations, this can bring wealth which boosts industries, trade, and other aspects of the economy. Moreover, more jobs will be available for the local people. That is because more workers and managers are needed to work for these companies which can be a good opportunity for locals to find a job. For instance, after opening a branch of Apple company in Dubai, many local graduates were thrilled by the good news of being accepted to work under this renowned company. 

However, one of the main disadvantages of this trend is the drop in the selling rate of the local products. That is because of the good reputations and qualities of international items, and, thus, citizens might refrain from buying their local products. Another disadvantage is that some small local shops could be closed. That is due to the unfair competition with these huge strong establishments, and as a result, some might be shut down or go bankrupt. For example, many amateur Syrian entrepreneurs, and after the harsh competition they had with international textile corporation, were forced to close their fabric factories. 

In conclusion, although the advantages of the popularity of multinational organizations in developing countries are the economic progress and the improvement in the job market, nonetheless, its downsides are the drop in the average selling of local products and the closure of some small businesses.

A number of individuals believe that television can help with education, while others feel it is only used for entertaining people. Although entertainment television programs are the most popular programs on TV, this essay argues that television is helpful in education if people utilize it properly.

On the one hand, nowadays, entertainment television programs have become the most well-liked TV programs. That is because those programs give people an escape from their home lives or occupations, and it is also a great way to spend time with. For example, in the United States of America the Ellen Show is one of the most popular shows which has lasted almost twenty years. However, I believe that entertainment television programs are people’s favorite television programs does not mean television cannot be useful for education.

On the other hand, television can be a helpful tool in education if people use it in a proper way. Television can help people to study through informative videos, TV shows, or documents, and those videos can help people form a visual representation of their thoughts. For instance, it can be commonly seen in many schools that teachers introduce TVs in their lectures to help students understand complicated and difficult subjects. For this reason, this essay believes that television is a useful tool for education.

In conclusion, although programs for entertaining people are the most well-liked television programs, I maintain that television is useful for education because it is a helpful tool for education if it is utilized properly.

In many countries, the government prioritises economic growth above all other concerns. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this.

Economic growth is a sphere that receives more attention than any other national domain in many states all over the world. The principal benefits of this phenomenon are lower unemployment and wealthier citizens, and the main downsides are higher costs of living for most and insufficient support for the poorest. 

On the one hand, what makes that prioritizing economic expansion is beneficial for the public is the fact that fever residents remain unemployed. This is because governments boost establishing various businesses, which will require many workers to operate. In addition, not only does a country become more powerful economically, but also many residents have an opportunity to become affluent. When companies generate more profit, it reflects how much money employees can make. In Poland, for example, 30 years after communism collapsed, average salaries offered for a middle-management position have tripled.

On the other hand, as a country’s economy thrives, costs of living increase. The most compelling reason for that could be the fact that since workers are paid more , their services become more expensive, which results in higher prices of many products. Moreover, in many cases, a state whose main priority is its economy offers little support for those who need it. If authorities believe that a strong economy is of the greatest importance, they are rather reluctant to offer help to those who do not contribute to the nation’s prosperity. To illustrate, when Donald Trump, who was a big advocate of a strong economy, became the president of the USA, the funds for jobless migrants were caught. 

In conclusion, as with anything in life, prioritizing economic growth by authorities has its pros and cons. While more have jobs that allow them to become wealthy, costs of living are going up, and those who need to rely on the social care system are marginalized.

It is argued that parents should be the ones to familiarise their children with basic teachings of morals and ethics and how to implement them to become better individuals in the society, while many believe educational institutes are the best places to learn them from. While parents can pay individual attention to their kids, I believe that schools provide an ideal environment in learning and grooming.

On the one hand, parents serve as role models and they are perfectly capable of paying undivided attention to their kids. That is to say that they can tell their kids stories containing lessons about differentiating right from wrong and good from bad. Furthermore, by demonstrating responsible behaviour, elders are instilling good habits in their young. As a result, children follow their elders and grow up to be better human beings. For example, on the dining table parents should tell their kids to eat quietly and not make unnecessary noises which can develop into a good habit. However , I believe that parents cannot consistently teach and monitor their kids’ behaviour patterns due to lack of time.

On the other hand, educational centres provide a specialised environment for minors in both academic and moral fields. That is to say that a child is more keen to learn and grow when one steps outside the comfort zone. By interacting with fellow students and actively participating in multiple social activities youngsters are able to perform to the best of their abilities. For instance, primary schools around the world include social activities and role plays in their curriculum to teach students how to become model citizens. Therefore, this option is preferable because it benefits the child in the long run as well as the society..

In conclusion, although parents can demonstrate moral teachings to their children in an effective manner, learning them at schools would make them rather more confident and productive members for the community.

In some countries, even though the rates of serious crimes are decreasing, people feel less safe than ever before. What do you think are the causes of this problem and what measures could be taken to solve it?

Although grievous offences are reducing, some people feel more insecure than they used to. The main reason behind this is the increase of cyber bullying and hate-crimes, and the solution would be to raise the general awareness among the masses and by promulgating new laws.

The primary cause of people not feeling safe than they used to is because the arena of crime has changed. More people are interacting virtually over the internet, which is mostly unregulated. Therefore, people are easily subject to harassment and bullying on social medias. Moreover, people are also subject to hate-crimes which is a consequence of constant portrayal of a certain group of people as evil by the media. For example, labeling the activities of criminals, who professes the Islamic faith, as terrorists has resulted in an increase in hate-crimes against Muslims across America. 

The solution to such problems would be in educating the general people so that they are more aware. This will allow them to act more responsibly. Also, the government can play their part by enacting new laws that addresses the needs of time. This will make their citizens feel more secure because they can have their problems redressed. For instance, the government of Bangladesh recently enacted Digital Security Act, 2018 and Digital Security Rules, 2020 in order to penalize offences that take place in the cyberspace, as crimes like online harassment and cyber bullying was not previously defined as an offence. 

In conclusion, insecurity among some section of the population is still prevailing due to the change in the nature of crimes that are being committed nowadays. However, this can easily be addressed by making people aware and also by making new laws.

Most high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 per cent female. Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these positions to women. To what extent do you agree?

Although women account for more than 50 per cent of the workforce in developed nations, a number of managerial positions are still occupied by men. Some believe that a certain proportion of these vacancies should be allocated to females. This essay, however, strongly disagrees with this statement because this can discourage qualified men to work hard, and such a policy can encourage organisations to find some wrong ways to outsmart the system.

Reserving a certain proportion of high-level positions for women because of their gender may prevent educated males from making a contribution to the progress of a company. This is because any employee naturally wants to have equal opportunities for promotion irrespective of gender. If males at workplace are deprived of it, they are not motivated to work hard. For example, psychologists claim that the motivation and hard work of subordinates directly hinge on the promotional system of a company. 

Furthermore, imposing a quota will make companies seek for some illegal ways to outwit this regulation since the priority of most companies is to reward employees with high-level positions according to their knowledge and experience, not their genders. Hence, if any law contradicts the policy of a company based on gender, the owners of that company are more likely to make modifications to outsmart the system, which benefits neither of them. For example, not to compulsively hire female employees to the top management of a company, owners can change the tittle of a position to just to fill a vacancy. 

In conclusion, I strongly disagree with the idea of allocation of certain high-level posts to females because of their gender since this can discourage qualified males to work hard and make companies find alternative ways to outwit the law.

Some people think that the teenage years are the happiest time of most people’s lives. Others think that adult life brings more happiness, in spite of greater responsibility. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

It is argued that adolescence years are the happiest years in one’s life, while others believe that adulthood is the most joyful phase to live despite having bigger responsibilities. This essay believes that, although adolescents are free of responsibilities, adults enjoy their life more because they are free to make their own choices.

On the one hand, adolescents are thought to live the happiest moments of their life because they are not asked to be responsible. Basically, a teenager lives with his parents, who not only provide him shelter, food, and education, but also, in some cases, would try to meet his fantasies. For instance, in my country, teenagers make a great example of spoiled people who spend their money carelessly and always ask for more, though they do not seem to be happy.However, I believe that not being obliged to worry about any responsibility is not what happiness is all about, and consequently adolescents do not live their happiest days.

On the other hand, others see that adulthood is a happier phase because adults are free to make the choices that fit their aspirations. Having the freedom of choice will eventually be followed by achievements and a sense of self-accomplishment, which is a primary source of joy. For example, many adults in my country are happy because of the choice of career or commitment they took on their own, and they see themselves happier than when they were teenagers. Therefore, I believe adulthood is the most enjoyable time because one can not be happy if they have to follow others’ plans even it comes with no responsibilities.

In conclusion, despite having no responsibilities on their shoulders, adolescents do not live the happiest moments of their life. This essay believes that it is adulthood which is the most enjoyable in light of the fact that adults are free to make their own choices.

In some countries, it is becoming increasingly common for people to follow a vegetarian diet. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

In a number of countries, following a vegetarian diet has become very popular. Although being a vegetarian can limit the options when eating, I believe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages because it allows the body to work properly. 

For vegetarian people it is difficult to find varied options to eat. Since the majority of the worldwide population have a diet that includes animal products, these type of food is the one that is normally available at food businesses. Therefore, people with a vegetarian diet have to choose between a limited number of plates or products when buying food or eating out. For example, in many popular restaurants in Colombia, the menu has only a short vegetarian section which includes only two or three plates that are completely vegetarian. However, I believe that those options that are offered are healthier than plates that are sold in large quantities.

Following a vegetarian diet allows the body to work better. This is because science has shown that when our human system digests animal products, such as meat, it has to work harder to process the food that it is not designed to receive. Thus, people that have a diet based on plants and seeds are more prone to have a healthier life because they allow their bodies to focus their energy in its normal processes. For instance, people who become vegetarian are less prone to get sick because their immune system has all the energy focused on fighting bacteria and not causing chronic inflammation because of the food. That is why I consider that following a vegetarian diet can have more benefits in the long term. 

In conclusion, although vegetarian people have fewer options when buying products without animal ingredients, it is my belief that following a vegetarian diet has a positive impact in the body functions.

Some claim that families should educate their offspring on being good members of community, while others say that school is the most suitable place to do that. Although school has professional ways to teach children about being good in society, I believe that teaching them by parents is more appropriate because parents have more influence on children. 

On the one hand, school should tech children how to interact in good way in society because it has academic methods to better educate children on that. Any school curriculum is examined by experts before being used, so it contains no mistakes or unsuitable context. For example, to design a school national curriculum, governments hire the most experienced and knowledgeable teachers nationwide. However, I believe that children follow parent’s instructions better than school’s instructions. 

On the other hand, parents are more influent in teaching children about being good in society. That is because parents are close to children, so children are more likely to believe in them. As a result, children are effectively learn how is it important to behave well in society. For instance, the vast majority of children gain their good habits from their parents as they eager to transmit the good attitude to their children. Therefore, I believe that families are the most suitable teacher for children when it comes to be good in society. 

In conclusion, despite the fact that school has professional methods to educate children on being good in society, I believe that parents are more successful doing that because they have better influence on children.

It is thought by some that their happiest years were during their teenage years. Others, however, believe that happiness comes during adult life later on, despite the great deal of responsibilities. Although being an adult means having enough money to enjoy many life activities, teenagers have an enormous amount of time to spend on leisure activities, and for this reason, I stand with the latter view.

Undoubtedly, adults usually have the money to spend on entertaining activities and create joyful moments. Due to the fact that adults usually have the financial means to travel somewhere far, attend a concert, or even rent an expensive car, many express their happiest moments to be during their thirties and the years after while their health is still perfect and they enough money to spend. For example, a 35-year-old man can always travel to Spain during summer time and be able to create an unforgettable moments. However, in my opinion, most adults are so engaged mentally with work and family responsibilities that they do not have the time to spend or travel but rarely.

On the other hand, during adolescence, teenagers have all the time they need to have fun. Having no serious tasks or long working hours, teenagers often spend their time partying with their cool friends throughout the week while having absolutely no responsibility on their shoulders. As a result, people usually remember these days as their happiest. For example, teenagers usually have their own party places that open during week days, especially when they become university students, they become happier as their social network also expands. Personally, I believe that having no responsibilties is the key to create happy moments to remember. 

To conclude, while being an adult means having more money to spend on entertaining events, teenagers have all the time in the world to be with their firends and party, and that, in my view, is the reason why people remember these days as their happiest.

Global companies are gaining more popularity among third-world countries. The main advantages of this are that they generate more employment in a country and provide good benefits to employees. However, the major drawbacks are long working hours and unsecured jobs.

One benefit of multinational companies is that they employ a large workforce. This is because these big companies have more than two or three branches around the country, thereby, increasing the employment rate within the country. Moreover, these companies have good benefits for their staff, as compared to local companies, such as yearly travel compensation and full coverage family insurance. For instance, Amazon provides a yearly international trip to the employee and their family, covering accommodation and return tickets.

On the other hand, having to work extremely long hours is the major disadvantage of being in such companies. This is because these companies handle clients who work in different time zone. Hence, the employees have to work in their local time zone as well as per client time zone, which can be several hours apart. Furthermore, losing a job at any time is the biggest fear of employees working for such organizations, unlike government sector, where an employee cannot be fired from the job easily. For example, in Apple Inc., it is reported several times that the employees are fired due to their grudges with their boss.

In conclusion, multinational organizations have benefitted developing countries by increasing the employment rate and making the lives of employees better by providing good benefits. However, it does not have strict policies for their staff as they have to work long hours and fear of losing their job at any time.

In modern times, children are spending less time with their families and more time with their friends. Why has this change occurred? Do you think parents should force their children to spend more time at home?

Nowadays, children spend more time with their friends than with their families. This change has occurred because children do not want to feel left out amongst their peers and parents should not force children to stay home because they will resent their parents for it.

Young ones do not want to miss out on social activities with their friends. Since the invention of technology, many activities that people carry out, especially teenagers, are now being posted online. As a result, children want to engage more in activities with their peers so they would also have fun stories to post on their social media pages and not be the odd one among their peers. For example, many young people in South Korea are known to shop and visit fun places with their friends rather than their parents, so as to show off the fun activities they engage in on Wechat, a popular social media platform.

Children whose parents mandate spending more time at home might hold a grudge towards their parents. This is because if children are forced by their parents to spend more time at home, they may interpret this as a form of punishment and develop a negative attitude towards their parents, which defeats the goal of family time. However, if they are encouraged to play with their siblings and bond with the family, children will be more willing to stay at home. For example, most children in Nigeria, even though they spend time with their friends, look forward to family time because parents in Nigeria emphasize the benefits of spending more time with family. 

In conclusion, children want to engage in activities with their friends and not be left out, and parents should encourage their children to stay at home more, rather than force them so that their children will not resent them.

It is believed by some that adolescent years are the happiest period of most people’s lives, while others believe that adulthood brings more content, despite having more responsibilities. Although teenagers obtain new experiences in their teenage years, I believe that adults can enjoy in the things they have accomplished.

On the one hand, experiences that adolescents gain before their reach adulthood make them happy. This is because many teenagers get more freedom to do the things that they like without being controlled by their parents. A sense of freedom gives them opportunity to socialise with their contemporaries and many of them fall in love for the first time. These are unprecedented experiences that makes them feel very happy. For example, many dwellers of Sarajevo have said that teenage years were the happiest years of their lives. However, I think that adolescents do not know what a real happiness is at such a young age. 

On the other hand, adults can appreciate the things they have achieved. This is to say that many adults set goals when they were younger, such as having prosperous careers, because they knew achieving their goals would make them content. They worked hard to get closer to their goals, and when they finally achieved their targets, they felt contentment. For instance, many Bosnians dreamed about owning a property, and after purchasing housing they were ecstatic. Therefore, I believe that adults can value happiness at a greater level.

In conclusion, although pre-adulthood brings new experiences, I believe that adults enjoy the perks of their hard work.

In many professional sports, there is an increase in the number of athletes using banned substances to improve their performance. What are the causes of the phenomenon and what are some of the possible solutions?

The number of sportspeople using illegal substances to improve their performance has increased in many sporting events. This essay believes that many athletes are taking banned substances to win the competition and exceed capabilities beyond their limits. This can be prevented by requiring athletes to take drug tests before the competition and punish them if they have violated the rules.

Some sportsmen are taking banned substances because they want to be the best athlete in the competition. It is in their nature to be on top among other competitors, and winning is their main goal. In addition, using illegal substances help exceed their abilities by boosting their physical strength. They are tempted to do this because it helps them to handle such excruciating trainings needed to achieve their goals. For instance, Michael Phelps, a professional swimmer, confessed that the use of an illegal substance has helped him become an Olympic Gold medallist.

One solution to eradicate this problem is to test all athletes before the competition so that they will be discouraged from using banned substances, allowing fair competition among athletes. Moreover, sports organizations should also punish athletes who are taking performance-enhancing drugs, such as banning them from playing any sports event. This will give them lessons and take away the temptations of using illegal substances. For example, the Tour de France organization has banned Edward Armstrong from entering the bike racing competition and stripped down all his trophies because of his drug violations. 

