IELTS Writing Task 2: both sides or one side?

Can you see the difference between the two questions below?

A) Explain the positives and negatives of this development.
B) Is this a positive or negative development?

and these two questions:

A) What are the advantages and disadvantages?
B) Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

and these two questions:

A) Discuss both views and give your opinion.
B) To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Answer:
The difference is that for all of the (A) questions you must explain both sides of the argument, whereas the (B) questions can be answered by giving both sides or by supporting only one side, depending on the view that you express in your introduction.

This is still the most common confusion that students ask me about. Make sure you understand the difference between the questions above; if you're still unsure, look through all of my task 2 lessons to see further advice and examples.

Comments

[vivek]

Thanks simon.

[Jay]

I think U tought about this issue to student many times..

thnx a lot Simon for your patience...

[Ram]

Essay on Zoo (please suggest which side sounds good and organized?)
-----------------------------
Discuss both views on advantages and disadvantages of zoo and give your opinion.
People have different views on advantages and disadvantages of zoo. Although there are some disadvantages of keeping animals inside a close space, I would argue that zoos help to conserve endangered species.
On the one hand zoos play an important role in wildlife conservation. They can help to protect endangered species. For example, many rare species of birds are found in our national zoo center, Kathmandu. They have outnumbered in past years because of proper caring and artificial breeding. Scientists also get opportunity to study on animals and their behaviors. Additionally, zoos are one of the best places of entertainment and fun for children, in particular. Children enjoy learning about animals. And zoo also creates job for many people.
On the other hand, some people argue that zoos are unethical. Zoo animals are kept in artificial environments. They are kept in cages or have limited space to play. They also argue that the best way to save endangered species is by protecting their natural habitats. Inside the zoo, they lose their freedom to hunt for food. They need to rely on humans. Eventually they forget to protect themselves and hunt food for their offspring. It is clear that zoo exhibit animals with the aim of making money. We have no rights to use animals for entertainment and profit.
In conclusion, it seems to me that zoos are not only for entertainment purpose, it can be helpful to many students, young children and scientist to do study on animal life and their activities.

**********************************

Preserving wild animals in zoos is an issue which frequently generates a heated debate. Supporters maintaining that the wild life would be taken good care of animals by professionals, while opponents claims that animals are deprived of freedom as a result of staying in zoos. From my perspective, animals should live in natural habitats instead of zoos.
To begin with, it is the right of wild species to live in the natural environment away from human beings. Given the fact that human beings are mainly responsible for the heavy pollution, deforestation and severe damage to the natural habitats of wild animals, it is our responsibility to create healthy, natural and safe environment for animals to live in. Apparently, limited space and artificial trees and habitats can't fully compensate for their loss. Moreover, if rural animals are placed inside a zoo, there would be negative influence on both psychological and physical status of the creatures. As a result, the wild species would suffer from isolation and depression. It seems like zoos are more likely to be a killer than protector of wild animals.
Nevertheless, supporters would argue that zoos, which are equipped modern facilities and professional would take care of animals inside. They further point out that endangered species preserved in zoos never die of illegal hunting. Furthermore, zoos allow scientists to study animals and animal behaviors. Zoos can be one of the best educative and entertaining places of children, where many people also get employment.
In conclusion, it is my belief that wild animals should be set free from zoos not only because they have right to enjoy the freedom but they also escape from isolation and depression.

[Khaliun]

Hi Simon!
DO you think old IELTS books such as Cambridge IELTS1-4 is easier than 7-8?
When I practise IELTS tests from 1-4, I do quite good and when I do 7-8, I did not so well. So I am guessing that old books are easier than new books..??

[vivek]

Do we need to buy Cambridge IELTS books or we can download? If we can download, then please give me the link.

Thanks.

[Harsh]

you can only download through utorrent or vuze.
so you need to download and run utorrent or vuze first then you can search from that application.

[pretty]

hey simon,

is it right to use phrase " let us discuss both views in this essay" in introduction of writing task two. I read it in a book

[Nevila]

Hi Simon,

Can you suggest me any examiner who offers preparation on academic writing?

What I need is correction of my written work and advice.

Thank you for this site. I find it very useful.

[Ken]

Hello, Simon,
Could you please tell me whether "take ... as an example" is acceptable in essays, because it seems to be a phase for casual and spoken English?

thanks a lot.

[raja]

Hi Simon,

if the question say, discuss both views and give your opinion? it means we have to discuss both views first and than our opinion.so how we can give the our opinion in introduction?

[Anita]

Hi, Simon, I found another website about IELTS preparation: http://www.ielts-exam.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=7&id=15&Itemid=28. I am not sure if the writting samples are prepared by ex-examiners or someone else. Could you give me an idea?
Thanks.

[Simon]

Hi Khaliun,

All of the Cambridge books seem to be at a similar level in my opinion.

...

Hi Pretty,

I don't often use that phrase, but there's nothing wrong with it. It's fine.

...

Hi Ken,

Yes, that's a bit better in spoken English. Just write "for example".

...

Hi Raya,

It doesn't say which one you need to do first (both views or your view). It just tells you to do both. We always like to present our position from the beginning in English academic 'style'.

...

Hi Anita,

I think those essays are mostly copied from the back of the Cambridge books.

[Tony nguyễn]

@vivek: u can download Cambridge Book 1->8 and practice by yourself.

visit thist website:
http://ebooktienganh.com/tieng-anh-luyen-thi/tai-lieu-ielts/cambridge-ielts-practice-1-7-full-195.html
http://ebooktienganh.com/tieng-anh-luyen-thi/tai-lieu-ielts/full-cambridge-ielts-8-answers-and-2-audiocds-1279.html
password download or unrar is: ebooktienganh.com

Hope u enjoy!

[Antony]

For discussion questions, such as discuss both of views and then give your own opinion, Is it possible to write an essay with 80% positive side and only 20% negative side?

[Simon]

Hi Antony,

For discussion essays, it's much better to try to write around 50% for each side. 60/40 would be ok, but I wouldn't do 80/20.

[Antony]

Hi Simon
Thanks a lot.
By the way, Is it good to write many simple sentences? I mean very short sentence but not that complex structural long sentence.
How many short sentences I could write on an essay?

[Simon]

Hi Antony,

The best writing always has a mix of short and long sentences. I can't give you an ideal number, but you'll see lots of examples if you read newspapers, books etc. in English.

[Antony]

Hi Simon
One more question, can I say we live in a freed society, or a free society? which one is better?

[Simon]

'free', not 'freed'

[Antony]

Hi Simon
For the conclusion, do i need to write two separate sentences, because my teacher told me every paragraph should have at least two sentences. However, from your prestige sample essay, I usually found that there are only one sentence for conclusion. Which one is correct for ielts writing? Thanks a lot

[Simon]

Hi Antony,

I've had students who've got a band 9 with my way of doing it, so you can be confident that one sentence is enough for the conclusion.

[Antony]

Hi Simon
I have a question about relative clauses.
Where is always for places when we used it in relative clauses.
But I always found we can use it for disease in some sentence.
Could you explain it for me?
Examples:
Cancer is now a disease where individuals can live for decades in remission.
Cancer is now a disease that individuals can live for decades in remission.

[Simon]

Hi Antony,

Yes, we don't only use 'where' for actual places. It's often used with situations too.

A good grammar book will explain all of this better than I can. Also, try Googling things like "a situation where" to see some more examples.

[allan]

how about "Do you agree or disagree"?