Over recent years, mobile phones have become an indispensable tool in our daily lives. However, there are several problems such as social and medical which must not be ignored. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones. IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Question

Bhargavee Sisodia

08 Oct 2024

The IELTS, a globally accepted language proficiency test, is required to get admission to some universities or be considered for jobs overseas. Both the academic and general IELTS writing assessments are divided into two parts: task 1 and task 2. Writing Task 2 is significant since it allows you to reflect on your ideas, points of view, originality, and ability to think critically and logically. Both versions of Task 2 follow the same pattern, and this part has a total time limit of 40 minutes. The essay must be prepared in a formal tone and have a word limit of 250 words.

Criteria of IELTS Scoring System: Writing Task 2

The IELTS Writing Task 2 will be graded using four distinct aspects, each with a 25% weight in the total IELTS writing band score. To receive a 9-band score, you must understand the prerequisites and properly prepare your responses. We are explaining the four criteria below in detail so that you can revisit them and compare them to the sample answers, which will help you understand band scoring and eventually get a higher IELTS writing band score.

• Task Achievement: This section focuses on effectively answering the question. You should be able to accurately present data and answer questions while remaining on topic. You must meet all of the criteria for creating an answer based on the type of question, stick to the structure of the essay, and write at least 250 words.
• Coherence and cohesion: This section will be used to evaluate your ability to structure materials. You will be graded primarily on how well you use the correct words, connect the paragraphs, avoid repeating material and vocabulary, and make your answer easy to understand. Try to make your sentences shorter and less complicated. 
• Lexical Resource: This section evaluates your command over vocabulary. Using clear language and avoiding spelling and word structure errors can help you do better in this section of the test. 
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy: This section evaluates your ability to use a variety of proper grammatical structures and tenses. You should also use proper punctuation and sentence structure, including tense, phrase structure, and subject-verb agreement.

Types of essays: IELTS Writing Task 2

There are six kinds of essays, although you will only receive one. The essay topic you are assigned determines the essay's approach and structure, as well as the task achievement component of the scoring criteria. So, let's start with an outline of the various kinds of essays.

• Discussion: You will be given a statement or argument to which you must respond on both sides. On the other hand, you may be asked to share your ideas on a specific stance with which you agree or disagree. Please bear in mind that you should only share your opinion if directly requested.
• Advantages and disadvantages: When writing an essay in this format, you must describe both the benefits and drawbacks of a specific issue. You may also be asked to offer your opinion in this type of essay. If so, you must offer your opinion; if it is not requested, you have to ignore it and not give your opinion.
• Balanced opinion: In these essays, you must discuss an argument and demonstrate that you agree with some of it but do not disagree with others. You cannot remain objective; instead, select one side with which you agree more than the other while remaining marginally in agreement with the other.
• Two Questions or Direct Question: In this essay, the goal is to produce a straightforward essay with appropriate examples. The question will include one or more questions for which you must supply direct answers. 
• Opinion-based: These essays enable you to convey your opinions or points of contention about a specific issue in agreement or disagreement. If you agree with the argument, you must just write about that point of view rather than discussing the disagreement part as well. 
• Problem-Solution or Cause-and-Effect Essay: This type of essay needs you to discover the root cause of the problem stated in the question and provide effective solutions. 

Evaluation of band according to the scoring Criteria

IELTS writing task 2 topics:

Over recent years, mobile phones have become an indispensable tool in our daily lives. However, there are several problems such as social and medical which must not be ignored. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones. 

This essay type is of advantage/disadvantage type. We will now discuss the structure of an advantage/disadvantage essay and also understand how to identify this type of essay.

How to identify Advantage/Disadvantage essays?

The statement's pros and downsides will be discussed explicitly in the question. A statement will be provided in the first sentence of the question. The next sentence will include the phrase "discuss the advantages and disadvantages." Also, in some cases, you will be asked for your opinion. In that instance, the question will include terms such as "Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?" If you see "Do you think" in the question, you can be confident that you are being asked to express your opinion. However, in this question no such phrase is mentioned, so you are not required to provide your view for this question.

Structure of Advantage/Disadvantage essays:

• Introduction: Rephrase your question. If your opinion is asked, state that.
• Body Paragraph 1: In the first sentence, state whether you are discussing the advantages or disadvantages, then rephrase the topic. Then, write about either the advantages or downsides.
• Body Paragraph 2: If you wrote advantages in the previous paragraph, write disadvantages here, and vice versa.
• Body Paragraph 3: This is optional. If you need to break up the previous paragraphs into smaller bits, use a third body paragraph.
• Conclusion: Rephrase the question and if your opinion is asked, state that.

IELTS writing task 2 topics with answers:

Band 6

In recent years, mobile phones have becomes an essential tool in our daily lives. However, there are other issues that must be addresed, including social and medical ones. Thus, mobile phones, like all other technology, comes with their own set of advantages and disadvantages.

