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)