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both sides essay

both sides essay

In an IELTS both sides and opinion essay you need to discuss each side of an argument using the third person (people believe). You should save your opinion and use the first person (I think) in the final paragraph.A typical question is shown below
Computers are being used more and more in education. Some people say that learning online is the best way to learn, whereas some claim that it is still better to attend a class with a teacher.

Example question:

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic .

Some people believe that there should be fixed punishments for each type of crime. Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for committing it, should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
You should write at least 250 words. You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence .

Steps in Planning your Essay :
1.Underline key vocabulary in the question and write words with the same or related meaning.
2.Decide what kind of response is needed.
3.Brainstorm key points for the answer.
4.Decide on the structure of the essay.

Steps in writing your Essay 
INTRODUCTION:  
1.Paraphrase the question
2.This essay discusses [SIDE A], and [SIDE B], and then I will give my own opinion.

BODY:
3.Write topic sentences for each body paragraph
[SIDE A] On one side of the argument there are people who argue that…..
[SIDE B] On the other hand,….. 

CONCLUSION: 
4.SIGNAL OPINION: “In conclusion, I believe that…”
5.Usually you can say that both sides have merits
6.State which side is stronger and the reason
Some people believe that there should be fixed punishments for each type of crime. Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for committing it, should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

One of the highly controversial issues today relates to whether to use standardised penalties or flexible ones. This essay examines this question from both points of view and then I will give my own perspective on the matter.

On one side of the argument there are people who argue that the benefits of standardised punishments considerably outweigh its disadvantages. The main reason for believing this is that it is more efficient and cheaper to manage. One good illustration of this is parking tickets. If every one of these had to go to court and be ruled upon by a judge and jury this would be very expensive and waste a lot of people’s time. It is also possible to say that this system is fairer because every person is treated the same regardless of race or gender.

On the other hand, it is also possible to make the opposing case. It is often argued that in fact it is better to consider the situation and reason of a crime. People often have this opinion because sometimes people are forced to commit a crime such as murder due to reasons like self-defence. Clearly, this should be considered in sentencing for the crime. A second point is that the reason for a crime should be taken into account. A particularly good example here is that someone who steals food to feed their family shouldn’t be punished as someone who steals a watch because they want to look wealthy.

In conclusion, I believe both arguments have their merits. On balance, however, I tend to feel that it is better to decide the penalty on a case-by-case basis, as getting the right decision is more important than the justice system saving money.
[288 words]

Structuring an IELTS essay using key vocabulary 
The template below contains about 130 words for an IELTS essay!
One of the highly controversial issues today relates to whether A or B [A + B =both sides of the argument]. ……………. In this essay, I am going to examine this question from both points of view and then give my own opinion on the matter.
On one side of the argument there are people who argue that the benefits of ……………. considerably outweigh its disadvantages. The main reason for believing this is that …………………. It is also possible to say that …….One good illustration of this is ………….
On the other hand, it is also possible to make the opposing case. It is often argued that in fact ……….. People often have this opinion because …………… A second point is that ………..A particularly good example here is…………..
In conclusion, I believe that both arguments have their merits. On balance, however, I tend to feel that ……………..
The language from this template is used in the essay below:

Some people believe that there should be the death penalty for extremely serious crimes. Others believe that it is not morally correct to kill criminals  
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

 One of the most controversial issues today relates to whether to use  capital punishment or not.In this essay, I am going to examine this question from both points of view and then give my own perspective on the matter.

On one side of the argument there are people who argue that the benefits of killing violent criminals considerably outweigh its disadvantages. The main reason for believing this is that the fear of execution acts as a deterrent to commit serious crimes such as rape and murder. It is also possible to say that the execution of a criminal may bring relief to the suffering victims. One good illustration of this is when Sadam Hussein was executed. Many of the victims who were persecuted under his rule expressed joy and relief when he was finally captured and killed. 

On the other hand, it is also possible to make the opposing case. It is often argued that in fact sentencing criminals to death is just committing another murder. People often have this opinion because they think that it is immoral to take another person’s life, no matter what the reason is. A second point is that many religions are opposed to any form of murder. A particularly good example here is from the bible, which lists killing another person as one of the Ten Commandments that should not be broken. 

