JUMP IELTS WRITING TASK 1 2 (ABAZAR ALIZADEH) (Luyen thi ielt)

JUMP IELTS

IELTS ESSAYS
LETTERS, GRAPHS, DIAGRAMS & MAPS

ABAZAR ALIZADEH


Whatever you do,
do it heartily, as for the Lord
and not for the Man


Acknowledgements
I would like to appreciate all those who provided me with enlightening
suggestions by reading the manuscript.
I would like to thank Mr. Ashkzari who helped me immeasurably to publish
this book.
Finally I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to my wife without
whose patience and support writing this book would have been impossible.

Abazar Alizadeh
Tehran, December 2009


About the Author
Abazar Alizadeh specialized in ELT (English Language Teaching) from the University of Allameh
Tabatabaee, and started his professional teaching career as a TOEFL (Pbt) instructor in 1998
and in 2000, he began to teach IELTS, GRE and GMAT preparation courses.
In 2002, he was awarded a prize by the University of Allameh Tabatabaee for wining third place
in Iran's nationwide MA examination.

He also has taught "Contrastive Analysis", "Language Teaching Methodology", "Advanced Essay
Writing" and many other courses at various universities in Tehran.
He published his first book entitled "New IELTS Strategies" in 2004 and from 2004 to 2007 he
worked as an IELTS supervisor and syllabus designer for various IELTS Centers in Iran.
In 2008, he published his speaking book entitled "New IELTS Interview Samples" which is widely
used by candidates in Iran and many other countries in the world including Georgia, Armenia,
the UAE and Turkey.
In 2009, he published his writing book "IELTS Essays" to give a chance to IELTS candidates to
read as many samples as they wish to prepare themselves for the writing test.


Author's Guide to the Book
IELTS Writing Tasks
For the first task of the Academic Module, you need to describe a graph; a diagram or a map
and you are required to write at least 150 words in 20 minutes. The second task requires you to
write an essay with at least 250 words within 40 minutes.
For the first task of the General Module, you need to write a letter and you are required to
write at least 150 words in 20 minutes. The second task requires you to write an essay with at
least 250 words within 40 minutes.

Essay Samples
IELTS Essays provides numerous essay samples in both the academic and the general modules
of the test. There are precisely 30 academic essays and 30 general essays.
There are five essay question types in the IELTS writing test and the book provides essay
samples on all question types. Candidates should note that even though academic essay
questions need you to discuss more complicated issues than the general essay questions, there
is no difference in the essay formats. As a result candidates can benefit from all sixty essays
regardless of the module they intend to take.
In addition to practicing the essay formats by analysing the sample essays, you can have access
to a plethora of ideas on various issues along with topical words used to discuss the idea.

After each essay sample, a question is provided to let you practice writing an essay on your
own. Hence in total the book provides 60 different essay questions for the candidates.

Graph, Diagram & Map Samples
Graphs are far more frequent than diagrams; accordingly, the book contains 20 graph
descriptions and 6 diagram descriptions.
Maps are rarely given in IELTS task 1; hence, only two map descriptions are provided in order to
give you the chance to familiarize yourself with such tasks and not to deviate your attention
away from the main task which is the graph.


The graph, diagram and the map samples not only let you get familiarized with various task
types but also provide many of the words needed to pull off each task.

Letter Samples
There are formal letter questions, semi-formal letter questions and informal letter questions in
IELTS writing task 1 and so the book contains letter samples of all types. The letters are written
according to standard letter formats and include all the various parts of a standard letter.
The letter samples give you enough ideas, expressions and words to handle sample questions
provided after each letter sample.

Appendix
To ace your writing test, you need to know numerous expressions and structures for different
purposes. I have included useful connectives, words and structures for 27 different functions.
Learning these useful words and structures can help you with various language functions.


Table of Contentss                                                 

Table of Co

ontents  
Genneral Moddule
Letter Samplles ........................................................................................ 1 
Th
hey broke thee front window
w of your car ............................................................................................... 2 
Yo
ou are dissatissfied with you
ur grade ....................................................................................................... 3 
Yo
ou were disreespected by an
n employee ................................................................................................. 4 
Yo
ou have recen
ntly moved to a new compaany  ....................................................................................... 5 
Yo
ou recently heeard about the pass‐away o
of your colleague’s father  ................................................... 6 
In
n response to a job advertissement of a co
ompany  ............................................................................... 7 
A letter to som
meone you meet  ................................................................................................................. 8 
A resignation leetter to your m
manager  .................................................................................................... 9 
Yo
ou want to seell some of you
ur furniture  .............................................................................................. 10 
Yo
ou borrowed some books ffrom a library  .......................................................................................... 11 