In conclusion, many athletes nowadays use illegal substances to win the competition and exceed their physical capabilities. However, it is vital to have fair competition, and this can be eradicated by requiring the athletes to do drug tests and ban them if found guilty.

Some people argue that television helps in learning while others believe that its only purpose is to entertain us. Although television is widely used for enjoyment and leisure, in my opinion, it also helps in other ways like getting news and information from all over the world.

For decades, people have been watching television for fun and leisure because it is the most common entertainment product in every household. Furthermore, it offers a variety of channels and programs with just clicks of some buttons which help children and adults to relax and enjoy when they feel tired after studies or work. Entertainment programs such as The Kapil Sharma Show have always been the most popular programs because they spread laughter and joy among the people and help them unwind the day. However, I think that other than entertainment, people have many reasons to watch television such as getting educated about major events around the world.

On the other side, many people argue that beyond the entertainment, there are various news and educational programs aired on television that are watched by a large number of people. Many shows on television play a vital role in educating citizens about various issues and current affairs and help them increase their knowledge. Many news programs, for example, Prime-Time with Ravish Kumar on NDTV pick one of the events happened during the day and discuss different perspectives about it in details and educate people on how it affects their lives. Moreover, these types of shows have become more interesting and entertaining due to the use of advanced technology and presentation methods.

In conclusion, while the most people watch television for pleasure and relax, I believe that it is not fair to tag it as an entertainment tool because it is still a main source of news and information for the majority people around the world.

Some argue that newspaper journalists should not report on the personal lives of the people in politics. This essay emphatically disagrees with this view because citizens are entitled to be informed about their politicians’ lives before they elect them, and because politicians need to be kept in check to stop them from misusing their powers.

Politicians are public servants who have taken an oath to serve the citizens of a nation. In a democracy, politicians are elected on the basis of two important factors – their vision and their values. While the vision is communicated by politicians during their campaign, the values can only be depicted through the way the way they have lived their personal lives. Journalists are trained to investigate all kinds of information. Hence, for a well-rounded evaluation, it is essential that newspapers give a complete account of the values of a politician through a coverage of their personal lives. For instance, in 2016, many supporters of Donald Trump lost their trust in him after newspapers uncovered the story of the sexual harassment allegations against him.

Furthermore, politicians hold great power because of their ranks. It would be very easy for politicians to misuse this power to benefit their own personal lives. On behalf of the public, journalists own the authority to keep politicians’ personal lives in check. For example, President Bill Clinton wrongly took advantage his position by having an affair with an intern. The American citizens were informed of this through newspapers and other media platforms.

In conclusion, it is extremely important that newspaper publishers cover the private lives of politicians so that they can be fairly evaluated before elections, and to ensure that their power is kept in check while they’re serving the public.

During the course of history, crime term is viewed as a negative blow on both society and each individual. Although a reducing crime statistic in some particular countries has been publicly recognized in recent decades, other kinds of crime might cause local residents a sense of less safety than previous times, especially juvenile crime, so some policies need to be implemented to ensure tackle this phenomenon.

There is several compelling evidence that crime under the age of 18 has been a contributor to unsafe feelings. With the aid of technological advancement, teenagers nowadays are frequently exposed to violence in the media and mimic violent acts whose brains are not fully developed and can not tell the difference between right and wrong. Violent scenes on Youtube, for example, are usually starred by adults who are likely to become negative role models, leading to the growth of juvenile crime after watching those videos, especially turning to bullies in school. Thus, parents will have a fear of their offspring not only befriending these bullies but also becoming a potential crime if they can not control the information absorbed by their children due to hectic working schedules.

With regard to the responsibility of the government to assure residents do not feel unsafe, banning violence-related contents on the Internet should be adopted. This policy required producer companies to minimize scenes containing violence before publicizing final products. In addition, adults also are in charge by teaching their infants to identify wrongdoings to avoid. By spending time with those, parents could either diminish unsafe feelings or intervene at the right time whether friends of their youngsters are good or not.

In conclusion, juvenile crime is a major indicator of increasing fearness of society despite a drop in serious crime rate. Government must take immediate action by passing violence- content restriction on stakeholders on a national scale and parents should dedicate more time to their children to help authorities to address these issues.

It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance for sport or music, and others are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to become a good sports person or musician. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

While some think that people can not succeed in sports or music unless they have some natural talents that a few people have, others reckon that any child can be educated to become successful in those areas. This essay agrees with the former view because, although children are able to get access to many professional training programs, natural gifts enable owners to excel at their subjects such as music or sports.

Some argue that all children can become good at music and sports as soon as they receive the appropriate learning programs. This is because now children are taught by many professional teachers, and the programs that they are involved in are far more modern and systematic. Therefore, they do not need talents to become successful. For instance, many renowned musicians and sports athletes in Vietnam admit that they are not talented, but they can thrive in their areas mainly because of their hard work in many years and the intensive training programs that their tutors gave them. However, I think that some subjects like music or sports have some unique features that require learners some talents to master them.

Gifted people can thrive because their natural gifts help them quickly master knowledge. The immense level of their innate skills enables them to completely grasp anything they learn in a short amount of time, and they can creatively and successfully put them into practice. Let’s take Mozart as a musical genius of all ages, with an extraordinary memory, he could remember any details of music like melodies and lyrics and composed thousands of famous songs of all time. For this reason, I believe that some inborn qualities play a crucial part for people to thrive in some areas like music or sports. 

In conclusion, despite any professional programs that schools now offer, this essay thinks that children need to have some talents to become professional athletes or skilled musicians.

Some say that educating boys and girls in a single-gender school is more beneficial, while others feel that mixing both genders is a better idea. I believe that while separation can reduce the amount of classroom disruption, mixed schools have a better impact on both genders because it prepares them for their future in the real world.

On the one hand, a single gender educational environment can reduce distraction between peers during the class. Children try to impress or get the attention of the opposite gender by talking or showing off, which leads to lack of focus in the class and causes interruptions to other students. For instance, girls and boys tend to find their first crushes at school. It distracts them because instead of paying attention to studying, they are focused on getting into relationships. Despite this, I would argue that both boys and girls can benefit more from being mixed because it helps them to be prepared for the future life.

On the other hand, mixed-sex schools where boys and girls are not separated, can prepare children for their future life. When young males and females attend co-educational school, they can develop relationships with other people. In their future they will work with opposite sex so educating students in single-sex schools limits their opportunity to work cooperatively with the opposite gender. For example, if children are used to have contact with many peers from their childhood, they will not have a problem to adjust to a mixed-sex environment in their future such as work area or daily life. I therefore believe that this method is better as it helps to interact with the opposite sex.

In conclusion, while separating boys and girls at school can help them to be more focused during their classes, I think that mixing both genders gives them the ability to learn how to build relationships with different genders, which is valuable later in life.

Following a vegetarian diet is becoming very popular in some nations. Although without meat it is hard to get the required amount of protein, I believe that the benefits of consuming high fibre and low saturated fat while on this diet far outweigh any drawbacks.

The main disadvantage of the vegetarian diet is that without meat people may have a protein deficiency. That is to say, people by nature are omnivorous more than herbivorous, and by avoiding consuming animal products, protein levels will decrease, and this deficiency can have consequences on muscles, bones and immunity system. By following this type of strict diet in certain religious groups in India, for instance, people might suffer not only from fatigue and bone fractures, but also from disturbance in their immune system. However, I think that a well-planned diet provides people with all nutrients including enough protein.

The positive feature of this diet is that it contains high fibre and low saturated fat, which can help decrease heart problems. In other words, high amounts of fats are found in animal products, this can accumulate on blood vessels causing clots and predisposing to certain heart diseases, and by controlling fat levels and consuming more fibre as in vegetarian diet, the risk of heart disease can be reduced. That is why many physicians, for instance, advise their patients to go on this healthy diet which plays a major role in decreasing their risk of suffering from heart problems. Therefore, in my view, protecting people from this type of illness by recommending such a regimen is very beneficial.

To conclude, while it is difficult to have enough protein from a vegetarian diet, in my opinion, the advantages of protecting people from heart disease with its high level of fibre and low saturated fat far outweigh any disadvantages.

Nowadays more and more people have to compete with young people for the same jobs. What problems does this cause? What are some possible solutions?

These days the competition for the same job has increased, as more young people apply for it. The main problems this causes are high competition for one job and an increased unemployment rate. The most viable solutions are creating special programs for young people and expanding the job market by introducing special positions for others. 

Having a high number of people applying for the same job creates high competition for one position, among younger and older people. As a result, for one position apply hundreds of people, and only one, mainly young people, is hired. Additionally, this leads to unemployment, as there are not many positions available to people and not everyone finds a job. In Ukraine, for example, every year many people in their forties or fifties file for unemployment insurance, as they were not able to find a job due to the companies prefer hiring younger candidates rather them. 

One way for governments to overcome this difficulty is to create special positions for the elder and senior people, like to be trainers. In such a way, they will not lose their jobs and will be able to pass their knowledge to the younger generations. Another solution is for organizations to introduce more internships or traineeships. Creating such opportunities will assist people in having at least temporary jobs. For example, every year a well-known Ukrainian mobile company Life hires the younger for one year program with a future potential full-time employment, as they want to retain their current employees and provide future job opportunities for younger generations. 

In conclusion, having more young people applying for the same job creates high competition and unemployment. In order to overcome this, the government should introduce more positions, like trainers for elderly and current employees, and offer more internships for the younger generation.

Some companies have uniforms for their staff which must be worn at all times. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this.

Employees of some companies must wear their uniforms all the time. The main advantages of this are that wearing uniforms can be a source for advertising their products and helps to bring a sense of belonging, while the disadvantages are that wearing inappropriate clothing for work and hampering employee’s performance.

Employees who wear uniforms can be a source of marketing for their own products. This is because when employees step out from their company, then people will notice their logos and make a good impression of them, as a result, they might end up buying their items. Moreover, staff wearing uniforms can also help to grow a sense of belonging. That is to say that if staff wear the same clothes every time, this would lead to a feeling of team spirit and better production in the company. To illustrate this, the workers of Lux company always dress up in the same uniforms; thus, they become an inevitable part of the marketing team of Lux in Bangladesh.

On the other hand, employees who always wear uniforms might end up wearing inappropriate clothes for their work. This is because they do not have any idea of the specific material or right sizes of the clothes that they should wear at the workplace. Wearing uniforms by employees can also hamper their better performance. This is mainly because of making poorly designed work clothes and, this might cause difficulties in work since they find the uniforms constricting their work output. For instance, flight stewardesses wearing pencil skirts and high heels may look good, but at the same time, it also causes discomfort to them and the passengers.

To conclude, the main advantages of wearing uniforms are that it can be a key element of marketing and helps to grow a sense of belonging; however, the disadvantages are the inappropriacy of wearing uniforms and restricted performance.

Nowadays the way many people interact with each other has changed because of technology. In what ways has technology affected the types of relationships people make? Is this a positive or negative development?

Because of developments in technology, the way we communicate with each other has changed. As a result of this, people are making friends and even started to find themselves a partner through the internet. I believe that it is a negative trend because people try to take advantage of us after they know about our personal life.

Many have started making friends and dating online. Social media users follow individuals whom they do not know and interact with them by commenting on their posts or texting to each other from these platforms. Some teenagers and even adults use dating websites to find themselves a date. In such platforms internet normally pair them up with a random person and they make conversation with each other. For example, the dating website called Omegle is getting popular among individuals.

People often get threatened by their online friends. After they earn their friend’s trust, and get familiar with their personal life, they start demanding money, and if a person refuses to give them what they want they begin threatening them telling them that they will hurt their loved ones. For instance, more than thousands of social media users in Uzbekistan are becoming the victims of such crimes every year.

In conclusion, as a result of improvements in technology the way we interact with each other has changed. Because of this people are dating and making friends online. I am of the opinion that it is a negative development because people often get threatened by their online friends.

Today people are travelling more than ever before. Why is this the case? What are the benefits of travelling for the traveller?

People are travelling more than ever before in recent times. Achieving quality education from abroad is the main reason for this, and the major benefits of travelling for the traveller are they will be entertained by watching exciting things around them and personality development.

The main reason of people travelling more today is to achieve quality education from abroad. This is because, degrees from their own countries may not have more value. Instead, if they have degrees from abroad, people can compete with other individuals for amazing jobs, and by having such jobs, people’s standard of living improves. For example, many engineers in India are travelling abroad in order to complete their higher education and by achieving quality education from abroad, they can get a phenomenal job anywhere across the world.

One benefit of travelling for the traveller is that they are ammused by watching exciting things while travelling.This is because, usually people at home have a hectic life style and they do their normal routine work. While travelling, travellers observe mesmerizing lights and new things on their way and get entertained. Moreover, travelling helps in personality development of a traveller. This is because, in an airbus they have to wait for a long time for their destination to come, which develops the quality of patience in travellers. For example, while travelling from Melbourne to Hyderabad, travellers have to wait for 16 hours in an aircraft which develops patience and overall personality development in them.

In conclusion, today people are travelling more than ever before, to achieve quality education from abroad is the main reason of travelling, and the main benefits of travelling for the traveller are getting entertained by watching exciting things while travelling and personality development.

It is the view of some people that individuals who have talents in certain areas such as sports or music are born with it, while others believe that a child can learn to be good at these skills. Although, it is true that people are talented in these fields because they can achieve great feats with no training or with minimal effort, I believe that any child can learn to become good at certain skills if they work hard.

People who are naturally talented at sports or music can perform excellently well in these areas without training. Some people who perform very well in sports or music do not need to learn or practice to become proficient at these skills because it comes naturally to them, unlike others who have to train for a long time to reach the same level. For example, Michael Jackson, a musical legend, is widely known to be talented in singing and dancing because he displayed these skills from childhood without training. However, I believe that even those who are talented in certain fields need to learn and practice in other to perform at maximum capacity.

Children can be taught to become good sportsmen and women and outstanding musicians if they work hard at it. It is possible to teach someone different skills, especially a young child, because they learn faster and with practice they too can become very good in music and sports. For example, Dwayne Johnson, popularly known as the rock, was taught how to wrestle from an early age and now holds many wrestling titles. For this reason, I believe that children can be learn to be good at these skills by working hard even if they were not born with such talents.

In conclusion, even though some people can perform well in sports or music because they are talented, I believe that young people who are not talented can learn to be skilled at sports or music if they work hard.

Many people are now opting to provide technology companies with their personal data in exchange for access to software. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

These days many individuals are choosing to give tech companies their personal information to gain access to software. Although using this software makes people’s life easier, I believe that the benefits do not outweigh the drawbacks because companies are able to constantly influence consumers’ choices.

The main advantage of sharing your private data with tech companies is that the software they provide you makes your life simpler. This is because this software offers users personalized help in their daily matters so that they can avoid wasting time and energy doing things that they can easily do with the aid of technology. For example, Google Drive offers you a free cloud-based storage where all your documents and pictures are automatically saved and you can access them from any device at any time, without worrying about saving them on a pen drive that you might lose. However, I believe that this argument is weaker because people should prioritize their privacy.

One of the disadvantages is that once they have access to your data, tech corporations can use them to control your choices at all times. This is to say that tech companies harvest the data you agreed to share with them, and through an in-depth analysis performed by artificial intelligence and through complex algorithms, they create profiles based on your interests, likes and dislikes. These profiles are then sold to third-party companies for advertising purposes. For example, Google records all your google searches and all the videos you watch on YouTube and then decides what type of advertisement you would be more susceptible to. This targeted marketing has proven extremely successful. I believe this argument is stronger because people are deceived from these companies to generate revenues. 

In conclusion, although providing confidential information to tech firms in order to use software simplifies your life, I believe that being continuously influenced in your decisions is a major drawback. For these reasons, I think that the negatives far outweigh the positives.

While some argue that building more sports facilities is the best possible method of improving public health, others believe that this approach is not very effective, and other actions are needed. I agree with the latter opinion as although doing sports plays a key role in leading a healthy way of life, mass educational activities about different ways of health improvement are a better option because they can target more people. 

On the one hand, doing sports influences people’s health and well-being enormously. Not only does it make us stronger and more resilient, but it also trains our cardiovascular systems and, thus, reduces the chances to die earlier than we could have. In contrast, those who lead a sedentary lifestyle deprive themselves of these benefits. Hence, the more sports facilities will be available to the public, the more people could do sports and, thus, stay healthy. However, I do not agree that this is the best way to improve public health as the majority of people either just do not want to or can not go in for sports because of different reasons. 

On the other hand, informing and educating people about different ways of improving their health is a foundation of health and well-being. If people knew the consequences of drinking too much alcohol and why they need to eat healthy food and avoid ultra-processed food, for example, then they would take a more sensible approach to their health and would have more motivation. Hence, I am convinced that this approach is much better than just opening more sports facilities as it targets all people and not just a small part of them. 

To conclude, although opening more sports facilities will make some people healthier, I believe that educating people is more important as it will target more people overall.

