IELTS Problem Solution Essay
An IELTS problem solution essay is the Writing Task 2 essay you write when the question asks you to explain the problems or causes of an issue and suggest how to solve them. Write four paragraphs: an introduction, one body paragraph on the problems or causes, one on the solutions, and a short conclusion. Make sure every solution answers a problem you described.
How to spot a problem solution question
The question describes a situation, then asks two things: what is wrong (or why it happens), and what should be done. Typical wording:
- What problems does this cause, and what can be done about it?
- What are the causes of this problem, and what measures could be taken to solve it?
- Why does this happen, and how can it be reduced?
- What difficulties does this create, and how can they be overcome?
Read the first half carefully. "Problems" or "effects" means the harm the situation does; "causes" or "why" means the reasons it happens. An essay loses Task Response marks if it writes about one when the question asks for the other.
Problem solution essay structure
This plan fits 260 to 300 words, a safe length for the 250-word minimum, and leaves time to check your work in 40 minutes.
| Paragraph | What to write |
|---|---|
| Introduction (30-50 words) | Restate the situation in your own words, then say that the essay will explain the main problems or causes and suggest solutions. |
| Body 1: problems or causes (90-120 words) | Two or three problems or causes. Explain each one: why it happens or whom it affects, with a short example. |
| Body 2: solutions (90-110 words) | One solution for each problem you described. Say who should act (governments, schools, employers, individuals) and what exactly they should do. |
| Conclusion (30-40 words) | Sum up the main problems and solutions in one or two sentences. Add nothing new. |
Plan by matching each solution to a problem
Before you write, put your problems and solutions side by side. This plan is for the sample essay below:
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Long working hours and commutes leave no energy for friends | Employers offer flexible hours |
| Online contact replaces meeting in person | People limit phone time and join clubs or volunteer groups |
| People move to the city alone for work | Councils provide libraries, parks and community centres where newcomers meet others |
If a solution has no matching problem, or a problem has no solution, the essay reads like two separate lists. That can cost marks under Coherence and Cohesion as well as Task Response.
Useful phrases
- Causes: One main reason for this is… / This happens largely because… / A further cause is…
- Problems: This leads to… / As a result, … / The most serious consequence is…
- Solutions: One way to tackle this would be to… / Governments could… so that… / This would mean that…
Use these to help structure your ideas, not as memorised sentences. Phrases repeated word for word from a template don't raise your Lexical Resource score.
Sample problem solution essay
Question: Many people who live in big cities say they feel lonely, even though they are surrounded by others. What are the causes of this problem, and what can be done to solve it?
In many big cities, people live surrounded by neighbours and colleagues, yet they still feel alone. This essay will explain the main reasons for this loneliness and suggest some practical ways in which it could be reduced.
The first cause is the way people work and travel today. Many city workers spend long hours in the office and commute for more than one hour every day, so they have little energy left for meeting friends. Another reason is technology. Although social media allow people to stay in contact, it often replace face-to-face conversation, and a message cannot give the same feeling of being close to someone. Finally, many people move to a big city for a job and leave their family and old friends behind, which mean they have to build a social life from nothing. A friend of mine who moved to the capital last year, for example, knew nobody there except her manager.
There are several things that can be done to solve this problem. Firstly, local governments should create more public spaces such as parks, libraries and community centres where people can meet in a natural way. For example, in my city a free cooking class at the library helped many new residents make friends. Secondly, companies could offer flexible working hours, so employees have more time for family and hobbies. Lastly, individuals also have responsibility. They should limit the time they spend on their phones and join clubs or volunteer groups which match their interests.
In conclusion, loneliness in cities is caused by long working hours, the overuse of technology and moving away from family. Governments, employers and individuals all need to take action, and if they work together, city life can become less lonely.
We left in a few typical mistakes, such as "it often replace" and "which mean". The report below shows how the checker marked them.