W
Write a compla
aint letter to aa bank  ....................................................................................................... 12 
Yo
ou have just b
been qualified
d for a position
n  ........................................................................................ 13 
W
Write a compla
aint letter to aa telephone co
ompany  ............................................................................. 14 
W
Write a letter t
to a magazine about a prob
blem .................................................................................... 15 
Yo
ou saw a job aadvertisement on a websitee  ........................................................................................ 16 
W
Write a letter t
to a friend you
u haven't mett for some tim
me ................................................................... 17 
Ask someone to act as a refeerence  ...................................................................................................... 18 
W
Write a farewe
ell letter to one of your colleeagues  ............................................................................... 19 
W
Write a letter t
to a colleague who is hospittalized  ................................................................................ 20 

Yo
ou cannot attend the class for some reassons  ................................................................................... 21 

Gen
neral Essaays ....................................................................................... 22 
Do
o animals havve rights? ......................................................................................................................... 23 
W
What are the a
advantages an
nd disadvantagges of being rich? ............................................................... 24 
Are comic bookks trash? .......................................................................................................................... 25 
W
Why are teena
gers becomin
ng addicted? .............................................................................................. 26 
Caan they remove all the unh
healthy foods from school ccanteens? ...................................................... 27 
Su
uggest some ssolutions in orrder to preven
nt people from
m getting obeese ........................................... 28 
Does playing gaames teach uss about life? .......................
.
...................................................................... 29 
W
What are the a
advantages an
nd disadvantagges of studyin
ng abroad? ..................................................... 30 

Caan the govern
nment set a hiigher driving aage? .................................................................................... 31 

i


TTable of Contents 
W
What are the b
benefits of exeercise? ....................................................................................................... 32 
How can the go
overnment heelp reduce thee number of car accidents?  .............................................. 33 
W
Why are schoo
ol classes borin
ng and uselesss? ........................................................................................ 34 
Sh
hould huntingg animals as a sport be illeggalized? ............................................................................... 35 
How can recycling save the eenvironment and help the people on Earrth? ......................................... 36 
W
Why do you th
ink people atttend college o
or university?  ..................................................................... 37 
W
What are the m
most importan
nt reasons forr getting divorrced? .............................................................. 38 
Iss people’s cho
oice of leisure activities affeected by fashio
ons ................................................................ 39 

Sh
hould studentts spend theirr free time leaarning their school lessons?? ............................................... 40 
Sh
hould police fforces use security camerass in public placces?  .............................................................. 41 
W
What are the a
advantages of attending sch
hool before th
he age of 7?  .................................................. 42 
Su
uggest some ggood places to
o obtain inforrmation for a rresearch. ....................................................... 43 
W
What are the m
major effects o
of getting exeercise?  ................................................................................ 44 
W
What are the r
easons for sch
hool drop‐outt and what are
e the solution
ns?  ........................................... 45 
W
What are the n
negative effects of television? how can w
we minimize th
hem?   ..................................... 46 
W
What are the p
problems asso

ociated with TV
V addiction an
nd what soluttions can you offer?  .............. 47 
Discuss the advvantages and disadvantagees of building aa company in your commun
nity. .................. 48 
W
What are the a
advantages an
nd disadvantagges of living in
n a big city? ................................................... 49 
Discuss the cau
uses of longevvity? ........................................................................................................... 50 
W
What are the c
causes of stresss and how caan we solve it??  .................................................................... 51 
Discuss the advvantages and disadvantagees of studying abroad? ........................................................ 52 

Aca
ademic M
 Module 
Graaphs, Diaggrams & m
maps ...................................................................... 53 
Th
he different leevels of post‐sschool qualificcations in Australia  ............................................................ 54 
Th
he proportion
n of different ccategories of families livingg in poverty  ................................................... 55 
Th
he amount off money per w
week spent on

n fast foods in Britain  ......................................................... 56 
Th
he rate of fish
h catches in th
he USA and Caanada  ................................................................................. 57 
Th
he trends in the Australian immigration from 1992 to 2002 ............................................................. 58 
Th
he causes of d
diseases in developing and the develope
ed countries  .................................................. 59 
Th
he forms of energy used to
o generate eleectricity in the USA  ............................................................. 60 
Th
he average monthly tempeeratures in thrree African countries  ......................................................... 61 
Fo
our different ccars manufacttured in threee different cou
untries  .......................................................... 62 
Th
he factors affeecting students' decisions w
when choosing a universityy  .............................................. 63 
How much coal it would takee to make all the energy  ......................................................................... 64 

ii


Table of Contentss                                                 
Th
he incidence o