There are certain advantages of mobile phones which are undeniable. This includes ease of communication. For example, in case of any emergency or to convay any urgent news, mobile phones is indispensable and also, due to the advanced technology in mobile phones, accessing information from all across the world through the internet and social media has become easy. This helps people stay update and well-informed. Also, it is a great medium where navigation becomes easy, and saving memories in the form of videos and pictures has become an uncomplecated task.

As there are advantages to mobile phones, there are disadvantages as well. The primary disadvantage concerns children. A lot of children nowadays prefers playing with mobile phones rather than going out physically and indulging in any sports or outdoor activities and this poses a threat to their social and cognitive development, along with impacting their fitness. It causes a significant impact on the eye health of individuals if the screen time is more than usual. Also, mobile phones is being used as a medium for spreading false information, causing unrest throughout the world, especially concerning sensitive religious or millitary war sentiments. 

In recent years, mobile phones has become a vital tool in our everyday life. However, there are other issues, such as social and medical, that must not be overloked and thus, with both advantages and disadvantages of such a useful technology, it depends on people on how they would use it.

Clarification on the band: The grammatical errors in the Grammatical Range and Accuracy part of the evaluation have been underlined and are in italics. The spelling errors in the Lexical Resources portion of the evaluation are in italics. The lengthy sentences are in bold which is categorized as coherence and cohesive category in the evaluation.

Band 7

In today’s world mobile phones have becomes one of the most noticable invented devices. At the same time, they have also affected the social and medical aspects of many people’s lives in ways that cannot be denied. In the same manner, like any other technology, mobile phones entaile benefits and drawbacks.

On this note, there is no doubt that the various advantages of the use of mobile phones cannot be refuted. This includes the fact that they facilitates communication to a very large extent. Incidents that require communication in the shortest time possible or the passing of information that is crucial requires the use of mobile phones. Moreover, due to tecnological enhancements, mobile phones have become central devices for information mobilization through the used of the Internet and social media platforms. Also, the application of mobile navigation is far easier, and memories can easily be documented using pictures and or videos.

However, the disadvantages of mobile phones are also significant. One of the points of major concern is the effects on the children. They are more incline to use their mobile phones than embrace physical activities such as sports. This has given them a chance of having various social, cognetive, and even physiques developmental issues and lower physical health standards. Prolonged operation of mobile phones also affects the eyes in a negative way. Also, the thought process that eventually escalate to insite mob action largely includes the use of mobile phones in delivering fake news, especially where religion or geopolitics is concerned.

Therefore, the positive aspects of mobile phones in today’s society should be commplemented by understanding the social and medical negative impacts of their use. In the end, the onus is on individuals to use the opportunity that comes with mobile phones and, at the same time, minimize the negative impacts.

Clarification on the band: The grammatical errors in the Grammatical Range and Accuracy part of the evaluation have been underlined and are in italics. The spelling errors in the Lexical Resources portion of the evaluation are in italics.

Band 9

Of all the inventions that keep increasing in popularity in today’s society, one of the most conspicuous and transformative inventions is mobile phones. At the same time, they have caused deep social and medical consequences which are indisputably widespread. Like most technologies today, mobile phones are conveniently aligned with positives and negatives that seem to go hand in hand.

A number of benefits promoted by mobile phones are beyond doubt. Among these is their unparalleled facilitation of communication, which is indispensable for situations where information must be transmitted in real-time. Moreover, the advancement and increase in the application of Information Technology have continued to transform the universally connected mobile phones into cardinal tools for accessing information with the use of the Internet and Social sites. Additionally, the utilization of mobile navigation systems has become exceptionally intuitive, and freezing the memories through the media of a photograph or a video is also rendered effortlessly accessible.

On the other hand, the negative impacts attributed to mobile phones are equally formidable. One of the most pressing concerns is their effects the young people. This has made children have a predisposition to spend their time with mobile gadgets rather than be involved in sporting activities. It results in a range of deleterious consequences regarding the individual’s various capabilities and quality of life, including limitations in social, cognitive, and physical growth, along with health decline. Furthermore, the long hours spent on mobile phones negatively impact ocular health. Moreover, fake news, especially when it comes to questions of faith or geopolitics, catalyzes mob violence.

In conclusion, it is also important to state that although the beneficial usage of mobile phones in the present generation cannot be doubted, there are social and medical implications of it. As a result, it becomes the responsibility of individuals to judiciously harness the benefits afforded by mobile phones while vigilantly mitigating their potential drawbacks.

Clarification on the band: There are no grammatical or spelling problems or word repetitions. The sentences are well-written, and the vocabulary is advanced. 

Conclusion

If you plan to take the IELTS writing test, D-VIVID is the perfect place to go since our expert instructors and trainers will help you reach your goal of getting high exam marks. Our crew is dedicated to providing you with a wide range of IELTS essay topics as well as samples of IELTS writing task 2 topics with answers. Because the responses are organized according to the IELTS writing band score criterion, you can compare the writing styles of the same IELTS writing task 2 topics. As you go through the specialized plans and methodologies for IELTS exam preparation with D-VIVID individual supervision, you will be confident in achieving the optimal IELTS writing band score.