In few countries, the population of vegetarians is increasing rapidly. Although this trend might be a cause of unemployment among a particular group whose livelihood is dependent on the meat business; this essay thinks that the advantages like the positive effect on the environment outweigh the disadvantages.

The drawback of a large population of a country turning vegetarian is that some people lose their business. That is to say that there are thousands of farmers whose livelihood depends on the livestock business, they farm animals like cows and pigs, and sell the meat in local meat markets. These markets might close if a large population turns vegetarian resulting in these people losing their livelihood. For example, in India, there are thousands of individuals, especially in coastal cities like Mumbai or Chennai, who earn their living through huge meet markets established in these cities, these people will get unemployed if the markets close. However, this essay believes that individuals would find an alternative source of income if these markets close.

The major advantage of people choosing a vegetarian lifestyle is that it is eco-friendly. In other words, livestock requires vast areas of land to live in; they eat a huge quantity of food which would be enough for multiple people to survive; they produce double the carbon dioxide in a day than an average human. Due to these reasons farming livestock is takes a heavy toll on the environment. For example, according to research at the University of California, farm animals are the number one cause of global warming, greater than emissions from cars and gasses released from industries. This essay believes that the environmental impact of the vegetarian lifestyle outweighs the drawbacks.

In conclusion, if a large population of a country turns vegetarian, a certain group might lose their income, but this essay believes that the advantages of positive environmental impact outweigh the drawbacks.

Most high-ranking positions in companies are being filled by men, despite that more than 50 per cent of the employees are women in a lot of high-income countries. Companies should be forced to dispense a certain proportion of these posts to women. This essay totally agrees with this statement because, by doing this, the relative level of competence in the company as well as the ability to cooperate would increase. 

By allocating a certain per cent of high-level positions to women, companies would reach a higher competence level. This is because a lot of women with the right competence are overlooked, since the tradition of male executives are very strong. Allocated recruitment would result in women with high competence rather than mediocre men in those high-level positions. For example, an audit of the relative competence level in one of the biggest investment banks in Sweden showed a significant increase after they decided to allocate at least 40 per cent of their leading positions to women. 

Companies with gender equality show better cooperation. In other words, both male and female leaders are needed in a company because men and women contribute with different aspects to the group dynamics. For example, in space shuttles the crew is always formed with a certain per cent of both female and male crewmembers, since cooperation is so vital. 

In conclusion, this essay totally agrees with the statement that companies should be obliged to recruit women for a certain percentage of the leading positions because this is a way of increasing both the level of competence and the cooperation in the company.

There is an increasing trend for people in some nations to have vegetarian foods for their meals. This essay thinks that the benefits do not outweigh the drawbacks because although vegetarian diets can reduce carbon footprints, consuming vegetables only may lead to nutritional deficiencies.

The main advantage of having a vegetarian diet is that carbon emissions can be reduced. Animal agriculture accounts for a significant portion of carbon footprints because animal feed has to be transported a long way to farmers, and animals release a large amount of carbon dioxide after they eat the feed. For example, a research by the University of Australia found that around 35% of carbon emissions around the world is from animal agriculture, and if everyone eats vegetables, carbon footprint in animal agriculture can be reduced by one third. However, this essay argues that people may not be able to get nutrients which is available only in meats if they solely consume vegetables.

One disadvantage is that vegetarian diets may cause nutritional deficiencies. That is because vegetables do not contain nutrients or minerals that are available in meats, and in the long run vegetarian may suffer from diseases caused by nutritional deficiencies. For instance, meats provide minerals such as iron to strengthen the red blood cells. If people do not gain enough iron, their immune systems will be weakened, and in most serious case, brain functions will be impaired. Therefore, this essay believes that a balanced diet with meats and vegetables should be followed.

In conclusion, although eating vegetables solely can reduce carbon emissions, unbalanced diets with only vegetables may lead to nutritional deficiency.

Nowadays, people are travelling more than at any time in the past. The main reason for this is that it is cheaper to travel now, and the main benefits of travelling for the traveller are that they can expose to different cultures and expand their social network. 

One of the main reasons people are travelling more now is that it is not as expensive as before. That is to say that there are many new travel transportation companies exist now, such as flight and bus companies, while there were only a few of them in the past. As a result, there is a big competition between these companies to attract more customers, which results in massive price reduction. For example, Ryanair, a famous flight company in Europe, sells tickets starting from $15 during the sale, from London to European countries. 

One of the main benefits of travelling for the traveller is that they can understand different cultures better. This is because when people travel to a new country, they have a chance to spend time with locals and experience their traditions. Also, museums and monuments are mainly visited by tourists to learn more about the country’s culture. Furthermore, being able to enlarge their social circle is another benefit of travelling. Visitors can meet a plethora of people from different nations while travelling. For instance, people who are using Couchsurfing app, which allows people to stay at locals’ houses when travelling, are making friends from all around the globe. 

In conclusion, the principal reason why people are travelling more than ever before is that it is less costly now, and the main advantages of this are that travellers can learn about different cultures and can meet with people from all around the world.

Some would argue that certain fields, such as sport or music are meant only for naturally talented children, while others believe that it is something which can be learned by anyone. While kids with the aptitude for certain skills are given a head start in life, this essay argues that such skill sets can be mastered by working hard.

On the one hand, children who are gifted with a particular inborn talent often achieve their goal early in their lives. This is because when someone is very good at what they are doing, it usually does not take much effort for them to strive for excellence in that specific area. For instance, there are many talented singers who have already established a successful singing career before they even become teenagers. However, I believe that talent alone does not guarantee success in the long-run, and that a person can only reach the highest level in their profession if they combine their innate ability with hard work.

On the other hand, many people think that anything is achievable in this life through practice and training. That is to say that it may take extra time and energy for an individual with average potential to harness a skill, but success is possible as long as one has the will, determination and the passion to work for it. For example, the world is filled with many star athletes who start off as a mediocre in the beginning, but they challenge and push themselves to their limit, which ultimately help them to attain the greatest version of themselves. I believe this view point is more practical because majority of the people are born average, and hard work beats talent in many cases. 

In conclusion, although it is easier for children with extraordinary ability to accomplish their dreams at the beginning of their lives, this essay finds that hard skills, even though time taking to master, can be earned by coaching and experience.

The multinational type of companies is increasing in the developed nations. While the advantages of such phenomenon are economical as these companies create large number of jobs and invest significant capitals for their operations, the effects on the environment and the over exploitation of natural resources are the disadvantages.

The advantages of these companies are economical, and one of the benefits is creating job vacancies. Owing to the nature of these companies and their high standard, their operations are carried out under certain standards that require significant number of employees. As a result, they tend to employ many people from local communities. In addition, those Firms usually invest huge capital in order to establish their local presence and facilities such as headquarters and accommodation for their staff. For example, IBM, a computer manufacturer, invested hugely in China as part of their plan to establish their manufacturing plants there.

On the other hand, one of the disadvantages of these companies are their bad effects on the environment. For those multinational firms, in most cases, making profit precedence over any other consideration including the nature and the environment. Their activities usually produce enormous amount of toxic chemicals and gases that cause global warming. In addition, in order to meet their large production capacity, they consume the natural resources in a sustainable way, cause irreversible damage to the nature. For instance, mutlinational mining companies seeking marble in the mountains of Italy have severely devastated the area and these highlands.

To conclude, the benefits of multinational companies are economical as they create job vacancies and invest significant liquidity, whereas the effects on the environment and the exhaustion of natural resources are the disadvantages resulting from such companies.

Music, art, and drama are deemed by some to be of the same importance as other subjects, particularly in primary school. This essay agrees with the statement because these subjects have a tremendous impact on students’ creativity at this age, and they might help some to choose a career path.

The inclusion of fine art in the primary school curriculum positively affects pupils creative thinking. During these classes, not only do students have an opportunity to paint, sing or act, but also their creativity is challenged. This is because one correct outcome does not exist when painting or playing an instrument; thus, students discover that engagement in music, art, and drama offers them a plethora of ways of expressing themselves. In Scandinavia, for example, where primary schools offer a sound number of these types of classes, young people demonstrate outstanding ability to be creative, which reflects in a number of designers and architects coming from this region. 

Having an opportunity to participate in music, art, and drama classes could potentially help some youngsters figure out what they are really passionate about. As a result, this passion could turn into a career path. Should primary school offer frequent exposure to fine art, then it could create empowering atmosphere, where pupils feel encouraged to believe that they can become artists. To illustrate, most of the famous artists decided to pursue this type of career due to a primary school teacher who awoke this interest in them. 

In conclusion, I personally agree with a belief that the importance of fine art in the primary level of education is equal to other subjects because it stimulates creativity, and in some cases, empowers youth to become painters, sculptresses, or actors.

While some people argue that watching TV is beneficial for learning new things, others are convinced that it is only a source of entertainment. This essay believes that television can do both as it helps people to unwind, but it also presents complicated information in an easily digestible form. 

For many people watching TV programmes is the easiest way to distract from the everyday routine and relax after a hard-working day. This is because one just needs to switch on the TV, and he or she will have immediate access to the programmes that could easily spark the brightest emotions, forcing them to laugh out loud or have a good cry. Besides, entertainment programmes account for the largest portion of the content on television. For these reasons, some people use it only for relaxation. However, I disagree that this is the only way that people use it as, in the modern world, television is much more than that. 

Television provides not only plain information but also audio and video content that helps to remember information in an easier way. For instance, if one watches a documentary about the history of London, sound and picture will help to engross a viewer into the atmosphere of the city and the way people behaved themselves. This might contribute to remembering the information for a longer time than if one just reads an article about it. For this reason, I believe that television can foster the learning process.

To conclude, even though for some people television is just a source of amusement, I believe that it is not the only useful way to use it. This is because through television people can also learn new things about the world in a way that is easy to comprehend.

Details of politicians’ private lives should not be publicized in the media. This essay completely agrees with this statement because keeping the private lives of politicians away from the media helps them to maintain a sound mental health and also helps to protect them from danger.

Keeping the private lives of politicians away from the public helps their mental health. Politicians are usually stressed mentally as a result of the pressure that comes with their jobs. Making their private lives open to the public adds to the level of pressure they experience because it is during their private times that they engage in activities that help to relieve them of stress. Therefore, making this important time of their life open to the public is dangerous to their mental health. For instance, in Nigeria, in order to maintain a sound mind, politicians keep their occasions private so that they can be themselves without being pressured to behave in a certain way.

Protection from danger is another reason why private lives of politicians should not be made public. Due to the high rate of insecurity in some countries, activities of politicians which are not for the service of the people should not be disclosed. This is because these individuals have opponents who are ready to harm them when given an opportunity therefore giving out information about their private lives is an easy way to expose them to danger. For instance, in Nigeria a governor’s house was burnt and it was discovered that the criminals who did this got his home address from social media.

In conclusion, the details of politicians’ private life should be kept away from the media because it benefits their mental health and helps to secure them from danger.

Because of technology, many men and women today interact with each other in new ways. This essay will suggest that people have more regular contact, and that the interaction has changed from physical to digital due to technology. I believe this is a negative development because humans need physical contact as part of their interaction to stay healthy.

Technology has made it possible for people to have more regular contact with each other through social media. This is because smartphones have applications, like Facebook and WhatsApp, which are designed to make it easy to talk, write messages and send pictures to other people. As a result of this, the interaction between humans has also changed from mainly physical to mostly digital. For example, an average Swedish person interacts with 15 friends every day through social media but only have physical contact with two. 

This development must be seen as negative, because physical meetings are needed for human health. It is important to meet other humans in person, because it creates an environment where people can interact in a more complex way. This is because all senses can be used, making it is possible to touch, smell and hear things that would be impossible through an application. For example, during the Corona-pandemic, many people work from home and Swedish doctors have noticed an increase in the number of patients with mental illness due to the lack of physical contact with friends and colleagues.

In conclusion, people´s interactions have changed because of technology and the relationships nowadays are more regular but less physical. I believe this is a negative development because humans need physical meetings to feel good.

Some people prefer to live in a house, while others feel that there are more advantages to living in an apartment. Are there more advantages than disadvantages of living in a house compared with living in an apartment?

Some people feel that it is better to live in a house, while it is the view of others that living in an apartment is more advantageous. Although it is more expensive to live in a house, I believe that there are more advantages than disadvantages of living in a house because houses are bigger in size.

Living in a house is less cost-effective in comparison to living in an apartment. This is because houses are usually bigger in size and offer more privacy to its inhabitants, as a result, the cost of owing or renting and maintaining a house is usually higher than for an apartment. For example, in Nigeria, people who live in houses spend on average three times more money than those who live in apartments because of the higher cost of mortgages and maintenance, such as utility bills, involved in living in houses. However, I believe that with appropriate planning and financial discipline, this extra expense can easily be paid off. 

An advantage of living in a house is that houses are more spacious. Houses are usually built to be more accommodating than apartments, and this is an important factor to consider, especially for large families who require playgrounds and gardens for their children. To illustrate, in Nairobi, the average size of a house measures around 700 square meters, which is large enough to accommodate a private car park, a garden and children’s playground, as compared to an apartment, which does not have enough space for these amenities. Therefore, I believe that there are more advantages than there are disadvantages of residing in a house than in an apartment.

In conclusion, even though it costs more to live in houses than in apartments, I believe that there are more benefits than drawbacks to living in a house because houses are more accommodating.

At present, travelling is more popular than it was in the past. This essay will discuss that this is because nowadays flying is cheaper and that the benefits of travelling are learning about new cultures and experiencing new adventures. 

People are travelling more than ever because flying has become more economic. This is because now there are many low-cost airline companies that offer cheap flight tickets to visit several countries, and this did not exist two decades ago. As a result, more people have the opportunity to travel to new places without spending a huge amount of money, while in the past flying was only affordable for rich people. For example, Ryanair is a low-cost company that provides extremely cheap flight tickets to visit countries around Europe, sometimes for the cost of 10 euros. 

One benefit of travelling is that people can learn about other countries’ culture. That is to say, when people visit a new nation, they go to local shops, eat typical food and visit museums where they can learn about the history of that country. Another advantage that travelling has is that travellers can live new adventures. This is because people who travel often choose to do activities that they cannot do in their own country. For example, is very common for travellers that visit South Africa to do a safari in Kruger, one of the biggest national parks to visit wild animals in the world, since this is an activity that most countries do not offer. 

In conclusion, travelling has become more popular because flying is cheaper than it was in the past and the advantages that this gives to travellers is the possibility to learn about new cultures and experience new adventures.

Some companies require their employees to wear uniforms at all times. The advantages of this are, it helps promote the company and helps customers distinguish the roles of staffs. However, employees may find it difficult to wear uniforms at all times and most company do not provide enough sets of uniforms.

Having staff wear uniforms at all times helps distinguish a company. It promotes a company’s identity to help customers differentiate it from other entities. Another benefit is that companies can better classify their services by the type or color of uniforms they wear which helps improve the customer experience. For example, in my hospital workplace, all patients are able to better distinguish which is a nurse or a doctor, because all nurses are only required to wear a blue scrub suit, meanwhile all doctors wear maroon scrub suits.

On the other hand, employees may find it uncomfortable to wear a uniform. Some uniforms are uncomfortable and poorly fitted that it adds to an employee’s unhappiness. Another disadvantage is that most companies do not provide enough uniforms for their employees. It becomes a financial burden for the employee because he may need to purchase a new set of uniform. For example, my brother who works twelve hours a day and six days a week, paid two thousand pesos to a local tailor just to make him three sets of custom fit uniforms because his employer only gave him two sets.

In conclusion, having a staff to wear uniforms at all times is a great way to promote a company and helps their customers distinguish their employees. On the other hand, employees may find it distracting to wear a uniform and companies may pass the burden of expense to their staff to buy extra uniforms.

Newspapers should not issue stories of politicians’ private lives. I totally disagree with the statement because it is in the public interests to publish, and some readers get interested in politics after reading the stories.

Printing the details of politicians’ private lives in newspapers is in the public interests. Readers can understand more on politicians’ values through the stories, and it gives voters information who have the same values with them. For example, some lawmakers put their families in first priority and they often do volunteer work with their children. If voters see these stories in newspapers and if they have the same values with them, they are likely to vote them in the next election because the politicians may propose laws that protect the values of family. Therefore, I completely disagree that stories of politicians’ private lives should not be published.

After reading stories of politicians’ private lives in newspapers, some readers become more interested in politics. Readers who get interested in stories of politicians will read further on things that are related to the politicians, and this leads them to become more interests in politics. For example, the former US President Donald Trump appeared in newspapers several time during his presidency, and the stories covered his relationship with the First Lady. Some readers found these stories interesting and they started following policy that Trump proposed to make, and later on demonstrations of support were held by them. Therefore, I totally disagree with the statement that newspapers should not issue the stories of politicians’ private lives.

In conclusion, I completely disagree that stories of politicians’ private lives should not be printed because it is in the public interests, and some readers become more interested in politics after reading the stories.

