Writing Feedback / IELTS Writing 1 - The graphs below show the number of men and women employed in Australia [2]

The graphs below show the number of men and women in full and part-time employment in Australia between 1973 and 1993.

The line graphs compare the percentages of males and females of different ages working full and part-time in Australia in 1973 and 1993. In general, the highest percentage of full-time employment was recorded among men in 1973, while females were busier in this type of employment in 1993. As for part-timers, this sector was more pronounced in 1993 for both genders and teenagers.

To begin with, around 80% to 90% of men between 25 and 59 were occupying stable jobs in 1973, but this figure was lower by 10% in 1993. Females, in contrast, peaked at 55% at around 20 years old, then went through a 15%-20% dip before peaking again in their forties. Besides, after the first peak, the graph shows more working women in 1993 by one-tenth.

While full-time employment of the youngest generation was the lowest, it was booming among underemployed, especially in 1993. The trend of males was the opposite to that of full-timers, with the peak of 22% and 8% for 1993 and 1973 among teenagers, respectively. Women, however, experienced two high points of a third of the part-time working population in their adolescence and thirties in 1993. Finally, in 1973, only a fifth of females aged 29 to 40 had flexible hours.

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Student Talk / Requirements for IELTS Writing Tasks (Academic). How strict and true are they? [4]

Hello,
I have learned many suggestions on how to write essays from many great teachers, including on this website. However, sometimes the suggestions are opposite to one another and leave me a bit confused. I would like to ask students and teachers here to share their thoughts on the most common advice for writing essays.

The most important question - Where are the requirements listed?

Task 1 (chart graph diagram)
1. Where the "overview" part should be located - at the beginning, at the end or it does not matter?
I have seen essays with an overview in both parts but can not find any rules about it.

2. Is it necessary to include measurement units (like $ billion, kilometres, etc.) in the overview or the paraphrasing sentence?
Some teachers ask for it, some do not. But the test gives only one chance to make it right.

Task 2 (essay)

1. Is it necessary to include a "general statement sentence" in the introduction?
General statement here means that it generalises the topic for the reader convenience but is not mentioned in the prompt question at all. And the second and third sentences where the actual prompt paraphrasing occurs.

2. Some websites suggest explaining your position in the introduction with "This essay will discuss...why I agree/disagree".
Is it a good or a bad idea?

I ask everyone not to look at this as a critique, I do not mean to offend anyone but to clarify some issues I have with understanding IELTS writing. I am willing to follow anyrules that will help me to get an acceptable band score.

Writing Feedback / IELTS Writing 1 Hydroelectric power station [3]

Summarize information from the diagram

The diagram illustrates the process of electricity production by a hydroelectric power plant. Overall, the power station harnesses the energy of a river by utilizing the water flow from higher to lower grounds. The station works in two regimes, that allow it to utilize day and night times for electricity generation.

As the diagram reveals, the first facility is a dam, that blocks the river and creates a high-level reservoir upstream. During the day the dam opens its intake at the bottom and allows free flow of water towards a power station with an electricity generator. As the water passes the turbines of the generator, it spins them, thus producing energy that is diverted to national grid via power lines. The water ends its day cycle in a low-level reservoir.

The second operational mode of the plant uses the generator in reverse as a pump. This results in lifting the water from the downstream body of water upstream to the high-level reservoir through the same route as it came to the generator. In order to fill the dam again before the day cycle, the intakes at its bottom are closed at nights.

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Writing Feedback / IELTS 2 It is now possible for scientists and tourists to travel to remote natural environment [2]

It is now possible for scientists and tourists to travel to remote natural environment, such as the South Pole.

What are advantages and disadvantages of this development?

Advancements in all spheres of life have opened new horizons for people. One of these is access to the South Pole and other new destinations for researchers and common people. While it is advantageous as it allows scientists to collect valuable data and give new experiences for tourists, it has drawbacks such as polluting these intact regions.

There are advantages for both scientists and ordinary visitors. For the latter it means more travel destinations, new unforgettable experiences and new photos on their social media accounts. For the former it gives access to unique data sources that can reveal the secrets of our planet. For instance, samples collected from beneath kilometer-thick layers of the Antarctic ice sheet can tell about how Earth looked like billions of years ago. Therefore, the journey there will lead to more scientific discoveries.