of injuries cau
used in differeent sports  ........................................................................... 65 
Th
he US spendin
ng patterns in two differentt years  ............................................................................... 66 
Th
he percentagee of the intern
net users  .................................................................................................. 67 
Th
he literacy rattes of six diffeerent countriees  ........................................................................................ 68 
Th
he percentagee of obese people in 12 diffferent countriies ................................................................. 69 
Th
he amount off meat consum
med in the USA
A  ........................................................................................ 70 
Th
he number off London Undeerground stattion passengers  .................................................................. 71 
Th
he oil producttion capacity iin six different Persian Gulff countries  .................................................... 72 
Th
he number off children killeed in road acciidents  ................................................................................. 73 
Th
he typical stagges of consum
mer goods manufacturing  ....................................................................... 74 
Th
he process byy which bricks are manufacttured  .................................................................................. 75 
Th
he process byy which examss are taken in a computer room  ............................................................. 76 
Th

he process byy which plasticc paper clips aare manufactu
ured  .............................................................. 77 
How a central h
heating system
m in a house w
works  ................................................................................. 78 
How olive oil iss produced  ...................................................................................................................... 79 
Th
he map showss the site of a shopping cen
nter  .................................................................................... 80 
Th
he map showss the city of N
New Townsville   ....................................................................................... 81 

Acaademic Esssays .................................................................................... 82 
Sh
hould the sociiety ban violent and pornoggraphic scene
es from being broadcast?  ............................. 83 
M
Must capital pu
unishment bee banned? .................................................................................................. 84 
M
Must capital pu
unishment bee banned? .................................................................................................. 85 
W
Why are the m
ain reasons fo
or advertisem
ment? ................................................................................... 86 
w

what are the h
armful effectss of body pierrcing on our health? ............................................................ 87 
W
Would they like
e to live in a m
multicultural ssociety?  .............................................................................. 88 
W
Why should we
e avoid racism
m and how can
n we solve it? ...................................................................... 89 
W
Will violence o
n Television u
ultimately resu
ult in more vio
olence?  ......................................................... 90 
W
Will internet us
sers finally end up addicted
d to the net?  ...................................................................... 91 
M
Must the gover
rnment ban hand guns?  ................................................................................................ 92 
W
Why is it hard t
to define happiness? and h
how can we acchieve it?  ...................................................... 93 
Discuss views ffor and againsst human cloning and give yyour opinion  ................................................. 94 
ploration makke any sense? ........................................................................................... 95 

Does space exp
W
What are the m
main sources o
of environmental pollution? .................................................................... 96 
How can peoplle save energyy in their hom
mes? ..................................................................................... 97 
W
What are some
e of the factorrs affecting seelf‐esteem? ......................................................................... 98 
Iss children’s miisbehaviour in
n life due to th
heir genetic ch
haracteristics??  ............................................. 99 

iii


TTable of Contents 
M
Must violent an
nd pornograp
phic scenes bee censored?  ...................................................................... 100 
How can techn
nology help ed
ducation?  ................................................................................................ 101 
Are welfare payments a wasste of the society's financial resources?  ............................................... 102 
etirement and give your opiinion. .............. 103 
Discuss the advvantages and disadvantagees of forced re
M

Must the gover
rnment ban dangerous spo
orts?  ................................................................................. 104 
Do patients havve the right to
o choose betw
ween life and death?  ....................................................... 105 
.
.......................................................................................... 106 
Iss spanking chilldren cruel?  .......................
W
What are the e
effects of alcoholism?  .................................................................................................. 107 
What are the reasons for thee increasing d
W
drug use and w
what are the ssolutions?. ............................. 108 
W
Why do people
e produce more trash thesee days? and ho
ow can we red
duce it? ................................. 109 
W
What are the p
problems caussed by drug ab
buse and what are some so
olutions?   .............................. 110 
Are there betteer ways of enccouraging employees to wo
ork hard?  .................................................... 111 
Discuss the views for and aggainst first imp
pressions and give your opinion? .................................... 112 

App
pendix .............................................................................................. 113 
Ap
ppendix 1  con
nnectives ...................................................................................................................... 114 
Addition ............................................................................................................................................... 114 
Trransition ............................................................................................................................................. 114 
Su
ummation ........................................................................................................................................... 115 
Apposition ............................................................................................................................................ 115 
Result ................................................................................................................................................... 116 
nference .............................................................................................................................................. 116 
In
Reformulation ...................................................................................................................................... 116 
Replacement ........................................................................................................................................ 116 
Co
ontrast ............................................................................................................................................... 117 
Co
oncession   ......................................................................................................................................... 117 
Appendix 2 Structure and Vo
ocabulary Aid ......................................................................................... 118 
Lo
ocation ............................................................................................................................................... 118 
Co
omposition ......................................................................................................................................... 119 
Approximation
n  .................................................................................................................................... 119 
Q
Qualification 