Band score report for the sample essay
This is a real report from the IELTS writing checker for an essay we wrote for this example (289 words). A free check shows everything down to the 3 most serious corrections; the other corrections, vocabulary upgrades, paragraph comments and the band 8 rewrite come with full feedback.
Question: Many people who live in big cities say they feel lonely, even though they are surrounded by others. What are the causes of this problem, and what can be done to solve it?
Task Response
8.0The essay fully answers the question with well-developed ideas and relevant support. The causes and solutions are clearly explained and extended, with only minor lapses in depth.
Coherence and Cohesion
8.0The essay is well organized with clear progression and appropriate use of cohesive devices. Paragraphing is logical and each paragraph focuses on one main idea.
Lexical Resource
7.0The essay uses a sufficient range of vocabulary with some less common items. There are occasional errors in word choice and word form, but they do not impede communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
7.0The essay demonstrates a good range of structures with frequent error-free sentences. There are a few grammatical errors, but they are minor and do not reduce communication.
What's costing you the most marks
- Subject-verb agreement errors ('it often replace', 'which mean').
- Occasional lack of precision in vocabulary.
- Some linking words are slightly repetitive.
The most serious corrections Free
grammar it often replace → it often replaces
The subject 'it' is singular, so the verb should be 'replaces'.
grammar which mean → which means
The relative pronoun 'which' refers to the whole previous clause, so the verb should be singular 'means'.
Vocabulary upgrades Full feedback
- overuse of technology → excessive reliance on technology, overdependence on digital devices (These alternatives are more formal and precise.)
- build a social life from nothing → start a social life from scratch, establish a new social network (These expressions are more idiomatic.)
The essay at band 8 Full feedback
In many big cities, people live surrounded by neighbours and colleagues, yet they still feel alone. This essay will explain the main reasons for this loneliness and suggest some practical ways in which it could be reduced.
The rewrite keeps the writer's position and ideas; the full report has every paragraph, plus a comment on each one.
AI-generated estimate for practice. A human examiner may score differently.
Mistakes that cost marks in problem solution essays
- Answering only half the question. A long problems paragraph with one line of solutions at the end leaves the second part underdeveloped. Give both parts similar space.
- Mixing up causes and effects. If the question asks why something happens, write about reasons, not results.
- Listing instead of explaining. Four problems in four short sentences is a list. Two problems, each with a reason or an example, is an argument.
- Vague solutions. "The government should do something" doesn't say who does what. "City councils could keep libraries open in the evenings" does.
- Solutions that don't fit the problems. Check that every solution you suggest answers a problem you described.
- New ideas in the conclusion. The conclusion sums up. A new solution there has no explanation, so it adds nothing to your score.
Problem solution practice questions
These are original practice questions in the style of the test. Tap one to put it in the checker, write for 40 minutes, then check your essay.
- Environment Many beaches and rivers are polluted with plastic. What are the main causes of this, and what can be done to reduce it?
- Work Many employees say they feel stressed at work. What problems does this cause, and how can employers help?
- Education In some countries, many teachers leave the profession within a few years. Why does this happen, and what could be done to keep good teachers?
- Health More and more young people are not getting enough sleep. What are the causes of this, and what solutions can you suggest?
For eight more, see the problem and solution questions in our Task 2 question bank.
What the checker tells you about your essay
Paste the question along with your essay. Task Response is then scored against that exact question, and its comment can point out a part you missed. For what the next band asks of you, see the band descriptors, explained.
Free
- Overall band and all four criterion bands
- Why each band was given
- The three problems costing you the most marks
- Your 3 most serious mistakes corrected, with the reason for each
- Explanations in English or 20 other languages, such as Vietnamese, Bengali and Hindi
- 1 check a day, or 2 a day with a free account
- With a free account: your history and a progress chart
Full feedback
- Everything in Free
- Every correction, sentence by sentence, with reasons
- Your essay rewritten at band 8, keeping your ideas
- Vocabulary upgrades and paragraph-by-paragraph comments
- Up to 30 checks a day