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Economic growth and development are usually considered to be beneficial both for individuals and for society as a whole.  Do the advantages of economic development outweigh the disadvantages?

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Q: Economic growth and development are usually considered to be beneficial both for individuals and for society as a whole.  Do the advantages of economic development outweigh the disadvantages?

A: Economic growth is certainly good for both the individual as well as the society. There could be a few drawbacks as a result of rapid economic expansion. Let us look at both sides of the story.




First of all, poverty is a curse and no one should suffer from it. Economic growth pulls people out of poverty. The last few decades have seen unprecedented economic development in Asia resulting in millions enjoying a better standard of life. Notably, in China and India, both these countries have the largest “middle class” in the world. Economic development is so good that it can help entire societies prosper. People who could barely afford a bicycle can now buy the most luxurious cars due to consistent economic growth. More children go to school, older people get social benefits and there is overall happiness because of it.

Can there be a bad side to economic growth? Maybe, but these drawbacks are not particularly bad for people. The first disadvantage is a spike in consumption leading to greater increase in prices. For example, the Chinese have recently started importing large quantities of meat products, which is leading to upward movement in meat prices and other products.
Secondly, it can bring about more environmental damage due to higher emissions as a result of more vehicles being purchased. There are very few disadvantages of economic development.

I strongly believe that economic growth can only be good. Although one can come up with points to the contrary, it is reasonable to say that everyone benefits from development. It is good for the society as well. If an individual has made great economic progress, he would invariably contribute to his economy. As his consumption of goods and services increases, the society benefits from the sale of goods. It generates jobs indirectly. More chefs, drivers,barbers and cleaners would get hired and so on.

In conclusion, economic development is definitely good for individuals as well as the society. Individuals make the society, they consume and spend more, thereby generating opportunities for everyone in the society.




suggestion: Review the main points in this essay and think of more. Write an essay yourself. Use the worksheet below.

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Worksheet for IELTS essay - economic development

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Prepare to write IELTS writing task 2. you may write a question or sample answer in the comments.

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How to write IELTS writing task 2 easy method

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Simple Method to write an essay in IELTS writing task 2

You are expected to write about 250 words on a given topic. The topic is usually one of the types described here.
1. Nowadays most of the urgent problems can only be solved through international cooperation. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
2. With the increase in the use of the internet, books will soon become unnecessary.To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement.




If you look at the given topic, you’ll see that it has a statement/opinion and then a question. Most students find it difficult to begin writing, to write an introduction, read the statement and paraphrase it in your own words. Find words that give the same meaning. Then you ask “what is it about?” use a definition or some relevant background to make 4 to 5 lines or 50-60 words. Let us use an example:

Nowadays most urgent problems can be solved through international cooperation.

Introduction: nowadays = These days, currently, In today’s world etc
most of = Many of, almost all, the majority of and so on…
urgent problems = immediate problems, concerns, challenges…
International cooperation = International coordination…

These days , the majority of immediate problems can be resolved through international coordination.
(expanding the first sentence to set the context) : The world is interdependent and no country can isolate itself and expect to solve its problems. It is also true for individuals and businesses. Natural disasters, defense/wars, food shortages and famines are some situations that can demonstrate the importance of international cooperation. This can happen at different levels, government to government, people to people and between organizations.



writing task 2 – Supporting reasons:

Due to the increase in access to information through the internet and better transport between countries, awareness of problems around the world has increased. Whenever there are natural disasters like floods or earthquakes, foreign assistance is immediately sent. Collective resources of the international community are far greater than any one region or country’s resources. One devastating problem of famine is tackled because of international aid. The number of deaths due to starvation and disease is greatly reduced. Organizations like the united nations, world bank and aid programs have contributed to solving many problems faced by humanity as a whole. Healthcare and availability of medicines from everywhere on Earth have helped in the reduction of deaths and in some cases eradicated some diseases altogether.