......................................................................................................................................... 119 
Definition ............................................................................................................................................. 119 
Exxemplification
n .................................................................................................................................... 120 
Classification  ....................................................................................................................................... 120 
omparison  ......................................................................................................................................... 121 
Co
Caause and Effeect. ................................................................................................................................. 121 

iv


Table of Contentss                                                 
Sccale ..................................................................................................................................................... 123 
Caaution  ................................................................................................................................................ 123 
Referring to a d
diagram, charrt etc.   ..................................................................................................... 124 
Describing change  ............................................................................................................................... 125 
ntroducing a p
point of view. ......................
.
.......................................................................................... 126 
In
Su
ummarizing and concludingg .............................................................................................................. 126 
Useful words ........................................................................................................................................ 127 
Reporting  ............................................................................................................................................ 127 
Appendix 3 How to Express Essential Worrds  .................................................................................... 128 
Reason  ................................................................................................................................................. 129 
Advantage  ........................................................................................................................................... 131 

Disadvantage  ....................................................................................................................................... 132 
Result  .................................................................................................................................................. 133 
Because  ............................................................................................................................................... 137 
Caause  ................................................................................................................................................... 138 
Sttop  ..................................................................................................................................................... 142 
Disagreement  ...................................................................................................................................... 143 
Agreement  .......................................................................................................................................... 145 
Allow  ................................................................................................................................................... 146 
orbid  .................................................................................................................................................. 147 
Fo
Co
ontrast ............................................................................................................................................... 148 
Siimilarity  ............................................................................................................................................. 150 

v


General Essay Samples

GENERAL MODULE
writing task 2 (essay)

22

IELTS Essays, Letters, Graphs, Diagrams & Maps


General Essay Samples
1- Some people believe that we can use animals the way we want while
others believe animals have rights and we must respect their rights.

What is your opinion?
Use specific reasons o support your point of view.
Animal rights is a topic that is very important to me. I simply think that everyone
should have the decency to treat animals with kindness and respect, and not
make them suffer in any way. I believe that animals deserve to live according to
their own natures, without harm, abuse or exploitation.
It has been shown that animals are capable of feeling pain, hunger, thirst,
loneliness, and kinship. It breaks my heart when I see people wearing fur. Fur
belongs to its original owner. Some fur comes from animals caught in horrific
traps called leg holds. Leg holds are spring-loaded steel jaws that clamp shut on
an animal’s foot once it is sprung. It causes injuries and blood loss. Animals are
stuck in these traps for hours and even days before the trapper comes to pick
them up. Some animals try to chew and bite their own limbs off just to get out of
it.
Fur also comes from ‘fur farms’. Millions of animals are killed each year in these
farms. The farms force them to live in extremely close contact with the other
animals, which is completely against their instincts. This lifestyle causes severe
stress that can lead to cannibalism and self-mutilation. They are killed by
poisonous gasses, electrocution, suffocation, and neck breaking.
Then there is also the subject of animal testing. Humans are important, but that
does not give anyone the right to inflict endless pain and suffering on the animal,
especially for stupid reasons like makeup testing. If animal testing were to stop
now, the progress of medical progress would speed up, because the
alternatives such as in-vitro techniques are less time-consuming, more accurate,
and less expensive than using animals
In conclusion, I believe that we are not allowed to make animals suffer. Animals
have rights and we must protect them under any circumstances.
(307 words)

Essay Practice

Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry are more
important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you agree or disagree with this
point of view? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

IELTS Essays, Letters, Graphs, Diagrams & Maps

23


General Essay Samples
2- Nowadays many people are trying to earn more and more and to get
rich.
In your opinion what are the advantages and disadvantages of being rich
and what’s your opinion?
Everybody wants to be rich; that is a fact. People try hard to earn as much
money as they can in order to be affluent and powerful; and they believe wealth
can benefit them in many different ways.
First of all, you can enjoy a lot of things that money can buy; you do not have to
worry about matters related to money such as controlling your expenses, etc.
Also, you do not have to worry about your living, for example: you will neither
experience the fear of losing your job, nor do you need to save money to raise
your children. In addition, you can choose to study where you want, get a
bachelor’s or master’s degree without having to worry about the tuition fees and
payments.
However, being rich does have some disadvantages, perhaps when you are
rich, you and your family members are always in danger. I mean there are
people who may plan to kidnap your relatives in order to earn some money.
Clearly, the accounting system in your head tells you that you should save some
money for some future purposes, but the temptation to spend money
immediately is so overwhelming that you can’t resist and actually you go on a

shopping spree and possibly, you will become materialistic. As a matter of fact,
things will get boring, since you can afford everything that money can buy, so
you will take up activities that can entertain you, for example, risky activities
such as gambling. That’s why there are people who get addicted to gambling.
In conclusion, I prefer to live a poor but a happy life, because money does not
create happiness. Money does not buy you love. Money does not solve your
problems. The more money you have, the more things you have to worry about,
so, just treasure what you have.
(308 words)

Essay Practice
People work because they need money to live. What are some other reasons that people
work? Discuss one or more of these reasons. Use specific examples and details to
support your answer.

