This lesson will help you to plan, structure and write an IELTS Task 2 essay from start to finish.
| Fast-paced modern lifestyles have led to people eating more and more fast food at the expense of more traditional meals. Do the advantages of eating more fast food outweigh the disadvantages? |
First of all, you need to do the following:
| Fast-paced modern lifestyles have led to people eating more and more fast food at the expense of more traditional meals. Do the advantages of eating more fast food outweigh the disadvantages ? |
In the planning stage, you should try to choose the advantages and disadvantages that are not too specific; otherwise, it will be difficult to fully develop your answers with details, reasons, results, and examples. Next, we have included some pics to give you ideas to fill out the planning table:
| Advantage | Disadvantage | |
| Main Point (in general) |
| |
| Explanation: details/reasons/results |
Here is a breakdown of the overall structure:
| Introduction | Sentence 1 | Paraphrase General Statement & mention the main advantage and disadvantage | |
| Sentence 2 | State your overall opinion. | ||
| Body paragraph 1 | Present | Sentence 1 | Mention the main advantage |
| Extend | Sentence 2 | Explanation: positive details/reasons/results | |
| Sentence 3 | |||
| Support | Sentence 4 | Support with examples | |
| Sentence 5 | Summarise why it is important | ||
| Body paragraph 2 | Present | Sentence 1 | Mention the main advantage |
| Extend | Sentence 2 | Explanation: positive details/reason/results | |
| Sentence 3 | |||
| Support | Sentence 4 | Support with examples | |
| Sentence 5 | Summarise why it is important | ||
| Conclusion | Sentence 1 | State Opinion | |
| Sentence 2 | Restate main advantage/disadvantage |
Now, we’re going to look at each paragraph in a bit more detail with a sample.
| Introduction | Sentence 1 | Paraphrase General Statement & mention the main advantage and disadvantage |
| Model | Replacing conventional meals with junk food is fast becoming the norm for many people, and while this may be more practical, it presents some serious concerns for health and productivity. | |
| Sentence 2 | State your overall opinion. | |
| Model | This essay will discuss the pros and cons of this shift in behavior.
|
Sentence 1: General Statement – Here we paraphrase the ideas from the question using synonyms.
Sentence 2: Thesis Statement – This should inform the reader of what the essay will cover and attempt to achieve.
Swap the words from the question with synonyms (words with the same or similar meanings).
| Question Words | Synonyms |
| normal everyday meals | conventional meals |
| fast food | junk food |
| at the expense of | replacing |
| more and more | fast becoming the norm |
| pros | advantages |
| cons | disadvantages |
| Introduction | Sentence 1 | Paraphrase General Statement & mention the main advantage and disadvantage |
| Example | Replacing conventional meals with junk food is fast becoming the norm for many people, and while this may be more practical, it presents some serious concerns for health and productivity. | |
| Sentence 2 | State your overall opinion. | |
| Example | This essay will discuss the pros and cons of this shift in behaviour.
|
To get a good mark in the grammar section we need to show some examples of complex structures. The following are two possible ways to do this:
Use Coordinating Conjunctions to form compound sentences.
FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
Use Subordinating Conjunctions to form complex sentences.
E.g: because, while, whereas, as, after, since, although
Each argument in the body paragraphs should fulfill the PES section of the rubric.
Present
Extend
Support
This means that each main point should be presented in general, fully extended, and supported with reasons or examples.
Here we promote our side of the argument (the disadvantages):
| Body paragraph 1 | Present | Sentence 1 | Mention the main disadvantage |
| Model | The most serious disadvantage of this issue is the damage to health and the effect on work rate. | ||
| Extend | Sentence 2 | Explanation: positive details/reasons/results | |
| Sentence 3 | |||
| Model | In other words, eating fast food regularly means increased consumption of harmful fats and chemical additives. Studies show that consuming these regularly can increase the risk of conditions such as cancer or heart disease. In addition to the increased risk of disease, being less healthy has a negative effect on productivity. | ||
| Support | Sentence 4 | Support with examples | |
| Model | For example, convenience food often contains fewer nutrients, and this can make people lethargic and affect performance. | ||
| Sentence 5 | Summarise why it is important | ||
| Model | Essentially, eating fast food regularly can cause serious damage to a person’s health, and this will negatively affect their abilities in other areas.
