Education Essays advantages disadvantages band 7+ ielts writing
What do you think the purposes of writing advantages/disadvantages essays are?
synthesis (connect) your advantage and disadvantage ideas for stronger cohesion (glue) and band score.
These essays are meant to help the reader think more deeply and carefully about a question.
With your explanation, the reader can make a more informed and intelligent decision about the question.
Prompt:
Some students like to travel for a year after high school. What are the advantages and disadvantages?
Common advice, like this from ‘Benchmark Education’, is to say the advantages point by point and then the disadvantages in body 2.
This, however, is not enough.
The most common mistake that happens here is being too shallow.
So many task response marks are lost here.
Consider the following three opening sentences:
- For many adolescents, embarking on tertiary education can be an overwhelming experience.
- Travel can bring many new experiences like meeting new people and learning about culture.
- During our formative years, we are exploring ourselves and the world in order to understand who we are and what we want to do in life.
- High school graduates frequently face a choice between immediate academic progression and a period of personal exploration known as a gap year.
I’m not going to tell you which is which this time, but which do you think is strongest and why?
What does the sentence do?
- Present a background?
- Present a position?
- Give advantages or disadvantages?
- Start to get into the details?
- Define terms?
This lesson, I want you to ask the question ‘so what?’ After each sentence.
What is a detailed opening sentence.
What is the purpose of a topic sentence?
- So what if it’s ‘overwhelming’? It’s going to be overwhelming after a gap year as well right? This sentence does and says almost nothing.
- So what? Why do we care if travel brings these things? We want to know the culture and benefits, for example, take out culture and write the things. “…like meeting new people who can extend our understanding of life.” And/or “learning about how people solve issues in things like business or relationships.” (We can see the benefit of this right?)
- This sets up the idea of travelling. It doesn’t give details, but it could. It’s ok without. We could say “travel the world in order to encounter new situations which reveal parts of our personality, like kindness or empathy and help us grow into more mature people”.
- So what?
Have a go!
In many countries, universities are increasingly shifting their focus toward vocational training and specific job-market skills rather than traditional academic theory. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?
Before you do, learn about structure.
99% of teachers will tell you to put the advantages in the first body and disadvantages in the second.
However, I suggest you put an advantage together with a related disadvantage.
“By taking a year off, a student can consider what subjects he/she likes; however, this can create a ‘paradox of choice’ which leads to confusion and anxiety.”
(Paradox of choice means there are so many choices that we can’t choose! Use this term on your essays)
Now, notice that I started with a common idea. Then, I took the opposite point of view, a disadvantage, and juxtaposed (put it beside) it.
This will surprise the examiner in a good way.
They will think that you are thinking and critiquing at a high level.
You gave them something different and innovative.
See if you can think of one for one of your essay advantage/disadvantage points.
Structure:
Also, think about how the adv/dis combination can lead to another combination.
By taking a year off, a student can consider what subjects he/she likes; however, this can create a ‘paradox of choice’ which leads to confusion and anxiety. This is however mitigated (made less serious) when one (a person = one) discovers a passion for an activity like surfing or online business. The advantage comes with inherent risk (inherent = it’s in the situation naturally, so you have to accept it.)
Find out how your essay writing is going by submitting an essay for a full evaluation.
Try to use the phrase:
There are numerable intangible benefits of … (taking a year off).
Intangible means that we cannot touch them: emotions are intangible, experiences are intangibles.
Evaluate a famous IELTS teacher’s introduction.
There are many weak points.
Make a list and include it with your essay submission.
Prompt
The development of tourism has contributed to English becoming the most prominent language in the world. Some people think that this will lead to English becoming the only language spoken globally.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of English becoming the world’s only global language?
Answer:
It is thought by some people that English, which is now the most widely spoken language in the world, may one day predominate over all other languages and result in their eventual disappearance. Having one language would certainly aid understanding and economic growth but there will also be some drawbacks.
