IELTS Writing Task 2 advantages and disadvantages essay: structure, mistakes and samples
Last verified 8 October 2026 · 7 min read · ieltspractice.app
Quick answer
An IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay asks you to compare the good and bad sides of a change. If the question asks whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, say which side is stronger and why. Use four paragraphs: an introduction, one for each side, and a conclusion.
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What does an advantages and disadvantages question look like?
It is one of our five types of Task 2 question. The question describes a trend, which means a change that is happening in many places. Then it asks you to judge the good sides (advantages) and the bad sides (disadvantages) of that change.
Here are two of our original practice questions of this type. They are not real exam questions, but they follow the same pattern as the test.
Practice question 1. In many countries, patients can now speak to a doctor by video call instead of travelling to a clinic. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Practice question 2. Many schools now ask pupils to use tablets or laptops in most lessons instead of printed textbooks and exercise books. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Both end with the same line as every Task 2 question: “Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.” You have about 40 minutes and must write at least 250 words.
Outweigh or discuss? Read the question carefully
The last question decides what your essay must do. Look for one of these three forms.
“Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?” “Outweigh” means “are bigger or more important than”. This question asks for your opinion, so say which side is stronger in your introduction, keep that view in every paragraph and repeat it in your conclusion.
“Discuss the advantages and disadvantages.” This form asks you to explain both sides, with the same care for each. You do not have to say which side is stronger. But if the question adds “and give your own opinion”, you must give one.
“Is this a positive or negative development?” This works like “outweigh”: choose an answer and support it. It often comes after a “Why …?” question, which makes it a two-part question.
Do not confuse these with questions that give two opinions and ask you to discuss both views. That is a different type, explained in our guide to discuss both views essays.
How to structure an advantages and disadvantages essay
Introduction (2–3 sentences)
Describe the trend in your own words. For an “outweigh” question, give your answer here, for example “I believe the benefits are greater”. For a “discuss” question, say that the essay looks at both sides.
Body paragraph 1: the advantages
Give one or two advantages. Explain each one and support it with a specific example, such as a person, a place or a situation.
Body paragraph 2: the disadvantages
Give one or two disadvantages in the same way. For an “outweigh” question, end with one sentence that shows why this side matters less, or more, than the other.
Conclusion (2–3 sentences)
Sum up both sides in new words and repeat your answer. Do not add a new idea here.
A worked plan in 5 minutes
Here is a quick plan for practice question 2, about tablets and laptops in place of printed books. A plan like this takes about five minutes and saves time later.
Answer. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages, as long as teachers control how the devices are used.
Advantages. Lessons can use up-to-date material, videos and practice tasks that mark themselves. Pupils also learn computer skills they will need at work.
Disadvantages. Devices can distract pupils, for example with games or messages. Some families cannot afford to repair a broken device.
Conclusion. The benefits are greater, but schools should limit screen time and lend devices to pupils who need them.
Useful language for advantages and disadvantages
To introduce an advantage, try “The main benefit of this is that …”, “One clear advantage is …” or “This allows people to …”. To introduce a disadvantage, try “The main drawback is …”, “A more serious problem is …” or “This can lead to …”.
To answer the outweigh question, use “On balance, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages” or “In my view, the benefits are greater than the drawbacks”. If you think the problems are bigger, say “The disadvantages outweigh the advantages” and keep that view to the end.
Do not repeat “advantage” in every sentence: “benefit”, “gain” and “strength” are useful alternatives, and so are “drawback”, “problem” and “risk”. For more ways to join your ideas, read our guide to linking words for IELTS.
Common mistakes in advantages and disadvantages essays
No answer to the outweigh question. Some essays list good and bad points but never say which side is stronger. If the question asks “Do the advantages outweigh …?”, that answer is part of the task.
A different answer at the end. If your introduction says the advantages are greater, your conclusion must say the same. Changing your view in the last paragraph makes your position unclear.
Lists with no explanation. Five short points with no examples are weaker than two points that are explained well. The band descriptors use the words “over-generalise” for support that stays too general.
Writing about the topic, not the trend. An essay about video calls with doctors should judge that change, not health care in general. IELTS says you will be penalised if what you write is not related to the topic.
Memorised phrases. Lines such as “This essay will discuss …” or “It is a double-edged sword” (a phrase meaning something has good and bad sides) add words but no ideas. For more traps, read our Task 2 mistakes that stop you reaching Band 7.
How the examiner marks this essay
An examiner marks every Task 2 essay on the four criteria below. Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score, so this essay matters more than your Task 1 answer.
In the notes on the two samples, each criterion has a short tag. TR is Task response, CC is Coherence and cohesion, LR is Lexical resource (vocabulary), and GRA is Grammatical range and accuracy.
| Criterion | What it assesses |
|---|---|
| Task response (TR) | How accurately, appropriately and relevantly your answer covers the task. In Task 2, it includes how well you develop your argument, with evidence and examples. |
| Coherence and cohesion (CC) | How clear and fluent your writing is, and how you organise ideas and information, including linking words. |
| Lexical resource (LR) | The range of vocabulary you use, and how accurately and appropriately you use it. |
| Grammatical range and accuracy (GRA) | The range of grammar you use, and how accurately and appropriately you use it. |
The practice question for both samples
Both samples answer practice question 1: “In many countries, patients can now speak to a doctor by video call instead of travelling to a clinic. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?”
