IELTS Writing Task 2: The use of mobile phone is as antisocial as smoking. Smoking is banned in certain places so mobile phone should be banned like smoking. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The use of mobile phone is as antisocial as smoking. Smoking is banned in certain places so mobile phone should be banned like smoking. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is true that the use of mobile phones is sometimes disruptive to many people. However, it should not be banned in public places as in the case of smoking.

I agree that mobile phones can be as antisocial as smoking. Many people do not care about others when they are in public areas. For example, I often see passengers talking loudly via their phones on buses and trains while a number of individuals are reading books or simply having a short rest. I believe that these ‘noisy’ people create the same unpleasant feeling as smokers do to those who are around.

Nevertheless, it would be too strict to prohibit mobile phones in some places. Firstly, the length of a conversation is not often too long, meaning that it causes little disturbance to other people. Secondly, a ban on the use of mobile phones, even in some designated areas, merely hinders the convenience of the users. Many people depend on cell phones to work, and they may find it difficult to finish job tasks without phone calls.

Instead of restricting the use of mobile phones, the government should find ways to raise public awareness of using these portable devices in public places. For instance, posters or warnings ought to be displayed on buses, trains or stations to make sure that mobile phone users are aware of other people when making or receiving a phone call.

In conclusion, I believe that the government should consider other alternatives rather than imposing a ban on the use of mobile phones in public places.

(260 words – by ielts.vinh@gmail.com) 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Many museums and historical sites are mainly visited by tourists but not local people. Why is this the case and what can be done to attract more local people to visit these places?

Many museums and historical sites are mainly visited by tourists but not local people. Why is this the case and what can be done to attract more local people to visit these places?

There are a number of factors that explain why many museums and historical sites fail to attract the attention of the locals. However, this issue can be resolved by adopting a number of solutions, as will now be discussed.

Perhaps the primary reason is that local inhabitants often do not have interest in visiting these places as they tend not to be attracted by places and objects that are familiar to their cultural backgrounds. For example, many museums in Ho Chi Minh City welcome thousands of travelers from Hanoi annually, in contrast to the number of local residents who visit the museums and historical sites here in my home city of Hanoi.

Another reason stems from historical attractions themselves. They are often poorly conserved due to a low budget for operation while the authority does not make an attempt to improve the situation. Take the Air Defense museum in Hanoi as an example. For years, there has been no change for the better, at least visually, to attract the locals, and this is the reason why most of its visitors are tourists.

However, a range of available options can be taken to tackle the problem. The simplest one is that the authority should continue campaigns aiming at encouraging local people to visit these attractions. They could also consider rearranging and redecorating historical places to make them more interesting and attractive for all visitors. To achieve this, the government ought to allocate more public money to the conservation of these places.

In conclusion, various measures need to be taken to gain back local residents’ interest in museums and historical sites.

(269 words – written by ielts.vinh@gmail.com) 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later. Some people think that having these people to give a talk to school students is the best way to tell them about dangers of committing a crime. Do you agree or disagree?

Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later. Some people think that having these people to give a talk to school students is the best way to tell them about dangers of committing a crime. Do you agree or disagree?

Crime education is of paramount importance in any country, but the way it can be conducted is often a subject of debate in society. While I agree that asking those who are released from prison to have a talk to school students is a good education method, I also believe that there are better alternatives to the problem, as will now be discussed.

On the one hand, I agree that students may be aware of the consequences of engaging in criminal activities when attending a talk given by ex-prisoners. Their life stories are often vivid and persuasive, and this can attract the attention of school students easily. These ex- criminals are real examples that people have to pay for their unlawful activities, which can raise awareness about law-abiding citizens among young people. The success of a series of educational programs on Vietnamese Television channels about the price that offenders have to pay proves that the narrative forms of crime education can work. It is hoped that a speech of used-to-be wrongdoers is promoted at all school levels in future.

