Online Education is Becoming More and More Popular – IELTS Writing Task 2

In IELTS Writing Task 2, students are asked to write a formal essay of at least 250 words, in 4-5 paragraphs based on the given writing task 2 essay topics. The task is similar for both IELTS Academic and General Training with regards to the type of questions and the scoring, but the topics given for General Training will be slightly easier than Academic.

Given below is an IELTS discussion essay, 'Online Education is Becoming More and More Popular' with sample answers that will help you to practise and get a good score. Also, have a look at the answers given below and review the IELTS Writing practice tests on a regular basis.

Question

Outline

Essay Type

Discussion Essay

Introduction

Sentences 1 & 2: Paraphrase the given topic.

Sentence 3: States the opinion.

Body Paragraph

Paragraph 1: reasons why people may enjoy pursuing online education.

Paragraph 2: reasons why traditional education is irreplaceable

Conclusion

Summarize my thoughts and express my final opinion.

Sample Essay

More and more people are taking online courses thanks to digital devices and the Internet. Some are opposed to distance education and question whether it has the same benefits as traditional education. I shall discuss both of these statements and conclude with a rationale.

There are many reasons why people may enjoy pursuing online education. Many learners can benefit from such a type of education, especially the busy workers, by planning their time more efficiently. Since the advent of smartphones and e-learning, many people can now study in the evenings, weekends, or even while driving to and from work rather than attending classes. Also, the cost of online learning is quite affordable, meaning students who live far from their hometowns do not have to pay for housing or take the bus to school or colleges. Consequently, a large number of families can afford the tuition fees without being burdened by enormous expenses.

Many who emphasize the value of offline training believe that face-to-face communication is more effective, and the learning experience offered cannot be replicated by modern education. Effective communication skills, cultivating social manners, and building healthy relationships with mates and mentors can only be developed by working in a real working environment. As a result, online education does not facilitate effective group education, one of the best ways to learn. Students also get to work in a team as a result of conventional teaching methods. Besides, online testing makes it difficult for teachers to evaluate students. In this way, it is not possible to track student progress, as it is in classroom settings. Further, learners can ask repeated questions whenever they have doubts or confusion.

In conclusion, although online learning has a number of positive influences, I think traditional education is an educational strategy that is irreplaceable. Through this, students can interact more with classmates and learn new skills together. They can also improve their skills and learn new things.

Band 9 Vocabulary

Have a look at the IELTS Vocabulary for the sample answer on 'Online Education is Becoming More and More Popular'.

• Rationale

Meaning: the principles or reasons which explain a particular decision, course of action, belief, etc

Eg: The judge asked the young man to explain his rationale for stealing a police car.

• Pursuing

Meaning: to try to achieve something or to continue to do something over a period of time

Eg: He will be pursuing a banking career in future.

• Affordable

Meaning: that is not too expensive for people of limited means

Eg: The restaurant serves good food at affordable prices.

• Burdened

Meaning: to give somebody/yourself a responsibility or task that causes a lot of work or worry

Eg: You don’t have to carry this burden alone.

• Enormous

Meaning: very big or very great

Eg: Of the enormous number of bills brought in, very few were passed.

• Emphasize

Meaning: to put emphasis on something

Eg: The government emphasized the need for higher taxes.

• Replicated

Meaning: to copy something exactly

Eg: If the virus cannot replicate itself, it cannot cause illness.

• Mentors

Meaning: an experienced person who advises and helps somebody with less experience over a period of time

Eg: Yasmi was my mentor when I was training.

• Conventional

Meaning: always behaving in a traditional or normal way

Eg: The other houses are built to a more conventional design.

• Strategy

Meaning: a plan that you use in order to achieve something

Eg: Her gaming strategy led to the team’s victory

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