One example of how international cooperation solved the problem of hunger is the UN food program that supplies food to the most affected people on the planet. Burundi had a massive food shortage, with the help of the UN, they are able to provide school lunch in their schools. Another example is the USAID which give essential funding for many international development programs helping millions of people to access education, sanitation, and healthcare.

In conclusion, It is an undeniable fact that international cooperation helps in solving problems. If the world was isolated, many more people would have died. It is observed that the most isolated countries like North Korea have immense problems which can be solved easily. There can be no other way but cooperation as we all share the same planet.

The above example of Writing task 2 shows how you could write an IELTS essay.

1. Introduction – Definition/ background information +opinion
2. Give reasons to support your opinion.
3 write two examples
4. conclude with a summary

Read more IELTS sample essays for free practice.

Watch this video on how to write an essay in IELTS academic test – writing task 2




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Animal habitats have been destroyed some animal species -IELTS essay

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Animal habitats have been destroyed some animal species have become endangered.

Animal habitats have been destroyed some animal species(e.g. Tiger and the rhino) have become endangered. Why does this happen? What can be done to protect endangered animals?

Animals and Humans share this planet and as the number of humans increase, they would encroach on animal territory.
The most popular destroyed habitats are that of the tigers, rhinos and other animals that are endangered. It is common to see wild animals accidentally wander into cities and then they get killed. There are several reasons for their natural habitats to disappear. Deforestation, consumption of animal products, hunting and pollution are the main causes for habitats to vanish.



During the colonization of the Americas, many native species were endangered and hunted out to extinction. The colonists wanted land for agriculture and meat for food, so they cleared forests and shot the bison. This happened in south America as well where the Jaguar is now an endangered species. In Africa, Elephants were killed in large numbers for ivory, Tigers are killed in Asia for their skin and bones and also when tigers are a threat to local population. In order to preserve animal habitats and protect them, governments have established nature reserves and parks where human activity is banned. This has helped some endangered animals increase their population. Habitats in the sea are also facing similar threats from human activity. Whales are hunted by fishing vessels and sold in markets like Japan. many whale species are protected around the world.
Some important measures that can be taken to conserve and protect animals and their habitats are afforestation, setting up exclusive zones for animals and giving incentives to people who protect animals. The best way is to help people realize the value of animals and bio diversity through awareness programs. Every animal on this planet plays a role in keeping a healthy environment. There would be devastating consequences if the destruction continues.



Important points for this essay – Animal habitats have been destroyed some animal species(e.g. Tiger and the rhino) have become endangered. Why does this happen? What can be done to protect endangered animals?

Vocabulary :
Conservation -preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment, natural ecosystems, vegetation, and wildlife.
Habitat -the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.
Endangered species – a species of animal or plant that is seriously at risk of extinction.
Extinction -the state or process of a species, family, or larger group being or becoming extinct.

Reasons for Habitat destruction

1. Deforestation – cutting forests to clear land for agriculture or for wood destroys the habitat of animals living in forests. As a consequence, animals are forced to relocate and sometimes they get into human habitats.
2. Pollution – polluting water by releasing harmful substances like toxic industrial wastes can wipe out habitats of fish. As a result many fishermen become unemployed and both the fish population and human population suffers.
3. Hunting – Animals are hunted for their skins, meat and body parts. As the demand for these products grow, more animals are killed resulting in many species becoming endangered.

Solutions for Habitat destruction and protecting animals.

1- Conservation – designate natural habitats as protected areas.
2- Animals are important – Help people realize that animals are very important for the environment and for the survival of mankind.
3- Give incentives – Animals can become a source of revenue for communities near protected habitats. Money earned by tourism should be shared with communities. This can result in them taking ownership of protecting the animals. They would view the habitats and the animal as assets.

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Water is a valuable resource, governments should – IELTS essay

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Water is a valuable finite resource, governments all over the world should control how much water their citizens use.

to what extent do you agree or disagree.