However, I believe that a combination of different education methods would produce a more desirable result compared to a former prisoner holding a talk. Primarily, parents should act as pioneers to educate children at an early age about social evils and how to avoid them. It has long been acknowledged that the home environment has a profound effect on the development of a child, and a significant percentage of juvenile crime stems from insufficient education criminals receive in their childhood. Teachers at schools also play an important role in raising the awareness of students about crime. Moral lessons ought not to be neglected in the classroom, and a positive education environment should be promoted, contributing to crime prevention.

In conclusion, it is my opinion that a talk given by ex-offenders, albeit effective, is not the best education method for crime education.

(319 words – by ielts.vinh@gmail.com) 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Some people think that schools should reward students who show the best academic results, while others believe that it is more important to reward students who show improvements. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Some people think that schools should reward students who show the best academic results, while others believe that it is more important to reward students who show improvements. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Giving encouragement is a necessary practice in every education system. In some countries, a form of awards is often given to those who achieve the highest level of academic attainment, but this is not the most desirable solution, as will now be discussed.

There are those who argue that students with the best academic results should be rewarded. The core of this argument is that this may encourage students to study hard for the best grade, and that those who excel at academic performances should be praised for their efforts. However, only some students who are very smart can be able to come top in formal exams while normal students may think that they are incapable of competing with more intelligent students at all. Therefore, slow students might feel reluctant to bury themselves in study to achieve higher scores.

However, I side with those who believe that schools should reward those who endeavour to study and make great improvements in the educational environment. For example, when I was a child, I often received a small gift from my parents once I scored higher than I did in the previous exam. I still remember that this did make significant contributions to my study and helped me to progress fast in the classroom. Thus, it is suggested that schools take the same action to encourage students to learn. For instance, teachers can simply pay a compliment as the recognition of the efforts that students make during the semester.

In conclusion, it seems to me that schools should reward those who make academic improvements rather than those who score highest in the exam.

(270 words – written by ielts.vinh@gmail.com) 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Some people think that in order to prevent illness and disease, governments should make efforts in reducing environmental pollution and housing problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Some people think that in order to prevent illness and disease, governments should make efforts in reducing environmental pollution and housing problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

The prevention of illness and disease is a challenging problem for any community. Although many people may be skeptical about the effectiveness of an investment in improving the environment and providing more housing for the public, I believe that it is a good solution to the issue, as will now be discussed.

On the one hand, ameliorating environmental contamination can hinder the spread of disease and illness. Today, people’s health is deteriorating due to the adverse effects of poor air quality, making us more vulnerable to viruses and health problems. A number of urban citizens suffer from lung cancer and throat cancer due to the dangerous level of exhaust emissions from traffic and industrial activities in many big cities such as Beijing and Hanoi. Therefore, improving the environment should be treated as the top priority among other concerns of the government. For example, an outright ban on the use of private vehicles can decrease the amount of harmful fumes released into the atmosphere, contributing to the clean-up of the environment.

On the other hand, the provision of more accommodation for the public is also a highly effective measure to reduce health risks. Many people are still homeless in society while many others have to live in slums under poor living conditions with poor access to medical services when they are sick. This triggers the rise of endemic diseases such as malaria in society, putting the life of other citizens in jeopardy. By providing more social apartments of affordable prices and incentives for the poor, the government would not only mitigate the dearth of housing but also prevent disease and illness effectively at an early stage.

In conclusion, it is my belief that environmental pollution and lack of housing are root causes of the proliferation of illnesses and diseases in society, requiring the government to take actions to tackle the problem.

