Question 1
In some countries, young people are encouraged to work or travel
for a year between finishing high school and starting university
studies.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who
decide to do this.
Question 2
Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a
foreign language at primary schools rather than secondary schools.
Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Question 1 simply asks us to discuss the advantages and
disadvantages. It does not ask for our opinion or says which side is
better or worse, so we should not include this information in our
answer.
This requires a simple structure in which the student will look at the
advantages in one paragraph and the disadvantages in the other.
Question 2 is different because we have to say if the advantages are
stronger than the disadvantages. Notice I didn’t say ‘if there are
more advantages than disadvantages’. The question is not asking
you to talk about numbers but comment on the overall weight of the
advantages or disadvantages. For example, there are many
advantages to travelling by private jet, but there is one huge
disadvantage (the cost) that stops most people from flying that way,
and therefore the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.
In this example, we will have to decide which side (advantages or
disadvantages) is stronger, affecting our structure. If you choose
advantages, you will have to say why these are much stronger than
the disadvantages and why the disadvantages don’t hold much
weight. You would also have to make this clear in your thesis
statement.
Structure for Essay 1
Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase question
Sentence 2- Outline sentence
Supporting Paragraph 1 (Advantages)
Sentence 3- Topic sentence (2 Advantages)
Sentence 4- Explain first advantage
Sentence 5- Explain second advantage
Sentence 6- Example of second advantage
Supporting Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages)
Sentence 6- Topic sentence (2 Disadvantages)
Sentence 7- Explain first disadvantage
Sentence 8- Explain second disadvantage
Sentence 9- Example of second disadvantage
Conclusion
Sentence 9- Summary of main points
Structure for Essay 2
Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase question
Sentence 2- Thesis statement (state which one outweighs the
other)
Sentence 3- Outline sentence
Main Body Paragraph 1 (Stronger Side)
Sentence 4- Topic Sentence
Sentence 5- Explain why it is strong
Sentence 6- Example
Sentence 7- Topic Sentence
Sentence 8- Explain why it is strong
Sentence 9- Example
Main Body Paragraph 2 (Weaker Side)
Sentence 10- Topic Sentence
Sentence 11- Explain why it is not strong
Sentence 12- Example
Conclusion
Sentence 13- Summary of main points and restate position.
Question 1 Advantages and Disadvantages Sample Answer
In some countries, young people are encouraged to work or travel for a
year between finishing high school and starting university studies.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide
to do this.
Before college, many young people are advised that a year of working or
travelling may be a good option. This essay will suggest that experience
gained and money saved are the biggest advantages of this, but delaying
careers and reducing motivation to study are the primary disadvantages.
The main advantages of a gap year are learning more about the world and
earning money. For students who have just finished secondary school,
working or travelling for a year will allow them to learn what life is like
outside of the education system. Also, third-level education is very
expensive, and many students decide to work for 12 months and save
money before they begin their studies. The average student at a UK
university requires over £10,000 per annum to survive, and many drop out
because they cannot afford to stay.
Despite these advantages, students lose a year that could have been used
to advance their future careers, and they often get used to working or
travelling and don’t want to return to a life of study. As job markets are very
competitive, an extra year of experience can make a massive difference
when applying for jobs, and those who took a gap year are at a
disadvantage. Moreover, some decide to bypass university altogether and
go straight into a job that is beneath their capabilities or may not offer the
same prospects their future career might have. For instance, jobs in the
service industry arQuestion 2 Advantages and Disadvantages
Sample Answer
Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a
foreign language at primary schools rather than secondary schools.
Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Some authorities think that it is more favourable for pupils to begin
studying languages at primary school instead of secondary school.
This essay will argue that the advantages of this outweigh the
drawbacks. The essay will first demonstrate that the earlier
someone learns an additional language, the more likely they are to
master it and that it brings added cognitive benefits, followed by an
analysis of how the primary disadvantage, namely confusion with
their native tongue, is not valid.
The main reason to start kids off with foreign languages early is
that this increases the likelihood they will achieve fluency in
adulthood. That is to say that they will have far more years to
perfect their skills, and speaking bilingually will seem perfectly
normal. For example, in countries such as Holland and Norway,
where English is taught from a very young age, most adults speak it
at an advanced level. Learning a second language also helps to
improve overall cognitive abilities. In other words, it benefits the
overall development of a child’s brain. It is well known that bi-lingual
children are significantly more likely to score higher in Mathematics
and Science.
Those opposed to this say that it causes the child to become
confused between their mother tongue and the other language.
However, there is actually no evidence to support this view and
children from bilingual families do just as well in both languages.
My son was brought up speaking both Vietnamese and English and
outperforms most of his classmates in both.
On balance, the fact that early foreign language learning leads to
higher fluency and improved brain function clearly outweighs the
flawed argument that it impairs the uptake of native languages.
e easy to get without a third-level education, and many gap students fill
these roles only to be stuck in them for the rest of their lives.
In conclusion, taking a break from studies can be advantageous if it allows
people to accumulate savings or learn more about the world. However, they
should also be careful that it does not delay the start of their careers and
lead to disillusionment with education.
