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 with this opinion?
Sample Response
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and there is a growing consensus among scientists and policymakers that urgent action is needed to prevent its worst effects. Given this urgencyIn light of this, the idea that we should simply learn to live with climate change is misguided and dangerous. While it may be true that some level of adaptation will be necessary as temperatures continue to rise and weather patterns become more extreme, this should not be seen as a substitute for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
One reason why the "live with it" approach is problematic is that it fails to account for the enormousimmense costs that climate change is likely to impose on society. According to the United Nations, climate change could cost the world economy as much as $360 billion per year by 2030, and up to $1.2 trillion per year by 2060. This includes both the direct costs of climate impacts, such as damage to infrastructure and property, as well as indirect costs such as lost productivity, health consequencesimpacts, and population displacementdisplacement of people.
Furthermore, the idea of simply living with climate change ignores the fact that it is likely to disproportionately affect the most vulnerable members of society. For example, low-income communities and people living in coastal regions or places prone to droughtcoastal areas or areas prone to drought or extreme weather events are likely to bear the brunt of climate impacts. These effects are already evidentThis is already being seen in many parts of the world, where communities are experiencing more frequent and severe heatwaves, floods, and storms.
In addition, taking a "live with it" approach could also undermine efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent further warming. If people believe that it is futile to try toand stop climate change, they may be less likely to support measures such as transitioning to renewable energy or reducing consumption.
To conclude, climate change and its dire consequences are real. We need to take every measure possible to repair the damage done torevert to the damages caused to the planetthe mother planet and take actioninitiatives to prevent climate change for our own survival. This is why "learning to live with it" is misguided and a dangerous approach thatwhich will only accelerate our destruction and extinction.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response’s clearest strength is its firm, consistently maintained position, supported by several relevant consequences of prioritising adaptation over prevention. Its main limitation is that some support, especially the closing claims about extinction and reversing damage, becomes overstated or imprecise rather than carefully developed. The highest-priority improvement is to replace these broad assertions with a more measured explanation of how mitigation and necessary adaptation can work together.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The position is direct and consistent, and several relevant arguments are developed in substantial detail.
Temper the exaggerated final claims and develop the relationship between mitigation and unavoidable adaptation more precisely.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through focused paragraphs, with cohesive links that make the argument easy to follow.
Create a slightly smoother transition into the conclusion so it synthesises the preceding reasoning rather than escalating it.
Lexical Resource
A wide vocabulary conveys complex environmental and economic ideas precisely, despite a few awkward or overstated expressions.
Replace phrases such as reverting damage and mother planet with natural, academically precise collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A broad range of complex structures is handled accurately, and the few errors do not impede meaning.
Refine article, preposition, and relative-clause choices in the small number of awkward sentences.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
IELTS Writing Task 2
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 with this opinion?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.