Problems and Solutions Brainstorming Game

(TESOL Worksheets--Problem and Solution Essays)
Google: slides, pub
[Notes: Students are put into groups.  Prompt is displayed and briefly explained.  Students have 1-2 minutes (timing depends on how fast you want to pace the game) to come up with as many solutions as they can in groups.  After the time expires, the group with the most answers is the winner.  
None of these essay prompts are my own.  Half are taken from various IELTS websites, half are taken from my previous collection (which was itself taken from various sources).]

Quiz and Board Race for IELTS Problem and Solution Essays

(TESOL Worksheets--Problem and Solution Essays, The Complete Guide to IELTS)
Google drive folder HERE
Quiz: docs, pub
Board Race: slides, pub
[Notes: This is based on pages 248-256 of The Complete Guide to IELTS, and it works best as a supplement to those pages.  I'm also hoping it might be able to stand somewhat independently, and so I'm going to index it with my general Problem and Solution Essays materials.  The quiz follows the same rules as the IELTS Quiz I posted earlier.  The Board Race follows the standard board race rules.]

Rules

1. What 2 things do you have to write about? (causes and possible solutions)

2. How many paragraphs should you have and what should they be? (1 intro, at least 2 body, short conclusion)

3. How can you support your answer? (reasons from your own knowledge and experience)

4. Can you write in notes or bullet points? (No, it must be paragraphs)

5. What kind of style should you use (academic)

6. How many words should you write (at least 250)

7. How much time should you complete the task in (40 minutes)

8. Is it okay to only write about the solutions? (No, you must write about the causes of the problem as well)

Tips and Tactics

1. Before you start writing, what should you do? (think about the question, underline key words, make sure you understand what it is asking, make a brief plan)

2. What should you include in your introduction? (restate the problem in your own words and then explain why the problem is a serious one)

3. What should you begin each body paragraph with? (a topic sentence)

4. What should you use to signal that you are moving from one point to another? (linking words)

5. In the first paragraph, what kind of vocabulary should you use? (language of cause and effect to explain why the problem exists)

6. In the second body paragraph, what should you write? (support the solution with examples, explanations or experiences)

7. What should you include in the final paragraph (restate the main arguments, bring the essay to a conclusion, state which solution is best)

8. How can you separate your paragraphs (leave a blank space, or indent)

Problem Solution Writing Common Mistakes

(TESOL Worksheets--Writing, Problem Solution Essays)

Google: drive, docs, pub

[A feedback sheet I used with students writing problem and solution essays.  It was based on the common mistakes my students were making.  I included some information from the disadvantages and advantages feedback sheet because I thought it was also relevant to this class.  The Linking Words and Phrases section is borrowed from a colleague.]

Problem Solution Writing Common Mistakes

Phrase mistakes

On the other hand

By the way

Nowadays

Especially

Grammar Mistakes

It has—there are

easy—easier

cause--occur

make us easy

make us difficult to live

wrong modal verb

effect/ affect

Structure Mistakes

weak conclusions

less than 3 paragraphs of solutions

Two different topics in the same paragraph

Solutions unrelated to main problem (e.g. talking about solutions to global warming in an essay on traffic jams, or in an essay on deforestation.)

Linking Words and Phrases

To introduce points:

·         One advantage/disadvantage of

·         A further advantage/disadvantage is

·         One point of view in favor of/or against

·         It can be argued that

To list points:

·         In the first place,

·         First of all,

·         To start with,

·         Firstly,/Secondly,/Thirdly,

·         Finally,

To add more points to the same topic:

·         What is more,

·         Also,

·         Furthermore,

·         In addition to this/that,

To make contrasting points:

·         On the other hand,

·         Although

·         However,

·         In spite of this/that,

·         Nevertheless,

·         Despite this/that,

·         Even though              

To introduce examples:

·         For example,

·         For instance,

·         In particular,

To conclude:

·         To sum up,

·         All in all,

·         In conclusion,

·         All things considered,

·         As was previously stated,

Additional advice:

Remember that phrases used to make contrasting points (like “On the other hand”) are good to use at the beginning of a contrasting paragraph.  You shouldn’t use it in the middle of a paragraph.

This is correct:

            The Internet is useful for finding new information.

            On the other hand, the Internet can also waste a lot of time.

This is incorrect:

            The Internet is useful for finding new information.   On the other hand, the internet is also useful for keeping in touch with friends and family.

            Also remember that you can use “but” or “although” in a contrasting sentence, but don’t use both in the same sentence.

|These are correct sentences.

            Although I like pizza, I don’t like hamburgers.

            I like pizza but I don’t like hamburgers.

This is an incorrect sentence:

            Although I like pizza, but I don’t like hamburgers.

Below is the correct example of how paragraphs should be written.

