IELTS Model Essay - Advantages vs Disadvantages Essay Question

Question:

In many countries, there has been a significant increase in the number of people working from home. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

How do I plan my answer?

Here's a suggested approach for planning your paragraphs:

Introduction:

• Provide a brief overview of the topic and introduce the trend of increasing remote work.

• State your thesis or main argument, which should indicate that you will discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of working from home.

Paragraph 1: Advantages

• Start with a topic sentence stating the first advantage of working from home.

• Provide supporting details or examples to illustrate the advantage.

• Explain how this advantage contributes to the well-being or productivity of individuals.

• Repeat this process for each advantage you want to discuss, dedicating one paragraph to each advantage.

Paragraph 2: Disadvantages

• Begin with a topic sentence introducing the first disadvantage of working from home.

• Present specific examples or evidence to support the disadvantage.

• Explain the negative implications or challenges posed by this disadvantage.

• Continue with additional paragraphs for each disadvantage, following the same structure.

Conclusion:

• Restate your thesis and summarize the main advantages and disadvantages discussed.

• Provide a balanced perspective, acknowledging that while there are advantages, there are also drawbacks.

• Conclude with a final thought or recommendation, such as suggesting measures to mitigate the disadvantages or emphasizing the importance of finding a balance between remote work and traditional office environments.

Remember to maintain a clear structure, use appropriate linking words and phrases to connect your ideas, and support your arguments with relevant examples and evidence throughout your essay.

Show Band 8 + Sample answer

In recent years, the prevalence of remote work has experienced a remarkable surge across numerous nations. This phenomenon has brought about both advantageous and disadvantageous outcomes. This essay will delve into the various benefits and drawbacks of this trend, highlighting its impact on individuals and society as a whole.

On the positive side, working from home offers a range of advantages. Firstly, it provides employees with greater flexibility and work-life balance. By eliminating the daily commute and allowing individuals to create their own schedules, remote work enables workers to allocate more time for personal pursuits and family responsibilities. This leads to increased job satisfaction and overall well-being.

Secondly, remote work has the potential to enhance productivity. Without the distractions and interruptions present in a traditional office setting, employees can focus more effectively on their tasks. Moreover, technology has facilitated seamless communication and collaboration, enabling remote teams to work efficiently across different time zones. This flexibility not only boosts productivity but also promotes diversity and inclusivity in the workforce by accommodating individuals with disabilities or caregiving responsibilities. However, working from home also entails certain disadvantages. One prominent issue is the blurring of boundaries between work and personal life. With the absence of physical separation, individuals may find it challenging to disconnect from work, leading to increased stress and burnout. Additionally, the lack of face-to-face interaction and socializing opportunities can result in feelings of isolation and reduced team cohesion.

Furthermore, remote work may hinder career progression for some individuals. Without direct visibility and in-person networking opportunities, employees working remotely may have limited access to mentorship, promotions, and professional development. This can potentially create inequalities and hinder upward mobility in certain industries.

In conclusion, the rise of remote work has both advantages and disadvantages. It offers individuals flexibility and improved work-life balance while potentially boosting productivity and inclusivity. However, challenges such as work-life imbalance, isolation, and limited career progression need to be carefully addressed. To fully harness the benefits of remote work, organizations and policymakers should prioritize the implementation of supportive policies, such as ensuring work-life balance, providing opportunities for professional growth, and fostering virtual collaboration and social interaction.

Word count: 294

Why is this a good answer?

This is a good essay for several reasons:

1. Strong thesis statement: The essay starts with a clear and concise thesis statement that states the topic (advantages vs disadvantages of remote work) and sets the direction for the rest of the essay.

2. Well-organized structure: The essay follows a logical structure with clear paragraph divisions. It begins with an introduction that introduces the topic and thesis statement, followed by body paragraphs that discuss the advantages and disadvantages of remote work, and concludes with a thoughtful conclusion.