(310 words – written by Thay Vinh IELTS) 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Some people think that only staff who worked in a company for a long time should be promoted to a higher position. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Some people think that only staff who worked in a company for a long time should be promoted to a higher position.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
One of the reasons why companies choose to promote some staff is seniority. While length of service is undoubtedly an important factor, my belief is it should certainly not be the only criterion for deciding who should be promoted. Rather it would be better for companies to have a more varied policy in this area.
There are without question sound arguments for promoting employees who have been working for a company for a number of years. The first of these is that these more experienced employees would be able to adapt themselves to being in a higher position, as they would understand the culture and policies of the company better. Again, on a practical level, if they were not promoted, they might well leave the company to find a higher position and earn a larger salary. This could have serious consequences for the company, which might lose a significant amount of business to its competitors.
Despite these reasons, there is a strong argument in favour of also promoting staff because of their performance. This can be seen by how some multi-nationals use annual performance and development reviews when deciding on promotion. Under this system a supervisor can set targets for an employee and if those targets are met, then the employee can be promoted, even if they are relatively junior. The benefit of this approach is that it encourages staff to work harder and rewards merit and not just long service.
In conclusion, there is no doubt a case for implementing a policy of promoting long-serving members of staff, but I believe that it is also wise to take account of the performance of more junior members of staff.
(279 words – Dominic Cole) 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Differences between countries become less evident each year. Nowadays, all over the world people share the same fashions, advertising, brands, eating habits and TV channels. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this?

Differences between countries become less evident each year. Nowadays, all over the world people share the same fashions, advertising, brands, eating habits and TV channels.
Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this?
It is undoubtedly the case that the world today has become a global village. One of the effects of this is that increasingly people in all corners of the world are exposed to similar services and products and adopt similar habits. My view is that this is largely a beneficial process and in this essay I will explain why.
The first point to make is that there are some downsides to this process of cultural globalisation, but these are relatively minor. The most significant of these disadvantages is that it can weaken national culture and traditions. For example, if people watch films and television programmes produced in the United States, sometimes they adopt aspects of the lifestyle of the American characters they see on television. Typically, however, this only affects minor details such as clothing and does not seriously threaten national identity.
When we turn to the other side of the argument, there are two major points to make in favour of this process. The first of these is that the more we share habits, products and services, the better we understand each other and this reduces prejudice against other nations. The other point relates to modernity. It is a sign of progress in a society that people no longer are restricted to brands and advertisements from their own society but are able to access more international goods. If, for example, there were unable to drink Coca Cola or wear Nike, then that would mean their society was not part of the international community.
In conclusion, I understand the point of view of people who worry about cultural globalisation because it is a threat to national traditions. However, this is outweighed by its positive impact on international understanding and the fact that it represents progress within a society.
(298 words – Dominic Cole) 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Some people say that parents should decide on what kind of medical care their children should receive, while others believe that this is the state’s responsibility Discuss both views and give your opinion

Some people say that parents should decide on what kind of medical care their children should receive, while others believe that this is the state’s responsibility

Discuss both views and give your opinion


Although almost everyone agrees about the necessity to provide children with the best healthcare, there is some dispute about whether parents or the government should decide what that care is. My own view is that while governments may adopt a general policy for children’s medical care, parents should normally have the ultimate say.

There are good grounds for arguing that the state should decide on the form of medical provision for children. One of these is that typically the state is better able to make informed decisions because it has access to all the latest medical research. Another is that occasionally there are epidemics in schools and it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that illnesses should not be spread unnecessarily. In this case, it might justifiably order compulsory vaccination.

Equally there is a very strong argument for allowing parents to decide on what care their children receive. This is because one extremely important principle is that everyone should have the right to choose what care they receive. For children who are too young to make their own choice, it is only natural that their parents should make that decision for them. This is particularly important for families that come from a culture where certain medical interventions such as blood transfusions are forbidden. In this case, it seems quite wrong for the government to order something that may go against religious beliefs.

In conclusion, I do accept that there are good reasons for the state to outline what care children should receive, but parents should be able to have the last word particularly when religious principles are at stake.

(271 words – Dominic Cole)

IELTS Writing Task 2: Science and technology have improved the standards of living in all over the world. Some people claim that the role of the arts has become insignificant. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Science and technology have improved the standards of living in all over the world. Some people claim that the role of the arts has become insignificant.