24

IELTS Essays, Letters, Graphs, Diagrams & Maps


General Essay Samples
3- Some people believe that comic books are trash and they waste our
children’s time and energy.
What is your opinion? Use specific reasons to support your opinion.
Comic books are cheap entertainments that trash the minds of our children. I
have seen this many times and each time I have disagreed with it. If people
were willing to go beyond that old stereotype, they would see that comic books
are not that much different from other books.
First, let us all remember that the authors, regardless of what type of writing they
do, can always influence the minds of their young readers. So if it is true that

some comic books are sexist or violent, it is also true that some of them are, to
put it simply, fine. It would be wrong to accuse all comic books of prejudice and
violence, as it would be wrong to do the same with novels.
In the same line of thought, one of the great things about books is that they can
teach you a lot of things, they teach you facts that you did not know; they
broaden your horizon. Well, that is also true of some comic books. And it is not
so surprising, when you think about it. For example, I had never heard of the
country of Tanzania before I read a comic book in which it was the birth place of
one of the main characters. Even you can find more complicated and
philosophical concepts being taught in some comic books, even though it is less
obvious. For instance I read a particular comic book titled “understanding those
who are born different from us”; It can easily be related to racism and its
disadvantages. Thus, comic books, like books, can teach us great lessons.
On a different note, it has often been said that literature is a form of art and that
the writer is an artist and should be looked upon as such. What about comic
books? Shouldn’t the writers of comic books also be praised for their work? At
least because it demands a lot of talent and hard work. After all, how many of us
could write good dialogues and scripts to keep the reader hanging month after
month or pencil the characters so well?
In the end, comic books can help us learn things in their own way; and they as
well require hard work and talent. So, if you could forget the old stereotype for a
minute, you might want to try and read one.
(396 words)

Essay Practice
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should read only those
books that are about real events, real people, and established facts. Use specific reasons
and details to support your opinion.

IELTS Essays, Letters, Graphs, Diagrams & Maps

25


General Essay Samples
4- Nowadays more and more teenagers are becoming addicted to drugs or
alcohol.
In your opinion what are the reasons?
And how can we prevent them from becoming addicted?
Everyday more and more teens are turning to drugs and there is no simple
answer to why a teen might begin using drugs or alcohol. Many times, it is a
combination of several things.
They may turn to drugs to escape stress or loneliness or to overcome shyness
in social situations. They may want to be seen as grown up, or they may simply
be curious. Teens often want to be like their role models as well; so, if their
favorite music group or a "cool" friend at school uses drugs or alcohol, they may
also use drugs or alcohol to be like them. Adolescence is often a time of low
self-esteem, which can develop as a result of not being able to grow and change
as quickly as desired. A young person with low self-esteem may feel they are
not as smart, attractive, talented or popular as their friends. They may also feel
pressured by parents, teachers or others to achieve goals. To help deal with the
pressure, a young person with low self-esteem may be more likely to put aside
his/her good judgment and turn to drugs or alcohol to escape.
If some parents suspect that their teen is using drugs they may feel the need to
catch them. So, they search their room, or control their activities and friends.
These are all normal feelings, after all parents want their kids to be safe.
However, it might be more helpful to talk with them and let them know about the
changes they have observed and what the cause is. Preventing teen drug use is
possible; parents and guardians need to learn the warning signs and dangers;
therefore, parents must be aware of its symptoms.

In conclusion, I think that every single individual must try to avoid drugs for the
simple reason that it ruins our lives and society.
(309 words)

Essay Practice
In some countries, teenagers have jobs while they are still students. Do you think this is
a good idea? Support your opinion by using specific reasons and details.

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General Essay Samples
5- As the first step to combat obesity among students, Health authorities
intend to remove all the unhealthy foods from school canteens and
introduce new kinds.
To what extent do you agree with this scheme?
Nowadays the number of students suffering from obesity and obesity-related
diseases is increasing at an astonishing rate and I think it is a good idea to
promote healthy living and eating habits among students today, but in my
opinion removing the food most children love from school canteens is not going
to work.
Would children want to buy something they have never heard of? Most of the
items that may be introduced are strange to students. If the government forces
schools to provide this kind of food, most children will definitely not buy them. It
is not the government’s business what students eat. Education is the best way
to promote healthy living, not prohibition. Therefore, instead of starting with
schools and banning the school canteens from selling the unhealthy foods,
authorities must inform the students of the harmful effects of such foods.

