The two example questions are:

Governments should spend more money on education than on recreation and sports.Do you
agree or disagree?
Most high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many
developed countries is more than 50 percent female. Companies should be required to allocate
a certain percentage of these positions to women.Do you agree?
I recommend that students should completely agree or disagree with the statement in these kinds of
questions. This will lead to a clear argument and a more coherent essay. You can show the other side
of the argument in concession statements, but these should be only one or two sentences.
Concession statements are used to briefly show the other side of the argument. Also, don’t let
personal feelings get involved. The examiner does not have to agree with your opinion and you do
not have to write about how you actually feel about the issue. Pick the side you feel most
comfortable writing about i.e. the one you can back up with explanations and examples.
Structure
I recommend a simple four paragraph structure.
Paragraph 1- Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question
Sentence 2- Thesis Statement
Sentence 3- Outline Statement
Paragraph 2- Supporting Paragraph 1
Sentence 1- Topic Sentence
Sentence 2- Explain Topic Sentence
Sentence 3- Example
Sentence 4- Concession Sentence
Paragraph 3- Supporting Paragraph 2
Sentence 1- Topic Sentence
Sentence 2- Explain Topic Sentence
Sentence 3- Example
Sentence 4- Concession Sentence
Paragraph 4- Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summary
Sentence 2- Prediction or Recommendation
Question One
Governments should spend more money on education than on recreation and sports. Do you agree
or disagree?
Idea Generation
Reasons why governments should spend more money on education than on recreation and sports:
Education benefits an economy in the long term
Education has social benefits
Education is a human right
Education is more costly than recreation and sports
Reasons why governments should spend more money on recreation and sports:
Sports and recreation have health benefits
Sports and recreation can promote learning too
Education always receives a higher budget and sports are overlooked
I agree with this statement and I will, therefore, use ideas in the first list. I am working on a four
paragraph structure, therefore, I only need two supporting ideas for my twomain body paragraphs. I
can also use ideas in the second list but these will only be concession statements.
Answer
It is argued that countries should allocate more funds to education than to leisure and competitive
games. It is agreed that national budgets should prioritise schools and universities over sports and
play. This essay will discuss firstly, the economic benefits education can bring to a nation and
secondly, the social benefits it has; followed by a reasoned conclusion.
Investment in its education system is one of the best ways to improve a country’s economy in the
long term. The more students entering third level education, the more skilled a workforce will be and
this leads to higher innovation and productivity. For example, South Korea and Finland took the
decision to invest a large proportion of their budget in education and this has reaped benefits in the
form of high-tech companies such as Samsung and Nokia. However, people cannot work hard all the
time and these companies do provide leisure facilities for their workers.
Education is not just about improving the economy it also has many social benefits. Well educated
people tend to be more aware of social evils such as drugs, alcohol and sexual health. For example,
Singapore educates all of its citizens on the dangers of drugs and this has resulted in one of the
lowest levels of drug abuse in the world. Despite this, sports can also teach children valuable soft
skills, such as teamwork and work ethic which also help curb social ills.
In conclusion, education should take precedence over sports when it comes to funding due to the
many socio-economic benefits it brings. It is recommended that governments continue to pump
money into schools and universities in order to realise long-term goals.
Question Two
Most high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many
developed countries is more than 50 percent female. Companies should be required to allocate a
certain percentage of these positions to women. Do you agree?
Idea Generation
Reasons why companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of high-level positions
to women:
Equal pay for equal performance
Women can bring qualities to workplace that men do not have
Women currently outperform men at university
A balance of genders leads to higher productivity and a more harmonious workplace
Reasons why companies should not be required to allocate a certain percentage of high-level
positions to women:
Certain jobs require skills only men have
Positions should be allocated to people on merit, not gender
Women can take large amounts of time off to have children
Answer
It is argued that corporations should be compelled to give a certain proportion of their executive
level roles to females given that that over half of the workforce is female in the West. It is agreed
that businesses should be obliged to assign a significant percentage of top-level posts to women.
This essay will discuss firstly, that women should be paid an equal amount of money for doing the
same job as a man, and secondly, the fact that girls are currently outperforming boys on many
university courses; followed by a reasoned conclusion.