The drawback of accessible travel is that people tend to pollute places where they go. Travellers need to bring a lot of clothes, food, and equipment to such remote locations as the South Pole. Most of these things eventually become waste that will end up discarded around the area. While this littering tendency might not be so pronounced for scientists, it is more prevalent in tourism. It has happened before, as previously accessible only to the few bravest and fittest alpinists, Mount Everest is now gathering queues of tourists at its summit. This influx of people has resulted in tonnes of trash scattered around the paths, leaving a heavy footprint on the ecology of this formerly pristine region.

In conclusion, tourists together with scientists now have easier access to remote locations. On the positive side there is plenty of potential for research and leisure experiences there. But it has its disadvantages as people bring pollution with them.

Writing Feedback / IELTS Writing 2 - adapting to the climate crisis rather than trying to prevent it from happening [3]

Some people think that instead of preventing climate change, we need to find a way to live with it.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Climate crisis is one of the most serious global issues today. For many people the preferred course of action is to adapt to it rather than to try to prevent it from happening. I completely disagree with this idea as it is will be harder to find a suitable place to live for humans and adaptation is unattainable for other species.

To begin with, without actions the climate change will gradually worsen and people will not be able to live with it. As the global temperature rises, some places will become too hostile for people and they will be forced to move somewhere else. People's ability to adapt and survive has its limits. For instance, the expansion of deserts has already sped up and many tropical islands are sinking under the ocean level. Global crisis leads to the disappearance of lands suitable for human settlements.

Even if the humankind survives, animals and plants will not. Our planet's ecosystem is extremely fragile and many species of flora and fauna, in contrast to humans, cannot find a way to adapt to rapid changes in temperatures and will go extinct. Photos of starving polar bears have already shown the dire consecuences of elevated temperatures. In some regions of Arctic, these animals are unable to find food as their prey have migrated to cooler northern regions, leaving the bears behind.

There is a thought that a suitable way to deal with global warming is to find a way to tolerate it, instead of taking actions to stop it. However, this approach will not only result in disappearance of areas suitable for humans, but also will aloow animal and plant life to go extinct. Therefore, I strongly disagree with accepting this approach.

Writing Feedback / IELTS Task 2 Technology and traditional cultures are incompatible - the loss of cultural norms [3]

It is inevitable that traditional cultures will be lost as technology develops. Technology and traditional cultures are incompatible.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view?

Development of technology makes some people believe that separate cultures will soon become extinct. This development leads to globalization and traditional cultures will disappear. This essay will reveal why I mostly disagree with this fear as it is in human nature to be different and to belong to a certain group so those cultures will survive.

Technology jeopardizes the existence of unique cultures. When going online people have many options to choose from. This is a threat to a local culture as people lean towards the most popular and trending things in the media, and replace local attributes with universal. Also, the world is so connected that it resembles a mixing pot that can result in one uniformed international society. This is happening right now as the globally used English language is considered an international by many and is even replacing some local languages as the official in several countries.

However, local cultural and national bonds are stronger than technology. It is in the human nature to belong to a certain group that shares similar values. The expansion of technology and foreign influence triggers a defensive response in these groups and they start to protect their own by cherishing their culture. Moreover, individuals like to be different so while the advancing globalization is stripping separate unique nations of their individual features, it only boosts local interest and support of their own attributes that make them unique. For example, Indians are often proud to wear sarees when abroad, Italians cook tomatoes only in their own way and Chinese would tell their foreign friends how great and different their cuisine is.

In conclusion, communication technology is considered a threat to traditional cultures. However, I rather disagree that it can make these cultures disappear as human desire for individualism and group bonding will prevail.

Writing Feedback / Is the financial support from developed countries to those poor nations satisfactory? [8]

Rich countries often give money to poorer countries, but it does not solve poverty.

Therefore, developed countries should give other types of help to the poor countries rather than financial aid.To what extent do you agree or disagree?

There is currently a large wealth disparity between countries in the world. In order to aid poor nations, their wealthy counterparts provide them with financial help but the problem of poverty there remains. There is a belief that some other ways of support should to be offered instead. This essay will expand on why I mostly agree with this idea in detail.

First and foremost, it is a morally right thing to help those in need. Provided that financial support does not work, developed nations have a moral obligation to support their less fortunate counterparts in other ways. Indeed, if someone notices a person lying on the street, a good and moral reaction would be to find a way to help that person not just give money and hope for the best. I think the same works at a larger scale with nations and while it is not easy to help a whole country but it is morally right to do so.