Water is the most vital resource needed for life. It is a natural resource and is limited in supply. As the world’s population increases there is increasing pressure on this resource, however, water should always be free as nature intended it to be. Most water resources are controlled by governments around the world. There is sufficient water for all life on Earth in spite of the growing population. Two thirds of Earth is water. The real problem is management and distribution of water. Governments can improve water supply where it is deficient. Currently, governments control all supply of water. They should not set a limit to the amount of water an individual can use because there is technology available to solve all water shortage, anywhere.
There is an urgent need in many parts of the world where people suffer without water. In Saharan Africa and India, people have to walk miles to get their supply of water. There are countries in the middle-east where water is truly scarce yet they don’t have a shortage of it. It is a matter of the governments to take a few steps to solve this simple problem forever. Governments should allocate more water by linking up rivers and diverting flood water to the needy areas and they can set up desalinization plants to convert sea-water to fresh water. If the government cuts the supply of water as is the case in many Indian cities, there would only be more suffering. Water is nature’s gift to humanity and it was intended to be free of control and costs.



In conclusion, governments have no right to limit water supply, on the other hand, they should increase water supply by forecasting consumption and finding ways to plug the gap between supply and demand of water. Water should always be free it should not become a commodity.

How to write an essay on water in IELTS?

Here are some points you could use while writing an essay on water.
Some people may say that water is a finite resource. Others could have the opinion that water is finite but is still abundantly available for human consumption.

1- Water is scarce (limited), few countries in the world have real deficit in availability of water.
2- Truth is most countries don’t manage water resources well and that is reason for all the water problems of the world.
3- Water can be made available free of cost to everyone as it becomes the social responsibility and moral obligation of the authorities.
4- Charging money for water consumption would be similar to charging money for the air we breathe.

Examples for this IELTS essay.

– Middle-east is naturally water deficient, however use of technology has enabled them to fulfill their domestic demand for water.
– Israel is another example of a country that has done well with water resources.
– In India, every year there are floods and yet some places have a drought. This can be addressed easily if water resources such as rivers are managed well.



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Some educationalists argue that non-exam, art based subjects should be compulsory

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art based subject compulsory education ielts

Some educationalists argue that non-exam, art based subjects such music, drama, and art should be compulsory in secondary school curriculum. They believe that activities such as these can improve overall academic performance.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?




Topic: Some educationalists argue that non-exam, art based subjects such music, drama, and art should be compulsory in secondary school curriculum. They believe that activities such as these can improve overall academic performance.

Education should be well balanced and should have non-exam based subjects such as music, drama and art in secondary school curriculum. This is necessary to give a boost to the varied inherent skills that students have. Some of them can pick up these subjects for a career later. The subjects other than math, languages and science would provide a more of a choice. Compulsory subject should also include these. They learn other skills and in ways that is not just job oriented stuff. Education at the secondary level is more about exposure and early impressions than skill development and therefore must include the arts. All these subjects help in acquiring a higher skill of creativity. That is the sought after trait in any profession and would greatly enhance the prospects of any youngster. Cold calculations to joyful expressions of emotion is what needs to be taught at school.
The world needs more inventors, artists, painters, performers and musicians as much as doctors and engineers.Often these subjects are pushed to the periphery and not thought of as important. Students who study in schools which do not have such subjects tend to develop a narrow view of the world. On the other hand students who are exposed to arts tend to have a broader view of the world. There is a perception that studying art would not lead to a meaningful career and could quite possibly land the art graduate into unemployment. Many parents do not encourage their children to focus on music or drama as these subjects cant get their children jobs in the future. While this feeling of insecurity and baseless perception finds logic in number of successful artists, there is need to understand the issue differently. These are essential skills and can be useful for architects, designers, scientists and surgeons, all of them need to use sound, visuals and creative representation of their ideas in whatever field they are in.
To sum up, art based educations must be compulsory and can greatly add value to secondary education as well as career prospects of young graduates.



