Cause / Problem & Solution
1
Introduction
Sentence 1: Paraphrase the title
Sentence 2: State what the essay is about (these sentences work for ANY topic)
- There are a variety of possible reasons for this, but steps can be taken to tackle the problem.
- Although this issue takes roots in an array of causes, there are viable measures to mitigate it.
- An array of factors lead to this complicated issue, yet solutions do exist.
Being specific in your introduction leads to a higher score, but it’s OK to be general
2
Causes
This will be your first body paragraph. Essentially, you just have to list out 2 probable causes to a given issue.
- The most likely explanation regarding (topic – noun phrase) lies in the fact that …
- People may also attribute (topic – noun phrase) to the fact that …
- Another contributory factor is …
- (Topic – noun phrase) also partly stems from because …
3
Problems
As with causes, problems would be your first body paragraph, and you'd only need to think and develop 2 well thought-out ideas.
- This leads to many problems in/with/for…
- The foremost problem is the fact that...
- Furthermore, another associated issue is...
4
Solutions
When it comes to solutions, think of three places – the Government, schools or families (not always possible), and individuals.
As this will be your second body paragraph, use this great transition sentence:
- Initiatives can be implemented to improve this situation.
Further useful sentences:
- In the first instance, the Government/ authority needs to take steps to …
- Moreover, to mitigate this issue, educators must act swiftly to…
- In order to solve the problem of…
- Broadly, the problem can be addressed by…
Causes or Problems
You will either have to state the causes or the problems of a particular issue.
Do not argue with the issue. You must accept that is is an issue.
Remember: You don't have an opinion!
Honestly... you aren't going to solve these major issues. Think of realistic answers, you don't have to be right.
5
Essay Structure
Maintaining our favoured 4-paragraph structure:
- Introduction (no thesis statement, use an overview)
- Causes or Problems (Two developed ideas maximum)
- Solutions (Two developed ideas maximum)
- Conclusion
The body paragraphs still follow the TEEL structure of previous essay types.
You will not be asked for your opinion, so keep it objective!
Global warming is one of the biggest threats to our environment.
What causes global warming?
What solutions are there to this problem?
Climate change is currently recognized as an existential danger to the global ecosystem. Greenhouse gas emissions are the primary driver of this environmental crisis, but targeted international initiatives can be implemented to mitigate its devastating long-term impacts.
First of all, the relentless combustion of fossil fuels across industrial sectors is accelerating the rapid warming of the planet. Power generation, transportation networks, and heavy manufacturing rely overwhelmingly on coal, oil, and natural gas, which release immense volumes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere upon combustion. For instance, data from global environmental agencies confirms that carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants represent the largest individual source of rising global temperatures. Therefore, our deep systemic reliance on carbon-intensive energy sources acts as the fundamental catalyst for current atmospheric degradation.
Initiatives can be implemented to improve this situation. Governments must aggressively subsidize the development and deployment of renewable energy infrastructures, such as solar, wind, and tidal power grids. For example, nations like Denmark have dramatically shrunk their national carbon footprints by legally mandating transitions away from fossil fuels in favor of domestic wind energy production. Consequently, by prioritizing massive investment in clean energy technologies, legislative bodies can systematically dismantle the root cause of global warming.
In conclusion, global warming is primarily triggered by industrial greenhouse gas emissions, yet it can be actively combated through aggressive governmental investment in renewable energy infrastructures. If global societies fail to execute these critical ecological transitions immediately, future generations will inevitably inherit an unstable planet plagued by catastrophic weather patterns and severe resource scarcity.
Word Count: 271
Band Score: 9
The declining enlistment of young professionals into traditional trade sectors is creating a critical workforce deficit in many modern economies. This vocational shift is primarily driven by societal pressures favoring academic degrees, but systematic initiatives can be implemented to improve this situation and restore balance to the labor market.
To begin with, the deep-seated cultural stigma surrounding manual labor is actively deterring youth from entering trade occupations. For decades, educational systems and parenting trends have disproportionately promoted university education as the sole pathway to financial security and social prestige, marginalizing hands-on professions as lower-status options. To illustrate this point, recent employment data from global labor organizations indicates that over seventy percent of high school graduates are pushed toward corporate degrees, despite escalating tuition costs and a shrinking corporate job market. As a direct result, this systemic devaluation of essential vocational skills serves as the root cause behind the current generational shortage of skilled tradespeople.