Economic growth is prioritized above all other concerns by the state, in many nations. The advantages of this are, improved quality of life of people and good infrastructure. The disadvantages of prioritizing economic growth above all other concerns are unaffordable cost of living and more environmental damage.

The main advantage of giving importance to economic growth is, it improves the quality if life of people. This is because with economic progress, states generate lots of revenue which can be used to provide high quality services such as free education, good public transportation and sophisticated health care system. Another advantage is developing good infrastructure. When a government prioritizes economic growth, they would build a good infrastructure to attract both domestic and foreign investments. So infrastructure in a nation is usually developed when economic growth is prioritized. For example, in India many highways and an international airport is built in the National Capital Region which attracted thousands of companies to establish a branch in that region.

One of the main disadvantages of prioritizing economic growth is unaffordable cost of living. That is to say, with economic growth, prices of consumer products and real estate increases rapidly making it difficult for low-income families to afford the cost of living. Another disadvantage is more environmental damage. This is because, to develop the industries and to get maximum profits, nations tend to use the most accessible and locally available sources of energy. This leads to more and more use of fossil fuels and thus causing more environmental damage. For example, coal is widely used in China to supply energy to its industries because it is cheap and can be mined within the country. 

In conclusion, the advantages of the prioritizing economic growth above all other concerns are improved quality of life of people and good infrastructure. The disadvantages are unaffordable cost of living and more environmental damage.

In many places around the world, people are choosing to follow a vegetarian diet. The disadvantages are that meat related businesses are being badly impacted and it causes protein deficiency in people. The advantages are that fewer animals are being butchered and it protects people from meat related deceases. This essay argues that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

On the one hand, meat related businesses are badly impacted. When people follow a vegetarian diet, it decreases the demand of meat, which forces the businesses to lower the meat prices. Another disadvantage is that vegetarian people develop protein deficiency. That is to say that meat has significantly more protein than vegetables, and it is difficult to consume a sufficient amount of protein just from vegetables. For example, in Mumbai, people eat only vegetarian food and consume less protein, and this is the primary reason for their lethargy. However, this essay believes that people can fulfil their daily protein needs from vegetables if they consume more nutritious vegetables everyday. 

On the other hand, lesser number of animals are being killed. When people decide not to consume meat, it plummets the demand, which results in lesser number of animals killed. Another advantage is that vegetarian people are less prone to the meat related deceases. A vegetarian diet prevents people from any meat related virus going inside the body and develop any sickness. For example, in Sudan, people don’t consume meat and the country has the lowest number of people with medical conditions. In my opinion, a vegetarian diet should be preferred because it prevents a person from many deceases in the long run. 

In conclusion, while vegetarian diet is not good for meat related businesses and people tend to develop protein deficiency, lesser number of animals are being killed and prevents people from meat related deceases. This essay believes that advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

The majority of the chief positions in business organizations are occupied by males, despite the fact that more than half of the workforce in numerous developed nations is made up of women. It is believed that corporations should be asked to designate a certain portion of high-level roles for females. This essay completely disagrees with this statement because selecting employees should be based on merit, and companies need to focus on profit. 

The main reason is that candidates should be selected according to meritocracy. This is to say that employees should be recruited for their work experience, their qualifications and their soft skills, rather than their gender. In other words, the high-profile positions should be given to the candidates who deserve them the most. For example, if a man and a woman apply for the same position, a woman should not have a priority over a man, but a fair selection on merit should be conducted to find out who is the most suitable person for the advertised role, considering skills, abilities and knowledge.

Another reason why I disagree is that the main goal for companies is profit. This is to say that if a company wants to thrive, it needs to have the best possible employees which are not necessarily one gender or the other. If companies were to select staff members on gender, they could end up putting at risk the smooth running of the business and causing financial losses. Therefore, choices should be made by the human resources team only by bearing in mind which candidate would be an asset for the business. For example, in Italy soccer teams are almost exclusively run by men because they usually know more about this business.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that companies should not be asked to allocate a certain number of executive positions to women because candidates should be selected considering merit, and profit is the top priority for a business.

In recent years, there has been a rise in the popularity of second-hand clothing amongst the younger generation. Why is this happening? Do you think it’s a positive or negative development?

In recent years, buying used clothes has become popular among youngsters. This is because many adolescents try to be like famous people, and I think it is a positive development because teenagers can save money for other useful things. 

Many adolescents buy used clothes because they want to be like famous people. That is to say that they need different outfits for any occasion and that is expensive. That is because they cannot cope with the financial burden of buying new clothes from stores, such as Prada or Gucci. As a result, many youngsters buy second-hand clothes. For example, in the United States, many teenagers buy used Gucci products in order to wear them and be like their idols. 

I think it is a positive development because teenagers who buy used shirts or pants can save money for other useful things, such as a computer or a car. That is to say that, if these adolescents have a computer, they could use it for the school or even to work in computer related jobs. For example, many teenagers can work as a freelancer in many jobs that do not require high skills to do it, such as making presentations or translating works from other language and as a result earn money and save it. 

In conclusion, many adolescents are buying used clothes because they want to be like their idols, and I think it is a positive development because they can use the money they do not spend in useful things.

In many countries today, more and more people are following a vegetarian diet. Although it causes a deficiency of important nutrients in the body, I believe that the advantage of a reduction in the number of obese people due to this outweighs any disadvantage it may have.

Following a vegetarian diet leads to a lack of vital nutrients. Many vitamins, especially vitamins B12 and B6, are sourced majorly from meat, which is not part of the vegetarian diet. As a result of this, vegetarians will be deficient in these nutrients, thereby predisposing themselves to illnesses associated with the deficiency of these nutrients. For example, according to a report by the health ministry of Brazil, vegetarians in the country account for the highest percentage of pernicious anemia and sensory nervous disorders due to a deficiency of vitamin B12 in their diet. However, I believe that these vitamins and many other nutrients which are absent in vegetarian diets can be gotten from supplements in vitamin tablets.

Vegetarian diet causes a decrease in the prevalence of obesity. As obesity is a risk factor for many cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, following a vegetarian diet, which is low in calories and fat, will mean that there will be a decline in the weight of people, which therefore reduces the risk of these diseases in people. To illustrate, in Japan, where a large number of people abstain from meat and eat mostly vegetables, the rate of obesity related illnesses is one of the lowest globally. Therefore, I believe that it is of greater advantage for more people to follow a vegetarian diet.

To conclude, even though adhering to a vegetarian diet leads to a lack of vital nutrients in the body, I believe that the advantage of reducing the problem of obesity outweighs any advantage this may have.

In some corporations, it is mandatory for employees to wear a uniform. The main benefits of wearing a uniform are that it brings uniformity to the workplace and helps to increase the output of companies; however, the increase in the expenditure of organizations and monotony among employees are the main drawbacks of compulsory uniforms.

The first main positive of a mandatory uniform is that it creates equality among workers. When employees wear uniforms, they do not know each other’s socio-economic background because they all look the same, and as a result, they treat each other equally. Furthermore, uniforms help companies to enhance their overall sales. This is because uniforms help people to develop good relationships with others, and when people have a good bonding with others, they usually help each other, and it increases the output of corporations. For example, In India, the sales of those automobile companies are higher where uniforms are mandatory because, in these corporations, people have good relationships with others.

The main disadvantage of the compulsory uniform is that it creates monotony among workers. When employees have to wear the same clothes regularly, they feel bored and sometimes, it has a negative impact on their productivity. Furthermore, the obligation to wear a uniform also increases the expenses of organizations. This is to say that in those corporations, where uniforms are mandatory, companies have to allocate some money for new and worn-out uniforms. For instance, the spending of the famous footwear company, Bata, is around 5% more than its rival companies because in this company a uniform is mandatory, and the company allocates some money for uniforms. 

In conclusion, the main advantages of the compulsory uniform are that it brings uniformity among employees and increases companies’ overall sales, and the main disadvantages are boredom among workers and an increase in the expenditure of corporations.

Some think that in most people’s lives the happiest moment are the time when they were teenagers while other people think that, despite taking up more responsibilities, adult life is happier. I agree with the latter statement that, although teenagers generally do not need to worry about their finances, adults can do everything they want legitimately.

Most people in the teenage years do not need to take care of their finances. That is because teenagers are usually supported by their families financially, and their parents pay all kinds of expenses for them. For example, most parents in Hong Kong give their teenage children US$20 a week pocket money. Their parents also buy new video games they want or they pay for tuition fees of interest classes. Despite the fact that most people do not need to worry about their finances when they were teenagers, I consider that, in spite of more responsibilities, adult life is happier because adults can do legally whatever they want.

Adults can do anything they like as allowed by law. They can get married and have their own families, and they can create their own childhood joys. Of course, the adults have greater responsibility as they need to support themselves and their families, and they need to take care of their spouses and children. For instance, people work so hard to make a living and they are usually exhausted when they leave the office. But when they come home, their cheerful spouse and children are there to support them and they feel loved and cared for. Therefore, I think that there is more happiness in adult life.

In conclusion, although teenagers generally do not need to worry about their finances, being adults are happier even though they have greater responsibility, because they can do anything they want legally.

Some would argue that people are happiest during adolescence, while others believe that adulthood offers more happiness, irrespective of the numerous responsibilities. Although some people think that teenagers are because of the care and support from their family members, I feel that adult life avails people the most happiness, regardless of having multiple roles due to an immense sense of accomplishment.

On the one hand, some believe that people are happiest during the teenage years because adolescents enjoy family support. Parents and relatives are so concerned about teenagers’ welfare, and they do not have to think about how to eat or wear clothing because their parents provide for their needs, which makes them happy with little or no responsibilities. For example, a group of teenagers in my community responded that they were full of happiness because of the family support. However, I believe that one can still be happy during adulthood because of a sense of accomplishment.

On the other hand, some feel that adult life enables people to be full of happiness because of achievement, despite responsibility. That is to say that when people realize what they achieve in life, like higher qualifications, good partners, and children, and as a result, they are pleased. For example, many married couples in my school club confirmed that they are happier because of their fulfillment, even though they have many roles. For this reason, I believe that individuals are more contented during adulthood than in adolescence.

In conclusion, although adolescents tend to be happier because they enjoy support from their families, I believe that adult life brings more joy because of life fulfillment, irrespective of more responsibilities.

Nowadays, many people are commuting more than past. This is because people now can afford travel expenses. There are two main benefits of traveling such as people can gain knowledge and embrace other cultures.

One of the main reasons why the number of tourism has increased is that travel is much more affordable than it used to be. This is partly because of salary rises and partly because the price for essential goods such as food and clothing has fallen. Many families now have two income earners rather than one, they have fewer kids and often have a car. All of these factors increase the likelihood of people becoming tourists. For example, in the past, it might have cost the average person a year’s salary to travel from India to Singapore, but these days it is possible for Indian tourists to enjoy their holidays in another country for the cost of half a month’s pay. 

This growth in travel means that many people can now enjoy the benefits of traveling, Firstly, traveling can help to broaden people’s horizons and adds upon knowledge. People can travel to different places and can gain knowledge of other religions, cultures, and western lifestyles. Meeting different people from vast cultures and societies provides an education that is impossible to get in a traditional school, college, or a university. Secondly, one can explore and embrace the good qualities of other cultures through traveling. For example, foreigners visiting India are often fascinated by Indian customs and traditions and always try to imitate these valuable traditions.

In conclusion, greater affordability is the main reason for increased travel, and the benefits for travelers include enhanced knowledge and increased appreciation of other cultures.

While some think that adding more and and more sport centers is the most beneficial way to improve people’s health, others think that there are better ways to do this. Although increasing the the number of gyms would motivate people to exercise more and become healthier, educating them about health is far more effective. 

On the one hand, building more sport centers would encourage people to start doing physical activities. People will have no excuse if there is a gym next to their work place or house. That is why increasing the number of sports facilities will ensure that the vast majority of people have easy access to sport centers and this would eventually improve their health. For example, in 2016, fifty new gyms were opened in Baghdad and a large number of people started exercising for the first time in their lives and they became healthier. However, I think that this is a temporary fix and better steps should be taken. 

On the other hand, educating people about the importance of health is a better, long-lasting solution. The media should focus more on encouraging people to take good care about their health and warn them about the possible health diseases such as heart failure and diabetes. Even in schools, young children should be educated about health from a young age in order to grow as healthy adults. For example, people in Japan are one of the healthiest people in the world because they teach their students about the importance of health. I therefore believe that this is the best way to maintain and improve health. 

In conclusion, while increasing the number of sports facilities can encourage people to exercise more and improve their health, educating them about health is better because it lasts longer.

In some nations, despite declining rates of dangerous crimes, people tend to feel less secure compared to the past. The most obvious causes are previously committed crimes and detailed description of such scenes on news can make people feel less safe, and the most viable solutions are more safety measures in place and detailed description of any serious crimes should be banned on news channels.

Sometimes, previously committed crimes can make people feel less protected. This is because they still have memories of horrible crimes in their minds and make them feel frightened. As a result, they find it difficult to trust anyone and feel less secure in strengers’ presence. In addition, watching detailed descriptions of any dangerous crimes on television can have a destructive effect on people’s mental health. In other words, a negative visualization of such crimes can result in crime happening in people’s heads and making them feel less safe. For example, 1 in every 30 adults in the UK feel frightened after watching detailed news of serious crimes on television, and not wanting to go out.

A possible solution to this issue is to put more safety measures in place in order for people to feel safe. This gives them a sense of security and a way to seek help if in any danger. Another possible solution is a ban on a detailed description of any serious crimes on television. This will help people keep away from a negative visualisation and their damaging effects on their mental health to make them feel unsafe. For example, recently in India a show called ‘crime patrol’ was prohibited on news channels because it had a negative psychological impact on people after watching it.

In conclusion, previously committed crimes and detailed news on any serious crimes can lead to people feeling less safe. However, this can simply be prevented by putting extra safety measures in place and compelling news channels to stop showing comprehensive details of dangerous crimes.

Some companies make their workers always wearing uniforms. The main benefits of this is that companies are shown as reliable for their clients and their workers feel safe wearing them. However, the key drawbacks are that their staff can feel uncomfortable on hot days and demotivated by wearing the same every day.

Companies in which uniforms are always worn show their clients that they can trust them. When employees look neat wearing their uniforms, clients trust in the services that are provided by a company because it shows professionalism and order. Another advantage is that workers feel protected. In some types of jobs, employees who work with dangerous products can feel safe wearing their uniforms all day because they prevent them from getting hurt. For example, builders demand their uniforms as a basic element for their protection before starting a construction. 

However, employees can feel uncomfortable in days with high temperatures. On hot days, wearing uniforms can reduce worker’s comfort because they cannot change their clothes to avoid the heat. Another key drawback is that repeating the same clothing can demotivate workers. Employees can feel tired of always looking the same because they cannot choose what they want to wear. For instance, a recent survey showed that 60.3% of people who wear uniforms do not like to wear them, and they would like to make decisions about their outfit at work. 

In conclusion, although having uniforms for staff makes a company looks reliable for its clients and provides safety for its workers, they can feel uncomfortable on hot days and unmotivated due to the fact that they constantly have to wear the same clothing.

In some nations, following a vegetarian diet is becoming more popular. Although having a vegetarian diet can help to protect animals, I believe that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages because they do not incorporate all the nutrients they need. 

One benefit of not eating meat is that animals are being protected. That is to say, if more people start opting to eat meals that do not include meat, fewer animals will be tortured and killed. This is because animals are reproduced, kept in small and uncomfortable places, and then killed and sold to supermarkets and butchers for human consumption. For example, cow’s meat in Argentina is the basis of people’s nutrition, so thousands of cows are reproduced and killed every year just for human consumption. However, I believe that avoiding eating meat will not make a significant difference on animals’ protection. 

One drawback of having a vegetarian diet is that the nutrients incorporated through this diet are insufficient. This is because meat has several vitamins and other important components, such as iron, that are very difficult to replace with fruits and vegetables. If people are not aware of this and do not visit a specialist, it can be dangerous and lead to several diseases. For example, many vegetarian people are anemic because of the lack of iron in their diet, so they need to be supplemented with iron tablets. Therefore, I believe that having a healthy and complete diet is more important than any other thing. 

In conclusion, although animals can be protected if more people start following a vegetarian diet, I believe that having a balanced diet with all the nutrients and vitamins that a person needs is far more important. Therefore, I consider that the drawbacks of a vegetarian diet outweigh the benefits.

In many nations, governments give precedence to economic growth over other issues. The advantages of this are that numbers of employed residents will increase and residents’ standards of living will be improved. However, this can cause serious environmental problems and health problems.

One major benefit of prioritising economic development is that numbers of employed citizens will significantly increase. In other words, countries, where their economies are growing, require substantial workforces to produce sufficient supplies of goods in order to meet markets’ demand. As a result, more and more citizens are in employment. Moreover, this will also offer citizens a better quality of life. This is because, when economies are growing, governments will gain more taxes from trading and can spend them on people’s welfare. For example, Singapore has been improved its economy for the last 40 years. As a result, Singaporeans have excellent public transports and the well-organised health care system. 