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In surveys Mason city residents rank water sports – GRE argument analysis

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In surveys Mason city residents rank water sports (swimming, boating, fising) among their favorite recreational activities. The mason river flowing through this city is rarely used for these pursuits, however and the city devotes less of its budget to maintaining the recreational facilities

For years there have been complaints from residence about the quality of the river’s water and the river’s smell. In response, the state has recently announced plans to clean up Mason river. Use of the river for water sports is therefore sure to increase. The city government should for that reason devote more money in this year’s budget to riverside recreational facilities.




Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions. What implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

Model answer to GRE argument analysis question

Mason city residents are prone to take to water sports, however they also know that the Mason river smells bad and doesn’t have well maintained recreational facilities near the river. Therefore it would be necessary to clean up the water as well as the image of the river as a dirty river not clean enough to swim or fish. Perceptions can stay longer than changed reality. If the city administration cleans up the river and improves the riverside recreation, there may be some improvement in the use of the river for water sports.This assumption needs to be carefully evaluated, although it appears perfectly logical, there could be good reasons for not achieving the end result. Since the river is in a bad shape and the surveys state that city residents rank water sports as one of their favorite sports, it is necessary to check how the city dwellers indulge in their favorite waters sports. Do they use alternative facilities such as pools? Do they travel to other places? These questions are vital in understanding the behavior of the residents to determine if they’ll take to the Mason river for water sports.
Essentially, devoting more money without being reasonably sure of the outcome could result in wasteful public expenditure. Even if the answers to the above questions is an affirmative, what is the incentive for them to use the Mason river all of a sudden? That is the critical question that needs answering. A survey with relevant questions about the future usage of the Mason river recreational facilities must be done. The information from that survey should then be evaluated in lieu of the proposed plans to improve the waters sports facilities on the Mason river.



If the city government presumes that the usage of the riverside sports facilities would improve simply because the city residents in surveys said they rank water sports as one of the favorites, then it may not be really listening to its population carefully. If the surveys were right then there would have been some cleanup demands or some real indicators that show that. Surely, nobody would object to cleaning up the river but they may view expenditure on riverside recreational facilities as unnecessary. Particularly if there were other pressing needs in the city that could use some funding.



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As people rely more and more on technology to solve problems – GRE/IELTS essay

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As people rely more and more on technology to solve problems, the ability of humans to think for themselves will surely deteriorate.

to what do you agree or disagree.




Topic : As people rely more and more on technology to solve problems, the ability of humans to think for themselves will surely deteriorate.
Reliance on technology is often seen as progress as it makes human life more comfortable. Many manual tasks have been automated. Simple everyday chores to complex operations have all used technology in some form. This takeover of human tasks by machines is necessary to become an advance species that can focus its intellect on matters that are beyond simple tasks. Human ability to think is beyond the grasp of machines as of now and would probably remain that way for long. There is no inherent danger of technology rendering human thought useless. Technology should be made available to everyone and for every task. An example would be the use of computers to perform calculations and different tasks. Although the computer can calculate it does not impact the ability of humans to do the same. It only complements the human ability and helps achieve unimaginable precision in many tasks. Technology should always be embraced and it is natural for human beings to innovate and make newer tools and methods to solve problems. The statement that reliance of technology would in some way contribute to the deterioration of human thought is unfounded and is not based on any facts. On the contrary, ability to think could only benefit from this dependence on technology. Could we have gone into space without the use of technology? Has it made us dumber? It’s obviously not the case.
On the other hand we need to rely on technology for our very survival, in the future it would become an absolute necessity to depend on technology for survival as tasks that are beyond human physical and mental scale become routine such as living on a new planet or living in a hostile environment on Earth. It is not fantasy that someday we would need to leave Earth and go elsewhere it is just a matter of time. So dependence and trustworthiness of technology only needs to improve.