|
In this section we concede that there is another side to the argument (advantages).
| Body paragraph 2 | Present | Sentence 1 | Mention the main advantage |
| Model | On the other hand, eating convenience food can save valuable time. | ||
| Extend | Sentence 2-3 | Explanation: positive details/reasons/results | |
| Model | There are times when people with busy schedules would be forced to skip meals if fast food options were not available. Our bodies need nutrition and it is probably better to eat one of the healthier fast food options than not to eat at all. | ||
| Support | Sentence 4 | Support with examples | |
| Model | For instance, picking up a quick snack from a fast food restaurant might be the only chance to eat for working people with very tight schedules. | ||
| Sentence 5 | Summarise why it is important | ||
| Model | To sum up, the pace of modern life means that fast food is sometimes the most practical option. |
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The final paragraph is the conclusion, and here we need to state our overall opinion. A good phrase to use is: “In conclusion the disadvantages outweigh the advantages because…”
After that we restate some of our body one disadvantages; of course, we need to paraphrase them to avoid repetition.
| Conclusion | Sentence 1 | State Opinion |
| Model | In conclusion, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages because health has to be a priority for most people. | |
| Sentence 2 | Restate main advantage/disadvantage | |
| Model | The increased productivity and life expectancy that good health brings is far more important than the short-term gains offered by a fast food diet. |
25% of the marks for IELTS writing are for Coherence and Cohesion
So, we really need to use cohesive devices or linking words.
Replacing conventional meals with junk food is fast becoming the norm for many people, and while this may be more practical, it presents some serious concerns for health and productivity. This essay will discuss the pros and cons of this shift in behaviour.
The most serious disadvantage of this issue is the damage to health. In other words, eating fast food regularly means increased consumption of harmful fats and chemical additives. Studies show that consuming these regularly can increase the risk of conditions such as cancer or heart disease. In addition to the increased risk of disease, being less healthy has a negative effect on productivity. For example, convenience food often contains fewer nutrients, and this can make people lethargic and affect performance. Essentially, eating fast food regularly can cause serious damage to a person’s health, and this will negatively affect their abilities in other areas.
On the other hand, eating convenience food can save valuable time. There are times when people with busy schedules would be forced to skip meals if fast food options were not available. Our bodies need nutrition and it is probably better to eat one of the healthier fast food options than not to eat at all. For instance, picking up a quick snack from a fast food restaurant might be the only chance to eat for working people with very tight schedules. To sum up, the pace of modern life means that fast food is sometimes the most practical option.
In conclusion, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages because health must be a priority for most people. The increased productivity and life expectancy that good health brings is far more important than the short-term gains offered by a fast food diet.
| Fast-paced modern lifestyles have led to people eating more and more fast food at the expense of more traditional meals. Do the advantages of eating more fast food outweigh the disadvantages? |
Replacing conventional meals with junk food is fast becoming the norm for many people, and while this may be more practical, it presents some serious concerns for health and productivity. This essay will discuss the pros and cons of this shift in behaviour.
The most serious disadvantage of this issue is the damage to health. In other words, eating fast food regularly means increased consumption of harmful fats and chemical additives. Studies show that consuming these regularly can increase the risk of conditions such as cancer or heart disease. In addition to the increased risk of disease, being less healthy has a negative effect on productivity. For example, convenience food often contains fewer nutrients, and this can make people lethargic and affect performance. Essentially, eating fast food regularly can cause serious damage to a person’s health, and this will negatively affect their abilities in other areas.
On the other hand, eating convenience food can save valuable time. There are times when people with busy schedules would be forced to skip meals if fast food options were not available. Our bodies need nutrition and it is probably better to eat one of the healthier fast food options than not to eat at all. For instance, picking up a quick snack from a fast food restaurant might be the only chance to eat for working people with very tight schedules. To sum up, the pace of modern life means that fast food is sometimes the most practical option.
In conclusion, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages because health has to be a priority for most people. The increased productivity and life expectancy that good health brings is far more important than the short-term gains offered by a fast food diet.