Despite years of so-called ‘equal rights’ for women in the workplace they continue to be underpaid.
Many women who do exactly the same job as their male colleagues earn less money and this is
unfair. For example, a recent survey of accountancy and legal firms in the United Kingdom found that
women earn on average 17% less than men with identical roles. However, this may be due to women
taking maternity leave and falling behind their male counterparts.
This unfairness is compounded by the fact that females are currently getting higher grades in most
university courses. Even previously male-dominated fields, such as law and medicine, now see
women in the ascendency and they should, therefore, be rewarded with top roles. For example,
females recently outperformed males for the first time in law in U.K. universities. Despite this,
employers should bear in mind that roles should be handed out on merit, not gender alone.
In conclusion, women do deserve an equal share of the good jobs available, namely because they are
capable of doing an equally good job as men and are achieving higher academic standards than
men at university. It is recommended that companies heed the advice in this essay and make their
hiring practices fairer.

Some people think that it is better to educate boys and girls in separate schools. Others,
however, believe that boys and girls benefit more from attending mixed schools.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
It is often argued that school children should go to single sex schools, while other would say that
males and females get the most out of integrated schools. This essay will argue that despite there
being some social benefits to females and males going to the same school, the academic advantages
of educating them separately make it more worthwhile.
Many feel that mixing both sexes at school helps to develop social skills and makes people less
awkward around the opposite sex later in life. This is especially true for males, who often find it
difficult to approach and talk to women socially if they don’t get used to it first in the classroom. For
example, the Sunday Times recently reported that men who did not have regular social contact with
girls when they were growing up are 68% more likely to suffer from anxiety when in the company of
females.
Despite the argument above, it is difficult to argue with the fact that single-sex schools consistently
top examination league tables. In nearly every area of the United Kingdom, the top schools only
allow boys or girls to attend and this may lead to higher grades because students can focus
exclusively on their studies. Personally, I went to a school for both boys and girls and found that I
had to deal with many more distractions compared to friends who attended the local boys-only
college.
In conclusion, integrating the sexes can prevent social awkwardness later in life and make pupils
more sociable in the company of other genders, but a school’s primary purpose is to educate and
those with just one sex or the other outperform those that allow both.
Multinational companies are becoming increasingly common in developing countries. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of this?
More and more transnational corporations are setting up branches and factories in less developed
nations. This essay will first suggest that reduced labour costs is the primary benefit for these
companies, while bad publicity because of Human Rights abuses is the main drawback.
The main reason multinationals set up shop in poorer countries is because it is much cheaper for them
to get their goods manufactured there, due to comparatively lower salaries. In an ever more
competitive marketplace, it is simply unsustainable for most companies to pay Western wages when
they can pay someone a fraction of the cost to do the same job. For example, the only reason an iPad or
iPhone can be sold for less than $499 is that a worker in China can assemble the unit for approximately
one-tenth what an American would expect to be paid.
Despite this economic benefit, Apple has recently come under scrutiny because of appalling conditions
in many of its Asian factories. Workers in their Foxconn plant in China had to work under such grim
circumstances, including 15-hour shifts, pressure to meet unrealistic quotas and low wages, that several
of them committed suicide by leaping off the factory roof. The New York Times reported that this
resulted in a 12% drop in the sale of Apple products, especially after it was reported that Apple had
installed nets to stop any employees killing themselves in the future.
In conclusion, huge global companies may reap the rewards of low operating costs in developing
countries, but they should also keep in mind that they have a responsibility towards their workers and
any infringements of their rights could negatively affect their image and stock price.
Below is a sample band 9 answer to a process task 1 question on concrete production.

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Source: Cambridge English IELTS Past Papers.
Question– The diagrams below show the stages and equipment used in the cement-making process, and
how cement is used to produce concrete for building purposes.
Answer
The diagrams illustrate the phases and apparatus to make cement and how cement is utilised in the
production of concrete for construction.
The production of cement involves a 5 stage, linear process that begins with the mixing of raw materials
and culminates in the packaging of new cement. Making concrete is a simpler process that involves
mixing four ingredients in a concrete mixer.