Initiatives can be implemented to improve this situation.
Governments and educational institutions must collaborate to aggressively expand specialized technical apprenticeships and heavily subsidize vocational training programs in secondary schools. By way of example, countries like Germany have effectively mitigated labor shortages by utilizing a dual education system that integrates practical trade learning directly into the high school curriculum while guaranteeing high-paying employment upon completion. Accordingly, by elevating the financial incentives and structural prestige of vocational training, legislative bodies can systematically reverse the decline in trade enrollment.
In conclusion, the shortage of trade professionals stems from an overemphasis on traditional academic paths, yet it can be actively resolved through structural educational reforms and subsidized apprenticeships. Without an immediate cultural and legislative pivot toward elevating these vital technical sectors, future economies face the inevitable reality of collapsing infrastructure, inflated service costs, and unsustainable labor deficits.
Word Count: 278
Band Score: 9
Task Achievement
Well-developed ideas:
Rather than listing multiple general causes or solutions, the essay isolates one core idea per paragraph and fully expands it using a tight logical chain of explanation and concrete evidence.
Relevant examples:
The examples used (carbon data from environmental agencies and Denmark’s wind energy transition) are realistic, academically grounded, and perfectly validate the main arguments.
Coherence and Cohesion
Natural cohesion:
Cohesive devices ("First of all," "For instance," "Therefore," "Consequently") are used naturally to build a clear cause-and-effect relationship between ideas. Additionally, there is no repetition.
Clear ordering:
The 4-paragraph layout gives the reader immediate clarity. The introduction establishes a dual-pronged blueprint, the body paragraphs address the causes and solutions sequentially, and the conclusion synthesizes the findings.
Lexical Resource
Advanced collocations:
The essay avoids uses high-level topic vocabulary (e.g., existential danger, greenhouse gas emissions, relentless combustion, carbon-intensive energy sources, atmospheric degradation, clean energy technologies).
Precise paraphrasing:
The text skillfully avoids repetition by varying key terms, shifting effortlessly from global warming to climate change, environmental crisis, and ecological transitions.
Grammar
Syntactic Variety:
The response blends a wide variety of sentence structures, utilizing non-defining relative clauses ("...natural gas, which release immense volumes...") and compound-complex forms.
Punctuation as a tool:
Used with complete control to handle long, academic clauses, and there are no grammatical or mechanical errors.
Task Achievement
Complete coverage:
The text directly addresses both prompts. Paragraph two targets the underlying sociological causes (cultural stigma and academic bias), while paragraph three details a practical structural solution (the dual vocational model).
Concrete evidence:
The reference to Germany’s integrated secondary school model provides a realistic, existing precedent that establishes the feasibility of the proposed solution.
Coherence and Cohesion
Diversified transitions:
The text utilizes varied transition markers to indicate illustration and causation (e.g., "To begin with," "To illustrate this point," "As a direct result," "By way of example," and "Accordingly").
Smooth integration:
The beginning of the third paragraph functions smoothly as both a structural anchor and a thematic pivot into the solutions section.
Lexical Resource
Idiomatic and Formal:
The essay maintains an academic tone, selecting words based on their contextual accuracy (e.g., workforce deficit, deep-seated cultural stigma, marginalizing, systemic devaluation, subsidized apprenticeships).
Varied terminology:
To prevent repetition, the subject matter is framed through diverse phrasing throughout the text, shifting from traditional trade sectors to vocational training, hands-on professions, and essential technical sectors.
Grammar
Complex sentences:
The essay frequently uses non-finite verbs (participles and gerunds) to embed additional layers of information smoothly without cluttering the sentences with excessive clauses.
Sentence Variety:
The writing features a balanced mix of compound and complex sentences, effectively using relative clauses ("...system that integrates...") and gerund structures ("...toward elevating these vital technical sectors...").
Important to note!
The examiner does not care what you really think.
It is a test of your English ability only.
Hence, although you need good ideas, the task is assessing your writing only.
In many countries, fewer young people are choosing to pursue careers in traditional trade industries, such as plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry, leading to severe labor shortages.
What are the primary causes of this trend? What measures can be taken to resolve this problem?