3. Balanced approach: The essay examines both the advantages and disadvantages of remote work, presenting a balanced view. It acknowledges the positive aspects such as flexibility, improved work-life balance, and increased productivity, while also addressing the challenges of work-life imbalance, isolation, and limited career progression.

4. Coherent arguments and examples: Each paragraph presents a well-developed argument supported by relevant examples and explanations. The advantages and disadvantages are clearly explained, and the writer provides specific details to support their points. The use of technology, productivity, work-life balance, and career progression are some of the key aspects discussed.

5. Vocabulary and language use: The essay demonstrates a strong command of vocabulary, using a range of academic and descriptive words. The language is clear, concise, and appropriate for an IELTS essay. The writer also employs various sentence structures, contributing to the overall coherence and coherence of the essay.

6. Critical thinking: The essay goes beyond simply listing advantages and disadvantages. It critically analyzes the implications of remote work on individuals and society, addressing the potential impact on job satisfaction, well-being, diversity, and career progression. The writer offers thoughtful insights and suggests possible solutions or considerations.

Overall, this essay effectively presents a well-rounded analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of remote work, supported by strong arguments, specific examples, and a balanced perspective. It showcases the writer's ability to articulate ideas, use appropriate vocabulary, and structure an essay in a cohesive and coherent manner, which are key criteria for a high band score in IELTS.

Advanced Vocabulary List:

Here are some advanced vocabulary used in the above essay:

• Prevalence (noun): The state of being widespread or common. Example: "In recent years, the prevalence of remote work has experienced a remarkable surge."

• Phenomenon (noun): A remarkable occurrence or event. Example: "This phenomenon has brought about both advantageous and disadvantageous outcomes."

• Delve into (phrasal verb): To explore or investigate in depth. Example: "This essay will delve into the various benefits and drawbacks of this trend."

• Allocated (verb): To assign or designate something for a particular purpose. Example: "By eliminating the daily commute and allowing individuals to create their own schedules, remote work enables workers to allocate more time for personal pursuits."

• Promote (verb): To contribute to the growth or development of something. Example: "Moreover, technology has facilitated seamless communication and collaboration, enabling remote teams to work efficiently across different time zones. This flexibility not only boosts productivity but also promotes diversity and inclusivity in the workforce."

• Accommodate (verb): To adapt or adjust to suit a particular purpose or need. Example: "By accommodating individuals with disabilities or caregiving responsibilities, remote work promotes diversity and inclusivity in the workforce."

• Blurring of boundaries (phrase): The merging or confusion of different aspects or roles. Example: "One prominent issue is the blurring of boundaries between work and personal life."

• Burnout (noun): A state of physical, mental, or emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged stress or overwork. Example: "With the absence of physical separation, individuals may find it challenging to disconnect from work, leading to increased stress and burnout."

• Visibility (noun): The state of being visible or noticed. Example: "Without direct visibility and in-person networking opportunities, employees working remotely may have limited access to mentorship, promotions, and professional development."

• Inclusivity (noun): The practice or policy of including people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized. Example: "This flexibility not only boosts productivity but also promotes diversity and inclusivity in the workforce."

• Cohesion (noun): The action or state of sticking together or uniting as a whole. Example: "The lack of face-to-face interaction and socializing opportunities can result in feelings of isolation and reduced team cohesion."

• Upward mobility (noun phrase): The ability to move up or progress to a higher social or professional position. Example: "Without direct visibility and in-person networking opportunities, employees working remotely may have limited access to mentorship, promotions, and professional development. This can potentially hinder upward mobility in certain industries."

Show Band 7 Sample Answer

In recent years, working from home has become much more common in many countries. This change has both positive and negative effects on people and society. In this essay, I will discuss some of the main advantages and disadvantages of this trend.

One clear advantage is that people have more flexibility when working from home. They can often choose when to start and finish their work, which makes it easier to manage personal and family time. Also, without the need to travel to work, people can save time and reduce stress from commuting. This can lead to better work-life balance and higher job satisfaction.