Limestone and clay are crushed and the resulting powder is then mixed before being passed through a
rotating heater. Once heated this mixture travels over a conveyor belt and is ground through a grinder.
Now that the cement has been produced, it is packaged and transported to a building site where it can
be used to make concrete.
Concrete is made up of half gravel, quarter sand, 10% water and 15% cement. All of these are added
together in a cylindrical drum and rotated until concrete is yielded.
(151 words)
Advice
The first paragraph simply paraphrases the question. This is done through using synonyms.
The second paragraph gives two overview sentences. An overview gives the examiner an overall picture
of what is happening. You will notice that I have mentioned:
How many stages there are;
How raw materials were used;
If it is linear or cyclical;
what happens in the beginning; and
what is the result?
I have split the overview into two sentences because there are two separate stages.
The third paragraph looks at cement production in much more detail than the overview. The examiner
is looking for your ability to highlight the main features and sequence them effectively.
The fourth paragraph details the process of concrete production. This is a much simpler process and
does not require so much sequencing. There are some percentages so it does allow us to show the
examiner that we can use the language of proportions instead of just repeating all of the numbers.
The chart below shows the percentage change in the share of international students among university
graduates in different Canadian provinces between 2001 and 2006.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant.

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There is one big mistake in this answer. Can you spot it?
The bar graph compares the percentage of overseas students who graduated from universities in
Canada over a five year period from 2001 to 2006.
Overall, the number of graduations by international students rose significantly in the 5-year period, with
all universities seeing an increase, with the exception of Alberta. The most significant change was in
British Columbia which saw their numbers increase by over a factor of 2.
Between 2001 and 2006, New Brunswick rose by around five percent from approximately 7% to just
under 12%. Nova Scotia followed a similar trend growing from just over 6% to approximately 10%.
However, the most significant change was in British Columbia which began at around 4.5% and finished
the period slightly over 10%.
In contrast, the rest of the universities in Canada experienced a small rise of between 2% to 3%, with the
exception of Alberta, which witnessed a slight decrease by about 2% from just under 6% in 2001 to just
over 4% in 2006.
The mistake above shows how important it is to report the data accurately. Make sure you have enough
time at the end to check your data.
Today we will look at a process diagram, featuring the life cycle of the silkworm and the production of
silk cloth.

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Source: Cambridge English IELTS Practice Papers

This question is interesting because it has two different stages and this will affect our answer structure
and grammar.
With this kind of question I would use the following structure:
Paragraph 1
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question
We simply take the question and use synonyms to paraphrase it. The examiner will be looking for your
ability to do this in the exam.
Paragraph 2
Sentence 1- Overview of stage 1
Sentence 2- Overview of stage 2
Write two general things about the diagram. You could include such things as how many stages there
are, the outcomes, the beginning and the end, if it is a natural or man-made process or if the process is
cyclical or linear.
Paragraph 3
Sentence 1- Details of stage 1
Sentence 2- Details of stage 1
Sentence 3- Details of stage 1
Take the general statement you made in paragraph 2 and support them with details from the diagram.
Remember to only use the information you can see in the diagram. Do not draw conclusions or give your
opinion. Repeat with the next paragraph.
Paragraph 4
Sentence 1- Details of stage 2
Sentence 2- Details of stage 2
Sentence 3- Details of stage 2
Grammar- The Passive
When describing any of the chart questions you shouldn’t use the passive, but when describing a
process you may have to.
However, the passive is only used to describe man-made processes. If you are given a natural process
you should use the active, rather than the passive.
Therefore, in this answer, I will use the active to describe the life cycle and use the passive to describe
the manufacture of silk.

Sample Answer
The graphic illustrates the life process of the silkworm and the phases in the manufacture of silk
material.
Overall, the lifecycle is a natural process and contains four cyclical phases, beginning with the laying of
eggs and ending with the birth of a new moth from a cocoon. The production of silk is, in contrast to the
previous stage, a man-made linear process comprising of 6 main stages.