Furthermore, the ill-conceived plan could wipe out a great deal of money a year
from school revenues and force schools to close canteens. Therefore, school
communities and parents should as well choose what is best for their students.
Hence, abandoning the foods most children are fond of is not an alternative.
However I do believe that canteens should gradually try to provide foods suited
to students’ ethnic and religious backgrounds and try to improve their health and
reduce alarming rates of obesity among the students.
In conclusion, serving nutritious food might improve children’s health and reduce
obesity. But the move to ban such foods from canteens will have a negative
feedback.
(253 words)

Essay Practice
People do many different things to stay healthy. What do you do for good health? Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

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General Essay Samples
6- Obesity is turning into a serious national program.
Suggest some solutions in order to prevent people from getting obese?
Obesity is on the rise, and it is becoming more and more of a national health
concern. It affects more than 1/3 of the population, and an additional 1/3 is
overweight. With obesity becoming more and more of a problem each year, the
people in Iran are going to suffer from a catastrophic health problem.
I believe that the Iranian Government should take action to manage its people’s
diets because they will not do it on their own. If the Iranian government stepped

up its campaign on obesity, many of the country’s obese people could stop
getting heavier and will shed pounds.
I think that the problem with people in our country is the lack of motivation to diet
and exercise. I believe that the public policy for people would be such that
people who exercise regularly should be rewarded. I believe that people who put
forth effort in an exercise program should be rewarded with tax deductions. This
would bring a lot more people into the world of exercise.
The next most-important solution is education. Education is the key if lowering of
the people’s weight is wanted. Providing them with the knowledge of what foods
do what, how, and why would allow the public to be more educated on how to
lose weight properly. Habits are established at a young age, and if healthy
habits can be established, then the country can be much better off.
And the final step is to pass laws requiring fast food and chain restaurants to
post nutrition information such as caloric, fat and sugar content on menus. After
being thoroughly educated about dieting, Iranians must have access to the
information to be able to know what foods are good or bad and why. Knowing
how to read is not relevant if there is nothing to read.
(303 words)

Essay Practice
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Universities should give the
same amount of money to their students' sports activities as they give to their university
libraries. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

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General Essay Samples

7- Many people believe that playing games teaches us about life while
others believe that children waste their time by playing games.
What’s your opinion?
Use specific reasons to support your opinion.
No one can deny the importance of playing games in our lives. Some people
argue that playing games teaches us many valuable things about life, while
others believe that playing games teaches us nothing about life. I strongly
support the idea that playing games is beneficial in our life for the following
reasons.
One reason why I believe so is that playing games teaches us teamwork
especially in team games. In team games, the individual team members should
not only play for personal achievements but for the sake of the team as well.
Moreover, playing games teaches us cooperation, organization and loyalty to
our team, which in turn affects positively our relationships with other people.
Another reason that can make playing games valuable is that it teaches
participants to have goals and to work very hard to accomplish these goals. In
life, everyone has many goals and he/she puts them in front of his/her eyes and
tries day and night to achieve them. Thus, there is a strong relationship between
playing games and learning about life. In addition, when people practice team
sports they come into contact with people who have different characteristics and
personalities.
However, I much acknowledge that children must not spend all their time playing
games. They must not ignore their school lessons and their responsibilities in
life; they must certainly have a program and try to abide by their programs in
order to succeed in life.
To sum up, I still believe that playing games teaches us many useful things
about life such as cooperation, loyalty, organization, and achievement of goals
in life.
(267 words)

Essay Practice
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Games are as important for
adults as they are for children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your
answer.

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General Essay Samples
8- Nowadays an increasing number of students prefer to extend their
studies abroad.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad? Use
specific reasons to support your opinion.
Education is essential in order to secure as good an employment position as
possible. Studying abroad is a popular choice among students today; however,
is it the best choice? Studying abroad has both its advantages and
disadvantages.
There are several advantages to studying abroad. Firstly, one can have more
knowledge about different cultures. It is also the best way to learn foreign
languages since one has the chance to speak with the native speakers. In
addition, one can learn about various traditions and customs. And all these can
help one to have better employment positions, because foreign language skills
and knowledge of foreign traditions are important when working with foreigners.
Besides, it can help one become more organized and self-confident. There are
many good and bad things in every society. Living abroad is like learning what
the big world is like. And finally Students learn to take good care of themselves
and learn what they should do for a living in different situations.
On the other hand, one of the main disadvantages of studying abroad is living in

a different place and culture. When students go to study abroad they are living
somewhere very different and it is not easy to do so. They may come across
many problems e.g. strange food, bad weather and no friends. Also when they
go back to their countries they need to get used to the culture again. It can
become a big problem if they cannot, because they might not be able to work
with others. Another disadvantage of studying abroad is selfishness. Selfconfidence could be self-destructive. Almost all students that study abroad are
very confident. It is good to be self-confident but at times it may become selfdestructive, since these students will not hear the ideas of others and believe in
only what they think which might make working with other people hard.
In conclusion, studying abroad is a good opportunity, but the advantages and
disadvantages must first be considered very carefully before deciding whether
or not to enter foreign universities.
(340 words)