Read the Band 7 sample first, then the Band 9 sample. The numbers in each essay match the notes under it, so you can see exactly what earns or loses marks.
Band 7 sample answer
This essay answers the question and is easy to follow. Look at the notes to see why it stays at Band 7: the support is general, the linking is mechanical and there are a few small errors.
Band 7 sample
Task 2Answer to practice question 1 above.
Our team wrote this sample to show what the public band descriptors describe.
Nowadays, many people can talk to their doctor by video call from home instead of going to a clinic. This essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this trend.(note 1) In my opinion, the advantages of video calls are more important than the disadvantages(note 2), although there are some problems.
Firstly,(note 3) video calls save a lot of time for patients. People do not need to travel to the clinic or wait for a long time in the waiting room, which is very useful for them(note 4). For example, people who live in the countryside can see a doctor without travelling for many hours by bus or train. Moreover, there will be less patients(note 5) in the clinics, so doctors can spend more time with people who have serious illnesses.
On the other hand, there are also some disadvantages of this method. The main disadvantage is that the doctor cannot examine the patient properly through a screen, for example they cannot check the heart or touch the painful area. As a result, it can be difficult to do a correct diagnosis(note 6), and some illnesses may be missed. In addition, old people often do not know how to use technology(note 7), so this method is not suitable for everyone in society.
In conclusion, although video calls with a doctor have some disadvantages, I believe the advantages outweigh them. They save time and help people in rural areas, and the problems can be reduced if patients still visit the clinic when it is necessary. Therefore, video calls are a positive development, and governments should invest more money in this technology(note 8).
Notes on this answer
TRTask response
“This essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this trend.”: A memorised line that describes a “discuss” question. This question asks whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, so the line adds words but no answer.
TRTask response
“the advantages of video calls are more important than the disadvantages”: Good: a clear position in the introduction. But it gives no reason or condition, so the reader does not yet know why the writer thinks this.
CCCoherence and cohesion
“Firstly,”: “Firstly”, “Moreover”, “On the other hand” and “In addition” start most sentences. The order is clear, but the linking is mechanical: the same list of linking words does all the work.
LRLexical resource
“which is very useful for them”: Vague. “Useful” does not say what the patients gain. Band 9 names the gain: a whole day of travel saved.
GRAGrammatical range and accuracy
“less patients”: “Patients” can be counted (one patient, two patients), so use “fewer”, not “less”. A small error like this does not block the meaning, which is typical of Band 7.
LRLexical resource
“do a correct diagnosis”: Wrong collocation (words that usually go together). We “make” a diagnosis, and “an accurate diagnosis” is more precise than “a correct” one.
TRTask response
“old people often do not know how to use technology”: An over-generalisation: many older people use technology well. Band 9 makes the same point carefully, about the patients with the least confidence online.
TRTask response
“governments should invest more money in this technology”: A new idea in the last sentence that the essay never explains. A conclusion should sum up your answer, not start a new argument.
Why Band 7: It answers the question with a clear position, and each paragraph has one clear main idea. It stays at Band 7 because the support is general, the linking is mechanical and there are a few small errors in word choice and grammar.
Band 9 sample answer
This essay answers the same question. Compare the notes with the Band 7 notes: the position is more exact, each idea has a specific example, and the vocabulary and grammar are wide and accurate.
Band 9 sample
Task 2Answer to practice question 1 above.
Our team wrote this sample to show what the public band descriptors describe.
In a growing number of countries, a visit to the doctor no longer requires a journey: patients can describe their symptoms on a video call from home. Although this convenience has clear limits, I believe its benefits outweigh its drawbacks, provided that video consultations support face-to-face care rather than replace it(note 1).
The most obvious gain is access to care. For a farmer in a remote village or an elderly patient with limited mobility(note 2), a ten-minute video appointment can replace a whole day of difficult and expensive travel. Video calls also ease pressure on crowded clinics, since routine matters such as repeat prescriptions or blood test results can be handled without a waiting room. This, in turn,(note 3) frees appointments for the patients who genuinely need to be examined in person.
The drawbacks, however, should not be underestimated(note 4). A doctor on a screen cannot listen to a patient’s chest or feel a swollen joint, so some conditions may be missed or diagnosed late. There is also a digital divide(note 5): the patients who find it hardest to reach a clinic often have the weakest internet connection or the least confidence online. Yet both risks can be managed(note 6), because a doctor who suspects something serious can simply ask the patient to come in.
On balance, video consultations cannot replace every visit, but their benefits clearly outweigh their limitations. They save patients time and money, and they leave clinic space for the people who need it most. As long as clinics keep in-person appointments for patients who cannot manage a video call(note 7), the technology makes healthcare both faster and fairer. The question, then, is not whether to use video calls but how to use them wisely(note 8).
