Questions

This is Writing Task 2 of Academic Writing.
To make it more authentic, download the test and do it with pen and paper.

 

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Nowadays, litter and rubbish on the street and sidewalks is becoming a problem.  Some people feel that the best way to solve this problem is to fine people who throw rubbish on the floor.  Do you think this would be effective?  What other methods could be used to solve the problem of litter?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Answers

Sample answer:

Many people may feel that littering is not a big problem in today’s world, but too much litter and rubbish on the street and sidewalk will make an area less attractive.  People who litter are in some way showing that they do not care what their neighbourhood looks like and that they do not feel a sense of pride in their area. If an area has too much litter, there may be an increase in pests like rats.  It is clearly a good idea to encourage people not to throw rubbish on the ground.

But how can they best be encouraged?  Some people think that fining people is the best way.  The ideas is that if someone is caught littering by the police, they will have to pay a certain amount of money as a punishment.  This would certainly discourage that person from littering again.  However, there are not enough police to monitor all areas of a city, and there are more important issues for the police to deal with.  If only a handful of people get fines, then only a handful of people will stop littering. 

There are some other methods that could be used in addition to giving fines in order to encourage people to stop littering.  Firstly, the city should put up more rubbish bins.  If there is a rubbish bin on every street or every corner, people will have a place to put their rubbish.  Posters and television ads could also highlight the problem and show people why littering should be stopped.  Finally, people could be employed to sweep or clean the sidewalks and streets in the places where many people walk everyday.  Once people get used to having rubbish-free streets and sidewalks, they will start to notice litter more and accept it less.

Advice / Hints

Writing Task 2 is an essay in which you have to present your arguments, express your opinions or show how to solve a problem. It carries more marks so spend more time on it. Study the question carefully and highlight the key topic words. Write a plan and decide your main points or topic sentences on your question paper. Introduce the topic, present your points of view and end your essay with a conclusion.

In this mock paper, be sure to answer the two questions asked.

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Rubbish Test

Questions

This is Writing Task 2 of Academic Writing.
To make it more authentic, download the test and do it with pen and paper.

 

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people think that in countries with high unemployment, the retirement age should be lowered to allow more young people to get jobs.

What would be the advantages and disadvantages of doing this?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Answers

Sample answer:

Countries with high unemployment face a number of different resulting problems.  Older people without jobs may pose a burden on their families and may not be able to afford their basic necessities, whereas unemployed youth may burden their parents and are more likely to have difficulties in the future.  There are many different ways that governments can try to tackle the problem of high unemployment, and there are some who believe the best way is to lower the retirement age so that more new jobs are available for the younger generation.

It is true that it may be better for society as a whole to have an older unemployed population than a younger one.  Those who are fresh out of high school or university need to immediately apply their knowledge and creativity.  If they find that they cannot become contributing members of society after their studies, they may fall into bad habits and eventually lose the desire to work hard for themselves and their society.  Even if they do finally find a job, they may be reluctant to accept it because they may be overqualified to do it and have got used to a life without working.  By lowering the retirement age, more jobs will be available to the young, and the government can make sure this scenario does not play out as often as it otherwise might.

Certainly, requiring that people retire at an early age would not be an optimum solution, as an increasing retired population would put increasing strains on families as well as government welfare programmes.  In fact the best solution to the problem, in my eyes, would be to seek out alternative solutions that would increase the amount of jobs available by increasing the actual amount of jobs, rather than decreasing the number of people in the workforce. 

Advice / Hints

Writing Task 2 is an essay in which you have to present your arguments, express your opinions or show how to solve a problem. It carries more marks so spend more time on it. Study the question carefully and highlight the key topic words. Write a plan and decide your main points or topic sentences on your question paper. Introduce the topic, present your points of view and end your essay with a conclusion.

In this mock paper, be sure to present both the advantages and disadvantages.

Download

To save this file to your computer simply right click on the title and select 'Save Target As...' from the menu.

Retirement Age Test

Questions

This is Writing Task 2 of Academic Writing.
To make it more authentic, download the test and do it with pen and paper.