On the other hand, focusing only on economic development results in serious environmental damage. This is because, manufacturing processes generate CO2 and other fumes, sewage, and industrial waste which are released to environments and cause air, water and soil pollution. Furthermore, industrial pollution will negatively affect people’s health by precipitating respiratory diseases as well as some types of cancer. For example, Beijing, a big city in China, is facing smog which comes from manufacturing and incomplete combustion of logistic vehicles. This leads to an increase in the number of asthma-exacerbated patients.

To conclude, while prioritisng economic development will result in an increase in employment and a better quality of life, the serious downsides that come with this are environmental pollution and residents’ health issues.

Some organizations force their employees to wear uniforms whenever they are at work. The advantages of this approach are creating a sense of discipline and displaying their professionalism. The disadvantages are that it may hurt employees’ confidence and cause them to feel stressed.

One benefit of this measure is that it would result in them being more disciplined. Every time they put on that suit or dress, they would be reminded that they are working as part of the company and that they have a job to take care of, making them more responsible. Moreover, these employees will come across as more professional when they meet clients. This is because uniforms are often designed to be more suitable for business than casual clothes. For example, how appropriate staff members’ outfits are is often cited by clients as one of the reasons they choose to do or not do business with a company.

One drawback of this policy is that it tends to make each individual feel less confident. This is because they all have their own styles of fashion, so they may feel uncomfortable putting on something that had been chosen for them. This is compounded by the fact that they must wear these outfits daily, which can be highly stressful. In other words, it is terribly frustrating having to wear the same thing in a long period of time. For instance, many major companies in Vietnam have a scheme to change the design of their uniforms every six months to slightly reduce the frustration caused by wearing the same outfit repeatedly.

In conclusion, while having a dress code can instill a sense of discipline in the workforce and make them appear more professional in the eyes of customers, this may also come with a drop in employees’ self-esteem and an increase in their levels of frustration.

In many nations, governments put more focus on improving their economies than improving other sectors. Although, residents’ earnings will increase, I personally believe that the main drawback outweighs the main benefit as this will cause environmental pollution.

The main benefit of prioritising economic growth rather than other issues by governments is that people will earn higher income. This is because governments will support companies to run their businesses more effectively. As a result, companies will gain more profits and consequentially pay their employees bigger bonuses or higher wages. For instance, In China, businesses make huge revenue due to its strong economy. Therefore, Chinese citizens are paid higher and can spend money on luxuary products and travelling abroad. However, I personally believe that earning more money cannot offset pollution problems that happen after economic growth prioritisation.

The primary downside of putting more focus on economic development than other concerns by governments is that environments will be polluted. This is because there will be far more new-built factories for supporting the economic expansion. Without ecological concerns, the air will be polluted from carbon dioxide and fumes which are emitted from these factories, and rivers will be polluted by industrial sewage from manufacturing and chemical processes. For example, Beijing, China, is facing a hazardous level of the air pollution caused by fuel burning and chemical reactions from industrial areas. As a clean environment is extremely vital for a human life, I therefore think that the main drawback outweighs its key benefit.

To conclude, although people will earn higher income if the government prioritises the economic sector rather than other sectors, the serious drawback as pollution problems far outweighs the advantage.

In recent years, advancements in technology have changed how people connect with each other. This has turned people into making much more friends but has also reduced the depth of those relationships. In my opinion, this is a harmful change due to the fact that it makes human less able to communicate their personal feelings.

Technology’s influence has enabled people to make much more friends than they possibly could in the past. This is largely owing to social media, which revolutionizes communication and helps people to keep touch with each other regardless of their geographical locations. Another change in human relationships caused by modern technology is that the number of intimate relationships made has been substantially less significant. With so many people to care about, social media deters users from strengthening bonds. For instance, a stark difference can be observed in Vietnam, where most young adults 20 years ago – when the internet was underdeveloped, had much deeper connections than their modern counterparts.

The changes made to the types of relationships people make nowadays is largely a disadvantageous one, for it deters people from having deep connections. Lacking valuable bonds means that they have almost no one to confide during depressive episodes that are inevitable for most humans, and thereby increase the possibility of making unwise decisions. Examples of this can be found all over the world, where the cases of depression that cause suicidal behaviors are becoming more and more common, and one of the primary contributing factors is victims having no one to share their burdens with. 

In conclusion, despite having much more ability to connect, people are making less meaningful relationships; thus, the quality of relationships diminishes and harms their wellbeing.

Nowadays, passion for a journey from one place to another has been increasing among people. This essay will first discuss that an increasing number of tour packages is the prominent reason behind this, and it will then explain that cultural awareness and being healthy are the two prime advantages of this.

Many tour companies around the world are enticing people to travel more than ever before. That is to say, people are being offered appealing and discounted tour packages, especially during the holiday season, to explore other places. Whereas in the past travelling was very expensive and people could not afford it; however, these companies have made it possible to visit one place to another by spending a small chunk of money. For example, Travel Magazine estimated that more than 40% of Australian people travelled nationally and internationally, in the year 2019, because of cheap tour deals they grabbed from the Flight centre.

The first major benefit of travelling is that it allows a traveller to know about different cultures. By visiting other parts of the world, people get an opportunity to experience the various culture, cuisines and languages. The other significant advantage is stress relaxation through holidays. This is especially true for a significant number of people who are working many hours a week to earn their livings. During holidays, they choose to travel to different destinations around the world, and this greatly helps them to relieve their stress and keep their health in a sound condition. For example, a recent study by the Indian Medical Institute concluded that frequent travellers are happier and more satisfied with their life than those who do not.

In conclusion, people travel more often than in the past because of the tour deals they are being offered, and travelling does not only provide a traveller with knowledge about a different culture, but it also helps them to stay away from a hectic schedule

In recent years, the operation of big corporations is ubiquitous in developing nations. The essay will first suggest that economic growth is the prime benefit, while the excessive use of emergent nations’ natural resources is the main drawback.

One evident benefit of the operation of transitional companies in less developed countries is the prosperity of the local economy. That is to say, multination companies provide an inflow of capital into developing countries. This investment not only creates job opportunities for the people in developing nations, but it also helps to build better infrastructure, such as bridges, roads, and transportation facilities, for them. For example, the role of Foreign Direct Investment in the year 2010 was undeniable because it uplifted the Indian economy so fast and increased GDP and created so many jobs for locals. 

The prime disadvantage is that these companies use the natural resources of developing nations recklessly, which affects the environment. In other words, Smaller, less developed governments often trade an increase in revenue for access to natural resources. This extraction of raw materials, such as oil, diamond, rubber and fuel, can cause environmental externalities- polluted rivers and loss of natural landscape. For instance, many Chinese private enterprises have been heavily criticised for using the resources of countries like Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippine and for polluting the environment.

In conclusion, huge global companies benefit less developed nation economically is the prime advantage of this, and the extraction of raw materials for the sake of profit is the main disadvantage.

How To Use IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Essays

IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essays can be a great resource for students preparing for the test. However, it’s important to use them correctly in order to get the most out of them. Here are some steps students can take to make the most of these samples:

• Understand the question: Before looking at any sample essays, make sure you understand the question you’ll be answering on the test. This will help you focus on the relevant parts of the sample essays and understand how to apply the strategies used in them to your own writing.
• Analyze the structure: Look at the structure of the sample essays, paying close attention to how the writer has organized their ideas. Make note of the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion and how they are linked.
• Study the vocabulary: Take note of the vocabulary used in the sample essays and try to incorporate similar words and phrases into your own writing.
• Practice with different topics: Use sample essays on different topics to get a feel for the different types of questions you might encounter on the test.
• Don’t copy: It is important to remember that you must not copy the sample essays word for word. This will lead to plagiarism and can result in a low score. Instead, use the sample essays as inspiration and practice for your own writing.

In conclusion, IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essays can be a valuable resource for students preparing for the test. However, it’s important to use them correctly in order to improve your score. Use them as a guide, not as a final answer key. Remember to stay original, use them to understand the question and structure, analyze vocabulary and practice different topics. Remember, you will be marked on your ability to clearly communicate in English, not on your ability to memorise answers.

IELTS Task 2 Sample Essays Next Steps

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IELTS Band 7 Essay Checklist

Today, Nick and I want to give everybody self-studying for the exam a head-start by sharing our IELTS Band 7 essay checklist. When you are learning to write IELTS essays, it’s really important that you constantly check that your writing satisfies the IELTS Band Descriptors.  

If you can tick every box on the  checklist then you will be very close to achieving a 7.0 for Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. In short, if you can complete my IELTS Band 7 essay checklist, you have a high chance of acing the exam and moving forward to the next stage of your life in 2021 🚀

You can download a copy of the IELTS Band 7 essay checklist here 

Below, you can find a summary of the episode, which includes all of the links to useful materials and the times of each part of the discussion (so you can go directly to the part you want to listen to)   🚀

00:00 – 06:14  Introduction

Welcome to 2021. Find out what Shelly’s New Year’s resolutions are and why Nick doesn’t have any. Plus, we will announce the winner of our Christmas Quiz.

06:15 – END Our IELTS Band 7.0 Checklist  

Listen as Nick and I go through the points in my essay checklist one by one to explain in more detail what we expect in each area. Our advice would be to print out a list and keep it next to your desk. When you have finished writing an essay, go through the list to be sure that you can tick all of the points. If you can’t, then you will struggle to score higher than a 6.0 in your test.

• Have I analysed the prompt to ensure I’ve addressed all parts of the tas k ? ✅
• Have I brainstormed for relevant  ideas and planned my essay? ✅
• Have I logically organised the paragraphs in my essay? ✅
• Have I written an introduction that introduces the general topic and directly addresses the prompt? ✅
• Have I clearly given my opinion and/or other people’s opinions in such a way that my position is clear ? ✅
• Have I written clear topic sentences  and does each paragraph have ONE main idea)? ✅
• Have I extended all of my ideas with at least one extra sentence or support? ✅
• Have I avoided over-generalising by hedging? ✅
• Have I included at least one example to support my arguments? ✅
• Have I used transition signals (but not always at the beginning of sentences)? ✅
• Have I used referencing and synonyms to avoid repetition? ✅
• Have I used topic-specific vocabulary ? ✅
• Have I included one or two less common lexical items ? ✅
• Have I used a range of complex sentences ? ✅
• Have I written a conclusion that SUMMARISES the main points of my essay AND restates my position OR leaves a concluding comment? ✅
• Have I written more than 250 words ? ✅
• Have I checked my essay for small grammatical errors like articles and subject/verb agreement ? ✅

This is a Patron Only Episode: Click here to support the show and gain access to the audio

https://www.patreon.com/myieltsclassroom

So, this is our IELTS Band 7 Essay checklist. The next time you write any essay, open this blog post and double-check that you have ticked all the boxes. If you use the list every time you practice, you will find that by exam day, doing these things will be second nature (i.e. you will do them automatically). That means you will be less likely to make a mistake and more likely to satisfy the band descriptors!  🚀

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IELTS Writing Task 2: 7 steps towards a band 7

For many of you, achieving that magic number in your IELTS Writing test can be a big challenge. Sometimes, all you need is a mentor who can guide you on how to approach the test. Here are 7 important steps that will help you achieve a band 7 in Writing.

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Follow these simple guidelines to help improve your writing skills. If you are a visual learner, jump to the bottom of the page for an equally informative video on 7 steps towards a band 7 in Writing Task 2. 

Step 1: Answer all parts of the question

IELTS Writing Task 2 requires you to write an essay in response to a statement, or premise. You must read the question carefully so that all parts are answered. For example, in the question below, you must do 3 things to achieve a higher band, showing the examiner that you are addressing all parts of the task. 

Present one view 

Present the other view 

Present your opinion 

Example question:  

Some people think that wild animals should not be kept in zoos. Others believe that there are good reasons for having zoos.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.  

Present  one view  and then the  other view , and then present  your opinion . 

Wild animals are kept in zoos all over world. At present, zoos are a tourist attraction in many countries and need wild animals to attract vistors. I beleve that wild creatures should not be kept in zoos and there should be alternative ways to see them.  

There are many good reasons for having zoos in our cities. Most importantly, they attract tourists and make money for city. Visitors get chance to see wild animals that they would not see unless they travelled far away. Rare species, like Chinese panda, or Indian tiger, or African rhino for example, are endangered and if we had no zoos they would die. Zoos care for these aminals and give us chance to see them. Therefore, we cannot underestimate teh educational importance of zoos.  

However, many people feel that wild animals should be free. They should not be kept in cages and small areas in zoo. This is cruel for animal and they often die because they is not in natural habitat. We frequently see news story about rare animals dying in zoos or getting sick because area is not big enough or suitable for wild animals like lions or polar bears. Also, these animals are unhappy and sometimes attack humans. Caging wild animals is unhealthy for the animals and is cruel. 

Both views put forward valid points, however, I strongly believe that zoos are no place for wild animals. If animals need to be cared for, they should be looked after in theier natural habitat in game parks or wildlife reserves. Goverments should look after the precious wild animals at their country and should close down zoos that profit from them. 

In conclusion, although people believe that zoos are good places to keep wild animals because they can earn money and educate people, I feel that we do not need zoos anymore. We can look at wild animals on the internet and we can feel happy knowing that they are free. 

Step 2: Present a clear position

Although you are presenting different points of views in your essay, you must present a clear position. This simply means you must let the examiner know what you think about the question. Your position must be clear for the complete essay. Don’t change your mind in the conclusion. 

Both views put forward valid points, however, I strongly believe... 

However, many people feel that... 

I believe that wild creatures should not be kept in zoos... 

Step 3: Structure your essay

Essay writing need not necessarily be a difficult achievement. Present your ideas in a structured manner using paragraphs to present and develop each idea. Make use of the following points to help you structure your essay. 

Show the reader where to start with an introduction paragraph.  

Present ideas that are important and then, elaborate further.  

Conclude the essay with your opinion on the question.  

Develop a clear idea within each paragraph.  

Make it easy for the examiner by leaving a space between each paragraph.  

Essay example 

Introduction 

Wild animals are kept in zoos all over world. At present, zoos are a tourist attraction in many countries and need wild animals to attract vistors. I heire that wild creatures should not be kept in zoos and there should be alternative ways to see them. 

First view 

There are many good reasons for having zoos in our cities. Most importantly, they attract tourists and make money for city. Visitors get chance to see wild animals that they would not see unless they travelled far away. Rare species, like Chinese panda, or Indian tiger, or African rhino for example, are endangered and if we had no zoos they would die. Zoos care for these aminals and give us chance to see them. Therefore, we cannot underestimate he educational importance of zoos. 

Second view 

However, many people feel that wild animals should be free. They should not be kept in cages and small areas in zoo. This is heir for animal and they often die because they is not in natural habitat. We frequently see news story about rare animals dying in zoos or getting sick because area is not big enough or suitable for wild animals like lions or polar bears. Also, these animals are unhappy and sometimes attack humans. Caging wild animals is unhealthy for the animals and is cruel.  

My opinion 

Both views put forward valid points, however, I strongly believe that zoos are no place for wild animals. If animals need to be cared for, they should be looked after in heir natural habitat in game parks or wildlife reserves. Goverments should look after the precious wild animals at their country and should close down zoos that profit from them. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, although people believe that zoos are good places to keep wild animals because they can earn money and educate people, I feel that we do not need zoos anymore. As far as I am concerned, wild animals should be set free. 

Step 4: Use linking devices

Linking devices or transition words are connecting words and phrases that make your answer cohesive. It is the glue that sticks your sentences and ideas together. The below table shows some linkers that are frequently used in essays. 

Step 5: Use a range of vocabulary

Writing is a means of communicating your thoughts and ideas to the reader. Therefore, make use of vocabulary that is easy to understand. Also, only use words that you can easily spell. Use words that go naturally together – collocation, and include idiomatic language/phrasal verbs in your essay. This proves to the examiner that you can use a range of vocabulary. And finally, check for spelling errors and typos after you complete your writing task. 

Examples of collocation: 

Tourist attraction  

Alternate ways  

Rare species  

Natural habitat  

Examples of idiomatic language and phrasal verbs: 

To be cared for  

Close down  

Make money  

Chance to see  

Looked after

Step 6: Use a range of grammatical structures correctly

When you are aiming for a band 7, you need to master both simple and complex sentences. And remember that you must produce frequent error-free sentences as well. So, how do you think you can achieve that? Yes, with practice. Try out sample test papers and analyse the mistakes you usually make. When you keep practicing different sentence structures, we are sure you are going to improve writing an essay on any given topic. 

Examples of grammatical structures

Step 7: Check your essay thoroughly

Even after you produce a perfect essay, you may make careless spelling and grammatical mistakes. These can easily be eliminated if you check your essay thoroughly. Ask yourself the following questions once you complete your writing task. 

Did I answer all parts? 

Did I use paragraphs? 