Another benefit is that many people feel more productive at home. In a quiet environment without office distractions, they can focus better and finish tasks faster. Technology also makes it easy to talk with coworkers, even if they are in different places. This can help companies to include people who live far away or who need special working conditions.

However, there are also some disadvantages to working from home. One problem is that it can be hard to separate work and personal life. Some people may end up working longer hours or find it difficult to relax after work. This can lead to stress or burnout over time.

Another issue is the lack of face-to-face communication. Without seeing coworkers every day, people might feel lonely or disconnected. It can also be harder to work as a team or build strong relationships. In some cases, people who work from home may miss chances for training, promotion, or building a network, which can slow down their career growth.

In conclusion, working from home has both good and bad sides. It offers freedom and comfort for many people, but it can also bring challenges like isolation and work pressure. To make the most of this trend, it is important for employers to support remote workers and help them stay connected and healthy.

Why is this a good answer?

1. It answers the question clearly. The essay does exactly what the task asks: it talks about both advantages and disadvantages of working from home. The ideas are relevant and balanced.

2. It’s well-organized and easy to follow. Each paragraph has a clear topic:

• Introduction

• Advantages

• More advantages

• Disadvantages

• More disadvantages

• Conclusion

  
  

  There are also smooth transitions like “One clear advantage…” and “Another issue is…” which guide the reader through the points.

  
  

3. The grammar is mostly accurate and varied.

It uses both simple and complex sentence structures correctly. For example:

“Without seeing coworkers every day, people might feel lonely or disconnected.

”That’s a complex sentence with a conditional idea — not too fancy, but it works well.

4. The vocabulary is good but not too difficult. Words like “flexibility,” “productive,” “burnout,” “career growth” are just right for Band 7. They show a solid range of vocabulary, but the writer isn’t trying too hard to sound academic or formal.

5. The tone is clear and neutral. The essay sounds natural and well-balanced. It doesn’t exaggerate or go off-topic.

Summary:

A Band 7 essay doesn’t need to use complicated words or sound like a university professor. It just needs to show:

• Clear ideas

• Good structure

• Mostly accurate grammar

• A range of vocabulary

• A thoughtful and balanced answer

Band 7 Vocabulary List:

✅ General Topic Vocabulary

Word/Phrase	Meaning	Example from Essay
working from home	doing your job at home instead of in an office	Working from home has become much more common…
trend	a general direction in which something is developing	…the advantages and disadvantages of this trend.
flexibility	the ability to change or choose freely	One clear advantage is that people have more flexibility…
work-life balance	the balance between time spent at work and time for personal life	…can lead to better work-life balance and job satisfaction.
job satisfaction	how happy someone is with their job	…can lead to better work-life balance and job satisfaction.

✅ Technology and Productivity

Word/Phrase	Meaning	Example
productive	able to do a lot of work in a good way	Many people feel more productive at home.
tasks	pieces of work to be done	…focus better and finish tasks faster.
distractions	things that take your attention away	…without office distractions…
communication	the act of talking or exchanging information	Technology also makes it easy to talk with coworkers…
coworkers	people who work at the same place	…even if they are in different places.

✅ Challenges and Disadvantages

Word/Phrase	Meaning	Example
separate	to keep things apart	…hard to separate work and personal life.
stress	pressure or worry caused by work or life problems	This can lead to stress or burnout…
burnout	extreme tiredness or exhaustion from too much work	…lead to stress or burnout over time.
isolation	feeling alone or disconnected from others	People might feel lonely or disconnected.
career growth / career progression	moving forward in your job or getting promotions	…may miss chances for training, promotion, or building a network…

✅ Useful Linking Words and Phrases

Phrase	Use
One clear advantage…	Introduces the first benefit
Another benefit is…	Adds a second benefit
However,	Shows contrast
Another issue is…	Adds a second problem
In conclusion…	Signals the final paragraph and summary