Ability to think and imagine are enhanced by technology and it doesn’t have any negative side effects whatsoever. A Chimpanzee which is 97 percent like a human does not rely on technology and probably hasn’t evolved yet to depend on it whereas we as the dominant species of the planet have learned to do so. The argument that as people rely more and more on technology, their ability to think diminishes is an unfounded fear that is more of a psychological issue than reality.



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Everyone should stay in school until the age of 18 eighteen – IELTS essay

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IELTS essayTopic- Everyone should stay in school until the age of eighteen.

Everyone should stay in school until the age of 18 eighteen. To what extent do you agree or disagree




IELTS sample essay – Everyone should stay in school until the age of 18 eighteen.

Education is essential to be able to live meaningfully. That is the general notion. A person who is in school till eighteen would have finished his basic education. It should be compulsory for all youngsters as it is beneficial for them, however if there is an interest in non-academic education such as in sports or fine arts, that should be encouraged as well. Staying in school till eighteen does not necessarily mean they will be successful in their lives. In many countries it is the norm that young people go to school till eighteen and dropouts would have problems finding a career. In ancient cultures like in India, getting educated did not always mean attending school, it meant learning essential skills for life and then choosing to specialize in any field.

While most students who study until eighteen are more or less sure of a fair chance at beginning their career, the dropouts would often find it difficult. Getting a school certificate can mean the difference between a manual hard working type of life or an easier more comfortable life. In developing countries it is necessary that all children and young people stay in school till they finish basic school education and being ready for the university. It can change a country’s fortune. In case of Philippines and India there is a direct benefit of mass education, it lifts the population out of poverty. Not staying in school till eighteen or completing high school could mean disaster for any country. It is clear that to be educated is the most desirable easy path to a fairly comfortable beginning.

On the other hand, It is worth noticing that many successful entrepreneurs are school dropouts and they employs thousands of school graduates. That is the irony, some of the biggest corporations in the world were started by so called less educated folk.
to conclude, one must follow one’s heart when it comes to the direction of their lives and that includes education, if the choice is to be the proverbial sheep then staying in school till eighteen is a must but not a guarantee of success.



Worksheet for IELTS essay

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Worksheet for IELTS essay - everyone should stay in school

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Topic- Everyone should stay in school until the age of eighteen. To what extent do you agree or disagree.

How to write an essay on this topic?

Should you choose to agree or disagree? It is recommended that you go with your opinion, there is no wrong opinion or stand in these essay. It could be nice if you have a balanced view backed by examples for a higher score.
Do you think everyone should stay in school till eighteen?

You could answer this question by a yes/no.
Some sample reasons are
– Education till eighteen generally means basic schooling.
– It is necessary to find good jobs.
– Without education, people would be forced to do menial jobs.
-give some examples from your own experience

Is it always true that one be set up for failure if they leave school?

– No, There are many people who are scholl dropout yet very successful in their careers.
– Yes, in most cases, leaving school would mean the beginning of a tough life
– How many people do you know who were not in school till eighteen and yet were more successful that those that were in school.

How to conclude?
Write your conclusion with a statement which use superlatives or other strong phrases to highlight your opinion.



Post your essay in the comments for a free evaluation

Here you can discuss and get a free correction service for IELTS practice essays. They will be evaluated and an overall score would be assigned with a guesstimate of the band it could get.

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In many countries today insufficient respect is shown – IELTS essay

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IELTS essay on respecting the old

In many countries today insufficient respect is shown to older people. What do you think may be the reasons for this?What problems might this cause in society?




IELTS essay sample for topic – Respecting the elderly.