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

There is no doubt that the quality of our lives in the 21st century has been greatly improved by various scientific and technological advances. Despite this, the arts and humanities too still have much to teach us about ourselves and life in general.

One area in which we can learn from the arts is that concepts such as beauty matter in and of themselves, whereas in the world of science and technology the only true measure is whether something works or not. This is a limited view of the world and the arts differ in that they offer us an alternative and more spiritual outlook. For example, if we listen to Mozart we can learn about harmony and joy through the medium of music or if even we read an author like PG Wodehouse we learn about the value of humour. These essential aspects of life are absent from the clinical world of science and technology.

The other way in which artists can teach us more about life is that enjoying art encourages the habit of self- reflection. If you walk into an art gallery, attend a concert or even just stay in to read a book, you will almost certainly begin to think about your inner values. For me, this is a invaluable lesson in life because if we begin to reflect about ourselves, we begin not just to become more human, but also consider the lives of others too.

So while science and technology may have made our physical lives more comfortable in the 21st century. It remains true that the arts and humanities are still absolutely necessary for ordinary people as they promote a more spiritual and reflective view of life that is essential to our humanity.

(289 words – Dominic Cole)

IELTS Writing Task 2: In the past lectures were the traditional method of teaching large numbers of students. Nowadays new technology is increasingly being used to teach students. Do the advantages of this new approach outweigh the disadvantages?

In the past lectures were the traditional method of teaching large numbers of students. Nowadays new technology is increasingly being used to teach students.
Do the advantages of this new approach outweigh the disadvantages?

As we move into the twenty-first century, technology is affecting many different areas of life and education is no exception. Indeed, in some institutions traditional forms of education have been revolutionised by new technology to the extent that the lecture is no longer the main method of delivery. While there are a variety of benefits to this new approach, there are also significant drawbacks.

Perhaps the greatest bonus of the introduction of technology is the flexibility it offers. This is evident in two different ways. Firstly, it is now no longer essential for students to be present in the lecture theatre for their courses. This means that part-time courses for adults who are in employment and distance learning courses for people in other countries are now much more practical. Another area of flexibility is of course that the lecturer and tutor are able to use Moodles, interactive whiteboards and other tools to deliver their courses in a more stimulating way to large numbers of students.

Not everything, however, about the introduction of this new technology into education is positive. One major problem is that not all students are comfortable with using technology, even if they are part of the digital native generation. This is a serious issue as they may suffer from their lack of technological skills. Another related issue is that education is a human activity and it works best with as much human interaction as possible. Impersonal technology cannot replace the human contact found in traditional face-to-face tutorials and seminars.

As we have seen, there are major benefits to the introduction of technology into education, not least because it enables modern forms of education such as distance learning courses. This is balanced, however, by the fact that it can be too impersonal for some and disadvantages others for their lack of technological skills.

(305 words – Dominic Cole) 

IELTS Blog: Why attitude is more important than IQ

IELTS Blog: Why attitude is more important than IQ: Why attitude is more important than IQ Success lies in how you handle defeat. Scott Barbour/Getty Images LinkedIn Influencer Dr. Travis ...

Why attitude is more important than IQ

Why attitude is more important than IQ
Success lies in how you handle defeat. Scott Barbour/Getty Images LinkedIn Influencer Dr. Travis Bradberry published this post originally on LinkedIn.

When it comes to success, it's easy to think that people blessed with (~ having something) brains will inevitably leave the rest of us in the dust (~leave smb far behind). But new research from Stanford University

will change your mind (and your attitude).

Psychologist Carol Dweck has spent her entire career studying attitude and performance, and her latest study shows that your attitude is a better predictor of your success than your IQ.

Dweck found that people's core attitudes fall into one of two categories: a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.

With a fixed mindset, you believe that you are who you are and you cannot change. This creates problems when you're challenged because anything that appears to be more than you can handle is bound to make you feel hopeless and overwhelmed.