Did I use linkers? 

Did I use punctuation? 

Did I check my work? 

Is my spelling correct and did I use a range of vocabulary? 

Did I use complex sentence structures? 

When you can answer to these questions positively, you are surely on your way to a band 7 score! 

Improve IELTS Writing score

While improving your IELTS score entirely depends on your capacity and dedication, choosing the right resources also plays an important role. To make it easy for you, IDP has launched  IELTS Prepare : ielts.idp.com/prepare: a one-stop-shop for all official IDP IELTS preparation materials including Writing. 

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IELTS Band 7 Writing Explained

Getting an IELTS band 7 in writing is very difficult for many students, and most do not know what the examiner is looking for.

So the aim of this lesson is to look more generally at  what is required to get a band 7  in the writing test. 

If you want to know specifically where you are going wrong, then you will need to discuss your work with an experienced IELTS instructor.

The frustration is normally for those who are stuck at a band 6 or 6.5 but just don't seem to be able to get that 7! It can be quite a jump to go from a 6.5 to a 7, so this lesson will explain what is required for an IELTS band 7.

We'll focus on essay writing rather than task 1, but the criteria and principals are more or less the same. There is some clarification of some of the differences between the marking of task 1 and 2 at the end.

The Band Descriptors

To explain this, we'll begin by looking at the IELTS band descriptors for an IELTS band 7.

This is not a secret as the information is taken from the IELTS public band descriptors and is freely available from a test centre or the internet.

You are given a band score for each of the criteria, and the ones in this table in the descriptors column are those that are specifically needed for an IELTS band 7 for writing Task 2 (writing Task 1 differs).

IELTS Band 7 Descriptors (for essays)

Task response.

• The main parts of the prompt are appropriately addressed.
• A clear and developed position is presented.
• Main ideas are extended and supported but there may be a tendency to over-generalise or there may be a lack of focus and precision in supporting ideas/material.

Coherence & Cohesion

• Information and ideas are logically organised, and there is a clear progression throughout the response. (A few lapses may occur, but these are minor.)
• A range of cohesive devices including reference and substitution is used flexibly but with some inaccuracies or some over/under use.
• Paragraphing is generally used effectively to support overall coherence, and the sequencing of ideas within a paragraph is generally logical.

Lexical Resource

• The resource is sufficient to allow some flexibility and precision.
• There is some ability to use less common and/or idiomatic items.
• An awareness of style and collocation is evident, though inappropriacies occur.
• There are only a few errors in spelling and/or word formation and they do not detract from overall clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

• A variety of complex structures is used with some flexibility and accuracy.
• Grammar and punctuation are generally well controlled, and error-free sentences are frequent.
• A few errors in grammar may persist, but these do not impede communication.

When you are graded, you will be given a score for each of these, and this will then be averaged.

So if you are getting a 6.5, that means you must not be meeting the standard required as shown in the table for one or two of them.

For example:

• Task acheivement = 7
• Coherence and Cohesion = 7
• Lexical Resource = 7
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy = 6
• Overall writing band = 6.5

As previously stated above, you'd have to show some of your writing to an experienced IELTS teacher to get some advice on which ones you are not achieving in and to find out if it is always the same criteria.

If you find out, you can then work on this to improve your score.

We'll now just have a look at each of them in a bit more detail to highlight some common areas where you may possibly be going wrong.

The Four Criteria in Detail

Very basically, this is an assessment of whether you have fully answered the question and provided good support for your ideas .

To address all parts of the task, you must respond to everything that is asked in the question .

To take an example, look at this question:

Some people think that the best way to reduce crime is to give longer prison sentences. Others, however, believe there are better alternative ways of reducing crime.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

The task is to discuss both the opinions and to give your opinion .

So, for example, if you only wrote about one of the opinions or did not give your opinion, you will not have addressed all parts of the question so you can't get an IELTS band 7 for task achievement. Or if you only wrote a small amount on one of the opinions, this may not be seen as fully answering the question either.

There is a lesson here that explains the importance of identifying the task to make sure you fully answer all parts of the question.

You must also have a clear position throughout . So if your opinion is not clear and you seem to change it during the essay, then this could be a problem for achieving an IELTS band 7 in this criterion.

You also need to present, extend and support main ideas . So it is not enough just to put lots of ideas down - fewer ideas are better that are explained properly with reasons and examples.

Look at some model essays to see how a clear position is presented throughout and how only a few ideas are presented but they are fully explained and supported.

Coherence and Cohesion

Very basically, this is how you  organize and present your ideas , and how  easy your work is to read .

So you will need to know how to organize an essay properly in terms of paragraphing and having ideas that logically and clearly go from one to the next to get an IELTS band 7.

Another key point here is that you have to have a  clear central topic within each paragraph . 

To take a simple example, if you are writing about the advantages and disadvantages of something, then you may want to have one paragraph about each. Each paragraph will then have a clear central topic - either advantages or disadvantages. If you mix them up, this may not be clear.

Again, look at some of the  model essays  to see how each body paragraph clearly has one central topic.

You also need a range  of cohesive devices . These are the things that join and link your ideas, sentences and paragraphs. For example,  transitions  such as 'however', 'firstly', 'moreover', and other general linking words within sentences such as 'and' and 'because'.

You will need a  variety and mix of these  for an IELTS band 7, and you'll need to be able to  use them effectively with some flexibility  rather than mechanically. This video provides tips on  IELTS band 7 transitional phrases .

Using substitution to good effect will also help with your coherency and cohesion. 

Your lexis is basically your vocabulary , and as it says in the descriptors, you'll need to show that you know some less common words and be able to use them precisely .

It's in the accuracy that is needed for your vocabulary that problems can often occur with regards to getting an IELTS band 7.

As you can see, you can only make a few errors in your word choice, word formation and spelling. This means the majority need to be correct! This is obviously no easy achievement and so you'll need to be a fairly skilled writer to be making only occasional errors with your lexis.

You can find various IELTS vocabulary exercises and tips here, on things such as topic-related vocabulary, collocations, idioms, and the Academic Word List .

Using lots of new words that you don't know how to use properly could make your writing worse, so be careful! Only use words you know how to use properly.

As will be clear from the title, this one is assessing your  level of grammar .

You will need to show you can use a  variety of complex sentence structures  that are  accurate and well-controlled.

Just having a few complex sentences with words such as 'because', 'if' and 'although' may not be enough. You'll need to have an awareness of some more complex structures, such as reduced relative clauses and nominalisation  in order to get a band 7.

Again, like the lexis, this can often be where students struggle to get an IELTS band 7. You need to have only a few errors persisting .  

In other words, the majority of your sentences can't have grammar errors. This is not easy, so like with the lexis, you will need to be a fairly skilled writer.

How Does Task 1 Differ?

The last three criteria are more or less the same for task 1. The differences are in the task achievement (not 'response') as obviously you are being given a different task - a graph or letter.

This is what the public descriptors have for task 1:

IELTS Band 7 Descriptors

Task Achievement

• The response covers the requirements of the task.
• The content is relevant and accurate – there may be a few omissions or lapses. The format is appropriate.
• (Academic) Key features which are selected are covered and clearly highlighted but could be more fully or more appropriately illustrated or extended.
• (Academic) It presents a clear overview, the data are appropriately categorised, and main trends or differences are identified.
• (General Training) All bullet points are covered and clearly highlighted but could be more fully or more appropriately illustrated or extended. It presents a clear purpose. The tone is consistent and appropriate to the task. Any lapses are minimal.

The first point is obviously stating that you must do what you were asked in the question.

To achieve in the third point you must be able to show that you can notice and write about the important things that are happening in the graph, and make comparisons between the data.

The fourth point means that at some stage in your writing for academic you must clearly give an overview of the main things that are occurring in the graph or diagram.

See this lesson on academic writing a task 1 for more information on this.

Some Final Tips

This lesson then has shown you how to get an IELTS band 7 in your writing, or what is required.

Unfortunately there is no magic bullet that is suddenly going to move you up a band. But there may be things you can improve on that will help if you think you are making errors in what what is needed in the criteria.

For example, are you always spending some time at the beginning analyzing the question carefully to make sure you are answering all parts of it and writing a plan / outline ?

If not, you may be making errors by not fully answering the question or by not organizing your essay or ideas well.

Most of my students that I check are failing to get the majority of the sentences error-free or the majority of the lexis correct. So this may well be where you are falling down if you are getting a 6.5.

In this case you'll need to work on improving your grammar and checking your work very carefully for mistakes. If you have a writing teacher obviously this will help as they can check your work.

But again, planning first can help with this because if you plan then you will be able to write quicker. You will then have more time to be more careful and more time to check your grammar and lexis whilst you write and at the end.

More Task 2 IELTS Lessons:

Writing an IELTS Essay Conclusion

The IELTS essay conclusion is the final part of your IELTS essay. This lesson guides you on how to write a conclusion quickly but effectively.

Using Pronouns to Improve IELTS Essay Coherency

Find out how to use pronouns to improve your coherency for IELTS task 2 essays.

Using Substitution in IELTS to Improve Writing Coherency

You can use substitution in your IELTS essays in order to improve coherency and coherence.

Can you use Personal Pronouns in Essays for IELTS?

Learn how to use personal pronouns in essays for IELTS correctly. Can you use "I", "we" and "you"?

How to Write an IELTS Essay: The key steps

Learn key steps on how to write an IELTS Essay. This guides you on how to write a great essay plus other lessons to improve your writing skills.

IELTS Music Essay: Understanding a Complex Question

An IELTS essay about music is used to show you how to answer a more complex IELTS essay question that does not have a clear 'task' given to you.

Thesis Statement Tips for IELTS Essays

Your thesis statement in an IELTS essay should be written quickly and concisely. Use these tips to do that.

IELTS Problem Solution Essay Strategies and Tips

In IELTS problem solution essays you have to discuss a particular issue and present ideas to solve that problem.

IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essay Tips and Strategies

An advantage disadvantage essay is one type of essay that you may get in the test. This lesson shows how to write a pros cons essay.

How to Identify the Task in an IELTS Essay

Learn how to identify the task in an IELTS task 2 essay question. This is one of the most important steps in responding to an essay question.

The 3 Types of IELTS Opinion Essays in IELTS

IELTS opinion essays in IELTS can be placed into three types. This lesson explains the different types and how to analyse these essay questions.

How to Identify the Topic of an IELTS Essay Question

In IELTS you must identify the topic of your essay as this is a key to making sure your essay is on topic.

Writing an IELTS Essay Introduction

Tips on how to write an introduction for an IELTS essay introduction in a quick and easy way.

How to use brainstorming and planning to generate essay ideas.

Brainstorming and planning is a key step in developing your IELTS essay. This lesson has tips on how to coming up with ideas and organising them.

Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2

Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2 can be difficult but complex ideas are not expected.

IELTS Task Response - 25% of your essay grade

The IELTS Task Response criteria in the scoring makes up 25% of your band score for your essay.

Transitional Phrases for Essays

Learn transitional phrases for essays to get a band 7 or higher in your IELTS writing for coherence and cohesion.

Paragraph Writing for IELTS: Building strong arguments

This paragraph writing lesson provides tips on constructing the best paragraphs for your IELTS essay.

Improving Writing Coherence for IELTS essays

25% of the writing grade is on how you organise your essay so this lesson shows you how to improve your writing coherence.

Tips on How to Score IELTS Band 8 in Writing and Speaking

To score IELTS Band 8 you need to understand exactly what is in the IELTS Band Descriptors for an 8 for writing and speaking first.

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The difference between a band 7 and a band 9 essay

Home  »  IELTS academic task 2 » The difference between a band 7 and a band 9 essay

This article will clarify the differences between an essay scoring at band 7 and an essay scoring at band 9 . The explanation of these differences will help you to reach a higher score for task 2 of the academic writing category of the IELTS exam .

Firstly, it’s vital to understand the expectations of the examiner who will score your IELTS writing. There are clear differences in criteria that determine a Band 9 from a Band 7 essay. You can get an ex-IELTS examiner to review your essay here . Another option is the free IELTS writing evaluation software we recently launched. 

A band 9 essay answers the essay question in full and offers a well-developed response. The essay is perfectly cohesive and paragraphed, uses a range of language, expression and accurate structure.

A band 7 essay aims to respond to the question although the answer could be more fully developed. It attempts a cohesive structure and logical flow but there may be some omissions of connectors.

A band 7 essay shows a sufficient scope of language with occasional redundancy, errors in word selection or minor grammatical mistakes.

Let’s take a look at two examples of the first paragraph of essays that respond to the same question of task 2 of the academic writing component of the IELTS exam . The first one scored in band 7:

Should wealthy people be obliged to share their financial success with poor people by supporting health services and education, or is this the responsibility of the poor to improve their own standard of living?

I believe that wealthy people should be obliged to share their wealth with poorer people. But they should not have to support health services and education only, but other areas if they prefer.

First of all, we cannot avoid people which are poor. As an example, we see homeless in the train station, at the bus stops and asking us for money . Rich people have extra money and therefore, they should give some help to people with no housing and money .

Secondly, many people now are not finding jobs or although they are working, they are not having enough money to pay for his houses or flats especially in city-living which has a high cost of living now. For example, people living in London are working at low income salaries but the cost of living is so higher in contrast. Therefore, it is difficult for these people to have extra money for extra things.

In the introduction, the writer addresses the first part of the question but doesn’t respond to the second part regarding the poor taking responsibility for its own standard of living.

There is a punctuation error and some redundancy using the word but . In the second paragraph, the candidate provides a topic sentence and example. The example is quite vague – there is no reference to a specific train station or how rich people could give money to the poor. Instead of using a synonym, the writer uses the word money three times.

The second paragraph is slightly better as the example provided is specific. It refers to London and illustrates the contrast between the cost of living and purchasing power.

However, the errors in tense, wrong possessive adjective ( his instead of their ) and basic, repetitive language will keep the scoring of this essay to a 7.

Let’s turn now to an example of an essay that would have most likely scored a band 9:

Income and equality is an issue that has plagued civilisation since the beginning of time . Whereas , some societies strongly disagree with “every man for himself” others believe in helping their neighbour . The following essay will cover European approaches using real world examples to support arguments.

plagued civilisation - collocation. Whereas , - more advanced grammar structure. “every man for himself” - correct use of idiomatic expression. helping their neighbour - not exactly an idiomatic expression, but a stylistic way of referring to helping out others. The following essay … - Signals to the examiner the direction we will take the essay.

Wealth distribution for social ends such as healthcare and education is seen as a basic societal right in Denmark . There are also tremendous benefits for levelling the playing field . For example, a recent study by the University of Copenhagen showed that when the rich were forced into sharing their income amongst the economically challenged , over 70% of the wealthy reported feeling a higher sense of wellbeing afterwards. Therefore, although it is undoubtedly contentious, there are tremendous benefits for rich and poor alike to participate in wealth sharing endeavours.

Wealth distribution - collocation. social ends - eloquent manner of expression and also less common than other expressions. economically challenged - variation of language - not consistently using “the poor”. “levelling the playing field” - appropriate use of a specific idiomatic expression. rich and poor alike - more sophisticated way to express “both”.

Secondly, evidence from history shows that laying the responsibility with the poor to improve their lot is clearly an erroneous policy . In most humanitarian governmental bodies , scientific reports have proved countless times that the initiative must start with external assistance. For instance, a pilot study showed that when poverty stricken individuals where motivated by more than just themselves i.e external mentors, they had a success rate three times higher than self motivated candidates . Thus, experts generally agree that the most effective humanitarian assistance involves helping one to help themselves, which underscores the common expression “no man is an island” .

laying the responsibility with - sophisticated grammatical structure. “improve their lot” - very appropriate idiomatic expression because it’s strongly related to wealth. erroneous policy - more sophisticated than saying “wrong policy”. humanitarian governmental bodies - topic specific vocabulary. …. success rate three times higher than self motivated candidates - comparison grammar structure. “no man is an island” - yet another idiomatic expression from a famous English poem.

To conclude, it is clear that when the rich share their wealth -albeit under duress- they stand to benefit. Furthermore, when the poor gain direct support the help given has a multiplier effect , therefore both actions should be strongly encouraged

-albeit under duress - a very sophisticated way of saying forced. multiplier effect - collocation.

Each paragraph starts with a topic sentence that clearly defines the writer’s opinion and main ideas.

Complex adverb clauses – starting with Whereas and While – are well-structured.

Instead of repeating the word obliged , the writer uses synonyms such as required and have a duty to offer a variety of language. The examples in the first and second paragraphs are very specific and clearly develop the main idea.

To conclude, manage your time so you can plan a clear outline, your main ideas and use a variety of language and accurate structures to put together a succinct argument that fully answers the question.

If you want to improve your vocabulary, and start learning more topic specific vocabulary, using Ted Talks and gap fill exercises, then download this massive jumbo PDF of IELTS materials.

Tutorials and Tips to Prepare for Task 2

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• BAŞARI HİKAYELERİ
• ESSAY KONTROL
• NEDEN BAND 7
• Mithat Ardane Kimdir?