Besides, it is in the interest of rich countries to end poverty, particularly in adjacent countries, for their own safety. Unfortunately, poverty goes along with high crime rates, and many criminals from impoverished areas may sneak to a wealthier state to find luck. If rich countries find a way to lift their neighbors out of poverty, the threat of imported crime will decrease. This way, for instance, was chosen by the core states of the European Union as they implemented strategies to bring their newly accepted countries from Eastern Europe to a higher level.

In conclusion, developed nations should aid poor ones as it is morally right, and it is safer to have a well-off neighbor than a poor one. Therefore, I predominantly agree that if this cannot be achieved with financial suport, other soulutions need to be found.

Writing Feedback / IELTS Writing Task 2 Individuals can do nothing to improve the environment [5]

Individuals can do nothing to improve the environment; only governments and large companies can make a difference. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The responsibility of environment

Today it is clear that the health of our planet is in a dire situation. Some people believe that they personally can not change this fact and only corporations and governments are able to improve the environment. This essay will discuss in depth why I completely disagree with this notion.

The idea that individuals are helpless is blatantly wrong and extremely lazy. People in general are the reason of the deterioration of the environment. Therefore, if they are capabe to worsen the situation, they are surely in power to make the opposite effect. A person can toss a plastic botlle on a lawn, for example, but the same person is also capable of collecting trash from the same lawn to a trash bin. Moreover, there is a plethora of things that people can do ranging from collecting rubbish and sorting it to prodicing less of waste and wisely and economically using the utilities. These measures have long been stated by environmentalists as the most effective.

Governments and corporations can undoubtedly make a difference and individuals can and should force them to take the action. Provided that large companies are working for profit, they are not particularly interested in the environmental issues. However, their business is sensitive to the public opinion and if there is enough effort from their customers they will have no choice but to contribute. The same can be said about governments. These institutions are there to serve people, and are chosen by people. So it is their job to listen to their nations desires and problems and react accordingly. On the other hand it is the duty of an individual to reach to a politician, for instance, by means of protests, demonstrations or petitions that demand environmental legislation.

This essay discussed the reasons why the idea that individuals can not change the environmental crisis is inaccurate. Therefore, I strongly disagree that not individuals but politicians and large businesses are the only ones that can reduce pollution.

Writing Feedback / IELTS Task 1 Consumption and production of potatoes [3]

Potatoes' supply and demand

Task: The tables below provide information about the consumption and production of potatoes in five parts of the world in 2006.

The two tables reveal how much potatoes people from five different regions ate and the production rates of this crop by the same regions in 2006. The former number is measured in kilograms per person and the latter in million tonnes. Overall, the highest consumption of potatoes was recorded in Europe and the lowest in Africa. In terms of production, the leading position was held by Asia, while South and Central America contributed the least to the potato market.

As the first table shows, a person from Europe, on average, ate around 96 kg of potatoes in 2006, followed by North Americans with slightly under 60 kg per person. Only a fraction of that, 14 kg per person, was consumed by Africans, whilst people in South and Central America and Asia showed similar eating preferences with around 25 kg for each region.

According to the second table, Asia and Europe were the world's leading potato suppliers accounting for 131.2 and 126.3 million tonnes respectively. The production figures for the other three countries were significantly lower, standing at 15.6 million in South and Central America, just over 16 million in Africa and around 25 million tonnes in North America.

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Writing Feedback / IELTS Writing Task 1 The graph below shows the average temperature in Antarctica in June 2015. [2]

temperature changes in Antarctica

The graph below shows the average temperature in Antarctica in June 2015.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

The chart provides information about the temperature changes in Antarctica during June of 2015.

Overall, the temperatures were considerably fluctuating throughout the month with every low point followed by a peak.

As the data illustrates, the coldest day recorded was the first day of the month with almost minus 60 degrees Celsius on the thermometer. The weather started to improve during the next several days and entered the first, albeit smaller, peak of June reaching minus 54 degrees between June 5 and June 9. After falling down by three degrees by June 13, the situation significantly improved once again and Antarctica witnessed the second period of relative warmth. This time it was the warmest period when the temperature climbed to nearly -50 degrees C on June 21. During the rest of the month, the continent experienced a prolonged downward trend with the coldest days in the end of June when the measurements indicated a total drop by 8 degrees from the previous highest record.

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