To begin with, eggs are produced by the moth and it takes 10 days for the eggs to hatch into silkworm
larvae that feed on mulberry leaves. This stage takes between 4 and 6 weeks before the worms
construct a cocoon from silk thread, taking approximately one week. They stay there for around a
fortnight, subsequently emerging as moths and the process can begin again.
The first stage in the manufacture of silk is the selection of cocoons and these are then boiled. Once
boiled, the silk thread is unwound to a length of between 300 and 900 meters. Finally, the silk can be
twisted and weaved into cloth before being dyed.
Question
The charts below give information on the ages of the populations of Yemen and Italy in 2000 and
projections for 2050.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant.

Save
Source: Cambridge English IELTS Past Papers.
Checklist
In order to answer this task effectively, we need to ask ourselves some questions beforehand. Below is a
checklist which shows you how I think about IELTS writing task 1 chart questions.
What kind of chart is it? This is a pie chart and we will, therefore, have to use different language
sometimes as compared to other charts. For example, with pie charts, we are more likely to use the
language of proportions. See my task 1 grammar guide for more information.
What does the title say about the chart? The title gives us all the basic information we need to answer
the question. We should read this at least twice to make sure we fully understand the question.
What information is contained on both axes? There are no axes in this question because it is a pie chart.
What are the units of measurements? The units of measurements are principally ages and percentages.
We will, therefore, have to use specific language for percentages.
What groups are compared? There are two countries (Yemen and Italy) and three age groups.
What is the time period? This is very important because it will affect the tense we use. There are two
different time periods- 2000 and 2050. We will, therefore, have to use past and future tenses.
What is the most obvious thing that the data shows you? The two most obvious things are that Italy had
a much older population than Yemen in 2000 (or Yemen had a younger population) and both
populations are predicted to be much older in the future.
What is the most important or significant piece of information displayed? The fact that Yemen has a very
small proportion of people over 60.
Can any comparisons be made? Yes, the observations we made in points 7 and 8 above.
Is it a static chart or dynamic chart? There are four static charts but put together and they are dynamic
i.e. it changes over time and this will be reflected in the language you use.
I am not suggesting that you write these ten questions out in the exam, it would take too long, however,
I do tell my students to use this checklist when they are practicing. If you think about the ten things
above, you have a much better chance of answering the question effectively. If you practice enough, you
will mentally ask yourself these questions every time you answer a task 1 IELTS question.
Structure
For pie charts, I advise my students to use a simple four paragraph structure.
Paragraph 1
Sentence 1- Paraphrase question
Paragraph 2
Sentence 1- Overview of first main feature.
Sentence 2- Overview of second main feature.
Paragraph 3
2-3 sentences detailing first main feature.
Paragraph 4
2-3 sentences detailing second main feature.
Task
Try using the checklist and structure above to try and answer the question beforelooking at the answer
below. This is a really useful exercise because you will identify the areas you need to work on and make
mistakes. Fixing them is the key to success in IELTS.
Answer
The pie charts compare the proportions of Italian and Yemeni citizens in three age groups in 2000 and
projections for 2050.
It is clear that Yemen had the younger population in the year 2000, and the same is predicted for the
year 2050. The populations of both countries are predicted to get older over the 50 year period.
In 2000 just over half the Yemeni population were under 14, compared to just over 14% of Italians in the
same age group. Only a very small percentage of people in Yemen were over 60 at 3.6%, in contrast to
nearly a quarter of the Italian population. The largest group for Italy was the 15-59-year-olds with just
over 60% while Yemen had 46.3% of its population in this category.
Yemen’s average age is set to increase with the proportion of over 60s increasing by just over 2% and
the middle group rising by 11%, leaving the youngest group with a decrease of nearly 13%. It is
envisaged that by 2050 the number of people in Italy over 60 will jump to 42.3%, the percentage of
those in the youngest bracket will drop to 11.5% and the share in the middle category will decrease to
46.2%.
How do I make a complex sentence?
Remember that a complex sentence is just more than one simple sentence put
together to make one sentence. We therefore need to learn and become confident
using the various grammatical structures that allow us to do that. Below are a few
ways we can link ideas together in a sentence.
