Thursday, 11 September 2025

🎯 IELTS Writing Task 2 Question

Some people believe that remote working benefits both employees and society. Others argue that working from the office is more effective.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

📝 Sample Essay (Band 8–9, ~285 words)

In recent years, the rise of digital technology has transformed the way people work. While many believe that remote working offers advantages for individuals and society, others argue that traditional office-based employment remains more effective. Both perspectives will be examined before presenting my view.

On the one hand, remote work provides flexibility and convenience for employees. Without the need to commute, workers can save time and money, which often improves work-life balance. For instance, parents can spend more time with their children while still maintaining productivity. Moreover, society benefits when fewer people travel daily, as this reduces traffic congestion and pollution. In this sense, remote working contributes not only to individual well-being but also to environmental sustainability.

On the other hand, working from the office is considered by some to be more efficient. Face-to-face communication fosters teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving in ways that virtual meetings may not. Furthermore, being physically present allows managers to supervise staff more effectively and maintain organisational culture. For example, many innovative ideas in companies like Google and Apple have emerged from spontaneous office discussions rather than planned online meetings.

In my opinion, a hybrid approach that combines the strengths of both systems is ideal. Remote work is suitable for tasks requiring concentration and independence, while office work is better for collaboration and networking. If balanced correctly, this model can benefit employees, companies, and society as a whole.

In conclusion, while remote working offers flexibility and societal advantages, office-based work promotes collaboration and innovation. A combination of both methods is likely to represent the future of employment.

🔑 Useful Vocabulary

Work-life balance
Flexibility and convenience
Traffic congestion / environmental sustainability
Face-to-face communication
Organisational culture
Hybrid approach / collaboration / networking
Productivity / efficiency / supervision

🔗 Linking Words

Contrast: while, whereas, however, on the other hand
Addition: in addition, moreover, furthermore
Cause/Effect: therefore, as a result, consequently
Examples: for instance, for example, such as
Conclusion: in conclusion, overall, to sum up

✍️ Guidelines for Writing This Essay

1. Plan (5 minutes)

View 1 (remote work): saves time, improves work-life balance, reduces pollution.
View 2 (office work): teamwork, supervision, creativity.
Opinion: hybrid approach works best.
Outline:
- Intro: paraphrase + outline + thesis
- BP1: Benefits of remote work (with example)
- BP2: Benefits of office work (with example)
- BP3: Opinion (hybrid model)
- Conclusion: summarise & restate opinion

2. Structure

Introduction: Paraphrase topic + outline both views + thesis.
Body Paragraph 1: Remote work benefits (topic sentence, support, example).
Body Paragraph 2: Office work advantages (topic sentence, support, example).
Body Paragraph 3: Your opinion (hybrid).
Conclusion: Summarise main points and restate thesis.

3. Topic Sentences

BP1: “Remote working offers greater flexibility and benefits society through reduced commuting.”
BP2: “By contrast, working from the office is seen as more effective for teamwork and creativity.”
BP3: “In my view, a hybrid model combines the strengths of both approaches.”

4. Tips for Learners

Keep a balanced tone: discuss both views fairly before giving your opinion.
Use specific examples (Google, parents saving commute time, pollution reduction).
Maintain a formal style — avoid casual words like kids or bosses.
Ensure your conclusion is short and strong — no new ideas.
Use varied linking words to improve cohesion.

📖 Chapter 2: The Hall of Doors

Alice stood in the long hall, staring at the little golden key in her hand. She longed to enter the beautiful garden, but she was far too big to fit through the tiny door.

Then she noticed a small bottle standing on the glass table. Around its neck was a paper label with the words “DRINK ME” beautifully printed.

Alice looked at it carefully. “It doesn’t say poison,” she said, “so it must be safe.” She tasted it and found it delicious—like a mixture of cherry tart, custard, pineapple, roast turkey, and hot buttered toast. In a few moments she began to shrink!

She grew smaller and smaller until she was only ten inches high. “Now I can get into the garden!” she cried with delight.

She ran to the door, but—oh no! She had left the key on the glass table, which was now far above her head. She tried to climb one of the table legs, but it was too slippery. Poor Alice sat down and began to cry.

After a while, she noticed a small glass box lying under the table. Inside it was a tiny cake with the words “EAT ME” marked in currants.

