IELTS Writing Task 2: How to Write a Problem and Solution Essay

Problem and solution questions are one of the most common Writing Task 2 essay types, and one of the easiest to write badly. The topic is usually familiar — traffic, obesity, pollution, youth crime — so candidates start writing immediately and produce a list of vaguely related ideas. The examiner reads a competent, empty essay and marks it Band 6. This guide shows you the structure that fixes it.

Recognising the question type

The wording varies, but three versions dominate:

• Problems and solutions. "What problems does this cause, and what measures could be taken to solve them?"
• Causes and solutions. "What are the causes of this, and what solutions can you suggest?"
• Single-sided. "What can be done to address this problem?" — only solutions are asked for.

Read the question twice and count the tasks. If it asks for causes, do not write about problems; a cause explains why something happens, a problem is a consequence of it. Answering the wrong half is the fastest way to lose marks under Task Response, which is 25% of your Writing band.

The mistake that caps you at Band 6

Weak essays name four problems in one paragraph and four unrelated solutions in the next. Nothing is explained, and the two paragraphs do not connect.

Band 7 requires ideas that are extended and supported. In practice that means two rules:

1. Fewer ideas, developed further. One problem per body paragraph, explained properly, beats three problems mentioned in passing.
2. Match your solutions to your problems. If your problem paragraph is about traffic congestion, your solution paragraph must solve congestion — not air quality, not parking. This matching is what makes an essay feel answered rather than merely written.

The four-paragraph structure

You have 40 minutes and a 250-word minimum. Four paragraphs is enough, and it keeps you inside the time limit.

Introduction (2 sentences)

Paraphrase the situation, then state your problem and your solution directly. No background waffle, no "since the dawn of time".

Body 1 — the problem (about 90 words)

Use a four-step chain: state the problem, explain why it happens, show the effect on people, then give a specific example.

Body 2 — the solution (about 90 words)

Same chain, aimed at the problem you just described: state the measure, explain who implements it, explain how it fixes that exact problem, and note a realistic limitation or condition. That last sentence is what separates a thoughtful answer from a slogan.

Conclusion (1-2 sentences)

Restate the problem and solution in new words. Add nothing new.

Model paragraphs

Question: More and more people in cities are becoming overweight. What problems does this cause, and what measures could be taken to solve it?

Body 1: "The most serious consequence of rising urban obesity is the strain it places on public healthcare systems. Excess weight is a primary risk factor for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, both of which require decades of continuous treatment rather than a single course of care. As the number of patients grows, hospitals must divert funding and specialist staff towards managing these chronic conditions, so waiting times lengthen for everyone else. In several European countries, diabetes care now absorbs a significant share of national health budgets, leaving less for preventive services."

Body 2: "The most effective response would be for city governments to redesign urban space so that daily activity becomes unavoidable. Building protected cycle lanes and widening pavements allows commuters to travel actively rather than by car, which addresses the sedentary routine that drives weight gain in the first place. Because this affects the whole population automatically, it reduces the future patient load on hospitals instead of treating illness after it appears. Such projects are expensive and slow to deliver, but they are cheaper than a lifetime of chronic care."

Notice that Body 2 solves the problem named in Body 1, and both paragraphs end with something concrete rather than a repetition of the topic sentence.

Language that works (and language that does not)

Useful, natural phrasing for this essay type includes: a major consequence of this is, this places considerable strain on, one practical measure would be to, this would tackle the root cause of, the most realistic step is for governments to.

Avoid memorised openers such as "In this modern era, it is a burning issue that..." Examiners recognise them instantly, and under Lexical Resource memorised language is not credited. Topic-specific vocabulary — sedentary lifestyles, preventive healthcare, congestion charging — earns far more than decorative phrases.

Common mistakes checklist

• Listing five problems instead of developing one or two.
• Solutions that do not match the problems you raised.
• Writing about causes when the question asked for problems, or the reverse.
• Vague agents: "something should be done." Say who — governments, employers, schools.
• Going far over 250 words and running out of time to check your grammar.
• Never proofreading. Spend the final three minutes hunting articles, plurals and verb tenses.

How to practise this

Write one problem and solution essay under timed conditions, then check it against the four criteria rather than your own impression of it. You can get an instant criterion-by-criterion estimate with our free AI IELTS essay checker, and work through more prompts on our Writing practice pages. If you are unsure what your essay band means for your overall result, run the numbers through the band score calculator. For the general paragraph framework behind every Task 2 question type, see our guide to Band 7 Task 2 structure.