Notes on this answer
TRTask response
“I believe its benefits outweigh its drawbacks, provided that video consultations support face-to-face care rather than replace it”: Answers the outweigh question in the introduction and adds a condition. Every later paragraph supports this exact position, and the conclusion repeats it.
TRTask response
“For a farmer in a remote village or an elderly patient with limited mobility”: Specific examples instead of “people”. The idea is extended and supported, so the reader sees exactly who gains and how.
CCCoherence and cohesion
“This, in turn,”: “This” refers back to the whole previous point, and “in turn” shows a result. The linking is smooth and never draws attention to itself.
LRLexical resource
“should not be underestimated”: A natural, precise phrase that turns to the other side of the argument. It is far more exact than “there are also some disadvantages”.
LRLexical resource
“a digital divide”: An exact term for the gap between people who can use the internet easily and people who cannot. One phrase replaces a long explanation.
CCCoherence and cohesion
“Yet both risks can be managed”: “Both risks” sums up the two problems in two words (a technique called substitution), then the sentence turns back to the writer’s position.
GRAGrammatical range and accuracy
“As long as clinics keep in-person appointments for patients who cannot manage a video call”: A condition (“as long as”) and a relative clause, which adds information about a noun (“who cannot manage”), in one accurate sentence. Complex grammar is used naturally and without errors.
GRAGrammatical range and accuracy
“not whether to use video calls but how to use them wisely”: A balanced “not whether … but how” structure that ends the essay with a clear judgement instead of a new idea.
Why Band 9: It answers the question directly in the introduction and keeps exactly the same position to the end. Every idea is explained with a specific example, the linking is smooth, and the vocabulary and grammar are wide, precise and accurate.
What changes from Band 7 to Band 9?
Both samples have the same plan and the same main ideas. The difference is in how well each idea is answered, explained and expressed.
Task response: Band 7 gives a clear view, but its support stays general (“old people”, “very useful”). Band 9 gives an exact view with a condition, and every point has a specific example.
Coherence and cohesion: Band 7 joins ideas with a list of linking words. Band 9 also uses words such as “this” and “both risks” to refer back, so the linking is almost invisible. This is what the descriptors call “reference and substitution”.
Vocabulary and grammar: Band 7 has a few small errors, such as “less patients”. Band 9 uses precise phrases and complex sentences with no errors. The table quotes the public band descriptors for each level.
| Criterion | Band 7 (quoted) | Band 9 (quoted) |
|---|---|---|
| Task response | The main parts of the prompt are appropriately addressed. A clear and developed position is presented. | The prompt is appropriately addressed and explored in depth. A clear and fully developed position is presented which directly answers the question/s. |
| Coherence and cohesion | A range of cohesive devices including reference and substitution is used flexibly but with some inaccuracies or some over/under use. | Cohesion is used in such a way that it very rarely attracts attention. |
| Lexical resource | The resource is sufficient to allow some flexibility and precision. | A wide range of vocabulary is used accurately and appropriately with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features. |
| Grammatical range and accuracy | A variety of complex structures is used with some flexibility and accuracy. | A wide range of structures is used with full flexibility and control. |
Practise with a new question
Choose “Advantages and disadvantages” in the topic generator below to get one of our practice questions and a 40-minute timer. Plan with the four steps above, then check your length with our IELTS word counter.
For another full model essay of this type, read our Band 9 sample on working from home.
Free tool · IELTS Task 2 topic generator
Open full pagePick a question type and theme if you like, then press New question. There are 60 original practice questions.
This page does not save or grade anything. Write on paper or in any editor, then check your length with the IELTS word counter.
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Open Writing practice (it chooses its own question)Frequently asked questions
Do I need to give my opinion in an advantages and disadvantages essay?
It depends on the question. If it asks “Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?”, yes: say which side is stronger, from the introduction to the conclusion. If it only asks you to discuss the advantages and disadvantages, explain both sides fairly. Give an opinion only if the question asks for one.
What is the difference between “discuss” and “outweigh” questions?
A “discuss the advantages and disadvantages” question asks you to explain both sides. A “do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages” question also asks you to judge which side is bigger, so your answer must be clear and stay the same to the end.
How many paragraphs should an advantages and disadvantages essay have?
Four is a clear plan: an introduction, one paragraph of advantages, one of disadvantages and a conclusion. It gives each side its own space, so the examiner can follow your answer easily.
How many advantages and disadvantages should I write about?
One or two of each, explained well, is enough. Two points with clear examples are better than five points with no explanation.
Can I write more about the advantages than the disadvantages?
Yes, for an outweigh question it is natural to develop the stronger side a little more. But do cover both sides: a paragraph with only one weak sentence about the other side is not a full answer.
How long should the essay be?
You must write at least 250 words, and IELTS suggests about 40 minutes. On this page, the Band 7 sample has 263 words and the Band 9 sample has 281. Aim a little over the minimum, so you have time left to check.
Sources
- IELTS (ielts.org): IELTS Academic format, Writing
- IELTS (ielts.org): IELTS General Training format, Writing
- IELTS: Writing band descriptors (PDF, updated May 2023)
Facts on this page last checked against these sources on 8 October 2026.
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