“Well, I’ll try it,” said Alice. “If it makes me grow larger, I can reach the key. If it makes me smaller, I can creep under the door. Either way, I’ll get into the garden.”

She ate a little piece and waited. At once she began to grow. She grew and grew until her head touched the ceiling of the hall! She picked up the little key, but now she was far too tall to go through the tiny door.

Alice sat down and began to cry again. Her tears poured out until they formed a great pool all around her. Soon the water was several inches deep, and Alice found herself swimming.

As she splashed about, she heard something nearby. It was the White Rabbit again, still dressed in his waistcoat, muttering, “Oh my ears and whiskers! How late it’s getting!” He hurried off without noticing Alice.

She tried to call after him, but her voice echoed strangely in the hall. “Oh, what shall I do?” she sobbed, treading water in her own pool of tears.

The adventure was becoming stranger and stranger, and Alice wondered what would happen next.

📘 Glossary

Label – a piece of paper attached to something that gives information
Custard – a sweet, creamy dessert made with eggs and milk
Shrink – to become smaller
Slippery – smooth and difficult to hold onto
Currants – small dried fruits used in cakes
Creep – to move slowly and carefully through a small space
Ceiling – the top inside surface of a room
Pool – a small area filled with water
Treading water – moving arms and legs to stay afloat while swimming
Whiskers – the long hairs on the face of a rabbit or cat

❓ Comprehension Questions

What words were written on the bottle Alice found?
Why did Alice think it was safe to drink?
What happened after Alice drank from the bottle?
Why couldn’t Alice enter the garden even after shrinking?
What food did Alice find under the table?
What was written on the cake?
What happened after Alice ate some of the cake?
Why did Alice begin to cry the second time?
What strange thing happened with her tears?
Who did Alice see again at the end of the chapter?

✅ Answers

“DRINK ME”.
Because the label didn’t say poison.
She shrank until she was only ten inches tall.
Because she had left the key on the high glass table.
A little cake in a glass box.
“EAT ME”.
She grew very tall until her head touched the ceiling.
Because she was too big to fit through the tiny door.
Her tears formed a large pool, and she had to swim in it.
The White Rabbit.

🎯 IELTS Writing Task 2 Question

Some people think governments should spend more money on promoting healthy lifestyles to prevent illness. Others believe that treatment of sick people should be prioritised.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

📝 Sample Essay (Band 8–9, ~280 words)

Public health has become a pressing issue in modern societies. While some argue that governments should focus on encouraging healthier lifestyles to reduce illness, others believe resources should be directed towards medical treatment. Both perspectives will be considered before presenting my view.

On the one hand, investing in health promotion can significantly reduce the long-term burden on healthcare systems. By encouraging people to exercise, eat balanced diets, and avoid harmful habits such as smoking, governments can lower rates of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. For example, countries that have introduced anti-smoking campaigns and taxes on sugary drinks have seen noticeable improvements in public health. Prevention not only reduces suffering but also saves billions in future medical costs.

On the other hand, treatment remains essential because illnesses cannot always be prevented. People may develop conditions due to genetics, accidents, or environmental factors beyond their control. Moreover, it would be unethical to neglect patients who require urgent care. Hospitals and clinics must be adequately funded to provide life-saving treatments, from cancer therapies to emergency surgeries. Without sufficient investment in treatment, preventable deaths and suffering would inevitably increase.

In my opinion, governments must adopt a balanced strategy. Prevention should be a priority because it addresses the root causes of ill health, but this should not come at the expense of treatment. An integrated approach that promotes healthy living while ensuring access to high-quality medical care is the most effective way forward.

In conclusion, although treating illness is vital, preventive measures are more sustainable in the long run. A well-rounded health policy should balance both, ensuring healthier populations and resilient healthcare systems.

🔑 Useful Vocabulary

Public health / chronic diseases / healthcare systems
Preventive measures / health promotion / balanced diet
Burden on healthcare
Genetics / environmental factors
Integrated approach / root causes
Resilient healthcare systems

🔗 Linking Words

Contrast: while, whereas, on the other hand, although
Addition: in addition, moreover, furthermore
Cause/Effect: therefore, as a result, consequently, thus
Examples: for instance, for example, such as
Conclusion: in conclusion, overall, to sum up