IELTS  8  Writing Model Essay (Free sample)

Test 4 Task 2 Question

Test 4 Task 2 Model Essay by an Expert Two

As our lives become more hectic and technology offers unprecedented convenience, obesity is a growing problem in many first-world countries. The solution is simple: people need to eat more healthily and exercise more. But this is easier said than done.

The development of technology, particularly transportation, means that people are doing much less exercise these days. For example, the prevalence of car ownership in developed countries means that people are far less likely to walk short distances. Even developments in household technology, such as washing machines, have meant that everyday activities no longer keep us fit.

A hectic lifestyle is also contributing to increasing cases of unfitness. When people are busy, they are more likely to reach for unhealthy convenience foods, such as processed ready-meals and fast food, which are often high in sugar, salt and fat. Over time, people lose the skills and enjoyment that has historically been involved in cooking healthy food from scratch.

Education is central to addressing these issues. Whilst everybody is aware that to lose weight, we must do more and eat less, education can go further to show how easy it can be to have a healthy lifestyle. For example, cooking lessons should be compulsory in schools, in order to instil enthusiasm for healthy food in the next generation. Similarly, PE lessons could focus on everyday ways to keep fit, rather than just prioritising excellence in certain sports, which might alienate those who are not interested in becoming a successful sportsperson.

In short, education has the potential to change cultural norms. Children should be educated to incorporate physical activity of some kind into their daily routines, and to enjoy cooking healthy food.

(278 words)

IELTS  8  Writing Model Essay (Free sample)

Test 4 Task 2 Question

Test 4 Task 2 Model Essay by an Expert One

In the Western world, the average weight of people is the highest it has ever been and is always increasing. Some statistics suggest that over half of Americans are overweight, and an increasing number are dangerously obese. In this essay I will explore some ways in which people have sought to solve this problem, and discuss whether or not these ways tackle the causes that are at the root.

In the United Kingdom, the celebrity chef Jamie Oliver introduced a school-lunch program which is now followed in every school in England. He realized that most students bought their food from the school cafeteria, and the food they bought was often deep-fried, fatty, and low in nutrients. Also, when students had a choice between healthier options and high-fat options, they often chose the latter. Oliver convinced the government to make it mandatory to serve only freshly-cooked healthy meals in schools. From one angle, though this is a positive change that addresses the problem, it does not seem to be enough. Outside of school students are still able to purchase fast food and salty snacks, and so these measures really replaced only one small part of the food consumption. But this solution can be seen another way: when these meals are healthy and above all tasty, students might learn to develop an appetite for food that makes them feel better and that tastes good. Developing a taste for proper nutrition in schools has larger effects than meet the eye.

But when governments encourage their citizens to eat better and exercise more, then often don’t see the causes of the problem correctly. Many people live a long way from work, and need to commute – often in cars. Many people also work at a desk in an office, and so must remain sitting during their working day. Even more, most people choose types of entertainment in the evening which involve sitting still, like watching television. All this adds up to unhealthy lifestyles. To really tackle the problem of obesity at its root, people must find different ways of living. More and more, people are getting fed up with the need to commute to work in their cars. They are choosing to live closer to cities, and to walk to where they need to go. To solve the problem of obesity, this type of large change must take place. To provide another example, most busy trains in the UK allow you to take your bicycle. This means that cars can be left at home and people can change the way they get to work to include exercise. It still means that you have to structure your life differently, and choose to live near rail stations as well as work in places accessible by bicycle, but these changes are manageable for many.

To solve the problem of obesity, we must first look at the causes more fully. It is not simply that people eat unhealthily and are lazy. We must look at the whole lifestyle, and look for ways of changing people’s tastes and the way they go about their day.

(515 words)

IELTS 8 Writing Model Essay (Free sample)

Test 4 Task 1 Question

The graph below shows the quantities of goods transported in the UK between 1974 and 2002 by four different modes of transport.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Test 4 Task 1 Model Essay by an Expert 

The graph compares the use of four methods for transporting goods in the UK between 1974 and 2002. Throughout this time period, pipeline remained the least popular mode of transporting goods, and road maintained its position as the most popular method by some distance. The amount of goods transported by rail and water were very similar in 1974, but by 2002, around 22 million more tonnes were transported by water than by rail.

All modes of transport except rail experienced an overall increase in the number of tonnes transported between 1974 and 2002. Rail, however, remained roughly the same, at 40 million tonnes per year. Transport by rail and road both experienced a brief trough in the amount of goods transported in 1996, possibly partially counteracted by a corresponding peak in goods transported by pipeline. After a period of fast growth between 1978 and 1981, tonnes transported by water remained relatively steady at around 59 million tonnes per year, until a short-lived trough in 1998. In contrast, the trajectory of goods transported by pipeline enjoyed a steady increase, with no major peaks or troughs.

(184 words)

IELTS 8 Writing Model Essay (Free sample)

Test 3 Task 1 Question

The diagrams below show the stages and equipment used in the cement-making process, and how cement is used to produce concrete for building purposes.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Test 3 Task 1 Model Essay by an Expert 

The diagrams display the processes involved in producing cement and concrete. Cement is one of the ingredients needed to make concrete.

Cement is produced by crushing a mixture of limestone and clay into a powder, using a tool known as a crusher. This powder is mixed by a mixer, then rotated in a cylindrical heater. Heat is applied to the bottom of the rotating heater. The resulting mixture, which is lumpy, is then ground into a finer powder by a grinder. This is the finished product, which is then put into bags.

Making concrete is an altogether simpler process than making cement. However, both processes involve mixing ingredients by rotating them. Half of the concrete mixture is gravel, which simply comprises small stones. A quarter of the mixture is sand. These two ingredients are mixed with water, which makes up a tenth of the mixture, and cement, which makes up 15% of the total mixture. These ingredients are poured into a concrete mixer, which rotates to make concrete. Unlike cement production, this process does not involve heat.

(177 words)

IELTS  8  Writing Model Essay (Free sample)

Test 2 Task 2 Question

Test 2 Task 2 Model Essay by an Expert Two

As a direct result of the recent developments in communication technology, people have more, longer-lasting relationships. This has both positive and negative outcomes, but is largely a positive development in society.

Technological developments such as the invention of mobile phones and the prevalence of social media have made it much easier to connect with people. This means that people have more relationships in total, and those relationships tend to last longer, even if they might be on a very casual basis. Due to technological advances, people no longer lose touch with family or friends who move away, since it’s now very easy to Skype or call people, even if they live abroad. Relationships with mere acquaintances can also be maintained on a casual basis, through interactions on social media sites. Thus, it is easier for people to stay in touch with people who might otherwise have disappeared from their lives.

Despite these positive impacts, it is difficult to ignore the media scaremongering claiming that human relationships are suffering due to modern technology. Doom-mongers claim that people are becoming so obsessed with their mobile phones and social media that they no longer want to spend time building meaningful relationships through face-to-face interactions. However, there is actually very little evidence of this in reality. Most people still prefer to interact face-to-face, and see technology as an alternative, where real-life interactions are not possible.

Technology is certainly changing our interpersonal interactions, and the relationships that we build. Overall, the result has been positive, with people being able to build and maintain more relationships in total, and stay in touch with people, no matter where they are in the world.

(276 words)