Respecting a person’s age has been traditional practice in many cultures. That is slowly changing as more rational thinking is taking over resulting in older people being less respected. Respect is lost when anyone becomes a dependent on others for their physical and financial survival. Older people generally become less self reliant and vulnerable as they age, in many western countries they are left to fend for themselves in old age homes or communities for seniors. In Asian cultures, they live with their families often with children and grand children.
There are many other reasons why seniors are not always shown respect. Firstly, there is a generational gap in understanding and using technology and current issues. Secondly, there is also a huge shift in social attitudes towards many personal issues which are alien to older people. Thirdly, older people are seen as a liability in some situations. If the elderly people are ill treated then that behavior could be adopted by the young and cause many problems for the society. Disrespect in general could lead to violence, disharmony and a negative atmosphere in the society. Accepting old age as a reality that everybody has to face at some time is a good way to begin caring for older people. In Buddhist countries like Thailand, the elderly folk are always respected and taken care of.
To conclude, there is an erosion of respect for the elderly but there is also a care structure that is coming up. Age alone should not be a cause for concern or undue respect. Everybody should be accepted the way they are irrespective of their condition.



Worksheet for IELTS essay

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IELTS worksheet for essay on less respect for the elderly

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Topic- In many countries today insufficient respect is shown to older people. What do you think may be the reasons for this?What problems might this cause in society?

Why are older people shown less respect?

You could answer this question by giving reasons.
Some sample reasons are
– They are dependent on younger people for support.
– They dont use or understand latest technologies well
– They have outdated views on society
-give some examples from your own experience

How does this create problems for the society?

– Children who watch their parents direspect older people may do the same.
– There could be violence as a result of less respect.
– Negative environment in the society

How to conclude?
Write your conclusion with a statement which use superlatives or other strong phrases to highlight your opinion.



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Information technology is changing many aspects of life – IELTS essay

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IELTS essay on IT changing many aspects of life

Information technology is changing many aspects of our lives and now dominates our home, leisure and work activities.

To what extent do the benefits of information technology outweigh the disadvantages?




Sample answer for IELTS writing topic -Information technology is changing many aspects of life.

Information technology has completely transformed the way we live. It has made our lives a lot more convenient. It’s everywhere in homes, offices, public spaces and devices. Information technology means both gadgets and software that runs them along with the Internet. Many activities which were manual have been digitized. in the past, to print a written paper it had to be typewritten which was a tedious process, now it can be done on a computer and printed or one can dictate to a computer and it could do the rest. Another change has come about in the speed at which information is processed. Many data intensive jobs that required human supervision have been automated eliminating the need for hours of manual labor to analyze data. It has also changed entertainment. Music, videos and news is no longer on cumbersome compact discs and video tapes, they are easily available on Internet.

While there are many benefits of Information technology, there are a few drawbacks as well. Individual privacy is threatened, all personal information is now on computers and can be accessed by the public, gone are the days when family and relationships were kept away from public scrutiny. Another problem is that information that should be privileged and should not be accessible is also available to those who seek it. Like all other forms of technologies. Information technology can be used to do good and bad.

The benefits of IT have improved our lives and have made many impossible things possible. The immense task of space exploration, working from home in a virtual office to flight training are all huge changes Information technology has made possible. Definitely the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.



How to write on this topic

Worksheet for IELTS essay

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Worksheet for IELTS essay on IT changing many aspects of life

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Topic- Information technology is changing many aspects of life and now dominates our home, leisure & work activities. To what extent do you agree with this statement?

How has Information technology changed our lives?

– IT has changed work environment with tools like software for every conceivable application.
– Entertainment like music, videos and other entertainment has become cheap and easily accessible.

Compare life before IT and after
– People can communicate for far less costs and also for free using IT
– Many new things like space exploration have become possible.
– It save people’s energy and time by automating manual processes
Give examples

To what extent do you agree?
– State your position – you could say there are more disadvantages or advantages.
– compare the problems with benefits
Use “although, eventhough” to highlight problems and benefits.

How to conclude?
Write your conclusion with a statement which use superlatives or other strong phrases to highlight your opinion.



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