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?
Sample Response
Climate change represents a major threat to life on Earth, but some people argue that we need to accept it rather than try to stop it. I completely disagree with this opinion becauseopinion, because I believe that we still have time to tackle this issue and reduce human impactthe human impact on the Earth’s climate.
There are various measures that governments and individuals could take to prevent, or at least mitigate, climate change. Governments could introduce laws to limit the carbon dioxide emissions that lead to global warming. They could impose “green taxes” on drivers, airlinesairline companies and other polluters, and they could invest in renewable energy from solar, wind or hydropowerrenewable energy production from solar, wind or water power. As individuals, we should also try to limit our contribution to climate change by becomingclimate change, by becoming more energy efficient, by flying less, and by using bicycles and public transport. Furthermore, the public can influence government actionaffect the actions of governments by voting for politicians who propose to tackle climate change, rather than for those who would prefer to ignore it.
If instead of taking these measuresthe above measures we simply try to live with climate change, I believe that the consequences will be disastrous. To give just one example, I am not optimistic that we would be able to cope with even a small rise in sea levellevels. Millions of people would be displaced by flooding, particularly in countries that do not have the means to safeguard low-lying areas. These people would lose their homes and their jobs, and they would be forced to migrate to nearby cities or perhaps to other countries. The potential for human suffering would be huge, and it is likely that there would be outbreakswe would see outbreaks of disease and famine, as well as increased homelessness and poverty.
In conclusion, it is clear to me that we must address the problem of climate change, and I disagree with those who argue that we can find ways to live with it.
Why this response received Band 9.0
The response is strongest in the decisive, thoroughly developed case it builds through practical prevention measures and a vivid account of the consequences of inaction. Its main limitation is that the mitigation discussion lists several measures more quickly than it analyses their likely effects. The best refinement would be to examine one measure in greater causal depth while retaining the essay's direct focus and strong progression.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The essay fully answers the question, sustains an unequivocal position, and develops both preventive action and the consequences of inaction with highly relevant support.
Analyse the mechanism and likely impact of one proposed mitigation measure in greater depth to strengthen an already complete argument.
Coherence and Cohesion
The argument progresses seamlessly from the position to possible action, then to the consequences of the alternative, with clear paragraphing and unobtrusive cohesion.
Create an even tighter conceptual bridge from the list of preventive measures to the subsequent consequences paragraph.
Lexical Resource
A broad and precise lexical range conveys environmental policy and humanitarian consequences naturally, with consistently appropriate collocation.
Vary a few repeated references to climate change while preserving the exactness of the environmental terminology.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences, conditionals, relative clauses, and coordinated structures are handled flexibly and with consistently accurate control.
Preserve this accuracy while occasionally shortening a long coordinated sentence to add further emphasis and rhythmic variety.
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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?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.