FOUNDATION 2
UNIT 7
WRITING
Exercise 1. Before planning your IELTS Writing Task 2 essay, you need to have enough ideas.
If you know the IELTS topics well, you will have more ideas of what to write. Match the topics
in the box with the essay questions.
culture culture family or friends food and drink free time
history shopping travel work or studies work or studies
1. Today many parents spend less time with their children than parents in the past. Some people
say that this is a serious problem. Do you agree or disagree? Family or friends
2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for countries where governments spend a lot of
money on museums and monuments. Culture
3. Some people believe that drinking water is the most important part of being healthy while others
think eating fruit is. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Food and drink
4. A lot of people want to get a university education. Discuss the arguments for and against going
to university. Work or studies
5. In some countries it is traditional for men to work and women to stay to look after the family.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this? Culture
6. Some people think that nurses should be paid more than teachers while others believe that
teachers deserve higher pay than nurses. Compare both opinions and give your own view.
Work or studies
7. Traffic in big cities is increasing. What are the problems associated with too much traffic and
what could the solutions be? Travel
8. Some people prefer to buy things online while others choose to go into a shop. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of shopping in these ways? Shopping
9. Knowing the history of their country is very important to some people. What is your opinion
about this? History
10. Many people prefer to watch sport on TV rather than playing it themselves. Why is this case?
What problems can this cause? Free time
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Exercise 2. Look at the map and the pictures of famous museums and landmarks. Match the
countries with the places.
Australia Russia Egypt Zambia/Zimbabwe Peru Greece
China Algeria
Picture 1: Tipasa: Algeria Picture 5: Uluru: Australia
Picture 2: The Acropolis: Greece Picture 6: The Vitoria Falls: Zambia/Zimbabwe
Picture 3: The Hermitage: Russia Picture 7: The pyramids: Egypt
Picture 4: The Great Wall: China Picture 8: Machu Picchu: Peru
Exercise 3. Read the IELTS Writing Task 2 question.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for countries where governments spend a lot of money
on museums and landmarks.
One way to have enough ideas of what to write is to do a mind-map activity like the
‘six-question technique’.
Complete the mind map. Use the questions in the box.
How? My opinion? What? ? Who? Why?
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1. Governments of
countries with enough
money/ countries where
there are big museums or
famous landmarks
Discuss the advantages
and disadvantages for
6. think it’s a good countries where
idea because 3. Governments
governments spend a lot
culture is want people to be
of money on museum
important but I happy and create
and landmarks. tourism
think healthcare is
more important
My opinion? Why?
4. museum = the heritage
5. Government spend taxes Museum, Russia.
on the museum/ landmarks Landmarks = the Pyramids,
Egypt
How? Where?
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Exercise 4. Read the IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for countries where governments spend a lot of money
on museums and landmarks.
Use the phrases in the box to complete the student’s essay notes.
attract tourists for education and health good and bad points happiness
landmarks and school/ hospitals rich cultural life
services like healthcare are more important
Introduction :
True = some governments use a lot of tax income for museums and landmarks. In my view, this has
both good and bad points
Advantages:
1. Provides rich cultural life
2. Increases happiness
3. Landmarks Attract tourists
Disadvantages:
1. Less money for education and health
2. Some countries must choose between landmarks and school/ hospitals
Conclusion:
There are advantages and disadvantages. Although it is a good idea, I think
services like healthcare are more important.
Exercise 5. Use the student’s notes to help you complete the essay. Write the correct word or
phrase in each gap.
Student’s notes:
Introduction:
True = some governments use a lot of tax income for museums and landmarks. In my view, this has
both good and bad points.
Advantages:
1. Provide rich culture life
2. Increases happiness
3. Landmarks attract tourists
Disadvantages:
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1. Less money for education and health
2. Some countries must choose between landmarks and schools/ hospitals
Conclusion:
There are advantages and disadvantages. Although it is a good idea, I think services like healthcare
are more important.
There is no doubt that governments of countries with enough money use a lot of tax income for
museums and landmarks. In my view, this has good and bad points: looking after the culture of any
country is important but services like healthcare are more important. In this essay, I am going to
discuss the advantages and disadvantages of supporting museums and landmarks financially and
lastly, give my opinion.
On the one hand, governments spending taxes on museums and landmarks has clear advantages.
Providing a rich cultural life for the population increases national happiness. Landmarks that are
looked after well also attract tourists. For example, a lot of Russians visit the Hermitage Museum in
St. Petersburg and think it is an important part of their country. The pyramids in Egypt are important
to the local economy with lots of visitors staying in hotels nearby and going to shops and restaurants.
On the other hand, if the government spends taxes on museums and landmarks it has less money to
spend on services like education and health. Some countries that have famous landmarks must
choose between looking after them and spending the money on schools and hospitals. In Zimbabwe,
for example, looking after the roads, paths and land near the Victoria Falls costs as much money as
paying for several schools and medical centers.