The full breakdown of this essay by IELTSLiz will be emailed to you with your essay submission.
Steps to writing advantage disadvantage essays: keep this open on your desk and follow it when writing.
You can put the pairs of a general topic area, like ‘personal growth’ together in one paragraph and the next area ‘extending personal networks’.
Plan out your pairs of adv/dis and plan which combinations go in order.
Find out how your essay writing is going by submitting an essay for a full evaluation.
Try to use the phrase:
There are numerable intangible benefits of … (taking a year off).
Intangible means that we cannot touch them: emotions are intangible, experiences are intangibles.
Evaluate a famous IELTS teacher’s introduction.
There are many weak points.
Make a list and include it with your essay submission.
Prompt
The development of tourism has contributed to English becoming the most prominent language in the world. Some people think that this will lead to English becoming the only language spoken globally.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of English becoming the world’s only global language?
Answer:
It is thought by some people that English, which is now the most widely spoken language in the world, may one day predominate over all other languages and result in their eventual disappearance. Having one language would certainly aid understanding and economic growth but there will also be some drawbacks.
The full breakdown of this essay by IELTSLiz will be emailed to you with your essay submission.
Steps to writing advantage disadvantage essays: keep this open on your desk and follow it when writing.
- Plan out your pairs of adv/dis and plan which combinations go in order.
- You can put the pairs of a general topic area, like ‘personal growth’ together in one paragraph and the next area ‘extending personal networks’.
Each paragraph will look like this approximately, not exactly. Change it as your ideas demand.
Some students like to travel for a year after high school. What are the advantages and disadvantages?
Topic sentence: this paragraph will discuss the cultural benefits of taking a gap year.
Note: you don’t need to say ‘the adv/disadvantages’ because we know that already.
You don’t need to say what the cultural elements are, but you can if you want.
Paragraph Structure:
Topic sentence
Part 1 adv/dis of learning a new language as you travel.
Plus one sentence if needed.
Part 2 adv/dis of meeting new people
Part 3 (if there is space) adv/dis of learning new customs.
Conclusion, summarise and say the overall result of the situation.
Note: this entire paragraph is about taking a gap year.
Compare this to an essay which has all the advantages listed together in one paragraph.
Why IELTS Essay Planning is Non-Negotiable
Trying to write your IELTS Task 2 essay without a plan is like trying to build a house without a blueprint.
You’ll waste time, lose focus, and fail to meet key marking criteria like Task Response and Coherence & Cohesion. That means Band 6 — or worse.
But with the right IELTS Task 2 planning method, you can:
And you can do all of this in just 5 minutes.
IELTS Essay Planning: The 5-Minute Formula
This fast IELTS essay plan works for any Task 2 question type — opinion, discussion, problem-solution, or two-part.
Step 1: Understand the IELTS Task 2 Question (1 minute)
This step ensures you answer all parts of the task — a key Band 7+ requirement.
Step 2: Decide Your Position (30 seconds but use more if needed. Be SURE you can explain your pov and it’s on topic!)
Step 3: Build the IELTS Essay Structure (2 minutes)
Now bullet the main idea for each paragraph. One idea per paragraph only.
This is where most students fail — by listing multiple weak ideas. You want two developed points, not five random ones.
How to know what a strong paragraph idea is.
Step 4: Add Quick Examples (1 minute)
Add 1 quick example keyword under each paragraph plan. These help you stay focused during writing.
Now you’re fully planned — with a clear, powerful IELTS essay format ready to go.
Summary: What You’ll Have in 5 Minutes
After just 5 minutes, you’ll have:
Why This Planning Method Boosts Your IELTS Score
- Helps you meet all band descriptor criteria
- Saves time while writing
- Prevents repetition, confusion, and incomplete answers
- Gives your essay flow and purpose
- Boosts confidence — no more freezing after 100 words
This IELTS writing time management strategy is what high scorers use. And now, so can you.
Need a model? Compare your plan to our sample here → (link to model essay page)