In conclusion, I believe that both arguments have their merits. On balance, however, I tend to believe that capital punishment is justified in cases of extreme crime and that deterring violent crime is more important than taking the moral high ground espoused in the bible. 

[267 words]

27 thoughts on “both sides essay”

  1. Does this essay qualifies in light of grammar esp with range of complex sentences.A timely reply would be really appreciated

    Reply
    • This type of question is asked for the academic and general test and so it’s relevant for both.
      There aren’t a lot of differences between task two for the academic and general test.
      The key point for the academic test is that you need to write a report.

      Reply
  2. Hello Mike, in the “Task Analysis for a Both Sides and Opinion Essay” section on your website, you’ve said that “A typical error students make is to not say sufficient about their opinion. One sentence is clearly not enough to get to 7”. In writings on this section, you pointed your own opinion just in the last sentence of conclusion. I want to ask you an explanation of what exactly you mean by “one sentence”. Thanks a lot !

    Reply
  3. Does the examiners will understand that the examinees used a template, and give a low score? Please contact me, for I need to know more about your specific guidance.

    Reply
    • I understand your concern and let me make a few key points and then if you still have some questions please ask me
      1. Examiners will penalise for memorised language, but not for language used for structural purposes. “This essay discusses” is okay to use. “The world has become one big global village” is not okay to use because it’s an obvious memorise phrase that examiners have seen over and over again.
      2. Templates work really well, but if you’re aiming for a score of eight or more you’re going to have to highly customise these to the specific task instructions. This is important. Getting to 8 requires a high degree of precision.

      Reply
    • Sorry, I do not get the point of your message…please explain.

      Reply
  4. HI,thanks a late for your videos and useful tips. do you have temple for other type of question?

    Reply
  5. Hi, Mr. Wattie. I just have a question about the question type in writing task 2. I’ve seen some topics with the question like “what are the advantages and disadvantages of it” or ” Do the advantages outweigh its disadvantages?” So what type of essay should it be and what structure should we use? Thank you ~

    Reply
  6. Very well defined structure with ease in everything. I am a teacher and I have been following the same criteria for 7 months and it is amazing. Thank you Mike.

    Reply
    • Thanks, and good luck with your teaching. Let me know if you ever need any IELTS specific guidance.

      Reply
  7. Excellent article, well organised structured. 140 words of standardized template. student now can focus on just 110+ Words, consisting of good vocabulary and sentence for the given topic(both-side-essay).

    Reply
  8. But IELTS is a scam ND THEY will give 6.5 based on your profile. Racial profiling! They send all papers to India these days and no writing has been checked in Australia. In India, the remote robot will give you 6.5 straight or 6.0. Or they just give you the same what you had in the past. Dr Jay Jericho from Sydney has some good videos on youtube regarding this. One Australian Journalist ( a native speaker) sat the test by giving false info such as his first language code is XX ( not English). What a shock! He scored 6.5. He knows TR, CC, GR and Lex. He was also an ex examiner in China. Try PTE and forget IELTS. It is a money spinner. Many students studied smart and hard and worked on errors plus topic specific vocabulary ( given by Cambridge authors Pauline Cullen). Yet, the score remained the same.

    Reply
    • Sorry, I don’t agree with your opinions. How do YOU know all the papers are marked in India? I have been marking paper recently and I have friends that are currently doing so and none of us are in India!

      Reply
  9. There is an ambiguity regarding the structure of this type of essays. The majority of websites assert that you should include your own opinion in the introduction also. I read the band 7 description which reveal that you should show your opinion (throuhout) the all essay .. I feel alert as i cannot decide which is the most appropriate approach. I wonder if you could possibly advice us on that matter. Thanks a lot

    Reply
    • I hear what you are saying! The range of views, even amongst examiners, on this causes a problem. One solution is to modify the last sentence I propose for the introduction to “This essay discusses both sides of this argument and why I believe that [your opinion].”
      Now back to some other points. If the grading criteria do require your opinion in the introduction for every essay then this means you MUST also give your opinion when you are given a problem and solution essay. Doesn’t this seem ridiculous? You will give your opinion even though you’re not asked for it… and even though giving an opinion doesn’t fit with the task instructions. Absurd! Band seven says that your “position must be clear throughout” and not your opinion. These words have different meanings. A position can be more of a point of focus rather than an actual opinion.

      Reply

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