Bu sayfa da bulabileceğiniz akademik kompozisyon (essay) örnek soruları öncelikle IELTS ve TOEFL sınavları yazma soru ve konu başlıkları örnek alınarak hazırlayıp, öğrencilerimle paylaştım. Ancak bunu belirtmem gerekiyor ki bu soruların hemen hemen hepsi farklı üniversitelerin İngilizce hazırlık okullarında farklı seviyelerde writing sınav sorusu olarak verilmiş sorulardır.

Okuyacağınız örnek kompozisyonların bazıları öğrencilerimin kendi yazdıkları, bazılarıysa öğrencilerimle beraber yaptığımız çalışmalar sonucunda yazılmıştır. 

Unutmayın, bu konudaki en iyi çalışma yöntemi kompozisyon yazma pratiği yapmanızdır. Yayınladığım ve paylaştığım örnekler ile sadece ve sadece size bir başlangıç noktası oluşturmak ve yol göstermeyi amaçlamışımdır.

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IELTS Preparation Tips

• IELTS SPEAKING TOPIC CARD SAMPLES

TOEFL Preparation Tips

• TOEFL SINAVI NEDİR?
• TOEFL SINAVINA NASIL HAZIRLANMALIYIM?
• TOEFL SPEAKING PRACTICE
• TOEFL INTEGRATED WRITING
• TOEFL WRITING QUESTIONS FOR ACADEMIC DISCUSSION

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10 IELTS Writing Tips to Get Band 7+ Score

Your English skills, that is your vocabulary and grammar, contribute only 50% to your overall IELTS Writing score. The other 50% will be determined by your writing skills . Although learning English takes quite a lot of time, you can develop your writing skills much more quickly.  Let’s get started with our tips!

1. Stay extremely close to the task

First thing to remember is to stay extremely close to the task. When writing, it’s so easy to get a bit carried away and write a generic sentence or two about the topic. In IELTS Writing, however, irrelevant details are not just a waste of time, they actually harm your score.

If you look at the Band Descriptors that list all the requirements for each band score, you can see that irrelevant detail is a sign of Band 5.

Have a look at this topic.

Some people think the government should subsidise fruit and vegetables to make healthy food more affordable. Others argue that the government should tax unhealthy food instead. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience. Write at least 250 words.

What should you write about? How about this:

-        Why is eating healthy important?

-        What is a healthy diet?

Are these relevant? No! Healthy eating is a wider topic, but this is not what your question is about. Writing about a topic generally instead of answering a particular question in the task is a very common mistake that will cost you dearly.

The only three things you should write about are:

-        Should the government subsidise fruit and vegetables to make healthy food more affordable?

-        Should the government tax unhealthy food?

-        Your opinion.

You should discuss each view and say which one you agree with.

2. Smart ideas ≠ higher score

Next, when you’re writing your answers, don’t look for complex ideas. You are not taking a course on nutrition or publishing a policy. Using simple ideas is absolutely fine. It’s actually good because you may be able to express simpler ideas better. Examiners will not expect you to be an expert on the topic.

3. Know where to give your opinion

In IELTS Writing, it’s important to know where to give your opinion and where not to. In IELTS Academic Writing, Task 1 is a report where you describe a chart, map, table, or diagram. You should not say what you think about the data, whether it’s good or bad. Instead, you should write a formal report that summarises the information in the task.

Task 1 for IELTS General Writing is a letter. This whole letter is about expressing what you think or want about a given topic.

Task 2 is an essay for both IELTS Academic and General Writing. In this task, it’s important to make your opinion clear throughout your answer. In my courses , you will learn how to give your opinion on each type of task.

For example, in our topic on two views and your opinion, a common mistake is when candidates write only about what other people think, and then write only about which view they agree with in the conclusion.

Tell the examiner what you think in your body paragraphs; don’t wait until the conclusion to do so.

4. Use appropriate style

Each type of task requires different writing styles, formal, semi-formal, or informal.

In your Task 2 essay, use formal English. This means that you should avoid contractions , such as don’t and won’t . Instead, write do not, will not . Avoid slang , five dollars , rather than five bucks, or tired instead of knackered .   Most English idioms are informal, so you must also avoid idioms . Instead of writing that university education costs an arm and a leg , say that it is unaffordable for many , and don’t say c ut to the chase , instead get to the most important point .

In some types of formal writing personal pronouns like I and we are avoided, but this is not the case in IELTS Writing. You can freely say I think, in my opinion, I believe in any part of your essay.

In Task 1 Academic where you describe data, a formal writing style should also be used. If you take the General Training exam, your Task 1 is a letter, which may be informal, semiformal or formal. And it’s very important to stick to the correct style.

Have a look at these examples. Are they formal or informal?

Should you require any further assistance, do not hesitate to contact me.

It’s formal, although very friendly. How about this phrase at the beginning of a letter:

I’m writing to…

Again, this is quite formal. In a formal letter, it’s better to write it in full.

I am writing to...

What about this one:

Warmest regards,

Is it formal or informal?

This is an informal letter ending. To make it more formal or semiformal, say:

best regards or kind regards

For formal letters, use:

yours sincerely (known addressee) or yours faithfully (unknown addressee)

5. Develop your ideas

One of the key things in IELTS Writing is to develop your ideas, especially in the Task 2 essay. Here’s an example of a body paragraph about imposing a tax on unhealthy food. If you read it, you can see that the first sentence introduces the paragraph, and then each sentence follows the other.

On the one hand, I agree that the tax option can help to reduce the consumption of potentially harmful foods. For example, the so-called “sugar tax” imposed in the UK on soft drinks with a high sugar content has had some positive effects. However, soft drink manufacturers have reacted by reducing sugar levels to just under the amount liable for tax and, as a result, most people tend to buy this slightly healthier version without really changing their overall dietary habits that much. Furthermore, it could be argued that this policy represents a kind of punishment for those consumers least able to seek better alternatives for financial reasons.

I know it’s not easy to do. In my courses , I teach the TET formula for writing body paragraphs. Basically, each paragraph should have a topic sentence, explanation, and transition to the next paragraph.

6. Link your ideas

The next tip is to make sure that you link your sentences, and one of the main ways to do so is to use a variety of formal linking words.  If we have a look at the same body paragraph, the linking words are highlighted in green.

On the one hand , I agree that the tax option can help to reduce the consumption of potentially harmful foods. For example , the so-called “sugar tax” imposed in the UK on soft drinks with a high sugar content has had some positive effects. However , soft drink manufacturers have reacted by reducing sugar levels to just under the amount liable for tax and, as a result, most people tend to buy this slightly healthier version without really changing their overall dietary habits that much. Furthermore , it could be argued that this policy represents a kind of punishment for those consumers least able to seek better alternatives for financial reasons.

You might not be used to using a lot of linkers when you write. So, make sure you learn some linking words for each situation and vary them in your writing.

The paragraph above comes from a full Band 9 sample answer, which you can download for free. You can also read a breakdown of how I wrote the full essay in my blog:

How to write a Band 9 IELTS Writing Task 2 essay sentence by sentence | Two views and your opinion

7. Find the right balance

As for your vocabulary and grammar, you should try to find the right balance in your writing. This means the balance between complexity and accuracy. When you use fewer common words and complex grammar, your score goes up. When you make mistakes, it goes down. For Band 7, you need fewer common words and some complex grammar, but, most importantly, you’re only allowed to make occasional errors, or a few errors.

It seems that many students try to make their essays as complex as possible in an attempt to increase their scores. However, this leads to so many mistakes that the score goes down instead.

No need to make your writing overly simplistic but avoid the extra complexity.

8. Finish both tasks

It’s pretty difficult to finish both tasks in 60 minutes. But if your Task 2 essay has no conclusion or if your Task 1 answer does not cover the whole topic, you will be penalised severely . Two finished answers are likely to get a higher score than a great answer written only halfway.

Practise at home and do your best to finish your writing tasks in the given time.

9. Don’t count words

In Task 1 you must write more than 150 words and in Task 2 more than 250. Although examiners don’t count if you write 145 or 151 words, they will deduct marks if your answers are obviously too short. Candidates with advanced skills often write longer answers, which is fine. You don’t lose points for writing more words, but you won’t get extra marks either.

When you’re practising at home, write your answers on the answer sheet and see how long each answer should be. I personally know that I need to be careful with my Task 2 to make sure it fits on a single answer sheet. This means during the exam, I don’t have to ask for another sheet, which I have to fill out again with candidate information, which will take time.

Of course, this relates to the paper-based IELTS. If you take your exam on a computer, words will be counted automatically at the bottom of the screen.

10. Prepare for each type of task

One of the things that can help you write your answers more quickly is by knowing what to write about in each type of task. So, the moment you see the task, you already have an idea of what to write in your answer. Let me show you what these types of tasks are.

In Academic Writing Task 1, you may get diagrams , maps , or charts and tables with or without dates . Charts and tables with dates come with several time periods and show changes over time. Make sure you practise answering each of them.

In General Writing Task 1, you may get informal letters to friends, semiformal letters (for example, to your work colleagues), or formal letters (to a business).

In Academic and General Writing Task 2, there are five main types: advantages – disadvantages , two views & your opinion , opinion essays (or agree - disagree , positive - negative development ), problem & solutions and two direct questions .

In my courses, I show what each question may sound like, how to structure each essay, and what to write about in each paragraph. For example, in our task about taxes and subsidies, you must discuss both views, but if the question is whether you agree or disagree with a certain statement, you must not give reasons why you agree and why you disagree. My courses are linked below.

As for the sample essay we used earlier, you can download it below. You can also read this blog to learn how I wrote the full essay.

Download your free IELTS Writing Task 2 sample answer

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IELTS Charlie

Your Guide to IELTS Band 7

The Differences Between Band 6 and Band 7 in IELTS Writing Task 2

Many of the students who come to my website and join my courses are stuck at Band 6 or 6.5 for IELTS Writing, and they want to know the answer to this question:

How do I get from Band 6 to Band 7?

Well, there are 5 key differences between Band 6 essays and Band 7 essays.

Key Difference #1

In Band 6 essays,  some  ideas are  inadequately developed .

In Band 7 essays,  all  ideas are developed.

So, to get a Band 7 for Task Response you must make sure that you  explain and illustrate all of your ideas  (e.g. the reasons for your view, the reasons for the views in a discuss both views essay, the problems, the disadvantages).

If you fail to explain any of your ideas, you will be stuck at Band 6.

Key Difference #2

In Band 6 essays, there is  clear overall  progression.

In Band 7 essays, there is  clear  progression  throughout .

Progression means: “is your essay going somewhere?”

Band 6 essays get from A to B, but they might wander around a bit:  some arguments might go in circles, some sentences might repeat something already said.

In Band 7 essays, EVERY sentence adds something new to the essay. There is no repetition.

So, to get a Band 7 for Coherence and Cohesion,  EVERY sentence in your essay must have a purpose . Don’t keep repeating yourself, and make sure your argument is clear.

Key Difference #3

In Band 6 essays, some  cohesion  is  faulty or mechanical .

In band 7 essays,  cohesion  is  generally appropriate .

Cohesion means things like transition signals, referencing, substitution and conjunctions.

Band 6 essays tend to use cohesive devices in quite a rigid way, and some cohesive devices, especially transition signals, may be used incorrectly.

Band 7 essays tend to use cohesive devices correctly, even though they may be used too often, or not enough.

So if you want to get Band 7 for Coherence and Cohesion, be careful not to make mistakes with transition signals and referencing. Just use transition signals you know well; you don’t need to use ‘advanced’ words like “nevertheless” or “notwithstanding”!

Key Difference #4

Band 6 essays tend to  lack vocabulary which has a precise meaning .

Band 7 essays contain  some vocabulary which has a precise meaning .

So, to get a Band 7 for Lexical Resource, select nouns and verbs that have a precise meaning, but also use words in combination, since “traffic congestion” has a more precise meaning than “traffic”.

Key Difference #5

Band 6 essays tend to use a  restricted range of complex grammatical structures , and may rely heavily on complex sentences.

Band 7 essays use a  variety of complex grammatical structures , including complex noun phrases, complex verb phrases and complex verb patterns.

So, to get a Band 7 for Grammatical Range and Accuracy , use these other types of complex grammatical structure. But try to use them accurately, since too many errors could keep you at Band 6.

Here’s a quick summary of these 5 key differences. (Click on the image for a full-size version.)

So that’s how to get from Band 6 to Band 7 in IELTS Writing Task 2 .

I hope this helps you, and thank you for reading!

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About the author

Charlie is a former IELTS Examiner with 25 years' teaching experience all over the world. His courses, for both English language learners and teachers, have been taken by over 100,000 students in over 160 countries around the world.

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Discover the 7 STEPS to BAND 7 in IELTS Writing Task 2

Home — Essay Samples — Geography & Travel — Travel and Tourism Industry — The History of Moscow City

The History of Moscow City

• Categories: Russia Travel and Tourism Industry

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Published: Feb 12, 2019

Words: 614 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

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Moscow concert attack: More than 60 reported dead; ISIS claims responsibility

This live blog has ended. For the most recent updates, please click here .

What we know about the Moscow concert attack

• Men in camouflage broke into a Moscow concert hall and opened fire, shooting an unknown number of people, Russia’s prosecutor general said.
• The terror group ISIS has claimed responsibility but did not provide proof of the claim, which was made on ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq on Telegram.
• Russia's Investigative Committee said that more than 60 people are dead after the attack at Crocus City Hall. Officials have said more than 100 others were injured.
• A fire also started inside Crocus City Hall, a large concert venue northwest of central Moscow. Firefighters have evacuated about 100 people from the basement of the building and efforts are underway to rescue people from the roof, Russian emergency officials said.
• Russia officials said they were investigating the attack as a terrorist act.
• A popular rock band was scheduled to play what appeared to be a sold-out show at the venue, which has a maximum capacity of more than 9,000 people.

Three children among those killed, state media reports

Chantal Da Silva

Three children were among the more than 60 people killed in yesterday's attack at Crocus City Hall, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing the Russian Ministry of Health.

Officials have warned that the death toll connected to the deadly incident may increase as the investigation continues.

Xi sends condolences to Putin

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday after a deadly shooting at a concert hall near Moscow, saying China opposes all forms of terrorism and strongly condemns terrorist attacks.

China firmly supports the Russian government’s efforts to maintain national security and stability, Xi said, according to CCTV state television. 

Moscow bloodshed comes two decades after some of worst attacks in Russia

Phil Helsel

The shooting attacks in Moscow are the latest in a series of deadly terror attacks in the country since the 2000s.

In 2004, militants from Chechnya and elsewhere took hostages at a school in Beslan in southern Russia.

The militants demanded a withdrawal from Chechnya. Hostages were kept in a gymnasium, and 334 died — half of them children — when gunfire and explosions erupted when it was stormed. Hostages’ families were critical of the rescue operation. Russian prosecutors later cleared authorities .

Two years prior, in 2002, Chechen separatists attacked the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow and took more than 700 people hostage. Russian forces used gas, and 129 hostages died. The attackers were killed.

More recently, in 2017 a suicide bomber from Kyrgyzstan killed 15 people as well as himself in an attack on a St. Petersburg subway. In 2013, two bombers killed a combined 34 people in attacks on a railway station and a trolleybus in Volgograd.

The group Islamic State, also known as ISIS, claimed responsibility for the attacks Friday at the Crocus City Hall venue.

Putin wishes victims well, deputy prime minister says

President Vladimir Putin is thinking of those injured in today’s attack and thanked doctors, a Russian government official said according to state media.

State media TASS reported that “Putin wished all those injured in the emergency at Crocus City Hall to recover and conveyed his gratitude to the doctors, Golikova said,” referring to Tatiana Golikova deputy prime minister for social policy, labor, health and pension provision.

More than 60 dead, and death toll could grow, Russian agency says

Russia’s Investigative Committee said Saturday that more than 60 people have died in the attack, and warned the number may increase.

“The bodies of the dead are being examined. It has been previously established that more than 60 people died as a result of the terrorist attack. Unfortunately, the number of victims may increase,” according to the Investigative Committee, which is a federal state agency.

Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs and the security agency FSB are continuing to investigate, the committee said in a statement, and weapons and ammunition have been found.

U.S. warned Russia about planned terrorist attack in Moscow, NSC says

Monica Alba

The United States shared information about a potential terrorist attack in Moscow with Russia’s government earlier this month, a spokesperson for the National Security Council said.

The U.S. Embassy in Russia on March 7 warned U.S. citizens to avoid crowds and said it was monitoring reports that extremists might attack large gatherings in Moscow.

“Earlier this month, the U.S. Government had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow — potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts — which prompted the State Department to issue a public advisory to Americans in Russia,” NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said.

“The U.S. Government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding ‘duty to warn’ policy,” Watson said.

Putin recently dismissed ‘provocative’ warning about potential attacks

In remarks that aired three days ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of “provocative statements” about potential terror attacks in Russia, and dismissed them.