 

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people believe that pre-schools and kindergartens should start teaching children basic subjects such as maths, writing even computers. Others think that these schools should mainly focus on activities such as games, painting, music, and play.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Answers

Sample answer:

While children formally start school around the age of six or seven, it is becoming more and more common for children younger than this to attend kindergarten or pre-school.  Some parents hope that children in these schools will get a head start on important school subjects such as maths and computers, while others simply want their children to have time to play with other children and do activities involving creative skills like painting and games.  

On the one hand, it is easy to see why parents might wish their children to start formal learning at an early age.  Once children start at primary school, they will be required to start dealing with formal school subjects.  If they have had exposure to these subjects while in pre-school, they will undoubtedly have an advantage over others who haven’t.  Children with this advantage will achieve better grades and success, leading to higher achievement and confidence in their schoolwork.

However, many parents also realise that children at a young age need time to play and explore their world.  Activities involving art and music can develop children’s creativity and playtime can allow children to interact with other children and develop social skills.  This is more than just having fun; by doing these activities, children are gaining valuable skills that will help them make friends, enjoy learning and solve problems later on in their school careers.  

If I were choosing a pre-school for my own child, I would look for a school whose curriculum includes mostly fun activities where children interact and enjoy themselves.  This is not to say that formal subjects should not be approached, but they should not take up the majority of the school day and should be introduced in a fun and creative way.  

Advice / Hints

Writing Task 2 is an essay in which you have to present your arguments, express your opinions or show how to solve a problem. It carries more marks so spend more time on it. Study the question carefully and highlight the key topic words. Write a plan and decide your main points or topic sentences on your question paper. Introduce the topic, present your points of view and end your essay with a conclusion.

In this mock paper, be sure to present both sides of the arguments and end your essay with your own opinions.

Download

To save this file to your computer simply right click on the title and select 'Save Target As...' from the menu.

Pre-schools And Kindergartens Test

Questions

This is Writing Task 2 of Academic Writing.
To make it more authentic, download the test and do it with pen and paper.

 

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

The number of children who are overweight is increasing and many believe that children are not as physically fit as they used to be. What are some of the reasons for this change? What can be done to reverse the trend?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Answers

Sample answer:

There is no denying that the number of overweight children in our society is increasing rapidly. Only ten years ago this was not an issue, but nowadays it is easy to find news reports and newspaper articles discussing this problem. Children who are overweight and inactive not only risk health problems later on in life, they may not have as enjoyable a childhood as fit and active children do.

There are many reasons why the number of overweight children is increasing. First of all, snacks and fast foods are becoming more available. This kind of food can be found in any shop on any street, and children, whose parents give them more pocket money these days, can afford to buy it whenever they want. These children become less interested in the nutritious but blander food offered to them at school and home. In addition, children are not as active as they used to be. In the past, kids would walk or ride their bicycles to school, but today, their parents may drive them or they may even take a taxi. After school, instead of going out and playing with friends, children often stay home to study or play computer games.

Reversing this trend will take time and dedication. First of all, parents must realise that their children are unhealthy and take measures to help them such as providing low-fat meals at dinner and limiting pocket money that may be spent on food. Schools must also take some action to help school children get enough exercise either during or after school hours. In addition, schools should institute nutrition and wellness classes so that children can understand what is and isn’t healthy.

Advice / Hints

Writing Task 2 is an essay in which you have to present your arguments, express your opinions or show how to solve a problem. It carries more marks so spend more time on it. Study the question carefully and highlight the key topic words. Write a plan and decide your main points or topic sentences on your question paper. Introduce the topic, present your points of view and end your essay with a conclusion.

In this mock paper, be sure to answer the two questions asked.

Download

To save this file to your computer simply right click on the title and select 'Save Target As...' from the menu.

Overweight Test

Questions

This is Writing Task 1 of Academic Writing.
To make it more authentic, download the test and do it with pen and paper.

 

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. 

The chart below shows much water is used, on average, in several daily domestic chores.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Answers

Sample answer:

The chart shows the amount of water which is used on average in eight routine domestic tasks. All figures represent gallons of water.

The one household task which uses the most water is doing the laundry. One load of clothes in the laundry machine requires the use of 60 gallons of water. Taking a shower is also consumes a large quantity of water. Only five minutes in the shower will use 45 gallons. You can save water by taking a bath instead, which only requires 30 gallons.