People with a growth mindset believe that they can improve with effort. They outperform those with a fixed mindset, even when they have a lower IQ, because they embrace challenges, treating them as opportunities to learn something new.

Common sense would suggest that having ability, like being smart, inspires confidence. It does, but only while the going is easy. The deciding factor in life is how you handle setbacks and challenges. People with a growth mindset welcome setbacks with open arms.

According to Dweck, success in life is all about how you deal with failure. She describes the approach to failure of people with the growth mindset this way,

"Failure is information—we label it failure, but it's more like, 'This didn't work, and I'm a problem solver, so I'll try something else.'"

Regardless of which side of the chart you fall on, you can make changes and develop a growth mindset. What follows are some strategies that will fine-tune your mindset and help you make certain it's as growth oriented as possible.

Don't stay helpless
We all hit moments when we feel helpless. The test is how we react to that feeling.

We can either learn from it and move forward or let it drag us down

Countless successful people would have never made it if they had succumbed to feelings of helplessness: Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star because he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas"; Oprah Winfrey was fired from her job as a TV anchor in Baltimore for being "too emotionally invested in her stories"; Henry Ford had two failed car companies before succeeding with Ford; and Steven Spielberg was rejected by USC's School of Cinematic Arts multiple times.

Imagine what would have happened if any of these people had a fixed mindset. They would have succumbed to the rejection and given up hope.

People with a growth mindset don't feel helpless because they know that to be successful you need to be willing to fail hard and then bounce right back.

Be passionate
Empowered people pursue their passions relentlessly. There will always be someone who is more naturally talented than you are, but what you lack in talent you can make up for in passion.

Empowered people's passion is what drives their unrelenting pursuit of excellence. Warren Buffett recommends finding your truest passions using what he calls the 5/25 technique: Write down the 25 things you care about the most. Then cross out the bottom 20. The remaining five are your true passions. Everything else is merely a distraction.

Take action It's not that people with a growth mindset are able to overcome their fears because they are braver than the rest of us; it's just that they know fear and anxiety are paralyzing emotions and that the best way to overcome this paralysis is to take action. People with a growth mindset are empowered, and empowered people know there is no such thing as a truly perfect moment to move forward. So why wait for one? Taking action turns all your worry and

concern about failure into positive, focused energy. Then go the extra mile (or two) Empowered people give it their all, even on their worst days. They're always pushing themselves to go the extra mile. One of Bruce Lee's pupils ran three miles every day with him. One day, they were about to hit the three-mile mark when Bruce said, "Let's do two more." His pupil was tired and said, "I'll die if I run two more." Bruce's response? "Then do it." His pupil became so angry that he finished the full five miles. Exhausted and furious, he confronted Bruce about his comment, and Bruce explained it this way: "Quit and you might as well be dead. If you always put limits on what you can do, physical or anything else, it'll spread over into the rest of your life. It'll spread into your work, into your morality, into your entire being. There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there; you must go beyond them. If

it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level." "Quit and you might as well be dead." If you aren't getting a little bit better each day, then you're most likely getting a little worse — and what kind of life is that? Expect results People with a growth mindset know they will fail from time to time, but they never let that keep them from expecting results. Expecting results keeps you motivated and feeds the cycle of empowerment. After all, if you don't think you're going to succeed, then why bother?

Be flexible
Everyone encounters unanticipated adversity. Empowered people with a growth-oriented mindset embrace adversity as a means for improvement, as opposed to something that holds them back. When an unexpected situation challenges empowered people, they flex (~prepare before doing physical activity) until they get results.

Don't complain when things don't go your
way
Complaining is an obvious sign of a fixed mindset. A growth mindset looks for opportunity in everything, so there's no room for complaints.

Bringing it all together
By keeping track of how you respond to the little things, you can work every day to keep yourself on the right side of the chart above.