In conclusion, there are advantages and disadvantages to a government supporting museums and
landmarks with taxes. Although, I think it is a good idea, I think services like healthcare are more
important.
Exercise 6. Look at the six-question plan that a student wrote for this task. Read the essay and
find the information to complete the student’s notes.
There is no doubt that some nations do not earn enough income to support their cultural attractions.
In my opinion, these countries should spend most money on the museums and landmarks that will
provide the highest profit for the country. In this essay, I am going to discuss some of the difficulties
associated with not looking after museums and landmarks and give some possible answers to them.
On the one hand, it might be difficult for countries without high tax incomes to look after their
museums and landmarks. Some countries need to spend money first on schools and hospitals. This
might cause famous paintings or monuments to be damaged or for people to forget about their
country's history. For example, in 2011 I visited a Roman town in Algeria called Tipasa. The
government does not have enough money to support it and so the local people do not learn much
about it.
On the other hand, spending money on cultural attractions can make a profit. Famous museums and
landmarks attract tourists and these visitors spend a lot of money. The people then pay more taxes
and the government has more money to spend on things like healthcare. In Greece most tourists who
go to Athens want to visit the Acropolis where they spend money in gift shops and cafés. It is,
therefore, important that the Greek government looks after the Acropolis.
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In conclusion, if countries without a lot of money pay for the cultural attractions that will make the
most profit for the country, they can then spend that money on important services like healthcare.
1. Who am I writing about? 2. What are the problems?
Nations which do not earn enough income to Some countries need to spend money first on
support their cultural attractions. schools and hospital.
What are the solutions?
3. Why it is important to find solutions? Nations without a lot of money should at least
If countries don’t support their cultural pay for the cultural attractions that will make the
attractions, this might cause famous paintings or most profit for the country.
monuments to be damaged or people to forget
about their history . 5. How does the solution work?
Spending money on cultural attractions can
4. Where will I write about? make a profit. Famous museums and landmarks
Tipasa in Algeria. The Acropolis in Athens, attract tourists and these visitors spend a lot of
Greece. money.
6. My opinion?
If countries without a lot of money pay for the
cultural attractions that will make the most
profit for the country. They can then spend that
money on important services like healthcare.
Exercise 7. Complete the essay with the correct forms of the verbs in
brackets.
Some countries may not have enough money to look after their museums and landmarks. What are some of
the problems associated with not looking after museums and landmarks, and what are some of the possible
solutions?
There is no doubt that some nations do not earn (earn) enough income to support their cultural attractions. In
my opinion, these countries should spend most money on the museums and landmarks that will provide the
highest profit for the country. In this essay, I am going (go) to discuss some of the difficulties associated with
not looking after museums and landmarks and give some possible answers to them.
On the one hand, it might (might) be difficult for countries without high tax incomes to look after their
museums and landmarks. Some countries need to spend money first on schools and hospitals. This might
cause famous paintings or monuments to be (be) damaged or for people to forget about their country's history.
For example, in 2011, I visited (visit) a Roman town in Algeria called Tipasa. The government does (do) not
have enough money to support it and so the local people do (do) not learn much about it.
On the other hand, spending money on cultural attractions can make a profit. Famous museums and landmarks
attract tourists and these visitors spend a lot of money. The people then pay (pay) more taxes and the
government has (have) more money to spend on things like healthcare. In Greece most tourists who go to
Athens want to visit the Acropolis where they spend money in gift shops and cafés. It is, therefore, important
that the Greek government looks (look) after the Acropolis.
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In conclusion, if countries without a lot of money pay for the cultural attractions that will make the
most profit for the country, they can then spend that money on important services like healthcare.
Exercise 8. WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
In some countries it is traditional for men to work and women to stay
at home to look after the family. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of this?
Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.
Sample response:
In many countries men earn money while women remain at home to raise the
children. This situation has both benefits and drawbacks, and in this essay, I will
look at both.
One of the main advantages of the man going to work and the woman taking
care of the children is that when they are young, children benefit from spending
time with their mothers, and grow up feeling looked after. For example, my
mother regularly took us to the beach when we were younger and played
games with us in the evenings. This made us feel happy and loved. Mothers who
do not have to go out to work will have more time and energy to devote to
looking after the home and family, without the stress and pressure of having a
job at the same time.
On the other hand, a disadvantage of the situation is that mothers might not get
as many opportunities to work if they are always at home with their children. In
my country, a lot of families need both parents to earn money because the cost
of living is high. It is much easier to buy what your children need if there are two
incomes. It would be good if mothers could stop work when their children are
small but start work again when they are older.
Furthermore, many women want to do more in life than just look after children,
and once the children are older, they would prefer to have a job to do outside
the home.
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To summarise, although it is very good for young children to have the complete
attention of a loving mother, there may be more disadvantages for the family
because they will have less money to spend, and the mother may wish to have
a career as well.
(301 Words)
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