Essay Practice

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Teachers should be paid
according to how much their students learn. Give specific reasons and examples to
support your opinion.

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General Essay Samples
9- The government is planning to set a higher driving age. The law will not
allow young people below 21 to drive.
Do you agree or disagree with this scheme? Use specific reasons to
support your opinion.
The media seem to have developed a grudge against teenage drivers recently.

They claim that these young people should not be allowed on the road because
they cause accidents, while teens cause no more accidents than adults do.
Incredibly the government seems to share this blind prejudice and is going to set
an unacceptably high driving age. Even if teens cause as much mayhem as the
government claims they do, they should be given a chance to improve on
themselves, not wait for themselves to become safer.
An extremely obvious fact that both the government and the media have
overlooked is that age does not make a person safe. This is why adults cause
just as many accidents as teenagers do. However, the government refuses to
see what is plainly under its nose and is going to set an unjust driving age in the
hope that it will reduce the country’s number of road accidents. Bear in mind that
adults, who have the exact same rate of accidents, are allowed to roam freely
on the road. This shows how biased the government is.
The high driving age also creates problems for all the young people who will not
be allowed to drive on their own, especially university students. They are usually
forced to take the highly unreliable and mismanaged public transport. As the
services are usually delayed or overloaded, it causes the young people to be
late for their daily commitments. They also have to pay more and suffer the
added frustration.
In conclusion, I believe instead of taking the easy way out, the government
should tackle the problem at its roots. Young people usually cause accidents
because of the lack of experience or awareness, or both. So the government
should provide education of some sort to help young people build these things.
(303 words)

Essay Practice

A friend of yours has received some money and plans to use all of it either o to go on
vacation or to buy a car. Your friend has asked you for advice. Compare your friend's
two choices and explain which one you think your friend should choose. Use specific

reasons and details to support your choice.

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General Essay Samples
10- Some people say that physical exercise should be a required part of
every school day. Other people believe that students should spend the
whole school day on academic studies.
What are the benefits of exercise? Use specific reasons to support your
opinion.
Most people need some motivation to get off the couch and begin exercising.
They have started to work out and then stopped their workout routine so many
times that they cannot keep track of the number of programs they have tried. In
fact, by statistics these people are among the average Iranians. There are many
benefits that arrive from the presence of exercise in our daily routine. Improved
strength, improved cardiovascular fitness, and an improved immune system are
just three of the many benefits that come from exercise.
First, strength is the power to resist strain or stress. Strength training, also
known as resistance training, has many benefits. By training over a regular
period of time your muscle tone will increase the muscle's readiness for work.
Increased muscle tone improves posture, which can help lead to a betterdeveloped physique. Following a resistance-training program you can expect to
find changes in your body shape.
Another benefit might also be the cardiovascular fitness. The heart is a muscle
that responds to exercise by becoming stronger and more efficient. The muscles
demand more energy and oxygen due to the increased workload that comes
from exercise. This causes the heart rate and respiratory rate to increase in
order to provide the required additional fuel to the muscles. In addition, the

entire circulatory system works more efficiently due to vascular dilation and
cholesterol reduction. By improving the condition of your cardiovascular fitness
you are also helping yourself live longer, decrease the risk of heart diseases,
lower the blood pressure, strengthen your cardiovascular system, and the list
goes on.
Regular physical activity appears to improve the functioning of the immune
system. Recent research suggests that people who exercise regularly come
down with fewer colds and flues than their sedentary friends. Regular physical
activity seems to strengthen the immune system so that it is better able to fight
the foreign germs that make our bodies sick.
In conclusion, exercise can be very beneficial if performed correctly and
efficiently.
(331 words)

Essay Practice

Why do you think some people are attracted to dangerous sports or other dangerous
activities? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

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11- Despite all the government’s efforts to decrease the number of car
accidents, this number is still on the rise.
In your opinion, how can the government help reduce the number of car
accidents?
Use specific reasons to support your opinion.