To make a complex sentence we normally should have two things- a dependent
clause and an independent clause. A clause is a group of words with both a subject
and a verb.
An example of a dependent clauses is ‘….because the weather was cold.’ This is a
dependent clause because it has a subject and a verb but it doesn’t make any sense
on its own. To make sense we need to add an independent clause.
As the name suggests, an independent clause can make sense on its own. For
example, ‘I wore a warm coat.’ If we combine these two clauses we get a complex
sentence- ‘I wore a warm coat because the weather was cold.’
As you can see, ‘complex’ sentences don’t have to be complicated. Let’s now look at
other ways we can make complex sentences.
1. Relative Clauses
You can use relative clauses to give essential or extra information about a person,
place, or thing. This makes our writing more fluent and more coherent. We do this by
using relative pronouns like who, which and that. For example, ‘He’s the kind of
person who is always friendly.’
For example:
Air pollution can cause health problems. Air pollution is largely caused by motor
vehicles.
We can convert these two simple sentences into one complex sentences by using the
word ‘which’.
Air pollution, which is mostly caused by motor vehicles, can cause health problems.
For example:
There is evidence that some people are more likely to smoke. These people have
parents and friends who smoke.
We can link both of these sentences together by using the word ‘that’.
There is evidence that people who have parents and friends that smoke are more
likely to smoke.
2. Subordinate Clauses
A subordinate clause can describe nouns and pronouns; describe verbs, adverbs, and
adjectives; or act as the subject or object of another clause. They are made by
connecting an independent clause with a dependent clause with words like as,
because, while, until, even though, although, when and if.
3. Conditional Clauses
Also known as ‘If clauses’, they are used to express that the action in the main clause
can only take place if a certain condition is met.
For example:
If I had a million dollars, I would quit my job.
I will be really happy, if I pass the IELTS test.
These clauses are good for giving examples in IELTS writing part 2.
For example:
‘Increasing taxes would raise prices and lower consumption. Fast food companies
would pass on these taxes to consumers in the form of higher prices and this would
lead to people not being able to afford junk food. If the cost of organic food proves
prohibitively expensive for most people, they will simply not buy it. Despite this,
people in many developed countries, where the problem is most acute, can afford
price hikes and will continue to eat high-fat meals.’
They are also useful for talking about unreal situations or to speculate about results
in the past or present.
There are four different kinds of conditionals which I will outline below:
Zero Conditionals are used to talk about information that is true or facts. We can
use ifor when to introduce the conditional.
Example: Nowadays when we travel long distances, we usually use air travel.
First conditionals are used to talk about things in the present or future.
Example: If the city’s population continues to grow, we will need to build more
infrastructure.
Second Conditionals are used to talk about things that are impossible.
Example: If the sun didn’t come up tomorrow, we wouldn’t have any life on earth.
Third Conditionals are used to speculate about past events. It is often used when we
regret something or to imagine a past unreal situation.
Example: The Second World War would have never happened if Germany had been
given a fairer peace settlement in Word War One.
4. Compound Sentences
Compound sentences consist of two independent clauses linked together with a
conjunction such as ‘and’, ‘for’ or ‘but’.
Examples:
I really want to study, but I’m too tired.
She got to the test centre early, and she did really well on her IELTS test.
Some students think these sentences are too simple to count as complex but they
are wrong.
Warning
The crucial thing is to understand and be able to use these grammar structures
before your IELTS test. Some students memorise lots of structures and try to insert
them into their essays without giving much thought to how they work or if they are
accurate. This will only lead to unnatural and incoherent sentences. Remember that
your sentences need to also be error free so only use structures you are confident
using.
They key is to only use them appropriately. Concentrate on answering the question
and if you know how to use these structures they will flow naturally.
Next Steps
I hope this post has demonstrated that you can write your ideas down in a clear and
simple way and still satisfy the marking criteria for complex sentences.
When you are practicing IELTS writing questions try to think of what you want to say
in simple sentences and then think of how these might be linked into complex
sentences. After enough practice it will become a natural thing to do and your
writing will really improve.