The food of Cambodia includes tropical fruits, rice, noodles  and various soups. Cambodians like to eat a rice noodle soup called 'kah-tieu' in the morning. Cambodians are famous for a type of 'kah-tieu' called 'kah-tieu Phnom Penh' which has shrimp, beef balls, fried garlic, pork broth and chicken. Cambodians also eat a red curry noodle soup with rice vermiclle noodles. Curry is also eaten with rice or French bread in Cambodia. Cambodian food is similar to Chinese, Vietnamese  and Thai food.

Cambodia also has a mystical tattoo called a yantra tattoo that is popular with soldiers. A yantra tattoo has ancient Khmer and Pali(An ancient Indian language) writing. A yantra tattoo is usually done by a religious person or monk. The tattoo artist guarantees that the person cannot receive any physical harm as long as they follow certain conditions. A person is suppose to not talk to anyone for three days and three nights. Another alternative is to follow the five Buddhist percepts. Movie star actress Angelina Jolie is known to have a yantra tattoo.

The example below is incorrect.

The food of Cambodia includes tropical fruits, rice, noodles  and various soups. Cambodians like to eat a rice noodle soup called 'kah-tieu' in the morning. Cambodians are famous for a type of 'kah-tieu' called 'kah-tieu Phnom Penh' which has shrimp, beef balls, fried garlic, pork broth and chicken. Cambodians also eat a red curry noodle soup with rice vermiclle noodles. Curry is also eaten with rice or French bread in Cambodia. Cambodian food is similar to Chinese, Vietnamese  and Thai food.

Cambodia also has a mystical tattoo called a yantra tattoo that is popular with soldiers. A yantra tattoo has ancient Khmer and Pali(An ancient Indian language) writing. A yantra tattoo is usually done by a religious person or monk. The tattoo artist guarantees that the person cannot receive any physical harm as long as they follow certain conditions. A person is suppose to not talk to anyone for three days and three nights. Another alternative is to follow the five Buddhist percepts. Movie star actress Angelina Jolie is known to have a yantra tattoo.

Introduction:

Work with a partner.  What mistakes can you find in the following essay:

Nowaday the Internet is becoming more and more popular all the time.  Many people use the internet everyday now.  However, using the Internet has many advantages and disadvantages.

There many advantages for using the Internet.   One advantage is that you can find information very easily using the Internet.   For example, you can use the Internet to find a lot of information.  On the other hand, the Internet is very useful for studying, and finding information.

There also many disadvantages to using the Internet  and although you can find lots of useful information, but it can also be a waste of time and especially  many people use the Internet too much these days, and will ruin their eyesight.  If we use the Internet too much, it will be bad for your eyesight.

In fact although there are many advantages and disadvantages to using the Internet, but I think the Internet has more advantages than disadvantages.  Using the Internet is very useful for us.

Problem and Solution Essays: Advice for Writing

(TESOL Worksheets--Writing, Problems and Solutions)

Google: drive, docs, pub

[This is an advice sheet designed for students who have to write a problem and solution essay.  It is a combination of my own material with some material I borrowed from colleagues.]

Problem and Solution Essays: Advice for Writing

Checklist:

11.       Do I have 5 paragraphs?

22.      Do I have a minimum of 200 words?

33.       Does each of the paragraphs have a topic sentence?

44.      Does each of the solution paragraphs address the same problem?

55.       Are all of the ideas in the paragraph related to the topic sentence?

1.  Structure:

Problem and Solution Essays - Structure

Introduction	Clearly state the problem you will discuss. Explain why it is a problem  and why it has occurred.
Paragraph 2	First possible solution. Explain your suggestion and how it will solve the problem.
Paragraph 3	Second possible solution. Explain your suggestion  and how it will solve the problem.
Paragraph 4	Third possible solution. Explain your solution and how it will solve the problem
Conclusion	Summarize your opinion.

2.  Topic sentences:

Make sure each of the possible solution paragraphs begin with a topic sentence.  The topic sentence should clearly express what the paragraph will be about.

Problem and Solution Essays

(TESOL Ideas and Worksheets Subdivisions)

* Problem Solution Writing Common Mistakes
* Problem and Solution Essays: Advice for Writing

* Quiz and Board Race for IELTS Problem and Solution Essays
* Problems and Solutions Brainstorming Game

Sample Essays

* The number of people living in cities around the world continues to grow. One consequence of this trend is that many historical buildings are torn down to make way for new constructions.

* Describe one major education issue in your country. What is the problem? What solutions are there to this problem?

* Most of the world’s poor live in countries where tourism is a growing industry. The issue is that tourism does not benefit the poorest. How can the income generated by tourism benefit the poor? And how can we ensure that tourism does not destroy traditional cultures and ways of life?

* The loss of rainforests due to illegal logging is a serious problem today. What can be done to stop illegal logging?

* What are the key problems facing the world’s cities in the 21st century and what can be done about them?

* In many countries schools have severe problems with student behaviour. What do you think is the cause of this? What solutions can you suggest?