The number of vehicles on freeways and streets is increasing at an alarming
rate. This influx of motor vehicles is creating hazardous conditions. Moreover,
drivers are in such a rush to get to their destinations that many become angry or
impatient with other motorists who are too slow and although law enforcement
authorities warn motorists against aggressive driving, the number of drivers who
act out their angry impulses has not declined.
The first reason indeed is not legislating serious punishments for aggressive
driving. Legislating punishments for foolish behaviors is very crucial in order to
decrease the number of such accidents. At the same time police officers, who
have the right to arrest any driver who is drunk, should also have the right to
capture aggressive drivers as both drunk and foolishly behaving drivers threaten
the safety of motorways. In my opinion, the government should play its role in
controlling this phenomenon.
Besides, ignoring the traffic laws and regulations leads to more road accidents
and to decrease the number of road accidents, our drivers should be more
accurate in obeying these rules. For instance, they should look and signal
before overtaking other cars. They should also stop when they come to a
junction. This, consequently, would reduce the number of accidents which take
place daily on our motorways.
To conclude, careless and irresponsible drivers are endangering everyone
because they create hazardous conditions by acting and driving foolishly, the
drivers should control their anger and learn to drive safely. After all, the lives
they save could be their own.
(258 words)

Essay Practice
Should governments spend more money on improving roads and highways, or should
governments spend more money on improving public transportation (buses, trains,
subways)? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.

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General Essay Samples
12- Many students think school classes are boring and useless.
What are the factors leading to this problem?
Use specific reasons to support your opinion.
Students often remark that school is boring. This remark could be fueled by a
lackadaisical and truly inappropriate set of mandatory credits, lack of interest
towards subjects and an extremely boring method of teaching.
The main problem, Mandatory Credits, starts right at the top of the ladder.
Students are forced into classes they will not need and are taught skills that will
never be used. If a child is to become a mathematician why is he/she forced to
sit through classes where a teacher rambles on and breaks down a story that
will never be picked up in life again? Once this problem is figured out, students
will be more interested and encouraged in classes.
The second problem, lack of interest, is fueled by the same
mandatory credits. Why should a student be forced into taking a class where
they will simply be caught "snoozing" due to lack of interest. By this time a
student has given up and starts to hate school in general.
The third problem, drilling students, is found with the teachers themselves. A
student has to sit in class with his books open rewriting the same words being
said by the teachers. Why cannot they make it more hands-on, keep the
students into it? If teachers want results they should involve their students in the
learning process and avoid promoting passive leaning by using more practical
and interesting teaching methods.
In conclusion, I think in order to interest the students in school, the school
principles need to make significant changes in their education programs.

(258 words)

Essay Practice

It has recently been announced that a new high school may be built in your community.
Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details in your
answer.

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General Essay Samples
13- Some people believe hunting animals as a sport should not be
illegalized while others disagree.
What’s your opinion? Use specific reasons to support your opinion.
How many animals will be slaughtered before it is decided too many are dead?
Will species die out and fade into obscurity? With the large prevalence of
hunters in today's world, it is time to define what hunting is. Hunting is not a
sport due to its inability to follow the definition of a sport, the waste of precious
animal lives, and moral ethics.
Many people think that a sport should be fair to both sides. There should always
be a chance for the other team to win; otherwise there would not be a point.
Also, a sport should be fun for both sides. If it is not, then the sport stops being
recreational. A third reason is the fact that people participate in sports by choice.
An animal does not choose to be hunted, it is chosen by the hunter. It would
seem that hunting is no longer a sport: it is unfair to the animal, the animal is
definitely not having fun and the animal has absolutely no choice about
participating.

In addition, when People in the past hunted an animal, they would honour its
spirit. This was done because they believed that all creatures, including
humans, were equal in life. One of the ways they honoured the animal's spirit
was to use every portion of the body. They would use the skin for clothing or
shelter, the stomach for cooking, the meat for eating and many other portions for
various uses. This practice continued for hundreds of years. It still exists today.
Many modern day sport hunters do not follow this ideal. A lot of hunters stuff
and mount their kills as trophies, or decorations. This is a waste of the animal.
And finally if people believe that killing humans is wrong, why do they not
believe the same about wild animals? If a person walked into a gun store and
told the clerk that he/she was going to go hunting, the clerk would start setting
up the license. If the same person told the clerk that he/she was going to hunt
humans, the clerk would immediately set off the alarm and summon the police.
Then If it is wrong to kill humans in this manner, then it must be wrong to kill
animals in the same way.
In conclusion I believe to kill an animal out of necessity is understandable, but to
kill an animal for sport! That is unjust and should never occur.
(408 words)

Essay Practice
Many parts of the world are losing important natural resources, such as forests, animals,
or clean water. Choose one resource that is disappearing and explain why it needs to be
saved. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

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