Another good way you can save water is by buying a dishwashing machine. One load of dishes washed in a dishwasher uses only 15 gallons, whereas washing the same dishes by hand will use twice that amount.

Flushing the toilet and brushing your teeth will use five gallons, and washing your hands uses two gallons each time.

The chart shows that some domestic tasks, like doing the laundry, use a great deal of water, while routine tasks like brushing your teeth use much less.

Advice / Hints

Writing Task 1 is a report based on some graphic information.

You should use the language appropriate to report writing. Remember to write objectively and describe the information without giving your own opinion.

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Use Of Water Test

Questions

This is Writing Task 1 of Academic Writing.
To make it more authentic, download the test and do it with pen and paper.

 

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The chart below shows how many people visited three local attractions in a Canadian town during 2006.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Answers

Sample answer:

The line graph shows the number of people who visited three attractions, the museum, the zoo and the water park, in a Canadian town in 2006. It is clear that the museum and the water park were most popular in the summer, while the zoo took in the most visitors in spring and autumn.

The water park was clearly the most popular attraction in the summer. The park opened for the season in April, and visitor numbers rose with the temperature. The park took in a peak of over 1400 visitors in August. Visitor numbers then dropped quickly and the park closed again in November. The museum was also most popular in August with 1200 visitors, and also seemed popular in winter – just under 600 people visited the museum in January. The zoo was most popular in mild temperatures, with a peak of 700 in May and another of 600 in October. In August and January, numbers dropped to lows of 300 and 150 respectively.

Advice / Hints

Writing Task 1 is a report based on some graphic information.

You should use the language appropriate to report writing. Remember to write objectively and describe the information without giving your own opinion.

Report the trend when you see graphs showing figures within a period of time. It is better to analyse the figures in terms of seasons, instead of months in this test.

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Local Attractions Test

Questions

This is Writing Task 1 of Academic Writing.
To make it more authentic, download the test and do it with pen and paper.

 

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The chart below shows how many hours, on average, workers spend at work every week in a European country.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Answers

Sample answer:

The chart shows how many hours people spend at work each week on average in a European country, and clearly shows that the vast majority of people spend between thirty and fifty hours per week doing their jobs.

Approximately the same proportion of people, around 33%, spend between 30 and 40 hours a week and 40 to 50 hours a week at work, with the latter group a bit larger than the former. A small percentage of workers spend even longer hours at the office; about 10% are at work more than 50 hours a week.

The remaining 20% of workers work fewer than 30 hours a week. The percentage of those who work 20 to 30 hours is larger than those who work more than 50 at approximately 15 %, and a very small proportion work up to 20 hours.

In conclusion, approximately half of the working population of this European country works 40 or more hours per week on average.

Advice / Hints

Writing Task 1 is a report based on some graphic information.

You should use the language appropriate to report writing. Remember to write objectively and describe the information without giving your own opinion.

When no numerical information is given, it is advisable to use vague words like "majority", "about", "around", "approximately", "a large portion", etc.

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Work Hours Test

Questions

This is Writing Task 1 of Academic Writing.
To make it more authentic, download the test and do it with pen and paper.

 

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The three graphs below show how people travelled to and from work in three different years in a European city.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

 

Answers

Sample answer:

The three charts give information about how people travelled to work in a European city in three years. It can generally be stated that public transportation is the preferred mode of transport and its popularity grew during the period under study. In 1985, the first year, over a third of commuters used public transport, and this number rose to nearly 40% in 1995 and finally to 45% in 2005. The use of private cars similarly rose from 30% to 45% in the first two years, but then dropped to a quarter in the final year. Both walking and cycling fell in popularity between 1985 and 1995, from 25% to 9% for the former and 10% to 7% for the latter. However, more people opted for these two means of travelling in 2005, with 12% of people walking to work, and 18% riding bicycles. In sum, people in 2005 are starting to avoid private cars in favour of walking, cycling, and most notably, taking public transport.

Advice / Hints

Writing Task 1 is a report based on some graphic information.

You should use the language appropriate to report writing. Remember to write objectively and describe the information without giving your own opinion.

It is better to describe the trend over the years than reporting the data in separate years.

Download

To save this file to your computer simply right click on the title and select 'Save Target As...' from the menu.

Commute Test