“I’ll remind you of recent, let’s say directly, provocative statements of certain official Western structures about potential terror attacks in Russia,” Putin said.

“All of this looks like obvious blackmail and an attempt to intimidate, destabilize our country,” he said before the state security agency FSB.

Putin in those remarks did not specify a country or warning. The U.S. embassy in Russia on March 7 warned U.S. citizens to avoid crowds .

“The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours,” the U.S. embassy warned.

Guards at concert hall didn't have guns, state news says

The Associated Press

Guards at the concert hall didn’t have guns, and some could have been killed at the start of the attack, Russian media reported.

Some Russian news outlets suggested the assailants fled before special forces and riot police arrived.

Reports said police patrols were looking for several vehicles the attackers could have used to escape.

U.S. had been gathering intelligence that ISIS could attack Russia

Ken Dilanian

The U.S. had been gathering intelligence for months that ISIS could mount a mass casualty attack in Russia, two U.S. officials confirmed to NBC News.

That information led to a March 7 warning issued by the U.S. embassy in Russia about possible extremist attacks, including at concerts, urging people to stay away from large gatherings, one of the officials said.

That official said the claim of responsibility today by ISIS appears to be genuine, though no final assessment had been made about who was responsible.

Some Moscow concertgoers filmed events as they unfolded Friday night, when gunmen opened fire inside a theater and people ran to take cover in fear for their lives.

Witness says gunfire was first thought to be construction noise

A witness to today’s armed attack on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall told a state news agency that they first mistook the gunfire for sounds of an installation being dismantled.

“First, we started hearing typical loud pops, but it was impossible to understand that they were gunshots. We thought that something was falling, as exhibitions were being dismantled at that moment, and someone seemed to be dropping something large,” Mikhail Semyonov told TASS .

“Then, the bangs were getting more and more frequent. Suddenly, there was a scream, and the bangs started to be heard as bursts. Then it became clear that it was shooting,” he said.

ISIS claims responsibility for attack but does not provide proof

The terror group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack in Moscow.

The group, also known as ISIS, did not provide any proof of its claim, which came from ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq on Telegram.

The group’s members have carried out a number of terror attacks, including the 2015 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.

Children among the victims, Russia's children commissioner says

Yuliya Talmazan

Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, said children were among the victims of tonight's attack.

"Information about their condition is regularly updated," Lvova-Belova said on Telegram. "Any additional assistance will be provided immediately."

She later told Russia 24 TV channel that at least two children had been injured, including one boy with a gunshot wound.

Earlier, Russian officials released a preliminary casualty toll of at least 40 people dead and more than 100 injured.

France, U.K., Germany condemn attack

Officials from France, the U.K. and Germany were among those who expressed their condolences to the victims of the attack at the Crocus concert hall.

"The images of the terrible attack on innocent people in Crocus City Hall near #Moscow are horrific," Germany's Foreign Office said on X . "The background must be investigated quickly. Our deepest condolences with the families of the victims."

"We condemn the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall near Moscow," the U.K.'s embassy in Russia said . "This is a terrible tragedy."

Meanwhile, France's foreign ministry called for "full light" to be shed on "these heinous acts."

Public events across Russia called off after attack

Several regional leaders across Russia, including in the annexed Kherson region of Ukraine, have canceled public events this weekend over security considerations after the deadly concert attack in Moscow.

Shortly after the attack, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin canceled all sports, cultural and other public events in Moscow this weekend. State news agency TASS also quoted Russia's cultural ministry as saying that mass and entertainment events in federal cultural institutions have been canceled in the coming days.

Zelenskyy adviser speaks out about attack

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s adviser denied that Ukraine was involved in the deadly Crocus concert hall attack.

“Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia),” Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on X. “It makes no sense whatsoever.”

No evidence has emerged to suggest Ukraine may have been involved, but Ukrainian officials may be trying to pre-empt accusations, as some Kremlin hawks have already started pointing at Kyiv. 

Asked whether the shooting was at all tied to the war in Ukraine, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said: “There is no indication at this time that Ukraine, or Ukrainians, were involved in the shooting, but again, this just broke. We’re taking a look at it, but I would disabuse you at this early hour have any connection to Ukraine.”

Videos posted to social media appear to show chaos inside Moscow's Crocus City Hall during and after a terrorist attack.

Some videos include what sound like gunshots and show men with rifles, as concertgoers frantically try to exit the venue.

State Department issues warning to Americans in Moscow

Jason Abbruzzese

The State Department said that the U.S. Embassy in Moscow is aware of the terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall and that U.S. citizens should avoid the area and follow the instructions of local authorities.

"The U.S. government’s ability to provide routine or emergency services to U.S. citizens in Russia is severely limited, particularly in areas far from the U.S. embassy in Moscow, due to Russian government limitations on travel for U.S. embassy personnel and staffing, and the ongoing suspension of operations, including consular services, at U.S. consulates in Russia," the State Department said in a message posted to its website .

'What a nightmare in Crocus,' Widow of opposition leader Alexei Navalny condolences about concert attack

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny who died in prison last month, expressed her condolences about the attack Friday.

"What a nightmare in Crocus," Navalnaya wrote on X. "Condolences to the families of the victims and quick recovery to the injured. Everyone involved in this crime must be found and held accountable."

320 firefighters, 3 helicopters working to put out fire

Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations said the number of rescue crews responding to the attack is growing and now includes more than 320 firefighters, 130 emergency vehicles and three helicopters dumping water on the burning concert venue.

Moscow regional governor says 40 dead, more than 100 injured

Moscow Regional Governor Andrei Vorobyov said on Telegram that at least 40 people are dead and more than 100 injured in the terrorist attack, confirming figures previously reported by Russian state news.

Putin informed about concert venue attack 'in the first minutes,' Kremlin spokesperson says

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin was informed about the shooting at the Crocus concert hall "in the first minutes" of the attack, Russian state news agency RIA reported.

The president is receiving information about what is happening and the measures being taken through all relevant services and is giving necessary instructions, Peskov said according to RIA.

Russian journalist was inside concert venue when gunmen entered

Russian news agency RIA Novosti said on Telegram that one of its reporters was inside the venue when gunmen entered and began shooting concertgoers.

The journalist said that at least three unmasked gunmen in camouflage entered the hall a few minutes before 8 p.m. Moscow time. They shot people point-blank and threw incendiary bombs, according to the journalist.

Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson calls incident 'bloody terrorist attack'

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia's foreign ministry, called the Friday night incident at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow a "bloody terrorist attack" as she called for "strong condemnation" from the international community.

"Now, as the Russian authorities have stated, all efforts are being devoted to saving people," Zakharova said. "The entire world community is obliged to condemn this monstrous crime!"

U.S. national security spokesperson says embassy has told Americans to avoid large gatherings in Moscow

Kyla Guilfoil

National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby addressed the attack in Moscow at a White House press briefing Friday afternoon, calling it a “terrible, terrible shooting attack.”

“The images are just horrible and just hard to watch and our thoughts obviously are going to be with the the victims,” Kirby said.

Kirby added that the U.S. embassy has notified all Americans in Moscow to avoid large gatherings, concerts, shopping malls, etc., and “stay put where they are” for their safety.

Russian media says 40 dead, more than 100 injured at concert attack

TASS, Russia's state-owned news agency, and RIA Novosti are reporting that Russia's FSB security agency has put the preliminary casualty count at 40 dead and more than 100 injured by a terrorist attack on a Moscow-area concert venue.

NBC News has not confirmed those casualty numbers.

Roof of concert venue at risk of collapse, Russian media says

Russian news agency RIA Novosti said on Telegram that the roof of the building near the concert venue's stage has begun to collapse.

Video posted to Telegram by RIA Novosti showed fire continue to blaze inside the venue.

Moscow area governor says more than 70 ambluances at scene of attack

Andrei Vorobyov, Moscow's regional governor, said on Telegram that more than 70 ambulances have been dispatched to the scene of concert venue attack.

“Everything is being done at the scene to save people," he wrote in the Telegram message. "The Special Rapid Response Unit (SOBR) has been deployed. There are over 70 ambulance carriages near Crocus, doctors provide the necessary assistance to all victims."

Nigel Chiwaya

Russia’s prosecutor general office says number of victims still being determined

Russia's prosecutor general said on Telegram that officials are working to determine how many people have been killed or hurt in the concert attack.

“On behalf of Igor Krasnov, the prosecutor of the Moscow region has gone to the scene of the incident at Crocus City Hall to coordinate the actions of law enforcement agencies," the prosecutor general's Telegram account posted. "Tonight, before the start of the event in the concert hall in Krasnogorsk, unknown men in camouflage clothes broke into the building and started shooting."

"The number of victims is being determined, a fire started in the entertainment center building, and citizens are being evacuated."

Moscow's mayor cancels weekend events

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram that he was canceling all public events in Moscow this weekend.

"I have taken the decision to cancel all sports, cultural and other public events in Moscow this weekend," he said. "I ask of you to treat this measure with understanding."

Popular rock band was to play sold-out venue that can hold 9,500

Tim Stelloh

A popular rock band was scheduled to play what appeared to be a sold-out show at the Moscow concert hall where there were reports of gunmen in combat fatigues opening fire.

Picnic, formed in 1978, was to play at Crocus City Hall, west of central Moscow.

The multilevel facility in Krasnogorsk has a maximum capacity of 9,527 people. Booking sites show the event was sold out.

Russia's aviation agency says additional security added to Moscow airports

The Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsiya said that additional security measures are being introduced in Moscow airports

"Due to increased security measures, we ask passengers to arrive at Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports in advance," the agency said on the Telegram messaging app.

Moscow's emergency ministry says it is working to extinguish fire

Moscow’s emegency ministry said it was working to extinguish a fire that began at the music venue.

The ministry said about 100 people were evacuated from the building, and it was working to rescue people from the roof.

Russian media says state security taking action

Russia's news outlet RIA Novosti said that the country's security agency, the FSB, is taking measures to respond to the shooting at a concert hall near Moscow.

Videos posted by Russian media show men with rifles moving through area

Extended rounds of gunfire could be heard on multiple videos posted by Russian media and Telegram channels. One showed two men with rifles moving through a concert hall. Another one showed a man inside the auditorium, saying the assailants set it on fire, with incessant gunshots ringing out in the background.

Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of the Moscow region, said he was heading to the area and set up a task force to deal with the damage. He didn’t immediately offer any further details.

Russian media reports said that riot police units were being sent to the area as people were being evacuated.

Russian news outlets report gunman opened fire at Moscow concert hall

Several gunmen in combat fatigues burst into a big concert hall in Moscow on Friday and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people, Russian media said.

Russian news reports said that the assailants also used explosives, causing a massive blaze at the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow. Video posted on social media showed huge plumes of black smoke rising over the building.

Russia’s state RIA Novosti news agency reported that at least three people in combat fatigues fired weapons. The state Tass news agency also reported the shooting.

U.S. warned of imminent Moscow attack by ‘extremists,’ urges citizens to avoid crowds

Patrick Smith

U.S. citizens in  Moscow  had been warned to avoid large gatherings earlier this month because of heightened fears of a terrorist attack.

The U.S. Embassy in the Russian capital said it was “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours.”

U.S. citizens should avoid crowds, monitor local media for updates and “be aware of your surroundings,” it said in a brief  online update .

Read the full story here.

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Gunmen Kill 60 at Concert Hall Outside Moscow, Russian Authorities Say

The Islamic State claimed the attack, the deadliest in the Moscow region in more than a decade.

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By Valerie Hopkins ,  Ivan Nechepurenko ,  Aric Toler and Anton Troianovski

• March 22, 2024

Several camouflage-clad gunmen opened fire at a popular concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow on Friday night, killing about 60 people and wounding more than 100, Russian authorities said, making it the deadliest attack in the capital region in more than a decade.

Hours after the mayhem began, the Russian national guard said its officers were still looking for the attackers. State media agencies reported that there had been up to five perpetrators.

As gunshots boomed through the building containing the concert hall, one of the largest and most popular music venues in the Moscow area, fire erupted in the upper floors of the structure, and the blaze intensified after an explosion, causing the roof to collapse.

The Islamic State, through an affiliated news agency, claimed responsibility. U.S. security officials, including a senior counterterrorism official, said they believed the attack was carried out by the Islamic State in Khorasan , a branch of the terrorist group that is active in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Multiple videos posted on social media and verified by The New York Times show several people entering Crocus City Hall, a sprawling shopping and entertainment complex in suburban Krasnogorsk, northwest of Moscow, and firing rifles. Other videos show people running past bloodied victims lying on the floor or screaming at the sound of gunshots, while photos show bodies lined up outside the building.

A woman who gave her name only as Marina said in a text message that she was standing in line for a concert outside, in the cold, about 8 p.m. when people without overcoats started running out of the building, saying they had heard shots.

“As soon as I heard automatic rifle shots, I started running, too,” she said.

The state news agency TASS reported that emergency services had dispatched helicopters to try to rescue people from the building’s roof, where flames and smoke could be seen billowing into the night sky.

At least 115 people were hospitalized after the attack, five of them children, according to the Russian minister of health, Mikhail Murashko. The injured include 60 adult patients in serious condition, the minister said. Another 30 people were treated and released.

The Russian leader, Vladimir V. Putin, made no immediate direct public statement, issuing only a statement through a deputy prime minister, Tatyana Golikova, that expressed hopes for the recovery of the injured and gratitude to the doctors treating them.

Russia’s Investigative Committee, the country’s equivalent to the F.B.I., said it had opened a criminal case into a terrorist act and dispatched its investigators to the site. RIA Novosti said that a special police unit was working inside the building.

John F. Kirby, a spokesman for President Biden’s National Security Council, told reporters that the White House had “no indication at this time that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved.” Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Ukraine’s presidential office, said in a video statement that “Ukraine has absolutely nothing to do” with the attack.

On March 7, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a security alert that warned that its personnel were “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts.” The statement, which did not say anything about the extremists’ affiliation, warned Americans that an attack could take place in the next 48 hours.

Pro-Kremlin voices seized on the U.S. Embassy’s warning to paint America as trying to scare Russians. On March 19, Mr. Putin called the statement “obvious blackmail” made with “the intention to intimidate and destabilize our society.”

The attack on Friday was connected to the March 7 warning, according to American officials briefed on the matter. They added that the United States alerted Russia privately at the time about intelligence it had about Islamic State activity.

Statements of condolence and outrage came from around the world, including the leader of China, Xi Jinping, and governments of the United States and other countries that are at odds with Russia. Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of the opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, who died in a Russian prison last month, said on social media, “All those involved in this crime must be found and brought to justice.”

The attack came on a day when 165 missiles and drones attacked Ukraine, constituting what the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, said was “the largest attack against Ukraine’s energy grid since the start of Russia’s war.”

The attack began around 8 p.m. local time, minutes before a sold-out performance by the veteran rock band Piknik was scheduled to start. The concert hall has 6,200 seats, according to its website.

“At least three people in camouflage burst into the ground floor of Crocus City Hall and opened fire with automatic weapons” and threw incendiary devices, a correspondent for RIA Novosti reported from the scene. “There are definitely wounded.”

In videos filmed inside the concert hall, audience members are heard screaming and seen crouching as repeated gunshots echo outside the hall.

Russia’s emergency service said it had sent 130 vehicles to the scene and three helicopters to drop water on the blaze that gutted the upper floors. The fire was mostly extinguished shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday, according to the regional governor, Andrey Vorobyov.

Shootings are rare in Russia, where the state tightly regulates the possession of firearms. One of the deadliest ones occurred in 2022, when a gunman killed 18 people and wounded 23 others in a school in the town of Izhevsk.

However, attacks have struck across the Russia in recent decades, events that the authorities often described as terrorism. A 2011 suicide bombing at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport killed 37 people, and two coordinated suicide bombings in Moscow subway stations in 2010 killed about 40 people.

In 2004, 172 people died in a siege at a Moscow theater by Chechen separatists. The police pumped a sedative gas into the theater to incapacitate the attackers, but the gas killed 132 hostages.

The complex where the attack took place on Friday was developed by the Azerbaijan-born billionaire Aras Agalarov, whose son, Emin, is a famous pop star. Former President Donald Trump held the Miss Universe pageant at the same complex in 2013, and world-famous performers like Eric Clapton, Dua Lipa and Sia have also performed there.

Alina Lobzina , Julian E. Barnes , Neil MacFarquhar and Victoria Kim contributed reporting.

Valerie Hopkins covers the war in Ukraine and how the conflict is changing Russia, Ukraine, Europe and the United States. She is based in Moscow. More about Valerie Hopkins

Ivan Nechepurenko covers Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the countries of the Caucasus, and Central Asia. He is based in Moscow. More about Ivan Nechepurenko

Aric Toler is a reporter on the Visual Investigations team at The Times where he uses emerging techniques of discovery to analyze open source information. More about Aric Toler

Anton Troianovski is the Moscow bureau chief for The Times. He writes about Russia, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. More about Anton Troianovski